Get a Bachelor Degree at TSTC

This Fall (2010), you will be able to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management degree at Texas State Technical College Harlingen....literally. TSTC Harlingen has cooperated with the University of Texas at Brownsville in order to provide the physical location for courses pertaining to the BBA in Management.  

In english: You can take UTB courses in TSTC classrooms and get your bachelor degree without setting foot at UTB...until you graduate of course (unless you'd rather not walk).

Of course, there is a process that goes along with it.  This degree is setup up to automatically feed in from TSTC's Academic Core with a Field of Study in Business (EA.FOS.BUSI) degree plan.  This means that after you take the 66 credit hours with TSTC, you become academic core complete AND can start taking your bachelor level courses because you now only have two more years to go.  

April 16th - an information forum was held at TSTC's LRC Orientation room.  

In attendance:

   

   University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College

   - Dr. Rafael Otero, Interim Dean of the School of Business

   - Maggie Arriaga, Program Coordinator

   - Cledia Hernandez, Program Director - Off Campus University

  

   Texas State Technical College Harlingen

   - Joshua Hernandez, Lead Pre-Tech Advisor - Academic Achievement Center

   - Yvonne Browning, Instructor/ Associate Program Chair - Academic Business Programs
 

Dr. Otero mentions that an alignment has been created between TSTC's and UTB's Associate Degrees, respectively.  The General Core and Business Lower Division Core can be taken at TSTC. (in the "DRAFT" image, the top two blocks are the the General Core and Business Lower Division Core)

Much like other degrees and colleges, the School of Business at UTB has an application process. You must apply to become part of that school within the university, in order to pursue the degree.  Students must have a 2.5 GPA minimum when applying to the School of Business. 

There is also a minimum amount of student interest needed in order for the course to "make".  For this particular set of courses, that number is 15.  Which means that 15 students must register in each course in order for it to come to fabrication.  

This is one of the first steps toward TSTC's ultimate goal of providing a convenient and more affordable means for reaching higher education levels.  The University Articulation Center, that is set to be under construction at TSTC in the near future, will be the centralized location to house various university instructors and program ranging from RGV Universities as well as Central/North Texas Universities.  

For more information regarding the BBA in Management from UTB, such as which courses are being offered this Fall, etc., please feel free to contact me in the medium you are most comfortable with:

twitter.com/TSTCjosh

Facebook.com/TSTCgst

Yahoo IM: TSTC_Joshua

Phone: 956.364.4142

Email: joshua.hernandez@harlingen.tstc.edu

Posted via email from Joshua Hernandez's posterous

Get at Bachelor Degree at TSTC

This Fall (2010), you will be able to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management degree at Texas State Technical College Harlingen....literally. TSTC Harlingen has cooperated with the University of Texas at Brownsville in order to provide the physical location for courses pertaining to the BBA in Management.  

In english: You can take UTB courses in TSTC classrooms and get your bachelor degree without setting foot at UTB...until you graduate of course (unless you'd rather not walk).

Of course, there is a process that goes along with it.  This degree is setup up to automatically feed in from TSTC's Academic Core with a Field of Study in Business (EA.FOS.BUSI) degree plan.  This means that after you take the 66 credit hours with TSTC, you become academic core complete AND can start taking your bachelor level courses because you now only have two more years to go.  

April 16th - an information forum was held at TSTC's LRC Orientation room.  

In attendance:

   

   University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College

   - Dr. Rafael Otero, Interim Dean of the School of Business

   - Maggie Arriaga, Program Coordinator

   - Cledia Hernandez, Program Director - Off Campus University

  

   Texas State Technical College Harlingen

   - Joshua Hernandez, Lead Pre-Tech Advisor - Academic Achievement Center

   - Yvonne Browning, Instructor/ Associate Program Chair - Academic Business Programs
 

Dr. Otero mentions that an alignment has been created between TSTC's and UTB's Associate Degrees, respectively.  The General Core and Business Lower Division Core can be taken at TSTC. (in the "DRAFT" image, the top two blocks are the the General Core and Business Lower Division Core)

Much like other degrees and colleges, the School of Business at UTB has an application process. You must apply to become part of that school within the university, in order to pursue the degree.  Students must have a 2.5 GPA minimum when applying to the School of Business. 

