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Nova Scotia Community College graduates will have the option earn a Dalhousie degree in just over two years, following a new agreement between Dalhousie's Faculty of Management and NSCC.

Pictured: Students in the Rowe Managment building at Dalhousie.

NSCC graduates with a diploma from any Business Administration, Library & Information Technology, or Information Technology program who meet the program's admission requirements can enrol in the Bachelor of Management (BMgmt) program and do five semesters of coursework to complete the degree. Students in the "two plus two" program will do two years of core courses and finish by completing two online capstone courses focusing on strategy formulation and implementation.

Vivian Howard, Associate Dean (Academic) in the Faculty, thinks that NSCC graduates will be a perfect fit for the BMgmt program because the degree can easily build on previous education or work experience. NSCC graduates, who have already completed an internship, will bring valuable perspective to their coursework in the BMgmt program. "The more diverse our student body, the better," says Howard. "Everyone will benefit from a mix of students who are fresh out of high school and others who have more work and life experiences." Greg Russel, Dean of the School of Business at NSCC agrees. “This presents an exciting opportunity for our graduates,” he says. “This agreement opens the door to a new pathway for our graduates as they pursue lifelong learning and new career opportunities.”

The agreement comes at a time when the Bachelor of Management program is experiencing a renewal, following an internal strategic review completed in late 2016. Howard believes that the changes will help solidify the unique nature of the program and create a stronger identity for students and alumni. "We want to make the program truly interdisciplinary," she says, referring to the broad view of management the program takes, examining management issues from multiple perspectives: public sector, private sector, environment and sustainability, and data analytics. "First-year classes will be team-taught by faculty from each of our four schools, so that students understand at the outset that each school plays a key role."

New core courses on data literacy and data analytics will be introduced, as well as one on ethics and corporate social responsibility. The creation of a new assistant director position will ensure more support for students.

Howard hopes that the agreement with NSCC will pave the way for other similar partnerships. "We know there's interest in the program, particularly because of its flexibility, from a variety of sectors," she says, noting that about half of the core courses are currently available online, with a plan to make all of them available in the coming years. "The program will look very different in a couple of years."

For now, she is looking forward to welcoming the new students from NSCC. Students are being accepted for fall 2017. For details, contact Margie Muise, Bachelor of Management Program Administrator, at margie.muise@dal.ca or 902-494-2659.

Read the release from NSCC.