business program analysis - shawnee state

Hanover Research October 2008

© 2008 The Hanover Research Council

Business Program Analysis

Prepared for Shawnee State University

This report discusses factors affecting enrollments in business programs at Shawnee State University. The first section looks at trends in business degree conferrals at public institutions in Ohio and Ohio labor market information to determine what types of degrees will be most in demand in the future. The second and third sections look at the curricular requirements and course delivery methods of a group of comparable institutions across the country in order to determine where Shawnee‘s requirements and delivery options fit in.


© 2008 The Hanover Research Council 2

Executive Summary

With respect to the program demand analysis of the first section, the major findings are as follows:

Measured by degree conferrals, student demand for business degrees in Ohio at both the bachelor‘s and associate‘s levels has stagnated or declined over the past five years. For bachelor‘s degrees, among the ―big four‖ individual business specializations of business administration, accounting, finance and marketing, only accounting saw a steady increase. Smaller specializations, including hospitality administration and specialized sales, saw significant percentage increases.

Gaps in labor market demand and supply of graduating students appear to be most pronounced for accounting, human resources, and insurance, in descending order of magnitude. Students with degrees in these fields should be able to secure jobs, although this does not necessarily translate to student interest in those fields.

With respect to the institutional profiles and comparative analysis of curricular requirements and course delivery methods of the second and third sections, the findings are the following:

It appears that Shawnee State requires a relatively low number of general education courses of students in both its business bachelor and associate degree programs. If ―specialization electives‖ are considered as part of specialization requirements, then Shawnee State requires its bachelor‘s degree students to take a relatively high number of courses to complete their specializations. If courses that Shawnee State labels ―required non-business courses‖ are considered part of the business core, then the business core course requirement for students in Shawnee State‘s business bachelor degree programs are relatively high.

A review of the recent literature indicates that demand for online courses and programs is growing among both non-traditional and traditional students, although a 2005 survey indicates that students prefer ―blended learning‖ courses to online courses. Seven of the nine comparable regional universities profiled in this report offer online business courses and at least four offer online business degree programs. While several offer other alternative delivery options – including teleconferencing and correspondence – and most offer on-campus evening business courses, it seems that the primary emphasis has been placed on the online alternative delivery option.



Ohio Program Demand Analysis by Business Specialty

In order to determine the role of market demand, both from students and employers, on enrollments in business programs, a demand analysis was performed using statewide Ohio data on recent degree conferrals in business programs and data on projected job openings in related occupations within the state. As a first step, data for 2003 through 2007 were collected on all business degrees conferred at the bachelor‘s and associate‘s levels at all public, four-year institutions in Ohio, which gives an idea of the number of students enrolling in and completing various programs. The data used are reported by institutions to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), which classifies degrees under the six-digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) system. Cutting off the CIP classification at four digits provides an overview of the typical specializations offered in business programs. (The full six-digit code further classifies programs within these specialties, but the number of programs and degrees within Ohio does not provide enough critical mass to make six-digit distinctions meaningful).

Business Specializations Offered in Ohio

Bachelor‘s Programs CIP Associate‘s Programs CIP

Business/Commerce, General 52.01 Business/Commerce, General 52.01

Business Administration 52.02 Business Administration 52.02

Accounting 52.03 Accounting 52.03

Business/Managerial Economics 52.06 Business/Managerial Economics 52.04

Entrepreneurship/Small Business 52.07 Entrepreneurship/Small Business 52.07

Finance 52.08 Hospitality Administration 52.09

Hospitality Administration 52.09 Human Resources 52.10

Human Resources 52.10 Management Information Systems 52.12

International Business 52.11 Marketing 52.14

Management Information Systems 52.12 Real Estate 52.15

Management Sciences 52.13 General Sales and Merchandising 52.18

Marketing 52.14

Real Estate 52.15

Insurance 52.17

Specialized Sales and Merchandising 52.19

Business, All Other 52.99

Source: IPEDS

The next two tables present the degrees conferred data over the past five years for each of these specializations. The first table is for bachelor‘s degrees and the second is for associate‘s degrees.



Bachelor‘s Degrees Conferred in Ohio, by Business Specialization

Program CIP 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Average

Business/Commerce, General 52.01 164 182 164 168 120 160

Business Administration 52.02 1,138 1,317 1,414 1,432 1,328 1,326

Accounting 52.03 1,020 1,106 1,186 1,131 1,191 1,127

Business/Managerial Economics 52.06 113 150 144 150 113 134

Entrepreneurship/Small Business 52.07 10 14 21 26 30 20

Finance 52.08 1,428 1,464 1,445 1,363 1,310 1,402

Hospitality Administration 52.09 69 96 110 131 131 107

Human Resources 52.10 564 482 498 441 476 492

International Business 52.11 153 186 201 200 170 182

Management Information Systems 52.12 886 707 530 388 317 566

Management Sciences 52.13 119 105 96 82 83 97

Marketing 52.14 1,988 1,964 1,977 2,039 1,930 1,980

Real Estate 52.15 40 46 67 58 66 55

Insurance 52.17 19 31 22 29 17 24

Specialized Sales and Merchandising

52.19 108 138 182 189 217 167

Business, All Other 52.99 18 12 12 0 2 9

Total 7,837 8,000 8,069 7,827 7,501 7,847

Source: IPEDS

With respect to bachelor‘s degrees, it is worth noting that the total number conferred in business programs over the past five years has essentially stagnated. After a slight rise in 2004 and 2005, the total figure has declined back below the 2003 level, and the five year average of 7,847 degrees is about equal to the 2003 level. The same pattern is evident within a number of individual specializations, including some of the largest. Of the ―big four‖ specializations of business administration (52.02), accounting (52.03), finance (52.08), and marketing (52.14), all but accounting saw their five-year average at or above their 2007 level, representing stagnant growth over that period. Accounting, however, did see a gradual but steady increase in the number of degrees conferred, from just over 1,000 in 2003 to almost 1,200 in 2007. Among the smaller specialties, both dramatic growth and decline can be seen. The degrees conferred in management information systems (52.12) dropped steeply and steadily, decreasing each year until, by 2007, there were 64 percent fewer degrees conferred than had been conferred in 2003. On the other hand, the two fastest growing specializations appear to be hospitality administration (52.09) and specialized sales and merchandising (52.19). Although still relatively small, both increased steadily and by the impressive rates of 89 percent (hospitality administration) and 100 percent (specialized sales).



