Bucks County Community College, in response to the needs of students and employers, is debuting six new programs of study this fall to help launch careers from brew master to dancer, from business analyst to baker.
While most fall courses remain online or remote during the global pandemic, Bucks has been ranked the No. 1 community college in the state by Guide to Online Schools.
When registering for fall, students can choose new majors that include four leading to a two-year associate degree, and two that allow a student to earn a certificate in about one year. They are:
– Brewing & Fermentation Science Associate of Applied Science degree
– Business AAS degree
– Data Science Associate of Science degree
– Dance Associate of Arts degree
– Baking & Pastry certificate
– Business Analytics certificate
While the Data Science and Dance degrees are designed to transfer to a four-year college or university, the other new programs will help students enter a specific occupation upon completion, according to Provost Lisa Angelo.
“Most of our occupational programs are generated in response to our community partners and advisory boards who tell us when there is a need for workers in a particular industry,” Angelo said. “For transfer programs, our Admissions office or our Transfer and Advising office will note that students are asking for a particular program to match what they want to study at a four-year school.”
Bucks is the only college in the region to offer a Brewing & Fermentation Science AAS degree. The 60-65 credit program trains students in the biochemistry and microbiology principles that convert fermentable sugars into beer, along with the cost-analysis and manufacturing skills required for brewing. Some coursework requires travel to local brewing facilities, and students must be at least 21 years old before taking certain brewing courses in the final year of the program.
Nick Rodgers, founder of Moss Mill Brewing Co. in Huntingdon Valley, said he partnered with Bucks to help design a program to meet demand for more educated brewers in the rapidly expanding field.
“Home brewing in our kitchens is great, which is how most craft brewers get started, but you really need a formalized education to be able to survive at the commercial level,” said Rodgers, who earned his brewing degree from the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago, then worked for Yards Brewing in Philadelphia before he founded Moss Mill Brewing in 2015. “With the growing numbers of breweries in the U.S., right now the demand for a true brewing education is greater than ever.”
The six new programs are among more than 80 majors that lead to either an associate degree or certificate at the public, two-year college. To learn more, visit bucks.edu/fall.
In other news, Guide to Online Schools named Bucks the top community college in the state for online associate degrees and certificates. The website cited the total of 21 degrees and six certificates offered fully online, and the access to online support services. Learn more here.
The No. 1 ranking reflects Bucks’ dedication to quality online course design and to faculty training specific to online teaching, according to Georglyn Davidson, associate dean of Bucks Online.
“Bucks is also committed to providing online student services equal to that which is available to our face-to-face students,” Davidson said. “With our 25 years of distance learning and online learning experience, this made for a winning combination of which we, the Bucks Online staff, are very proud.”
Registration is underway for the fall semester, with most courses offered completely online and through remote instruction. Most courses begin Aug. 26, with additional courses starting Sept. 14 and Oct. 19. Tuition remains $165 a credit for Bucks County residents. More information is available at bucks.edu/fall, by calling 215-968-8100 or emailing admissions@bucks.edu.
