From staff reports

In an effort to provide learning opportunities to the busiest people, Lamar State College – Orange (LSC-O) is reaching out to another category of non-traditional students.

Starting in the Fall 2017 semester, students have the chance to complete an Associate’s degree program by attending hybrid classes only one day a week.

Cleverly dubbed ‘One day a Week for a Two-Year Degree’, the courses are for anyone with a demanding schedule but still desires to enhance their skills and earn a degree.

Division Director for Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Andrew Preslar said the goal is to allow full time employees, stay-at-home parents, and similar non-traditional students a flexible school schedule allowing them to work Monday – Thursday and attend classes on Friday.

“Anyone from local business and industry employees to teacher’s aides and janitorial staff at local school districts are our target students,” Preslar said. “We want to fill the gaps the students have in order to recover and stay on track to complete their degrees.”

Each semester, the structured progression of classes advances students closer to completing their degree in one of three programs: Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, Associates of Science in Business, or Associates of Arts in Teaching.

Award-winning instructors will teach the courses, giving the students the best LSC-O has to offer.

The Friday Hybrid course offerings for the Fall semester include Learning Frameworks (EDUC 1300), English Composition (ENGL 1301), Public Speaking (SPCH 1315), American History (HIST 1301). Intro to Computers (COSC 1301), Texas Government (GOVT 2306), and Development Math 0302.

Students will attend the 75-minute classes from 8 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. and complete additional work online during the week.

Gina Simar, Dean of Health Science and Workforce Technology, said the hybrid courses – half in class and half online – give students who might be nervous about fully online classes a middle ground to learn from instructors face-to-face as well as become comfortable working independently online.

“Some students want the encouragement and reassurance of being in a classroom with their instructor,” Simar said.

Once students complete the 60 hours of academic work and earn their Associate’s degree, students who want to continue their education can transfer the credits to any state – supported Texas university and be halfway finished with a Bachelor’s degree.

Registration is open for the Fall 2017 semester and now is the time to lock in a spot in the ‘One day a Week for a Two-Year Degree’ program.

For more information concerning the program, contact Andrew Preslar at Andy.Preslar@lsco.edu or call 409-882-3027.