Associate‘s Degrees Conferred in Ohio, by Business Specialization

Program CIP 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Average

Business/Commerce, General 52.01 133 80 74 59 68 83

Business Administration 52.02 276 292 278 258 293 279

Accounting 52.03 135 77 98 95 85 98

Business Operations Support 52.04 81 53 50 57 42 57

Entrepreneurship/Small Business 52.07 10 6 7 4 5 6

Hospitality Administration 52.09 11 11 16 11 16 13

Human Resources 52.10 12 21 17 17 13 16

Management Information Systems 52.12 86 39 22 27 18 38

Marketing 52.14 19 9 8 14 7 11

Real Estate 52.15 2 1 1 3 3 2

General Sales and Merchandising 52.18 22 28 18 12 17 19

Total 787 617 589 557 567 623

Unsurprisingly, fewer associate‘s degrees in business are awarded by four-year institutions than bachelor‘s degrees. Moreover, the past five years have shown, overall, a fairly steady decline in the number conferred, from 787 in 2003 to 567 in 2007, a drop of almost 30 percent. The largest field at this level, business administration (52.02), fluctuated across the period, with a five-year average not much above its 2003 level. The overall dropoff was driven by several other specializations. As with bachelor‘s degrees, management information systems (52.12) degrees declined sharply. Unlike with bachelor‘s degrees, where accounting (52.03) saw steady growth over the period, associate‘s degrees in accounting dropped off after 2003 and stabilized at a new, lower level. School-by-school data indicate that this dropoff was not attributable to any one program, but to decreases across multiple programs. One explanation may be that students have begun to enroll in accounting bachelor‘s programs over associate‘s programs, although the decline in associate‘s enrollments cannot entirely account for the increase in bachelor‘s degree conferrals. A decline in degrees in business operations support (52.04) is the other significant component of the decline in associate‘s degrees. Although these programs are more likely to be offered at the associate‘s level (since they train administrative assistants and other clerical workers), it is possible that, as with accounting, potential students for these programs have migrated to bachelor‘s programs. Having surveyed the recent output of Ohio‘s bachelor‘s and associate‘s degree programs in the various business specializations, it is now possible to align these roughly with the job prospects in each field. To achieve this, each specialization was matched with the occupations for which it prepares graduates. Although no one-to-one correspondences can be drawn, it is possible to match these roughly using



―crosswalks‖ that pair occupations, as identified by their SOC codes, with academic fields, as identified by their CIP codes.1 Having identified the occupations relevant to each specialization, employment projections for those jobs were obtained from the Ohio Labor Market Information department, which provides a figure for projected annual openings in most occupations through 2014. By summing the openings in occupations ―fed‖ by each program specialization, an annual openings figure for each specialization was determined, which could then be compared to the recent average annual degree production in each field. This should give an idea of which fields have an oversupply of graduates, and which fields have a need for more workers. Although the method is rough, it is interesting to note, for instance, that the contraction of bachelor‘s degrees in management information systems (52.12) from almost 900 in 2003 to just over 300 in 2007 puts its average degree production almost exactly in line with the projected job market, as students have responded to what probably remains a dearth of jobs.

Bachelor‘s Degrees and Annual Job Openings, by Business Specialization

Program CIP Annual Openings Avg. Degrees Conferred

Business/Commerce, General 52.01 783 160

Business Administration 52.02 1,888 1,326

Accounting 52.03 2,094 1,127

Business/Managerial Economics 52.06 160 134

Entrepreneurship/Small Business 52.07 783 20

Finance 52.08 1,065 1,402

Hospitality Administration 52.09 0 107

Human Resources 52.10 1,085 492

International Business 52.11 750 182

Management Information Systems 52.12 517 566

Management Sciences 52.13 85 97

Marketing 52.14 464 1,980

Real Estate 52.15 73 55

Insurance 52.17 124 24

Specialized Sales and Merchandising 52.19 0 167

Business, All Other 52.99 1,695 9

Total 11,566 7,848

Sources: Ohio Labor Market Information; IPEDS

But the overall trend in the business field, and one equally evident within many of the specializations, is for the number of job openings to exceed recent degree production. In other words, in many business fields there appears to be the prospect of more jobs than graduates. This conclusion is further strengthened by steps taken in this analysis

1 The crosswalk used here is the SOC-CIP crosswalk produced by the National Crosswalk Service Center, operated by the Iowa state government and funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. The SOC-CIP crosswalk is available here: http://www.xwalkcenter.org/xwxwalk.html#SOCCIP.

http://www.xwalkcenter.org/xwxwalk.html#SOCCIP



to allow for factors that might overweight job openings versus degree production. For one, occupations that do not require postsecondary education, as indicated by the Ohio Labor Market Information department, were eliminated from the analysis. Thus, job openings in accounting represent openings for accountants and auditors, but not bookkeepers and payroll clerks (jobs which the SOC-CIP crosswalk associates with this field). This step accounts for the zero projected jobs in hospitality administration and specialized sales, as none of the relevant jobs in those fields, such as lodging manager (SOC 11.9081) or wholesale/retail buyers (13.1022) require postsecondary education. Further, for jobs that correspond to multiple academic specializations, the total openings were divided up equally. Thus, the job of sales manager (SOC 11.2022) corresponds to the fields of business/commerce, general (CIP 52.01), business administration (52.02) and marketing (52.14). The total annual job openings for sales managers in Ohio (325) was thus divided by three (108) and apportioned to the sum total openings of those three specializations. Despite these steps, there still appears to be an undersupply of graduates in many business fields. A further consideration must be that, in some of these fields, jobs can and will be filled by graduates from other disciplines, or by experienced workers who move laterally into a new field. General management positions, for instance, do not necessarily require a business administration (52.02) degree, and jobs in that field can probably be supplied without new business graduates. Fields with a particular focus or specialization that may not be obtainable elsewhere may offer the greatest potential for the expansion of academic programs. These would appear to include accounting (52.03), human resources (52.10), and insurance (52.17), in descending order of magnitude. In each of these fields, job openings represent positions that require at least a bachelor‘s degree, and in each of the fields there is a significant margin between the number of job openings and the number of degrees being produced. These specializations may provide the best outlets for the growth of academic business programs.2 Conversely, certain fields appear somewhat glutted with graduates, particularly finance (52.08) and marketing (52.14). While it may be true that, for instance, the roughly 1,500 marketing graduates who do not obtain jobs specifically in marketing or sales management will probably be able to take jobs in other business fields, there should be limited demand in the labor market for expertise specifically in marketing. The same goes, to a lesser degree, for graduates in finance. Finance jobs, in particular,

2 International business (52.11) appears to have a similar supply and demand gap. However, the jobs corresponding to this specialization are actually the same general management jobs represented by business administration (52.02) and other general fields. Although international business has been allotted a share of the openings in those fields, there are no classified occupations dealing specifically with international business, making it difficult to estimate the actual supply of jobs requiring international expertise.



overlap significantly with accounting jobs, which means that finance graduates may be able to fill some of the demand for accounting expertise.



