Quincy College has earned approval from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) to offer a new four-year degree in Computer Science, yet another milestone in the College’s ongoing efforts to make Bachelor’s degrees more accessible and affordable to students throughout the region.
The DHE approved the proposed Bachelor of Science in Computer Science based on several factors, including program quality, enrollment potential, student interest and local workforce need. According to the Massachusetts Economic Research Department’s Long-Term Occupation Projections for baccalaureate-level, computer-based occupations, mean wages ranged from $91,470 to $121,700 with thousands of open positions in Massachusetts.
“This is an example of building on success,” said Dr. Servet Yatin, Quincy College Provost and Chief Academic Officer. “After the successful launch of our Bachelor of Science in Business Management last spring, we owed it to our students and our community to expand our baccalaureate offerings into the high-demand computer science field.”
Last fall, DHE gave its approval to Quincy College’s request to offer a baccalaureate degree in Business Management, the first such approval ever granted to a two-year Massachusetts public college; enrollment in that program has been underway since January. Once the approval is received from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) – Quincy College’s institutional accreditation agency – the College will then begin enrolling students in its second Bachelor’s degree program for the semester beginning in January, 2023.
The development of a new program, particularly at the advanced baccalaureate level, requires a high level of expertise and institutional commitment. “I want to acknowledge the work of the College faculty, led by Provost Yatin, all of whom worked tirelessly in the past year to develop a baccalaureate program in Computer Science that not only provides classroom instruction, but work experience through internships,” said Quincy College President Dr. Richard DeCristofaro.
“With two baccalaureate programs, the opportunities for students multiply,” said Provost Yatin. “These programs of study were designed to be complementary, so students will be able to major in Computer Science and minor in Business Management, or vice versa. Graduates will stand out and have a competitive advantage in the workforce.”
Approval of Quincy College’s latest baccalaureate degree request comes after extensive DHE review of the College’s submission which included a detailed outline of the proposed program’s quality and rigor, its enrollment potential, and the College’s resources and capacity to offer it. In granting approval, DHE determined that the program substantially met or exceeded its requirements which is a tribute to the effort and expertise of the College’s Computer Science faculty who were largely responsible for new course development as well as modifications to existing courses in order to fully prepare students for computer and technical fields.
“Seeking approval for a baccalaureate degree is a lengthy process that requires exceptional teamwork,” said Provost Yatin. “In this case, for more than two years, our dedicated Computer Science faculty brought collaboration, insight, and remarkable attention to detail in their work preparing our request for the ultimately successful DHE review and now for the NECHE review. I thank my colleagues for their commitment to Quincy College and for their belief in the importance of additional, unique educational pathways for our students to follow to achieve their goals.”
Similar to the Bachelor of Science in Business Management, the Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science will be open to students throughout the Commonwealth. Quincy College partnered with the National Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) to offer a pathway for qualified transfer students from Massachusetts community colleges in accordance with the Massachusetts Transfer Guarantee. The College has also executed agreements with individual colleges, including Roxbury Community College and Bristol Community College. These articulation agreements were developed at the course and program level to maximize the number of credits that transfer between institutions.
“With our second baccalaureate degree offering, Quincy College has further differentiated itself as a leader among the state’s two-year colleges,” said President DeCristofaro. “We continue to be committed to the ideals of access and affordability, and are equally committed to making the dream of a Bachelor’s degree a reality for increasing numbers of students.”
As part of the College’s commitment to affordability, scholarships are available.