BAS in Applied Management Available June 25
Starting June 25, an applied bachelor’s degree in Highline College’s Business program will have a new name and slightly different course offerings.
The former Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Global Trade and Logistics will change to BAS in Applied Management to better reflect the growing student and employer demand for a general business management degree.
However, Highline’s specialized global trade and logistics degree isn’t gone to those who wish to engage in that field. Students will still be able to take the same classes for a degree in global trade and logistics by selecting this area as an emphasis for their elective courses.
“This broadens the scope and makes it more attractive to more students,” Raegan Copeland, business program coordinator and faculty member at Highline College, said. “We don’t want to diminish the importance of trade and logistics for our community, for our workforce, for our students or employers. Students can still go that route, the classes are still there.”
But offering a degree in applied management allows more students to learn other aspects of business, such as human resources, sales, financial management and organizational leadership.
“Business is one of our largest pathways on campus and we want to provide opportunities for our students, community and local employers,” Tanya Powers, Associate Dean for BAS and Workforce Pathways, said. “We want to reframe this degree with smooth entry points from our associate degrees and want to provide opportunities to meet the needs of our industry partners.”
The degree also expands access to more business students. Applied bachelor’s degrees require up to 60 credits of general education, so students who already have an Associate of Arts Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA) with a business focus or an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in international business, accounting or business will likely be admitted directly into the BAS in Applied Management program. Prior, only students who had an AAS in business or international business had a direct transfer into the global trade and logistics BAS.
Upon graduation, students can earn their master’s degree through Western Governor’s University of Pacific Lutheran University as Highline has an articulation agreement with them.
Mary Kajoka, a Highline College faculty member who is also an alumna, said her applied bachelor’s degree transferred to Eastern Washington University, where she received her Master’s in Business Administration, making EWU a viable option for students in the program as well.
Kajoka is not only a faculty member and alum of the program, but she is also the BAS in Applied Management degree’s program coordinator and will serve on an advisory board for the program that will include key business people from regional employers, such as Expeditors International.
“We think this will be an amazing opportunity to strengthen our connection with employers in the region, past graduates and former faculty in the program,” Powers said of the advisory board. “I think really exciting things are happening.”
Applications for the BAS in Applied Management degree are free and open now.