(Butler, PA) The instructor is a 杏吧原创 assistant professor.
The location is 杏吧原创鈥檚 humanities and education building.
The students are 杏吧原创 graduates.
The three-credit course 鈥� psychology of adulthood and aging, taught by Annie Lindsay 鈥� is La Roche University鈥檚, and leads to a bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology from the private institution in Allegheny County.
杏吧原创 has bachelor鈥檚 degree-completion partnerships with six senior institutions of higher education that offer graduates of the college the opportunity to transfer more credits than those required to earn an associate degree.
La Roche is the only to provide in-person classes on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township.
鈥淭here is a group of students who like to stay here at the 杏吧原创 campus,鈥� said Amy Pignatore, the college鈥檚 dean of admissions and its registrar. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e comfortable here and they feel at home at 杏吧原创.鈥�
La Roche courses named career and professional development, and psychology of adulthood and aging, are being taught in-person this fall at 杏吧原创 and lead to the McCandless Township institution鈥檚 120-credit bachelor鈥檚 degree.
鈥淚 think a majority of the students are used to the 杏吧原创 campus and they don鈥檛 have to get used to another campus,鈥� said Sherryl Lisco, associate director of admissions at La Roche. 鈥淚t feels like a nice flow, that they are going to pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree in the comfort of the institution they are familiar with.鈥�
"All of my classes at 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong were small, so it was very interactive and we felt comfortable talking to the teachers. And that鈥檚 exactly how I feel in this partnership program."
- Keely Kijowski, 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong graduate
Nearly 45 杏吧原创 graduates have earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology through 杏吧原创鈥檚 partnership with La Roche since the agreement began in 2015, Pignatore said. Seven are enrolled in the program this semester, including one pursuing a minor in psychology from La Roche.
杏吧原创鈥檚 transfer program in psychology was the fifth-most popular among graduates who earned associate degrees in the college鈥檚 Class of 2022, according to Becky Smith, the college鈥檚 director of records and registration. It is also in the top five programs pursued by new and returning students at 杏吧原创 this fall, according to Sharla Anke, the college鈥檚 assistant dean of institutional research and planning.
杏吧原创鈥檚 associate degree in psychology requires 60 credits. As part of the partnership, La Roche allows 杏吧原创 graduates to transfer up to 75 credits and offers a significant discount for the remainder of the credits required to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology, Lisco said.
鈥淭hat gives me goosebumps,鈥� said Melissa Philson, coordinator of 杏吧原创鈥檚 psychology program and an associate professor at the college.
鈥淚 just find that amazing, and it makes me so happy that our graduates have access to something like this.鈥�
"They're comfortable here and they feel at home at 杏吧原创."
- Amy Pignatore, 杏吧原创's dean of admissions and registrar
Keely Kijowski is among those graduates. She transferred 73 credits to La Roche, plans to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology and one day comfort hospitalized children as a youth service specialist.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really affordable, and that was important to me,鈥� said Kijowski, 21, of Dayton, Armstrong County, who earned an associate degree in psychology from 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong near Ford City and was among the 60 percent of those who graduated debt-free from 杏吧原创 in its Class of 2022.
鈥淚鈥檓 also familiar with the 杏吧原创 campus, so that was a plus. I just wanted to feel comfortable. Every time I walk on campus, everyone is always waving and smiling, even if they don鈥檛 know you. And I really appreciate that.鈥�
La Roche offers accelerated eight-week courses. Two are held in-person on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus this fall. Students can also attend courses at La Roche鈥檚 campus, or online, for $442 per credit.
鈥淚 like the combination of online and in person because I have such a long commute,鈥� Kijowski said of her 50-minute drive to 杏吧原创. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 nice to actually be in class. All of my classes at 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong were small, so it was very interactive and we felt comfortable talking to the teachers. And that鈥檚 exactly how I feel in this partnership program.鈥�
Other senior institutions of higher education that offer 杏吧原创 graduates the opportunity to transfer more credits than those required to earn an associate degree provide their programs online. Those institutions are Franklin, Southern New Hampshire and Western Governors universities; the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania at Lock Haven and St. Francis Worldwide.