Curricular Requirements at Comparable Institutions

This section discusses the curriculum requirements and delivery methods of a set of institutions comparable to Shawnee State University. The group was selected by using IPEDS data to identify institutions sharing similar characteristics, including control (public or private), enrollment, degrees offered, and geographic area served. The institutions thus chosen include the following:

Athens State University, Athens, AL

Black Hills State University, Spearfish, SD

Lake Superior State University, Sault Ste Marie, MI

Missouri Southern State University, Joplin, MO

Southern Arkansas University-Main Campus, Magnolia, AR

Chadron State College, Chadron, NE

Dakota State University, Madison, SD

Lewis and Clark State College, Lewiston, ID

Langston University, Langston, OK Associate‘s programs were surveyed at Dakota State, Lewis and Clark, and Langston. Athens State, Black Hills State, Missouri Southern State and Chadron State were surveyed for bachelor‘s programs, and both associate‘s and bachelor‘s programs were covered at Southern Arkansas and Lake Superior State. Bachelor’s Degree Curriculum Organization Missouri Southern State, Southern Arkansas, and Chadron State have conventional divisions between business core courses and specialization courses. No pre-business core courses or non-business courses beyond general education courses are required in addition to the core and specialization courses. Several of the institutions identified as comparable, however, organize their degree requirements differently. Athens State does not offer a traditional business core; rather, it distinguishes between ―pre-professional‖ and ‗professional‖ courses, which roughly translates to the distinction between ―business core‖ and ―specialization courses,‖ though a number of required professional courses are common across degree programs. Black Hills State has a ―pre-business core‖ that consists of 8 courses, including Principles of Accounting, Micro- and Macroeconomics, Introduction to Statistics, Quantitative Decision Analysis, Managerial Communications and Advanced Computer Application, in addition to its business core and specialization requirements. Lake Superior State requires a ―common professional component‖ of each business student. While many of the course



requirements that make up the common professional component are the same across degree programs, several of the course requirements are degree-specific. As Lake Superior does have a separate specialization requirement, it is clear that the specialization requirement and the business core are amalgamated in the common professional requirement. Business Core The following table presents the required business core courses at six of the institutions identified as comparable regional universities/colleges. Note that ―required non-business courses‖ at Shawnee State are included in the chart below in italics, as these courses are required across business degree programs, and similar courses are often included in the business cores at the other institutions profiled. For the same reasons, we include courses required in both the pre-business core as well as the business core at Black Hills State University. Pre-business core courses are italicized, while business core courses are in regular font. For Athens State, we have indicated both the courses that are part of the pre-professional requirement, as well as the courses that are common to the professional requirement across degree programs. The latter are in italics. As Lake Superior does not have a distinct ―business core,‖ we list those courses in the common professional component that are required across business degree programs.

Required Core Business Courses, Bachelor Degrees

Shawnee State Athens State**

Black Hills State***

Lake Superior State****

Missouri Southern

State

Southern Arkansas

Chadron State

Business, General

Introduction to Business

Intro to Business Careers

Advanced Business Elective

Economics

Micro Principles of

Macro. Principles of

Macro.

Principles of Economics-

Micro

Principles of Macro

Macro

Macro Principles of

Micro. Principles of

Micro.

Principles of Economics-

Macro

Principles of Micro

Micro

Econ

300/400 Elective

Accounting Financial

Accounting Principles/ Accounting Principles I

Principles of Accounting

I

Principles of Accounting I


Principles of Financial

Accounting


I

Accounting Principles I







Missouri Southern

State

Southern Arkansas

Chadron State

Managerial Accounting Principles/ Accounting Principles II


II

Principles of Accounting II


II

Principles of Managerial Accounting


II

Accounting Principles

II

Finance Managerial

Finance Financial

Mgmt Business Finance

Managerial Finance

Financial Mgmt

Financial Mgmt

Principles of Finance

Management

Management Principles

Principles of Mgmt and Leadership

Organization &

Management

Human Resource

Mgmt

Fundamentals of Organized

Mgmt

Org. Theory and

Behavior

Principles of Mgmt

Production/ Ops Mgmt

Product & Operations

Mgmt

Production and

Operations Management

Strategic Mgmt

Production and

Operations Mgmt

Strategic Mgmt

Business Policy and Strategy

Business Policy

Business Policy and Strategy

Mgmt

Strategy and Policy

Marketing

Marketing Principles

Marketing Principles

Marketing Marketing Principles

and Strategy

Principles of Marketing

Principles of Marketing

Principles of

Marketing

Skills: Quantitative, Technical and Communication

Applied Finite Math

Business Statistics I

Quantitative Decision Analysis

Business Statistics

Business Statistics I

Quantitative Analysis I

Business and

Economics Statistics

Principles of Statistics

Business Statistics II

Intro to Statistics

Spreadsheets Using Info.

Systems Quantitative Analysis II

Principles of Info Systems

Quantitative Methods in

Business

Windows Computer

Applications

Advanced Computer App

Keyboard Skillbuilding

Business Comm.

Business Info

Systems

Decision Support for Managers

Computer Applications

Mgmt Decision Support Systems

Business Statistics II

Business Comm.

Managing Information

and Technology

Spreadsheet Apps/Database

Apps/Word Processing

Apps*

Mgmt Info Systems

Management Information

Systems

College Algebra

Managerial

Comm.

