MAY 24, 2022
Upon completion of their UCC Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) degree, students interested in completing a bachelor of science degree in psychology can seamlessly continue their studies without leaving Roseburg.
The agreement is the first of its kind for UCC and Douglas County, as past students have traditionally needed to either commute long distances or move out of the county or take online classes to earn their bachelor’s degrees. The formalized articulation agreement will enable students to complete their AAOT at UCC and then continue their studies to complete a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Bushnell University while staying on the UCC campus.
Giving our students the opportunity to get their bachelor’s at home in Douglas County allows them to stay and go to work doing what they love in the community they love, said Rachel Pokrandt, president of Umpqua Community College. We will continue to create opportunities like this in other academic and career pathways.
Bushnell University is based in Eugene, but as part of the agreement, Bushnell faculty will teach live courses from the UCC campus, providing students with the same high-quality instruction they would get attending classes on the Bushnell campus.
As a resident of Douglas County, I have an understanding of the struggles our community faces in terms of meeting growing mental health challenges and not having enough professionals to serve the enormous need, says Dr. Ryan Melton, Dean of Bushnell University’s Psychology and Counseling program. This is just one step in ‘growing our own professionals’ which allows them to live, study and work here.”
The bachelor of science degree in psychology will prepare students for careers in mental health, counseling, community and social services. With staffing shortages in the medical field compounded with higher demand for mental health professionals, the local community will benefit from having an increase of newly qualified workers.
Students in the program will also get the opportunity to participate in research practicums, internships and complete a senior capstone without leaving the county. Hybrid learning modalities, with some courses live and some online, will also be available. Doctoral-level faculty will provide instruction. Applications are being accepted for fall 2022 enrollment in the program on the umpqua.edu website.
