School of Professional and Community Education
The School of Professional and Community Education (PACE) offers four undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees (see the Graduate Catalog), a minor, and several certificates at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Emergency Management and homeland security
The Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Administration and Homeland Security (EMHS) was established in 1997. Arkansas Tech University was one of the first institutions to offer a baccalaureate degree in this specialized and rapidly growing academic discipline. In 2006, the program became the first degree program to receive accreditation on a national as well as international level from the Foundation for Higher Education Accreditation in Emergency Management (now known as the Council for the Accreditation of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Education).
In view of the interest in this degree from a wide geographic area including international countries, the degree is also available online which was approved by the Higher Learning Commission in 2005. The program offers an accelerated pathway to a Master of Science degree in Emergency Management and Homeland Security for students seeking an advanced degree in the discipline and has pathways for Associate degree holders of either Paramedic, Fire Science, or Law Enforcement to complete their Bachelor of Science in Emergency Administration and Homeland Security in just two years.
Emergency Management and Homeland Security offers the following degrees:
- Emergency Management and Homeland Security, BS and MS
- AAS in Paramedic/Emergency Medical Services to BS in Emergency Management and Homeland Security
- Minor
For more information, please visit www.atu.edu/emergencymanagement
Organizational Studies
The Organizational Studies program offers three degree programs designed to meet the unique learning outcomes and career-progression goals of both traditional and non-traditional students. The Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership (BA-OL) provides a 42-hour professional core to provide the student with a foundation in the emerging academic and career-field of organizational leadership. Additionally, BA-OL program students chose from one of several 18-hour concentration areas. The Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) program offers a pathway to a four-year undergraduate degree for individuals who earned an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) or similar two-year degree. The Bachelor of Professional Studies program is the most flexible program available for those who seek to complete a four-year degree by maximizing prior academic credit. Students complete the necessary hours for all degree programs within a convenient yet directed scheduling format under the guidance of academic advisors who understand the unique needs of adult learners. The Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) primary target groups include:
- Students graduating from community colleges
- Degree “stop-outs” who began but never completed a bachelor’s degree
- Individuals who have accumulated hours that cannot be applied toward a specific major.
The curriculum is designed to enhance workplace skills such as planning, organizational behavior, ethics, needs assessment, problem solving, communications, human resources, and technology applications.
Organizational Studies offers the following degrees:
- Bachelor of Applied Science
- Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership
- Agriculture Business Concentration
- Child Development Concentration
- Criminal Justice Concentration
- Emergency Management
- Inter-College Concentration
- Military Leadership
- Psychology Concentration
- Public Relations Concentration
- Bachelor of Professional Studies
- Interdisciplinary Studies Concentration
- Certificate of Proficiency in Professional Leadership
- Leadership Minor
All bachelor’s degrees at Arkansas Tech University require 35 hours of general education coursework and a minimum of 40 hours of upper division courses, and a 120 hour total. Additionally, at least 30 hours must be earned at Arkansas Tech University.
credit for prior learning (cpl)
A Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) process is available that could award upper-division credit for relevant work experience, professional development, or military training. The basis for requesting credit for prior learning is the development of a portfolio with assistance from a faculty advisor. Every student requesting credit for prior learning must enroll in this course and complete a portfolio, which demonstrates the college-level learning that has resulted from experiences outside a formal academic framework. The student utilizes this method to document knowledge acquired which is equivalent to upper-division college-level credit. The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board sets credit limits for experiential/prior learning assessment.
Contact Information
Dean Hall, Suite 201
(479) 356-2092
ps@atu.edu
Higher Education and Student Affairs
Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) offers an online and/or on-campus master's program in higher education and student affairs. The department is committed to the growth, development, and success of students by combining academic preparation, mentorship, and field experience in student affairs. In addition, through its first-year student course offerings (TECH 1001 Orientation to the University & TECH 1013 Introduction to the University), the HESA program also works to assist entering college students in making successful transitions to the college environment. Higher Education and Student Affairs offers the following graduate-level programs:
- Master of Science in Higher Education and Student Affairs
- Collegiate Advising Certificate
Students with an interest in the above program should refer to the Arkansas Tech University Graduate Catalog.
Contact Information
Dean Hall, Suite 201
(479) 356-2007
saa@atu.edu