Jeremy Handel
Staff Writer
Spartanburg Methodist College’s mission promises to “empower students to confidently pursue the future they’ve imagined for themselves.” For some, that future gets put on hold as they navigate life. SMC keeps that promise for all students, no matter when they decide it’s time to finish college.
To help deliver on that promise to those stopped-out students, SMC is launching a new online degree focused on providing a clear, flexible path to a college degree.
The Bachelor of Arts in General Studies is part of a partnership with OneSpartanburg, Inc.’s Re:Degree program focused on re-engaging the thousands of adults in Spartanburg County who have taken some college classes but never finished. SMC developed the new degree with help from an investment by Spartanburg Academic Movement’s (SAM) Movement 2030 initiative to increase college attainment in Spartanburg County.
“SMC was established as a work-study institution dedicated to educating local workers and giving them the skills and knowledge needed to improve their future. Our work with Movement 2030 and Re:Degree fits right into the core of our mission,” said SMC President Scott Cochran. “This new degree is the perfect option for students who want to return and finish their degree to improve their career prospects.”
The General Studies degree, which launches in January 2025, offers a fully online, flexible experience with a comprehensive curriculum focused on providing the essential workplace skills sought by employers. Rather than a specialized, narrow discipline, the new degree gives graduates a broad education in several key areas, including English and the humanities, business and social sciences, and math and natural sciences.
“We’re very excited to work with SMC on this effort to increase adult degree attainment. Data shows that those with completed degrees have higher social and economic mobility and increased pay opportunities in their careers. This General Studies program can make a substantive difference for some of those people in Spartanburg County with some college experience but no degree,” said Dr. Erin Smith, OneSpartanburg, Inc. director of adult degree re-engagement.
Re:Degree was established to re-engage those some college, no degree adults in Spartanburg County by removing obstacles and barriers to degree completion. They recruit students to return to college and help them every step of the way, including filling out applications, applying for financial aid, obtaining transcripts, and even signing up for classes. Re:Degree is also made possible by Movement 2030 and is spearheaded by OneSpartanburg, Inc. and SAM.
To further ease the transition back to college, SMC also allows interested students to earn college credit for their work and life experiences and any previous classes they have taken. Through its credits for prior learning program, students can earn credit for specialized work experience, professional certifications, and military or law enforcement service.
“Many adult learners are nervous about returning to finish their degree because they don’t want to start over,” said Dr. Curt Laird, SMC’s provost and executive vice president of academic affairs. “Earning credit for work and life experiences will help them complete their degree faster and reduce costs.”
Many stopped-out students feel they are too far removed from college to return. Knowing they can keep many of the credits earned before and get credit for their work and other experiences since they stopped helps make the decision to return easier.
The General Studies bachelor’s degree will teach students to demonstrate mastery in writing, reading, and critical thinking; develop a robust skill set in analytical and creative thinking and problem solving; demonstrate a broad knowledge of physical, social, and cultural worlds; and apply their interdisciplinary knowledge to develop innovative solutions to complex challenges.
The degree prepares graduates to advance in their current careers or pursue a new career in various fields, such as communication and media, business and management, healthcare administration, technology and innovation, and more.
SMC is proud to partner with Movement 2030, a county-wide initiative in Spartanburg, to improve school readiness, post-secondary attainment, and neighborhood outcomes to create the conditions for children and families to succeed. The initiative is driven by the guiding belief that everyone can thrive here.