Beaufort County Community College has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Appalachian State University, creating a new transfer pathway into the university’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program.
The agreement was signed July 1, 2026, and allows Beaufort CCC graduates who hold an Associate of Applied Science degree in a health-related field to transfer directly into the bachelor’s program at Appalachian State. The pathway was built with working healthcare professionals in mind, giving them a way to build on the skills and clinical experience they already gained through their AAS coursework.
Students can complete the bachelor’s degree in person or fully online, so they can keep working while finishing their coursework.
Which Degrees Qualify
Beaufort CCC degrees accepted under the agreement include:
- Associate Degree Nursing
- Social and Human Services (formerly Human Services Technology)
What This Means for Graduates
“This agreement gives our graduates a clear and affordable route to a four-year degree without starting over,” said Bill Ziegler, dean of arts and sciences at Beaufort County Community College. “It recognizes the training our students already have and rewards them for the work they have put in.”
Appalachian State’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program is designed for students who are already working in the field, with flexible scheduling built around AAS coursework and job responsibilities.
About the Beaver College of Health Sciences
The program is housed in Appalachian State’s Beaver College of Health Sciences, which opened in 2010 with a focus on improving health outcomes in North Carolina, particularly in underserved rural areas. About 37 percent of the college’s roughly 3,500 students come from rural North Carolina counties, and 33 percent are first-generation college students.
Every student takes part in some form of experiential learning, whether that’s an internship, faculty-led research or a study abroad opportunity. The college’s pass rates on national licensing exams exceed the national average in nursing, nutrition and dietetics, social work and speech-language pathology.
How to Get Started
Students interested in the transfer pathway can contact Beaufort CCC’s advising center to learn more about eligibility and enrollment. Registration is currently open for the Fall 2026 semester.