WEST PLAINS, Mo. – A new associate’s degree at Missouri State Unviersity-West Plains will make it easier for business students to seamlessly transfer into the Bachelor of Science in General Business degree offered by Missouri State University at its campus in Springfield or through its Outreach Program on the West Plains campus.

The Associate of Science in Business degree was approved by members of the Missouri State University Board of Governors in May and is awaiting approval from the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE).  Students, however, can enroll in courses leading toward the degree now, said David White, associate professor of business and department chair.

White said the new degree “is similar to the Associate of Arts in General Studies degree, in that it’s transferrable, but it’s oriented toward the four-year business degree offered by the College of Business (COB) on the Springfield campus.  Many junior and senior level business courses have prerequisites, and this degree steers students in the direction to meet those requirements.”

The degree, which requires 62 credit hours to complete, includes many of the courses required for admission into the COB, including the courses needed to meet its globalization requirements, White said.  These include foreign language, psychology, sociology and international business classes, he added.

On average, White said, 10 to 15 students are enrolled in the bachelor’s degree offered through the Outreach Program, and this degree will help new students interested in completing their bachelor’s degree locally transition into the program more easily.

“Generally speaking, students might be able to take less total hours for their bachelor’s degree with this program than they would with the regular AA degree,” he said.  “This AS degree is very specific for transition into the BS degree.”

For more information about the degree and other degrees and courses related to business, contact White at 417-255-7297 or DavidWhite@MissouriState.edu.  For more information about all of the degrees offered at Missouri State University-West Plains, call the admissions office at 417-255-7955 or visit wp.missouristate.edu.