Business students benefit from Capitol College, College of Southern Maryland partnership

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LAUREL, Md

            LAUREL, Md. – Capitol College and the College of Southern Maryland are partnering to offer students bachelor degrees in business administration. Signed in a ceremony on Jan. 12, the articulation agreement connects CSM’s associate degree in management development to the Capitol College bachelor’s degree in business administration.

            Executives and faculty from both colleges, including Capitol President Dr. Michael Wood, CSM President Dr. Bradley Gottfried, Capitol Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. W. Vic Maconachy and CSM Vice President for Student and Instructional Support Bill Comey, among others, were present at the signing that will allow students to easily transfer up to 70 credit hours earned at CSM for the A.A.S. degree toward a higher degree in business administration at Capitol.

            As an added bonus, CSM students may begin taking courses in the business administration program while still completing their A.A.S. Upon admission to Capitol College, these students are eligible for scholarships that could provide up to 50 percent of tuition costs.

            “We get so many students who don’t know what they want to do, and it’s our responsibility to show them the range of possibilities after they graduate,” said Dr. Gottfried. “If the best next step for them is to continue their education at Capitol, we will steer them towards the college because not only is it economically feasible, but it’s also close to home.”

            The agreement is an ongoing initiative between the two colleges that establishes a mutual understanding and a clear set of expectations for students, each institution and the respective degree programs. The strategic location of both CSM and Capitol College near Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Md. ensures that transfer students affected by the agreement, and consequently Capitol’s business administration graduates, have excellent opportunities to be employed as professionals at some of the most prestigious organizations, government agencies and corporations in the country.

            “Capitol can provide an accessible and affordable education experience for all CSM students who choose to transfer here,” commented Dr. Wood. “I am pleased that we can continue this pleasurable and meaningful relationship with CSM.”

            Capitol College is the only independent college in Maryland dedicated to engineering, computer science, information technology and business. Founded in 1927, Capitol is an accredited institution offering associate, bachelor's and master's degrees, as well as professional development training and certificates and partnerships with government and industry. Capitol is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security. The college is located in Laurel, Maryland, a suburban setting midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Capitol and is committed to providing a quality education that is technology-driven, accessible, affordable and practical especially during these challenging economic times. Additional information can be found online at http://www.capitol-college.edu.

            A regionally accredited community college that provides programs and services with a special focus on local workforce development to maintain and grow a healthy economy and community, the College of Southern Maryland is a silver level recipient of the 2008 Maryland Performance Excellence Award. CSM, founded in 1958, is the fifth largest community college in Maryland with campuses in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties and more than 22,000 annual enrollments. For information about CSM, call 301-934-7765 or 301-870-2309, 240-725-5499 or 443-550-6199, ext. 7765, or visit http://www.csmd.edu.