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Our commitment to serving learners from diverse educational backgrounds requires that we grow our capacity to offer new pathways to success for the modern student. 

A pillar of these efforts is fortifying our institution with the infrastructure that allows us to be flexible as we reimagine systems of higher education, including how we govern curriculum. As we seek to strengthen ºÚÁÏÍø’s role in the broader prosperity of our region, we look to offer new and innovative avenues to help meet the demand for new skills and qualifications among degree holders and those seeking to re-enter the workforce in new industries, sectors, or careers.  

This work begins with eliminating barriers — aligning university policies with our shared values and goals.  

For the team of ºÚÁÏÍø leaders spearheading efforts to build a growth strategy at The Beach, that has defined their recent work in pursuit of growing non-stateside curricular offerings — a goal central to this group’s overarching mission. 

Recognizing the value of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, military training, or education outside of formal higher educational settings, a policy on earning credit for prior learning was developed this past academic year. These new standards, which launched in fall 2023, will allow students enrolled in ºÚÁÏÍø to earn credits toward a degree or other area of study for their life or work experience — an important practice that aims to promote student success through supporting degree completion, while reducing a student’s time to graduation.  

By the same token, the growth strategy team — led by Vice Provost for Academic Programs Jody Cormack, Dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Education Chris Swarat, and Associate VP for the Office of International Education and Global Engagement Jeet Joshee — reexamined ºÚÁÏÍø’s policy governing certificates, and crafted new procedures to facilitate dynamic curricular offerings like micro-credentials and badging.  

Through credit-bearing and non-credit-bearing micro-credentials, we are advancing our mission to provide lifelong learning opportunities at The Beach. With a goal of allowing these awards to be stacked, learners might earn enough in the same area to receive a digital badge through ºÚÁÏÍø, verifying their new skills and knowledge.  

Amid an evolving labor market, the ability to acquire new skills and qualifications is essential for the modern workforce, particularly those from non-traditional educational backgrounds or people seeking to pivot industries or careers. Offering supplemental degrees, blended degrees, and new doctoral degrees is the focus of exciting projects on the horizon for the growth strategy team.  

Diversifying our portfolio of knowledge- and skill-building opportunities is central to our vision for building growth, expanding access, and enriching our community through innovative pathways to professional development.