Professional Comm

Org Comm Managerial

Comm

Government, Law, Society and Ethics

Legal Envrmt of Business



Business Law I



Business Law







Missouri Southern

State

Southern Arkansas

Chadron State

Business Ethics

Business Law II

The American Enterprise

System

Business, Govt. and

Society

Business Policy

International Business

International Business/

International Commerce

International Business

Professional Development/Capstone

Senior

Seminar

Career Portfolio Dvlpmt

* Not required in Health Care Administration Program. **Listed here are both the pre-professional requirements at Athens State as well as the courses that are common to the professional requirement across degree program. The latter are italicized. *** Courses required as part of the pre-business core are italicized. Courses required as part of the business core are in regular font. **** Listed here are the courses of the common professional component that are required across business degree programs. If we count ―required non-business courses‖ as part of the business core at Shawnee State, then Shawnee State requires its students to take a total of 16 business core courses in each business degree program. At 16 required business core courses, Shawnee State finds itself in the middle of the range of required core courses, which tops at 19 at Black Hills State at dips to 12 at Chadron State. If courses included in the professional requirements are not considered part of the business core at Athens State (i.e., if we only ―count‖ non-italicized courses), then the number of required core course drops to seven at this institution. The following table presents the number of required ―core‖ courses at each institution, including courses in the pre-business core at Black Hills State, professional requirement at Athens State and common professional component at Lake Superior State which are common across degree programs as well as the required non-business courses at Shawnee State.

Number of Required Core Courses in Business Bachelor Programs at Comparable Regional Institutions

Institution Number of Required “Core” Courses

Shawnee State 16

Athens State 16

Black Hills State 19

Lake Superior State 17



Number of Required Core Courses in Business Bachelor Programs at Comparable Regional Institutions


Missouri Southern State 15

Southern Arkansas 16

Chadron State 12

In terms of the content of business core courses, it appears that the business core requirements at Shawnee State are evenly dispersed across subject areas and ensure that students have a background in each type of necessary skill: quantitative, technical and communication. Specialization In this section, we examine the specialization requirements for accounting, general business, information systems management and marketing degree programs at comparable universities, four out of the six business bachelor‘s programs offered by Shawnee State. We exclude health care administration and legal assisting from this comparison analysis as no comparable degree programs exist at the institutions in the comparison group. Note that whereas specialization-specific electives are included as specialization requirements, general business electives are not included unless they are the minor courses or are to be picked from a list of approved electives. In addition, it should be recognized that under the ―accounting‖ section, the requirements listed are those for a basic degree in accounting. Black Hills State and Chadron State also offers a degree in Professional Accountancy/a Certified Public Accountant Path designed to meet the 150 credit- hour mark required by most states for certification. Specialization requirements for these programs are more extensive.

