Last year, Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) launched the Adult Degree Completion program, a new initiative aimed towards adult learners looking to complete their college degree. With the second year quickly approaching, Director of Adult Degree Completion, Dr. William Mountz, is excited about the future of ADC.
“We’re really excited to begin developing new corporate partnerships in Year Two,” said Mountz. “And we’ve already begun establishing partnerships, such as with Head Start.”
With these partnerships, students may work with companies in special classes that focus on their field of study.
“We’re also beginning working on a new curriculum for our students,” said Mountz.
One of the new courses that will be available is the Return to Learn course. This class will allow adult learner students who haven’t attended school in a while to catch up on the current classroom landscape.
“We’ve been able to keep our goal of providing adult learners accessible, affordable, and accelerated degree paths to assist them with career advancement,” said Mountz. “The first year of ADC has exceeded my expectations. We didn’t even have office space for the first month or two. Now, we have a suite in Taylor Hall that includes a study room for students.”
The new courses and partnerships in the works for Year Two build upon Year One’s accomplishments.
“One of our biggest accomplishments has been updating our Credit for Prior Learning processes,” said Mountz. “This helps students achieve college credit based on their learning from work and life experience.”
Adult learners with experience equivalent to a college-level course will receive credit for that course by collecting essays, certifications, and other documentation that prove that would prove equivalency.
The process is done with an assigned advisor from the student’s area of study, and all documents are placed within a portfolio for review.
“We want to let folks know we’re here for them,” said Mountz. “Students of all ages are in the program, and so many of them are excited to be coming back and finishing their degree.”
Reference:
University Relations & Marketing
Missouri Southern State University
417.625.9813
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