Eastern Florida Announces More Bachelor Degree Program Plans

Eastern Florida State College unveiled plans for three more Bachelor Degrees in top job fields Monday, building on the success and strong demand for the four-year programs it currently has in place.

The degrees are being designed to support the rapid growth at Port Canaveral, Melbourne International Airport and in high-technology fields.

The new programs will focus on the areas of Business, Health Care and Computer Information Technologies, the same fields where the college has launched 22 other new programs since early 2012.

The programs, which also include two additional Associate Degrees, were announced by college President Dr. Jim Richey and approved by Eastern Florida’s Board of Trustees.

The college currently offers nine Bachelor Degree tracks with more than 600 students enrolled, a sign of their popularity and the job opportunities that exist for graduates.

“The new programs will offer still more career choices to students in areas that have robust job growth in Brevard County and throughout East-Central Florida,” said Richey.

“That includes fields such as technology and the increasing cargo and transportation operations at Port Canaveral and Melbourne International Airport, which continue their impressive growth.

“Our new programs tap into that dynamic and will open more doors to potential jobs for students who successfully complete their degrees. That’s why we’re eager to get these programs up and going.”

The three Bachelor Degree tracks are scheduled to begin in 2016, pending the lifting of a one-year moratorium on new four-year programs in the 28-member Florida College System that includes Eastern Florida.

The moratorium was put in place by the Florida Legislature in May 2014 to review the process the state uses to approve the programs. The moratorium is currently scheduled to end in May 2015.

The programs will also require approval from the Florida Board of Education.

The college worked closely with local and regional businesses to create the programs, including surveys of their workforce needs.

The new programs are:

• Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Computer Information Systems Technology, Concentration in Cyber Security

Demand for employees with cyber security expertise is high in all sectors as companies strive protect their computer networks from hacking

The college currently has a two-year Associate Degree in the field that will allow students to move directly into the Bachelor track upon successful completion.

The college has also received a $1.5 million federal grant to create a state-of-the-art cyber security lab on its Palm Bay campus that will provide an excellent learning environment for students.

The expected average salary for such jobs in Brevard County is $46,200 annually.

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Data Management/Science

This is another technology field with steady job growth as businesses seek professionals capable of organizing and analyzing large amounts of data.

The expected average salary for such a job in Brevard County is $46,700 annually.

• Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Organizational Management, Concentration in Human Resource Management

This program will meet a rising need for human resource professionals to manage employee ranks at companies.

The expected average salary for such jobs in Brevard County is $46,300 annually.

• Associate in Science Degree in Transportation and Supply Chain Logistics

This program is in direct response to growth in the cargo and transportation industry at Port Canaveral and Melbourne International Airport that will allow students to work in an expanding field.

• Associate in Science Degree in Chemical Technology

The program began in Fall Term 2014 and has already proven popular with 200 students enrolled. It prepares students to work in a variety of health care fields and will allow them to move directly into the college’s Bachelor Degree track in Biomedical Sciences upon successful completion.

For more information on programs at Eastern Florida State College, visit easternflorida.edu