Specialization Requirements in Business Bachelor Degree Programs

Shawnee State Athens State*

Black Hills State

Lake Superior State***

Missouri Southern

State

Southern Arkansas

Chadron State

General Business Accounting

Apps for Mgmt Decisions

Accounting

Elective Minor Field

Course Minor Field

Course

Approved Upper Division Business Elective

Entrepre-neurship Elective

Minor Field Course

Minor Field Course

Approved Upper Division Business

Elective

Finance/ Economics Elective

Upper-Level Minor Field

Course

Minor Field Course


International

Business Elective


Course

Minor Field Course





Black Hills State


Missouri Southern

State

Southern Arkansas

Chadron State


Mgmt

Elective


Course

Minor Field Course

Marketing Elective

Minor Field

Course

Quantitative

Elective

Minor Field Course

Accounting

Intermediate Accounting I

Intermediate Accounting

I

Intermed. Accounting

I


Accounting Info

Systems



Intermediate Accounting II


II

Intermed. Accountg

II


Intermed. Accounting


II


II

Taxation I Intermediate Accounting

III

Income Tax

Accountg Cost Mgmt I

Int. Finance

and Capital Accounting

Managerial Accounting

Accounting Info Systems

Cost Accounting

Federal Tax Accounting

I Auditing Cost Mgmt II

Tax Accounting


Cost Accounting

Upper Division Accounting

Elective

Federal Tax Accounting

II

Managerial Accountg


Cost Accounting

Auditing Personal

Income Tax


Elective Auditing

Advanced Accountg

Federal Taxation

Accounting I Auditing

Individual Income Tax

Corporate/ Fiduciary Tax


Elective

Govrnmnt Accounting

Federal

Taxation Accounting II

Upper-Level Accounting

Elective

Advanced Financial

Mgmt Auditing


Elective

Advanced Accounting

Auditing Upper-Level Accounting

Elective


Auditing II Advanced

Accounting I Consolidations


Elective


Cost

Accounting

Advanced Accounting I

Governmental

Money& Banking/ Ethics/

Employment Law

Money& Banking/ Ethics/

Employment Law

Law for

Accountants





Black Hills State


Missouri Southern

State

Southern Arkansas

Chadron State

Marketing Consumer Behavior

Advertising Consumer Behavior

Marketing Mgmt

Consumer Behavior

Sales Techniques

Integrated Marketing

Comm

Integrated Marketing

Comm

Marketing Research

Consumer Behavior

Marketing Research

Entre-Imagination

and Opportunity

Marketing Mgmt

Marketing

Mgmt Marketing

Mgmt Marketing Research

Marketing Mgmt

Entre-Business Start-up

Marketing Research

Retail Mgmt

Mgmt Concepts and

Apps

Upper-Level Marketing Elective


Entre-Promotions

& Advertising

Entrepreneurial Marketing

Consumer Behavior

Intro to Supply Chain

Mgmt



Buyer Behavior

Marketing Practicum

Marketing Research

Org Behavior Upper-Level Marketing Elective


Business & Marketing Strategy

Marketing Elective

Marketing Elective

Upper-Level Approved Elective

Business & Marketing Research

Marketing Elective

Marketing Elective

Upper-Level Approved Elective

Marketing Elective

Marketing Elective

Marketing Elective

Marketing Elective

Information Systems Management/Management Technology

Visual Basic I Technical

Core**

Associate of Science

Degree

Programming Languages and Logic

Web Page Development

Client-Side Web

Publishing

Money & Banking

Approved Upper-Division Business Elective

Intro to Networking I

Business Programming

Intro to PC Hardware/ Operating Systems

Mgmt Decision Support Systems


Advanced Managerial

Comm

Applied Info Processing

Database Mgmt Systems

Project Mgmt


Total Quality Mgmt

Database Mgmt





Black Hills State


Missouri Southern

State

Southern Arkansas

Chadron State

Systems Analysis and

Design

Technical Risk Mgmt


COBOL Programming

I E-Commerce

Mgmt/ Deployment of

Info Tech Project

Mgmt of Technology


Advanced Programming

Project Mgmt

Path Requirement Tech

Transfer and Comm

Database

Mgmt

Systems Analysis &

Design

Path Requirement Systems

Analysis and Design

Path Requirement Mgmt Info

Systems

BUIS Elective

Upper Level MIS or MGMT Elective

* Note that the courses listed here are those courses in the professional requirement that are not common to all degree programs. The professional requirement courses common to all degree programs are listed in the table depicting business core requirements. These courses are italicized. ** The Technical Core requirement, a block credit worth 23 semester hours, can be fulfilled by four or more semesters at a technical school or college, six years documented, successful work experience or the professional program in the fine arts or health sciences. *** Note that the courses listed here are those courses in the common professional component that are requirements specific to the particular degree program. The common professional component courses common to all degree programs are listed in the table depicting business core requirements. These courses are italicized. The following table presents the number of required specialization courses for each program at each of the comparable institutions. The first number represents the total number of required courses, specialization electives included. The numbers in parentheses denote how many of the total number of courses are ―electives‖ in the sense that students can choose between different courses on an approved list, courses that fall within particular criteria, or between different ―paths.‖

Total Required Specialization Courses

General Business

Accounting Marketing Information

Systems Mgmt

Shawnee State 5 (4) 8 (4) 10 (4) 10 (4)

Athens State 12 (0) 6 plus the

Technical Core (0)

Black Hills State 6 (0) 6 (0)

Lake Superior 10 (0) 10 (4)



Total Required Specialization Courses

General Business

Accounting Marketing Information

Systems Mgmt

State

Missouri Southern State

7 (7) 9 (3) 6 (3) 5 plus an

Associate of Science (5)

Southern Arkansas

7 (7) 9 (2) 5 (5) 10 (1)

Chadron State 7 (7) 7 (0) 7 (0) 7 (0)

If courses required for a minor count as specialization courses, it appears that Shawnee State‘s general business degree program has a relatively low number of required specialization courses. On the other hand, its marketing program has a relatively high number of required specialization courses. The number of required specialization courses in the accounting degree program is about average; however, Shawnee State‘s specialization requirements include more elective courses than the accounting programs at other comparable institutions. Electives The following table, which presents the number of credit-hours required in each degree category, is intended to demonstrate how many credit hours are available to students for electives after all requirements are fulfilled. Definitions of categories such as ―core hours‖ and ―specialization hours‖ are consonant with the above definitions of ―core‖ and ―specialization.‖ Please reference the above tables of core and specialization course for clarification about which courses fall into which category.

Required Gen Ed Hours

Required Core Hours

Required Specialization

Hours

Business Elective Hours

Free Elective Hours

Total Credit Hours

Accounting

Shawnee State

31 50 32* -- 17 130

Athens State

41 46 39 -- -- 126

Black Hills State

34 57 18 -- 19 128

Lake Superior

State 30-31 50 37 5*** 6 128

Missouri Southern

48 41 27 -- 8 124

Southern Arkansas

46 48 27 -- 3 124

Chadron State

47 36 21 -- 21 125




Required Core Hours


Hours


Free Elective Hours

Total Credit Hours

General Business

Shawnee State

31 48* 15 15 15 124

Missouri Southern

48 41 21 -- 14 124

Southern Arkansas

46 48 15-21 6 3-9 124

Chadron State

47 36 18-30**** -- 12-24 125

Marketing

Shawnee State

31 48* 30 9 6 124

Black Hills State

34 57 18 -- 19 128

Lake Superior

State 31 52 30 5*** 10 128

Missouri Southern

48 41 18 -- 17 124

Southern Arkansas

46 48 24 -- 6 124

Chadron 47 36 21 -- 21 125

Information Systems Management

Shawnee State

31 48 30 -- 15 124

Athens State

41 46 41 -- -- 128

Missouri Southern

48 36 40** -- -- 124

Southern Arkansas

46 48 30 -- 2 126

Chadron State

47 36 21 -- 21 125

* Includes Accounting Core, Upper Division Accounting Electives and Other Required Business Courses. ** Includes Associate Degree Requirement. *** Refers to the B.S. Degree Requirement. **** Refers to hours required to fulfill minor or major.

Source: The Hanover Research Council

The number of credit-hours allowed for electives in Shawnee State‘s marketing program is relatively low, although Southern Arkansas matches this low, while the number of credit-hours allowed for electives in Shawnee State‘s information systems management program is relatively high, although Chadron State‘s elective total is even greater. For the other two degree programs, Shawnee State is near the middle in terms of credit hours available for electives.



Associate’s Degree Curriculum Business Core The following table presents the business core courses required of students in associate business degree programs at comparable regional universities. Please note that we have focused our attention on business programs rather than office administration programs or legal assist programs. Office management and legal assist programs typically have a slightly different set of core requirements. The same holds true for the associate degree program in entrepreneurship at Lewis and Clark State College. For Shawnee State, we have listed the courses identified as ―business course requirements‖ for the accounting degree as well as Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics, as these courses are also required in the business management program.

Required Core Business Courses, Associate Degrees

Shawnee State Lake

Superior State*

Southern Arkansas

Dakota State

Langston University

Lewis & Clark State

College

Business, General

Intro to Business

Economics

Principles of Micro

Principles of

Micro Principles of

Micro Principles of

Micro

Principles and Theory

of Micro

Principles of Macro

Principles of

Macro Principles of

Macro

The Financial Systems in

the Economy

Principles and Theory of Macro

Accounting




Principles of Financial

Accounting Accounting I


II


II

Principles of Managerial Accounting

Accounting II

Finance

Principles of Finance

Principles of Finance/

Managerial Finance

Business Finance

Management

Mgmt Concepts

Org & Mgmt Foundations

of Mgmt Theory

Marketing

Marketing Principles of Marketing

Skills: Quantitative, Technical and Communication

Computer App Business Comm

Business Info Systems

Adv Computer

App

Business Comm



Required Core Business Courses, Associate Degrees

Shawnee State Lake

Superior State*

Southern Arkansas

Dakota State

Langston University

Lewis & Clark State

College

Prof Comm and

Development Skills

Word Processing/

Spreadsheets/ Database

Quantitative Analysis

Business Comm

Intro to

Comp Info Systems

Spreadsheets /Word

Processing /Database

Mgmt Info

System Elective

Business Statistics

Mgmt Info

System Elective

Government, Law, Society and Ethics

Legal Environment of Business

Business Law I

American Enterprise

System




* As Lake Superior does not have a distinct business core, we include those courses identified as ―core‖ business courses in the above bachelor‘s degree analysis that are required across associate degree programs.


