Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University and Itawamba Community College signed a memorandum of understanding today [Dec. 17] to formalize partnership programs for students enrolled in technical education programs.

The agreement outlines a pathway for ICC students to complete MSU’s new Bachelor of Applied Science program, leveraging the strengths of both institutions to provide more opportunities in technical education and meet current and future workforce demands.

“We need more two-year and four-year graduates to move Mississippi forward,” MSU President Mark E. Keenum said. “By working together, I believe we’ll be able to better assist our fellow Mississippians in gaining the education they need to compete for the jobs of the 21st century. We are committed to helping all of our BAS students excel, succeed, and earn a bachelor’s degree—building on the excellent foundation they have been given at ICC.”

“This agreement will allow our students to better understand the true alignment between their semesters at ICC to their time at MSU while staying on track and realizing the quality of both institutions,” said ICC President Jay Allen. “The Bachelor of Applied Science degree recognizes the value of the technical degrees offered at Mississippi’s community colleges and the impact they are making on Mississippi’s workforce. This allows our previous, current and future technical degree graduates a natural progression for post-ICC educational endeavors while transferring up to 60 hours of credits.”

MSU launched its Bachelor of Applied Science program in August, significantly expanding the university’s acceptance of technical credit from community colleges and military training. It is intended to serve the needs of adults who have completed a technical associate’s degree program through a community college or the military and need additional education to advance their careers.

The agreement between MSU and ICC outlines which courses must be completed at each institution to fulfill degree requirements. An MSU advisor will assist in guiding ICC students through Bachelor of Applied Science program pathways. Additionally, ICC and MSU-Meridian will work together to provide classroom space for the delivery of synchronous online courses.

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Science program will have access to advisors from MSU-Meridian and MSU Online. Credits in the degree program can be earned through online or in-person courses, providing the flexibility that has become a hallmark of MSU’s nationally ranked online offerings.

For more on the Bachelor of Applied Science program, visit https://www.msstate.edu/students/bachelor-of-applied-science.

Itawamba Community College is an open admission, comprehensive, two-year public-supported institution dedicated to providing high quality educational opportunities that are accessible and affordable for the diverse needs of Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe and Pontotoc counties. For more, visit www.iccms.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.