Academics

Earning a bachelor’s degree at Palm Beach State College will be easier on the wallets of more in-state students beginning spring term 2018.

The new bachelor’s degree incentive program eases the eligibility requirements for earning one of PBSC’s three bachelor’s degrees for $10,000. The changes will give every in-state student a shot at reducing the tuition for a PBSC bachelor’s degree, which averages under $14,000. Some costs, such as textbooks and lab fees, are not covered in the incentive program.

PBSC, like other Florida colleges, began offering the $10K bachelor’s degrees in 2014, in response to a challenge from Gov. Rick Scott to provide bachelor’s degrees in high-demand fields at a great value. Bachelor’s degrees at PBSC, and other state colleges, are essentially “2+2” programs. Students first earn an associate degree and then a bachelor’s degree; each degree takes about two years to complete, attending full time.

However, student feedback showed that PBSC’s eligibility requirements were too restrictive. As a result, effective January 5, 2018, in-state PBSC students will be opted into the $10K bachelor’s degree program without needing to apply or fill out forms. They will remain eligible by meeting these requirements:

• Maintain Florida residency;
• Must complete either an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree or an Associate in Science (A.S.) degree at PBSC;
• Maintain an overall 2.5 GPA;
• Complete both associate and bachelor’s degrees within six years of their initial enrollment at PBSC;
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year.

“The new eligibility requirements allow a broader range of students to participate in the $10K degree,” said Dr. Anita Kaplan, dean of PBSC bachelor’s degree programs. “We kept in mind that many students are juggling work and school, and therefore, we felt students should be given the flexibility to complete, not just in four years, but in six years, from the time of their initial enrollment.”

Students have a choice of the Associate in Arts degree, which is the traditional transfer degree, or various Associate in Science degrees in different career disciplines, including business, computer science, human services, health sciences, creative arts, public safety, biotechnology and more. Both A.A. and A.S. degrees credits transfer into PBSC bachelor’s degree programs.

All PBSC bachelor’s degrees are eligible for the new $10K degree program:

• Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Supervision & Management, with concentrations in General Management, Entrepreneurship, Health Management, and Project Management
• B.A.S. degree in Information Management, with concentrations in Database Administration, Project Management, and Security and Network Assurance
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, which requires completion of PBSC’s Associate in Science degree in Nursing.

The average combined tuition cost of under $14,000 for an associate and bachelor’s degree at PBSC is still very affordable, especially when compared to private colleges and universities, and even other public institutions. In fact, PBSC has the lowest tuition among public four-year colleges and universities in Florida and one of the lowest in the nation, according to recent data compiled by the U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center.

Visit the web page for more information on the $10K bachelor’s degree incentive program.