Northland Pioneer College (NPC) has added two new bachelor’s degrees to its program offerings. The Higher Learning Commission and the Arizona Board of Education have granted approval and accreditation for NPC’s Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (BAEE) and Bachelor of Applied Management (BAM) degrees. The new programs will begin enrolling students at all nine NPC locations this spring 2025 semester.
Obtaining a bachelor's degree in education equips individuals with the essential knowledge and skills to become effective and impactful teachers. NPC’s first bachelor’s degree program, the Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education (BAS-ECE) debuted last spring and currently has 26 students enrolled in its first two cohorts. The BAS-ECE builds on associate degree programs in Early Childhood to deepen teaching knowledge and prepares graduates to become highly qualified and certified early childhood educators for children in preschool through 3rd grade. The new Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (BAEE) expands on NPC’s teacher certification pathways. The BAEE prepares graduates for careers in private, charter, or district elementary school kindergarten through 8th grade settings. For both degrees, emphasis is placed on educational theory, child development, and classroom management techniques providing students with the tools they need to build engaging and supportive learning environments. Upon successful completion of NPC’s Board of Education-approved bachelor’s educator preparation programs, students will receive an Institutional Recommendation (IR) creating a streamlined and smooth process for graduates to earn teacher certification.
NPC’s Associate Dean of Educator Preparation programs, Dr. Allison Landy explained, “In working with various schools, principals, and superintendents from across our communities we recognized a significant need for high-quality teachers locally. There are vast teacher shortages and a surplus of emergency and long-term substitute teachers in our classrooms,” she said. “Local education providers need qualified candidates who are rooted in our communities and who want to live and work here. We knew we needed to grow our own,” she said. “Our communities need locally driven quality educator preparation programs that are accessible and affordable.” Most of the credits for the BAEE and BAS-ECE are in lower-division coursework, making it much more affordable to earn a bachelor’s degree in education through NPC than elsewhere. Additionally, 100 percent of an earned associate degree in education from NPC applies toward the bachelor’s degrees—creating a true half-and-half pathway.
NPC is also opening pathways to bachelor’s degrees in the field of business. The new Bachelor of Applied Management (BAM) degree builds on any earned associate degree, including those in technical fields such as cosmetology, automotive, welding, construction, surgical technology, pharmacy tech, computer science, and more. The BAM is a stackable degree option designed to teach students how to apply management techniques in various business environments. Students learn financial management, information systems management, and human resources management consistent with industry standards.
According to NPC Faculty in Business, Rachel Arroyo-Townsend, who orchestrated the development of the BAM degree, “This is the perfect degree for students who want to go into something they are passionate about, and then build on that experience to earn a bachelor’s degree that specializes in either entrepreneurship and leadership or medical administration management. This is a way for students to keep the credits they earn at the associate degree level and apply them to a bachelor’s degree that they can earn locally. All 60 credits of an applicable associate degree are guaranteed to apply to the BAM. This gives people in our area a way to move up in their careers and build on their educations without having to leave the community.”
With NPC’s bachelor’s degree offerings, students can now complete their upper-level coursework where they live, where they work, and where they raise their families.
Associate degree graduates from NPC will be given priority for admission to the new bachelor’s degree programs. Tuition for the upper-division (300 and 400 level) courses is one of the lowest in the state and is significantly less than that of state universities. An array of scholarship opportunities are also available to students who enroll.
NPC is currently accepting applications for the BAEE and BAS-ECE programs. The application deadline is November 1st for entry in the spring 2025 semester. Learn more and apply to the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (BAEE) at www.npc.edu/baee or contact the program’s director, NPC Associate Dean of Educator Preparation Programs, Dr. Allison Landy at allison.landy@npc.edu.
For those interested in enrolling in the new BAM degree program, students can prepare now by reaching out to an academic advisor or by contacting NPC Faculty in Business, Rachel Arroyo-Townsend at rachel-arroyo-townsend@npc.edu. Visit www.npc.edu/bam for more information.
