BCCC Adds Three New Majors, Two Certificate Programs

Three new associate degrees and two new certificate programs will be available at Bucks County Community College this fall.

Students will be able to earn an associate degree in History, Exercise Science, or Photography, each designed to transfer to a four-year college or university where the credits can be applied toward a bachelor’s degree. Certificate programs in Early Childhood Education or Medical Assistant will be offered as well.

Here is information about the new offerings, according to the college:

• The 60-credit History Associate of Arts degree immerses students in the perspectives of past civilizations and cultures, and leads them to debate and assess the historical genesis of contemporary issues.
• The 60-credit Associate of Science degree in Exercise Science prepares undergraduate students to transfer to a four-year institution where they might major in fields such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, or exercise physiology. Other possible professions include strength and conditioning coaches, health and fitness specialists, and chiropractors.
• The 62-credit Photography Associate of Arts degree allows students to develop their technical and creative skills for both fine-art and commercial photography. The program includes a balance of film-based and digital techniques, allowing students to understand the link between technological innovation and the photographic process. Graduates may transfer to professional art schools to complete a baccalaureate degree, or begin a career as an entry-level commercial photographer.
• The 30-credit Early Childhood Education certificate, offered through the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department, prepares students for a career in preschools, child-care centers, and other early childhood settings. Students are provided with a strong foundation in early childhood development, the philosophy and history of early childhood education, assessment and evaluation of preschool children, curriculum development, lesson planning, and language and literacy development. After completing this program, students earn the credentials to be a level IV professional on the Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality Career Lattice.
• The Medical Assistant certificate is a 37-credit program designed to prepare students for both clinical and administrative positions in medical offices. It includes a four-credit medical assisting externship, during which the student gains real-life experience in a medical office.

The fall semester begins Wednesday, August 26. Classes are held at the original campus in Newtown, the Lower Bucks Campus in Bristol, the Upper Bucks Campus in Perkasie and online.

Tuition is $135 a credit for Bucks County residents. To learn more, visit www.bucks.edu/fall, email admissions@bucks.edu, or call 215-968-8100