Chemeketa Community College will become the first community college in the state of Oregon to offer a Bachelor’s degree. Beginning in fall 2023, the College will offer a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Leadership and Management. The new degree will offer training and skill development in leadership and management that will help students advance to the next level in their careers. The program builds on Chemeketa’s existing associate of applied science degrees and will be cohort-based with a mix of hybrid and in-person classes.

In 2019, the Oregon Legislature authorized Oregon Community Colleges to offer Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degrees. The goal is to meet workforce demands while increasing educational opportunities for Oregonians. Chemeketa immediately launched a process to gain approval for a new degree. Extensive discussions with local business leaders and employers led to the creation of a Bachelor of Applied Science in Leadership and Management. 

“Our goal is to change the trajectory of students with associate degrees whose employer says a two-year degree only gets them so far,” says Tim Ray, Dean of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Chemeketa Community College. “We will remove that barrier and allow them to continue their career trajectory.” A bachelor’s degree is often a requirement for obtaining a management position.

“We are aware our students will be coming to us after a long day of work with a breadth of experience,” says Marg Yaroslaski, Instructor of Leadership and Management at Chemeketa. “Our classrooms will use their work experience to deepen the discussions in an actively engaged learning environment.”

Applications will open from March 2023 through April 2023. Admission requires a completed Associate of Applied Science with a 2.5 GPA or higher with three years of increased work responsibilities. For more information, visit go.chemeketa.edu/BASLeadershipManagement