Prairie Public NewsRoom
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

BSC to add 'polytechnic' to its mission

Bismarck State College

A change in the mission for Bismarck State College.

"We're going to be a 'polytechnic' institution, with the spirit of a community college," BSC president Dr. Larry Skogen said in an interview. "We will have 'Bachelor of Applied Science' degrees, which are degrees in technical fields."

Skogen said over the last few years, BSC has been adding some “Bachelor of Applied Science” degrees. He said he approached Higher Education Chancellor Mark Hagerott about it.

"The BAS degree isn't an exception to the mission -- it's part of it," Skogen said.

The Board of Higher Education unanimously endorsed the change at its Valley City meeting. Skogen said BAS degree programs will be added strategically, and driven by demand.

"Industry comes to us and says, 'We need a bachelor degree in' whatever it is," Skogen said. "It will be in a technical field."

Skogen said BSC’s existing partnerships with Valley City State University, Dickinson State University, Minot State University and the University of Mary will stay in place.

"We can serve the workforce needs of western and central North Dakota, or for all of the state," Skogen said. "At the same time, we're still doing transfer programs, giving the first two years of BS and BA degrees, doing certifications, certificates, nursing programs -- doing all the things we're doing already."