There is also a minimum amount of student interest needed in order for the course to "make".  For this particular set of courses, that number is 15.  Which means that 15 students must register in each course in order for it to come to fabrication.  

This is one of the first steps toward TSTC's ultimate goal of providing a convenient and more affordable means for reaching higher education levels.  The University Articulation Center, that is set to be under construction at TSTC in the near future, will be the centralized location to house various university instructors and program ranging from RGV Universities as well as Central/North Texas Universities.  

For more information regarding the BBA in Management from UTB, such as which courses are being offered this Fall, etc., please feel free to contact me in the medium you are most comfortable with:

twitter.com/TSTCjosh

Facebook.com/TSTCgst

Yahoo IM: TSTC_Joshua

Phone: 956.364.4142

Email: joshua.hernandez@harlingen.tstc.edu

Joshua Hernandez
" if you can't solve a problem...You're probably playing by the rules."

Posted via email from Joshua Hernandez's posterous

Attending TWO Colleges simultaneously while on Financial Aid

The "unknown" Consortium Agreement is perhaps one of the hidden gems for transfer students.  Many students ponder the thought of attending two schools at the same time, but figure that Financial Aid (Federal Pell Grant) will only cover one school.  Well, to a degree - this is true.  BUT (there's always a "but") in all actuality, Financial Aid only requires to have a "home school" recognized to send the funds to. That "home school" may use a Consortium Agreement to recognize your attendance at another college.

Students are able to spend a semester or academic year at another domestic institution and transfer the hours earned back to their "home school".  Students can combine the hours at both institutions for financial aid purposes. It is possible to receive financial aid under these circumstances as long as certain requirements are met.    

Let me give you an example run down...

Little Johnny is attending Texas State Technical College (TSTC) Harlingen, and is in his last semester before graduating.  Unfortunately, for whatever reason, he only has one class left to take that is included in his degree plan.  He is on Financial Aid, and only classes that are on his degree plan will be covered.  Little Johnny doesn't want to waste time, and wants to continue his education at the University of Texas - Pan American (UTPA).  

Using Consortium Agreements that are already in place, he can attend both colleges at the same time and have Financial Aid recognize every course he takes.  He logs in to FAFSA Online and changes (or adds) UTPA's school code. 

 After completing the application and registration process at UTPA, he decides to take 3 classes at UTPA and 1 class at TSTC.  He takes his registration statement from TSTC to his new "home school" (UTPA) Financial Aid Office and pursues the Consortium Agreement. UTPA recognizes that 1 course from TSTC and tells FAFSA that you are a Full-Time Student.  

End result: Little Johnny gets to have his cake and eat it too.  He graduates from TSTC and doesn't miss out on time by taking his Bachelor courses at UTPA.  

NOTE: This is also possible with the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB).  I personally find that this process is easier at UTB simply because you don't have to wait for the Census date to receive funds.  At UTPA, you must wait until the Census date (12th class day) to get approved for funds, which means you have to find a temporary means of paying for your class at TSTC.  

Here are links to Consortium Agreements in the Rio Grande Valley:

UT - Pan American

UT - San Antonio

UTSA - Health Science Center

South Texas College 

Joshua Hernandez
" if you can't solve a problem...You're probably playing by the rules."

Posted via email from Joshua Hernandez's posterous

Take UTB courses at TSTC!

Many students wish they could take courses from out of town Universities without sacrificing the ability to physically be present in the class. After all, not every student is comfortable enough to take online courses or have the financial means to travel everyday to class.

  

Good News: The University of Texas at Brownsville will be offering their Bachelor of Business Administration in Management degree at Texas State Technical College Harlingen. No more traveling. No online courses. Just a different location. 

This is a tremendous opportunity for students who live in Harlingen or neighboring communities to take advantage of pursuing a Bachelor Degree without having to travel to the University of Texas at Brownsville.  

UTB understands that there are going to be questions...so in order to clear up any miscommunication(s), they will be hosting an Information Forum at the TSTC LRC Orientation Room on April 15th at 6:00 PM.   

Posted via email from Joshua Hernandez's posterous