Students who would like to receive a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from North Carolina A&T State University can now start their coursework at Beaufort County Community College.

The two colleges entered into an articulation agreement last Friday to help students in this program seamlessly transfer their coursework.

Colleges around the state often have slightly different required coursework tied to a major. An articulation agreement acknowledges that the college where the student will finish their coursework, in this case N.C. A&T State University in Greensboro, will accept all of the classes taken at BCCC. The “2+2” arrangement gives students in the agribusiness technology program the option to complete a bachelor’s degree online through a four-year institution.

Billy Askew, agribusiness technology instructor, said, “Some of our students thrive in a smaller class setting that is close to home. Spending the first two years of their degree at BCCC and finishing up the last two online means that they can continue to manage their family businesses while attending college. I attended N.C. A&T myself, so I am excited about this new arrangement. As a land grant university, they have strong roots in the agribusiness field.”

“Students with an advanced degree in agribusiness technology can open up more doors for themselves,” said Dr. Crystal Ange, vice president of academics at BCCC. “There is an unmet need for agribusiness instructors in eastern North Carolina. The students with roots in this region, and knowledge of its agricultural heritage, are more likely to return to teach here.”

“We want to make sure that as they transfer to N.C. A&T, we guarantee that their achievements at BCCC will be honored,” Askew said.

The agribusiness technology curriculum is designed to provide knowledge of the financial and technical aspects of modern agricultural operations. Students can find careers in a variety of local, state and federal agencies, businesses or research and educational institutions. A four-year degree can yield careers in education, N.C. Cooperative Extension Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, or in private industries such as Cargill or ADM.

“The articulation agreement between Beaufort County Community College’s agribusiness technology program and the bachelor of science degree program in agricultural education at N.C. A&T State University, represents a great opportunity for students seeking more advanced training for careers in the agricultural industry,” said Dr. Antoine Alston, professor and associate dean of academic studies at N.C. A&T. “In the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at N.C. A&T State University, we believe in access and opportunity, and this collaboration true represents this.”

From its roots as an 1890 land-grant university, N.C. A&T has adapted to become a school for the 21st century and beyond. It has award-winning faculty, intensive research programs and community-focused initiatives with a diverse campus, a curriculum that even includes nano-engineering and a dedication to public service to Greensboro and the world.

Beaufort County Community College provides accessible and affordable quality education, effective teaching, relevant training and lifelong learning opportunities to the people of Beaufort, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington counties.

For more information about the agribusiness technology program, contact Billy Askew at 252-940-6304 or billy.askew@beaufortccc.edu.