With eight ―core‖ courses, Shawnee State finds itself in the middle of the range of required core courses, which bottoms at five at Langston University and is as high as eleven at Lewis & Clark State.

Number of Required Core Courses in Business Associate Programs at Comparable Regional Institutions


Shawnee State 8

Lake Superior State 5

Southern Arkansas 9

Dakota State 10

Langston University 5

Lewis & Clark State 11


Specialization In the following table, we compare specialization requirements for associate degrees. As no other institution in the comparison group offers a degree in Business Management, we compare Shawnee State‘s Business Management Degree with those Associate Degrees most comparable: Business Administration and Financial Planning. Unfortunately, no associate degrees offered by institutions in the comparison group are comparable to the degree in information systems management. Hence, this degree is excluded. As the requirements of degree programs in office administration and legal assist technology are organized in a different way, we also exclude these programs from the following table.



Specialization Requirements in Business Associate Degree Programs

Shawnee State Lake

Superior State

Southern Arkansas

Dakota State

Langston University

Lewis & Clark State

College

Business Management/Financial Planning/Business Admin*

Quantitative Skills for

Business**

Principles of Selling

No specialization requirements


Insurance and Financial

Planning


Marketing Concepts**

Retail Mgmt Taxation for

Financial Planning

Personnel Mgmt**

Advertising Theory and

Practice

Retirement Planning

Enterprise Mgmt and Strategy**

Human Resource

Mgmt

Estate Planning

Intro to Financial

Accounting**

Business Law II

Fundamentals of

Investments

Intro to Managerial

Accounting**

Accounting

Accounting Principles I

Principles of Accounting II

Accounting Principles II


Payroll Records/

Accounting


Cost Accounting I

Cost Accounting I


Federal Taxation

Accounting I

Accounting Elective

Accounting Elective

* The Business Management Degree is offered by Shawnee State, the Financial Planning Degree is offered by Langston University and the Business Administration Degree is offered by Lewis and Clark, Dakota State, Southern Arkansas and Lake Superior. ** These are the business courses listed in sample schedule for the Business Management Program that are not part of the ―core‖ identified above.


For those Associate Degree programs that do have specialization requirements, requiring five courses is typical. Shawnee State‘s seven required accounting specialization courses is slightly higher than this average. However, it is important to recognize that three of these programs six programs do not have extra ―specialization requirements‖; all three programs without specialization requirements are Business Administration degrees.



Electives The following table presents the distribution of credit-hours across different categories of degree requirements. This table employs the same definitions of ―core‖ and ―specialization‖ used above.


Required Core Hours


Hours


Free Elective Hours

Total Credit Hours

Business Management/Business Administration/Financial Planning/Entrepreneurship*

Shawnee State

17 24 17 58

Lake Superior

19 26 9 7-8 62

Southern Arkansas

35 21 6 2 64

Dakota State

24** 29 11 64

Langston University

37 15 15 67

Lewis & Clark State

34 27 3 64

Accounting

Shawnee State

18 21 24 63

Lake Superior

18 16-17 18 11-12 64

Information Systems Management

Shawnee State

18-21*** 20 12 15 65-68

Legal Assisting

Shawnee State

30***** 38 68

Lake Superior

12 54****** 66

Office Administration

Shawnee State

12-14 23**** 27 62-64

Lake Superior

18 29 6-9 8-11 64

* The Business Management Degree is offered by Shawnee State, the Financial Planning Degree is offered by Langston University and the Business Administration Degree is offered by Lewis and Clark, Dakota State, Southern Arkansas and Lake Superior and the Entrepreneurship Degree is offered by Lewis and Clark State. Note that requirements for the Business Administration and Entrepreneurship Associate Degrees at Lewis and Clark State are the same. ** Includes General Education and Institutional Requirements. *** Refers to Required Non-Business Hours. **** Includes Required Non-Business and Required Business. ***** Refers to the Required Non-Legal Courses. ****** Refers to the Legal Assisting Curriculum.




The above table suggests that Shawnee State offers students in its business management associate degree programs relatively few credit-hours to use for electives; however, this can be considered a function of the fact that fewer total credit-hours are required of students. Shawnee State also offers students in its accounting technology and office administration associate degree programs relatively few credit-hours to use for electives when compared with the program at Lake Superior, despite the fact that it requires the same amount of credit-hours for degree completion. Conclusion Core. Shawnee State requires an average number of business core courses in both its bachelor‘s and associate‘s degree programs. Shawnee State‘s marketing program has a relatively high number of required courses. Specialization. The number of required specialization courses in the accounting bachelor‘s degree program is about average; however, Shawnee State‘s specialization requirements include more elective courses than do the accounting programs at other comparable institutions. Considering only those associate degree programs that have specialization requirements, the number of specialization courses required by Shawnee State is just above average. Electives. The number of credit-hours reserved for electives in Shawnee State‘s marketing bachelor‘s program is relatively low, while the number of credit-hours allowed for electives in Shawnee State‘s information systems management bachelor‘s program is relatively high. In terms of its associate degree programs, it appears that Shawnee State allows its students relatively few credit-hours to be used on electives.



