Pellissippi State to combine business disciplines to boost grad opportunities

Effective fall 2007, Pellissippi State will combine four business-related programs into one as a way to increase job opportunities for graduates, benefit employers and make more efficient use of resources within the College.

The new Business Administration program will have four concentrations: Computer Accounting, Management, Hospitality and Marketing. All four are currently individual academic programs.

Students in Business Administration will graduate with an Associate of Applied Science degree. The individual A.A.S. degree programs are accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, and the combined program will continue to be accredited.

“Having a degree in Business Administration,” said Cynthia Dempster, department head of Business and Computer Technology, “will give students an edge in the job market. Instead of earning a degree in just one specialized program, they will graduate with a core of 9 credit hours of business coursework that pulls from all areas of the combined program—and that qualifies them for a broader selection of job opportunities.”

Area employers can expect to reap the benefits of the program merger as well.

“This wider-range degree should help businesses,” said Carolyn Carson, director of Placement, “especially smaller ones that need one employee with a broader skill set rather than two or three people with a more concentrated skill set.”

Combining four programs into one degree also will streamline resources at the College, says Dempster, because it will allow increased sharing of departmental resources and responsibilities.

“We look forward to the fall 2007 semester. We believe the combined program will offer benefits all the way around,” she said.