Accelerated Degree puts your education in high gear
Interested in fast-tracking your education? Tidewater Community College’s Accelerated Degree may be for you.
TCC is accepting applications for students interested in earning an Associate of Science in General Studies in just one year through its Accelerated Degree program. Upon completion, students may transfer their credits to a four-year college or university to work toward bachelor’s degrees.
This five-session program satisfies freshman and sophomore general education requirements at most Virginia public colleges and universities. Students who complete the degree and meet the GPA required for admission at their transfer institution will likely be admitted as juniors.
“The Accelerated Degree gives students the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree in three years,” said Jeffery Boyd, provost of the Norfolk Campus. “It’s a great fit for recent high school graduates and adult learners who are motivated and disciplined.”
Accelerated Degree students attend classes in eight-week sessions on the Norfolk Campus for nearly one year to earn the necessary 61 credits. Classes are tentatively set to meet Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The academic schedule is:
Session I: Aug. 20 – Oct. 15, 2018
Session II: Oct. 17 – Dec. 14, 2018
Session III: Jan. 14 – March 11, 2019
Session IV: March 18 – May 11, 2019
Session V: May 13 – July 9, 2019
Students who participate in the accelerated program can save thousands by completing two years of college at TCC versus a four-year institution. In addition, students receive personalized attention with a low faculty-to-student ratio and regular academic advising.
Want to know more?
Prospective students must complete admission requirements that are specific to the Accelerated Degree. The first step is to apply for TCC admission, and then contact Cassandra Small for more information. Small can be reached at 757-822-1723 or csmall@tcc.edu.
Need more help? Contact TCC’s new student support team at 757-822-1111 or enroll@tcc.edu.
Visit tcc.edu/accelerated for details.
Here’s what recent graduates are saying about the Accelerated Degree
James Pettway came to TCC after serving as a hospital corpsman in the Navy for five years. He selected the program because he wanted to get through school quickly. “I grew up poor and was the definition of, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ I never even considered college before. I didn’t have the ambition or the drive. My first and only job before the Navy was at Walmart.”
While in the Navy, Pettway discovered his passion for medicine. At TCC, he learned he could be successful in the classroom. “When I got through those first courses, I realized that I was capable. I applied the same ambition and focus I used in the Navy to be successful. I did it because I put my head down and believed I could.”
Pettway is now at George Washington University studying nursing.
Stephanie Leggett graduated from Granby High in 2016, and while she took AP classes, she didn’t make the grades. She learned about the Accelerated Degree program from her high school guidance counselor.
“This program has shown me that I can accomplish great things,” she said. “I can get a degree in one year and things can get better. For me, it was important to be challenged so I wouldn’t get bored.”
Leggett excelled in the classroom and jumped into campus life. “The college is really diverse, and there’s a lot going on outside the classroom,” she said. “I see things differently now and believe anything is possible.”
Leggett transferred to Old Dominion. She wants to be an attorney to advocate for social justice.