Course Delivery Methods: Overview and Profiles

This section begins with an overview of students‘ preferences in course delivery methods (e.g., online, classroom) nationally, and then moves on to consider the options offered by the comparison group of schools identified in the previous section. National Overview Perhaps the most significant trend in online education is its increasing use by traditional students, who have the option to take classroom courses but simply prefer the online delivery method. Recent studies have found that the two delivery methods are not only ―looking more and more alike,‖ but also are ―often dipping into the same pool of students.‖ The South Dakota Board of Regents performed a study in 2005 that found that 42 percent of distance-education students were taking the courses on campus at the university hosting the course. Similar trends have been identified at Washington State University and Arizona State University. At the latter, almost 9,000 students took both an online and an in-person course during 2005. The increasing popularity of online course with on-campus students is a function of several factors, including lifestyle, accommodating job schedules, and getting into high-demand courses.3 The recent increases in the cost of gas have emphasized the impact of external factors on online enrollments, with many institutions saying that ―their online summer enrollments have jumped significantly [in 2008], compared with last summer‘s, and that fuel prices are a key factor in the increase.‖ In Tennessee, the board of regents reported a 29 percent increase in online enrollments over the summer, and various institutions around the country, particularly community colleges, have reported similar increases of 20 to 25 percent.4 On the other hand, intrinsic factors may also be driving the long-term upward trend in the use of online course delivery. Research into the psychology of online learning has demonstrated a relationship between personality types and preferences for the medium of instruction. According to a study of 146 students taking online and in-class introductory computer courses at the University of South Alabama, ―more extroverted students and those who were more sensitive rather than intuitive preferred the way the information was presented, and the way they were evaluated, in online courses.‖ Interestingly, this finding was contrary to the researchers‘ original hypothesis that more introverted students would express a preference for the online

3 Justin Pope, ―Some Students Prefer Taking Classes Online,‖ USA Today (January 15, 2006). Available online at <http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-01-15-college-online-courses_x.htm> 4 Jeffrey R. Young, ―Gas Prices Drive Students to Online Courses,‖ Chronicle of Higher Education (July 8, 2008). Available online at <http://chronicle.com/free/2008/07/3704n.htm>



format. According to this study, ―the extroverts liked the involvement of the chat rooms, threaded discussion, and e-mail correspondences of the online courses.‖5 While all of this points towards increasing use of online course delivery, it should also be noted that, particularly for traditionally enrolled students, so-called ―hybrid‖ courses that mix classroom and online work may be even more desirable. A 2005 survey by Eduventures found that prospective college students preferred hybrid courses to online courses. The survey found that 77 percent of prospective college students would consider enrolling in an online distance education program and ―eighty-five percent of respondents said they would be interested in a hybrid online college program that combines online and on-campus courses. In addition, 56 percent of the 18- to 25- year-olds surveyed said they were more likely to consider enrolling in a hybrid course or program than in a fully online course or program.‖6 Comparison Group Profiles Given these trends, it is unsurprising that many of the institutions in this comparison group do offer some kind of online course delivery. The profiles in this section provide information about the delivery options available at each institution, as well as the delivery options specific to the business programs at these institutions. It also discusses whether business courses or degrees are available in non-traditional formats, and whether business courses are offered during evenings or weekends. Athens State University According to the Athens State University online degree programs website, ―the University is experiencing a strong student demand for online courses. To address this interest, almost all of the 33 majors at Athens State now provide at least one or more classes that can be taken over the internet.‖7 Not only does the College of Business offer internet-based coursework, it offers online degrees in accounting, human resource management, management and management of technology.8 In other words, all of the business degrees offered by Athens State can be earned online. It appears that most business courses have either an evening option, online option, or a blended option in order to accommodate a variety of students.9

5 Richard Daughenbaugh, Lynda Daughenbaugh, Daniel Surry and Mohammed Islam, ―Personality Type and Online Versus In-Class Course Satisfaction,‖ Educause Quarterly (November 3, 2002), p. 71-72. Available online at <http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/EQM02312.pdf> 6 ―Students Prefer Hybrids to Fully Online Courses,‖ Recruitment & Retention in Higher Education 19:8 (August 2005), pp. 7-8. 7 ―Online Degree Programs,‖ Athens State University. Available online at <http://www.athens.edu/academics/onlinedegree.php> 8 Ibid. 9 ―Fall Schedule 2008,‖ Athens State University (2008), pp. 24-29. Available online at <http://www.athens.edu/schedule/Fall%202008%20Schedule.pdf>



Black Hills State University Black Hills State University offers a wide variety of educational delivery modes: online, correspondence, and video conference options are available. While online business courses are not offered through the ―self-paced‖10 and ―term-based self-paced‖11 formats, they are available through the term-based format. This format ―follows [the] semester schedule [and involves] student interaction and assignment due dates.‖ Students must register prior to the semester and are eligible for financial aid. A number of business courses are available through correspondence across the 2008-2009 academic year.12 While students have been able to take self-paced correspondence courses (and may do so during the present semester), all correspondence courses will move to a term-based format in spring 2009.13

A number of business courses are also available through videoconference. ―Through the Dakota Digital Network (DDN), BHSU courses can be received at various sites around the state. All sites are fully interactive; that is, students can see and hear the faculty member, ask questions, and have class discussions as they would in a traditional classroom.‖ Every school district in South Dakota has a videoconference site.14

Finally, a number of on-campus business courses are offered in the evening.15

Lake Superior State University

Hanover was unable to find any evidence of distance learning courses or programs in business offered by Lake Superior State University. Lake Superior does, however, offer a number of business courses in the evenings.16

10 In this format, the student has 175 days to complete the course, and can register for these courses anytime (they do not follow a semester schedule). Students taking the course in this format are not eligible for financial aid. See ―BHSU Distance Learning – Online Courses,‖ Black Hills State University. Available online at <http://www.bhsu.edu/Academics/DistanceLearning/ExploreCourses/Online/tabid/1547/Default.aspx> 11 In this format, the student has a semester to complete the course at his or her own pace and must register prior to the semester. These students are eligible for financial aid. See Ibid. 12 ―BHSU Distance Learning-Correspondence Courses,‖ Black Hills State University. Available online at <http://www.bhsu.edu/Academics/DistanceLearning/ExploreCourses/Coorespondence/tabid/1548/Default.aspx> 13 Ibid. 14 ―2008 Fall Video Conference Courses,‖ Black Hills State University. Available online at <http://www.bhsu.edu/ASP_Pages/EdOutreach/ddn_courses_Fall.asp> 15 ―BHSU Class Schedule: Search by Category,‖ Black Hills State University. Available online at <http://www.bhsu.edu/Academics/RegistrationRecords/ClassSchedules/Searchclassesbycategory/tabid/643/Default.aspx>



