UAM, NPC announce four-year business degree in Hot Springs

Posted

National Park College (NPC) and the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) announced a new bachelor’s degree partnership Tuesday, January 24. The institutions will collaborate to bring a bachelor’s degree in business administration to Hot Springs beginning in the fall of 2023. The degree was approved by the Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE) in July and by the Higher Learning Commission in January of 2023. 

All four years of the new Bachelor of Business Administration degree will be offered through the NPC University Center on the NPC campus. Students will complete the first two years of the degree enrolled as NPC students and the junior and senior years enrolled as UAM students.

Students will pay NPC tuition rates for the first two years of coursework and UAM tuition rates for the junior and senior year coursework. Students who participate will have access to all of the services and resources NPC offers, as well as those UAM offers. Students will earn an associate degree diploma from NPC and a bachelor’s degree diploma from UAM upon graduation.

“This is such a unique partnership and has required some out of the box thinking,” UAM Chancellor Dr. Peggy Doss stated. “A few courses will be taught online but a majority of the classes in this degree will be taught face to face by the very qualified staff at NPC.”

UAM announced they will offer NPC students a $3,000 per semester Nighthawk Transfer Scholarship to offset tuition costs, making the UAM Bachelor of Business Administration degree at NPC one of the most affordable bachelor’s degrees in the state. Students will be required to complete 55 credit hours and maintain a 2.5 grade-point average to be eligible.

NPC President Dr. John Hogan said, “Increasing access to bachelor’s degrees is critical to the economic growth of our region and critical to the personal growth of our students. It remains a top priority for us and today we are celebrating an addition to that goal. We appreciate UAM for this investment in our students. The generous transfer scholarships they are offering makes this one of the most, if not the most affordable bachelor’s degree in the state.” 

“We are excited to announce our new campus within a campus partnership with National Park College,” Doss added. “This model of strategic collaboration and partnership is an effective and efficient approach to meet the workforce education needs of the state. We value the opportunity to work with NPC so the UAM Bachelor of Business Administration degree is affordable and accessible to students in this important region of the state. We look forward to many future collaborations between our institutions. By engaging in this program, we will be able to grow our enrollment and have more graduates. This is a wise use of our resources as it strengthens higher education relationships.”  

A public announcement for students was held on the NPC campus Tuesday following a press conference for media earlier that morning. Students, faculty, staff and community supporters gathered in the Student Commons to hear the news.

“This partnership has been supported by the University of Arkansas System,” Vice Chancellor for Advancement Jeff Weaver added. “The students in this program will have resources from both campuses to help them succeed. We feel that this is a great way to expose students in a different part of the state to UAM and the Boll Weevil brand.”

“This is yet another example of the outstanding leadership provided to UAM by Chancellor Doss and her team,” Chairman of the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees said. “This new strategic partnership between UAM and the National Park College of Hot Springs will make it possible for NPC students to have an opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree through UAM’s business programs without having to leave Hot Springs, and shows how UAM and NPC are working together for the greater good of the People of Arkansas.”

NPC Student Government President, Tyanna Lindsey said, “This is a great day for Nighthawk Nation. I’m proud to be a part of a campus that puts the needs of our students first and is always looking for ways to expand opportunities for us. We are grateful to our partners at UAM for extending such a generous scholarship package and we look forward to the impact this will have on our community.”

“Our goal will always be to put students first,” Doss noted. “In 1909, this school was founded as a fourth district Agriculture school to serve this part of the state. We will never forget that. Our mission is to help UAM grow and help every student succeed. Higher Education is different than it has ever been and this is a proactive approach to get students enrolled and enhance student success.”