FVCC and UM Partnership Brings Elementary Education Bachelor's Degree to Kalispell:

Applications Due August 7

Kalispell – Beginning this fall, Flathead Valley residents will be provided the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from the University of Montana without having to leave the Flathead Valley.

Through the partnership, UM will offer the third and fourth years of study via a combination of distance learning and face-to-face classes taught by UM faculty on the FVCC campus in Kalispell. Students will engage in classroom experiences with tenure-track instructors from the nationally accredited Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences. Students in this program will earn the same bachelor’s degree as students physically located on the main UM campus, without the financial burden of travel, relocation or residency costs.

“This partnership provides members of our community a new affordable opportunity to pursue their dreams of becoming teachers while still balancing family and work,” said FVCC President Jane Karas, Ph.D. “We appreciate this collaboration with the University of Montana and the opportunities it will provide Northwest Montanans.”

Students who have completed the first two years of study in elementary education at FVCC will be eligible to apply for admission into the fall program. The program also is designed to allow in-district Flathead Valley Community College students to complete their first two years of college at FVCC’s affordable in-district tuition rates and then transfer those credits to UM and complete their bachelor’s degrees in elementary education, all on the FVCC campus.

“This is a win-win for FVCC, UM, future teachers and especially all students in our community,” said Karas.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. on August 7. Applicants need to visit the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Science’s website, www.coehs.umt.edu, for application details. Jayna Lutz, academic advisor for UM’s College of Education, will help walk students through the application process, program prerequisites and field questions regarding financial aid options.

Those interested in applying for admission into the Fall 2015 program will need to apply by February 15, 2015.

Last year, FVCC conducted a community needs assessment to determine the interests for bachelor degree options in the Flathead Valley. Education scored high on the assessment. There are continuing discussions about exploring other Bachelor’s degree options with the Montana University System.