Missouri Southern State University While Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) offers a number of different delivery modes for courses – including online, internet-hybrid, video-based, televised and delayed start – online is the only alternative delivery mode through which business courses are delivered.17 MSSU offers several distance business degrees, including a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and an Associate of Science in Business Administration.18 Southern Arkansas University Distance learning at Southern Arkansas University is available only in the online format,19 and the University offers several business courses online.20 Few on-campus evening courses are available.21 Chadron State College Chadron State‘s ―Community-Based Programs‖ website states: ―Chadron State College serves the 30 western-most counties of Nebraska, as well as much of the high plains region. To help support higher education and educational services to this vast region, the College maintains regional offices in Alliance, North Platte, Scottsbluff, and Sidney. College representatives at these locations can assist students with application and enrollment, schedule building, contact with campus advisors and student services offices, and access to the College‘s distance learning modalities — online, interactive television, and correspondence.‖22 In fall 2008, most business courses are available through online or blended formats (online and traditional).23 However, at least one business course this semester is available in the ―interactive television‖ format. In this format, ―students in

16 ―LSSU Course Schedule: Fall 2008 as of 9/5/2008,‖ Lake Superior State University. Available online at <http://www.lssu.edu/scheduling/documents/Fall08_Crs_Schd.pdf> 17 ―Search Courses,‖ Missouri Southern State University. Available online at <http://www.mssu.edu/lifelonglearning/courses/data.asp?term=Online&TermDesignation=ALL&SortBy=CourseID> 18 ―Degrees Available ‗From a Distance,‘‖ Missouri Southern State University. Available online at <http://www.mssu.edu/lifelonglearning/ProspectiveStudents/LLLO_Degrees.htm> 19 ―Distance Education at Southern Arkansas University: Online Learning,‖ Southern Arkansas University. Available online at <http://online.southernarkansasuniversity.info/> 20 ―Fall 2008 Schedule of Online Courses,‖ SAU Magnolia Class Schedule. Available online at <http://www.saumag.edu/schedule/?page=FALLONLINE> 21 ―SAU Magnolia Class Schedule: Fall 2008 Schedule of Classes Business,‖ Southern Arkansas University. Available online at <http://www.saumag.edu/schedule/?page=FALLBUSINESS> 22 ―Community Based Programs: Home,‖ Chadron State College. Available online at <http://www.csc.edu/extended/community/> 23 ―Course Schedule,‖ Chadron State College. Available online at <http://www.csc.edu/extended/community/schedule.csc>



electronically equipped classrooms at regional locations participate in real time classes with students at the Chadron State College campus. Students at all locations have complete audio and video contact with the instructor and students at other locations.‖24 Chadron State College appears to emphasize online delivery rather than delivery at alternative times (evenings and weekends). It offers several online business degree completion programs, including Business Administration with an option in Management, Marketing or Management Information Systems.25 In addition, students can opt for an online program in General Business. Lewis and Clark State College Lewis and Clark State College offers courses online, through blended learning approaches and through video-conferencing.26 The online course schedule for fall 2008 includes a significant number of core business courses.27 At Lewis and Clark, ―DL courses follow the same academic calendar dates and registration procedures as on-campus classes.‖28 Students have the option of pursuing an associate‘s degree in business administration online.29 Dakota State University At Dakota State University, ―E-Education Services has now been expanded to include all extended programs offered by DSU,‖30 including the A.S. in Business Management.31 In addition, ―the Office of Extended Programs coordinates planning, development, and delivery of all courses and programs that are delivered at a distance, including on-line, videoconferencing, and face-to-face at remote sites.‖32

24 ―Interactive Television Courses,‖ Community-Based Programs, Chadron State College. Available online at <http://www.csc.edu/extended/community/itv.csc> 25 ―Undergraduate Courses & Programs: Online Undergraduate (Bachelor‘s) Degree Completion Programs,‖ Chadron State College. Available online at <http://www.csc.edu/extended/online/undergrad.csc> 26 ―Distance Learning,‖ Lewis and Clark State College. Available online at <http://www.lcsc.edu/dl/> 27 ―Fall 2008 – Academic/Professional Technical Classes,‖ Lewis and Clark State College. Available online at <http://www.lcsc.edu/dl/Schedule-Fall/academic.htm> 28 ―Distance Learning,‖ Lewis and Clark State College, op. cit. 29 ―Business Division,‖ Lewis and Clark State College. Available online at <http://www.lcsc.edu/Catalog/academic-programs/business.htm> 30 ―Distance Education,‘ Dakota State University. Available online at <http://www.dsu.edu/disted/index.aspx> 31 ―Distance Programs,‖ Dakota State University. Available online at <http://www.dsu.edu/disted/programs.aspx> 32 ―Distance Education,‖ op. cit.



Langston University Langston University employs a distance learning coordinator. However, Hanover was unable to find any online courses or programs currently offered by Langston. While Langston business students are able to take several courses via interactive video, the option appears to exist only for students on Langston‘s main campus who wish to take courses offered at Langston‘s Oklahoma City and Tulsa campuses.33 In addition, few fall 2008 courses are taught in the evening.34 Conclusion In conclusion, it appears that all comparison institutions except Lake Superior State University and Langston University offer either business courses or business degrees in non-traditional formats. While a number of institutions do offer courses during the evenings or by alternative delivery modes such as teleconference, it seems that largely these regional institutions have placed their emphasis on online programs as an alternative mode of delivery.

33 Langston University, Course Schedule, Fall Semester, 2008,‖ Langston University. Available online at <http://www.lunet.edu/images/stories/Fall2008Schedule4-4-02.pdf> 34 Ibid.



Note This brief was written to fulfill the specific request of an individual member of The Hanover Research Council. As such, it may not satisfy the needs of all members. We encourage any and all members who have additional questions about this topic – or any other – to contact us.

Caveat The publisher and authors have used their best efforts in preparing this brief. The publisher and authors make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this brief and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. There are no warranties which extend beyond the descriptions contained in this paragraph. No warranty may be created or extended by representatives of The Hanover Research Council or its marketing materials. The accuracy and completeness of the information provided herein and the opinions stated herein are not guaranteed or warranted to produce any particular results, and the advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every member. Neither the publisher nor the authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Moreover, The Hanover Research Council is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. Members requiring such services are advised to consult an appropriate professional.

business program analysis - shawnee state

Documents

business programs

business degrees

business administration52

online business courses

business degree conferrals

business specialtyin

number of programs

associatedegree programs