Bachelor Degree Completion Programs

Business -- BSB
Offered On-site in Metro Kansas City

Beginning in 1989, Emporia State University's School of Business began offering, in the greater Kansas City area, three business majors: Accounting, Business Administration, and Management. More than 400 students have completed a business degree from ESU through this program.

The ESU in Johnson County business program is primarily designed for part-time students. Courses are taught evenings at the Metro Learning Center in Overland Park during the regular ESU Spring, Summer and Fall semester. Fall and Spring weeknight courses meet once each week. Summer courses meet two times each week in a shorter semester. Online courses are offered each semester, especially during the summer. Participants should assume that it will take a minimum of 2 1/2 to 3 years to complete the degree on a part-time basis. It is recommended that students come to the ESU campus if they want to finish their degree in less time.

Most of the students in this program have either an Associates Degree or a "bunch" of hours, but no Bachelor's Degree. Some are pursuing a second Bachelor's Degree or are completing requirements to take the CPA exam.

Less than one fourth of the business programs in the U.S. are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the most important accreditation for business schools. This is the "gold standard" that identifies programs of the highest quality. We are proud to have this accreditation.

ESU is a Kansas Regents institution. ESU tuition is significantly less than comparable four-year schools in the Kansas City Metro and surrounding area.

Program Web Site: www.emporia.edu/business/jcfront.php
Program Contact: Ashley Jost (esumetro@emporia.edu or 913-338-4378)

Elementary Education -- BSE
Offered On-site at Kansas City Kansas Community College
OR Butler Community College

The Department of Early Childhood/Elementary Teacher Education at Emporia State University currently offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education (BSE). This undergraduate program permits students who successfully complete all the requirements for the BSE to be recommended for Kansas teacher certification to teach kindergarten through sixth grade. The BSE program is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Kansas State Board of Education.

In this distance certification program, students complete the required courses for an Associate of Arts degree and then continue on to get a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in one of two different distance locations: at Kansas City Kansas Community College in Kansas City, KS or at Butler Community College in El Dorado, KS. Options also exist for students to transfer into the program from alternate colleges/ universities or to seek a 2nd Bachelor's degree. The program includes hands-on learning in the classroom as offered through the Professional Development School program.

The program is perfect for people with busy lifestyles who want to take an extra step toward a rewarding career. Classes are offered in late afternoons, evenings, on weekends and over the Internet. This allows the student to plan around daytime family and work schedules. During the final year, students will need to be available during the entire school day for the PDS placement.

Program Web Site: http://lifelong.emporia.edu/eled/
KCKCC Program Contact: Fred Lemaster (flemaste@emporia.edu or 913-288-7373)
BCC Program Contact: Merle Patterson (mpatters@emporia.edu or 316-322-3375)

Information Resource Studies -- BS
Combination Online & On-site in Emporia

Information Resource Studies (IRS) is an interdisciplinary program at Emporia State University that emphasizes the importance of both people skills and technical skills. The IRS program aims to enable graduates to productively work in a knowledge economy. This program is for graduates who:

• Like working with people
• Are comfortable with computer technology
• Have good communication skills
• Enjoy the challenge of searching for answers and solving problems
• Want to work in a dynamic 21st century field

The Bachelor of Science in Information Resource Studies teaches students to understand the value of information to society, to organizations, and to individual professionals. Students are prepared to analyze the information needs of individuals and organizations and to design and manage information systems that meet specific needs.

What distinguishes this degree from related degrees in management and computer science is the emphasis on information in all its forms (words, numbers, pictures, sounds) and on applying information technology to help people and organizations solve important problems.

Program Web Site: www.emporia.edu/irs/
Program Contact: Dr. Ann O'Neill (aoneill@emporia.edu or 800-552-4770/620-341-5203)

Integrated Studies -- BIS
Offered Completely Online

This entirely Internet-based degree completion program provides students a quality multi-disciplinary program of study that fulfills traditional university requirements and is designed to meet the student’s specific goal for a college degree. The degree is granted by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Working closely with an academic advisor, each student develops his/her program of study from four proficiency areas: communication, information literacy, problems solving/decision making, and community leadership. Students are encouraged to choose their own pace with the option of studying either full or part-time. New students are admitted to the program in the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

Students entering the program should minimally have 60 hours completed at an accredited college or university, including the general education curriculum, and must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Program Web Site: www.emporia.edu/lifelong/bis/
Program Contact: Robert Goltra (rgoltra@emporia.edu or 620-341-5421)

Recreation -- BS
Offered Completely Online

This is a new exciting option for students who want to pursue a degree in recreation. The Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation offered through the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) at Emporia State University can be completed entirely through web based courses so the student does not have to travel to campus.

The Bachelor of Science in Recreation provides career opportunities in the leisure services and general recreation fields.  Employment opportunities exist in municipal recreation and park agencies; state and federal agencies; institutions serving special populations; college recreational services; youth-serving agencies; and commercial, outdoor, military, church and industrial agencies.

Program Web Site: www.emporia.edu/hper/recreation.php
Program Contact: Damon Leiss (dleiss@emporia.edu or 620-341-5940)

Last Updated September 19, 2007