Appalachian State University has partnered with the North Carolina Community College System to create a new statewide transfer agreement for health-related associate in applied science degrees.
The agreement includes nearly all of the state’s community colleges and establishes transfer pathways into App State’s Bachelor of Science in health sciences program.
“At App State, we are deeply committed to eliminating educational barriers and empowering working professionals to advance their careers,” said App State Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Neva J. Specht. “This streamlined pathway honors their existing expertise while equipping them with the leadership and public health skills necessary to strengthen healthcare in our rural and underserved communities.”
More than 20,000 North Carolinians are enrolled in health-related AAS programs, according to App State. But those credits often do not fully transfer toward bachelor’s degrees.
North Carolina’s Comprehensive Articulation Agreement already guarantees transfer to the UNC System for students who earn an associate in arts or associate in science degree, which are designed for university transfer.
Associate in applied science degrees, by contrast, are designed for students entering the workforce and generally fall outside that agreement.
The App State partnership is intended to close that gap by giving health-related AAS graduates a clear, credit-bearing path to a bachelor’s degree.
App State’s health sciences program offers a flexible, accelerated pathway that can be completed online or in person in two years or less. The program prepares graduates for careers in management, public health and higher education.
“This agreement is a model for how North Carolina’s community colleges and universities can work together to strengthen the healthcare workforce,” said Dr. Brian S. Merritt, NCCCS senior vice president and chief academic officer. “By improving credit mobility and creating seamless pathways from the associate to a bachelor’s degree, we will grow tomorrow’s workforce and meet the needs of communities across our state.”
Students transferring from a North Carolina community college with a health-related AAS degree into App State’s health sciences program can choose a concentration in health care management or public health. App State plans to launch a third concentration in health professions education in fall 2027.
Students can customize coursework to their career and educational goals while developing leadership, communication, critical thinking and professional skills.
The program requires 120 total credit hours, including transfer credits, with at least 30 credits completed at App State. It is available part time or full time, with rolling admission in the spring, summer and fall.
The only admissions criteria are a cumulative college GPA of 2.25 or higher and a health-related AAS degree from a North Carolina community college. There is no waiting list or admission cap for the App State program.
North Carolina’s healthcare system faces leadership and health professions teaching shortages, especially in rural areas, according to App State.
The App State health sciences program, which launched in fall 2024, is designed to help allied health professionals advance in their fields by offering affordable, flexible degree completion options that can fit around full-time work schedules. It also is intended to build the teaching pipeline needed to train more allied health professionals.
“This program has quickly exceeded our expectations by filling an important niche for students who want to pursue advanced career paths in health professions,” said Dr. Marie Huff, dean of App State’s Beaver College of Health Sciences.
In the program’s first two years, about half of enrolled students have come from rural and underserved areas, and nearly 80% are first-generation students, according to App State.
“App State’s health sciences program is very flexible and allowed me to take courses directly relating to my passions,” said App State alumna Olivia Lorenz ’25, who earned a bachelor’s degree in health sciences after transferring from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College with an occupational therapy assistant AAS degree. “This program allowed me to identify my strengths and what sets me apart from other individuals in the job force.”
To learn more, visit appstate.edu/academics/majors/id/health-sciences-bs.
— AKC
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