A new partnership between Moraine Park Technical College and Prescott, Arizona‑based Yavapai Community College will allow MPTC students to remotely complete a three‑year bachelor of applied science in business (BASB) degree.
Starting April 1, students can enroll in and complete a business‑focused associate of arts (AA) program at MPTC and following graduation enroll in Yavapai to earn a BASB degree online within one year.
In fall 2025, Yavapai became the first community college in the country to be approved to offer the three‑year, reduced credit degree. Together, Yavapai and MPTC are the first two‑year institutions to offer the three‑year, 92‑credit optimized BASB program.
The program is designed to help students complete a bachelor’s degree in less time than it would take with a traditional pathway, increasing affordability and helping to ease pressure on the regional talent shortage.
“I think any time we can offer opportunities for our students to complete their educational journeys in an affordable and accessible manner, it is always a good thing,” says Bonnie Baerwald, MPTC president.
Baerwald brought the idea of a partnership back to MPTC after attending an October conference at which Yavapai leadership presented on its new three‑year baccalaureate degree.
Yavapai’s online format “is really important to most working adults, especially those who have families and work‑life commitments,” Baerwald says. “We just think this is a perfect opportunity — hopefully one of many in the future that will give our students opportunities to grow in their careers.”
Yavapai College also is launching a public safety administration applied science business degree this fall, and the college is proposing another bachelor’s in digital art. Yavapai also is working with university partners to develop a one‑year business master’s program for students who would like to continue their education.
The reduced‑credit baccalaureate degree is a model that other universities are exploring, including Mount Mary University, which launched 95‑credit bachelor’s degrees in digital marketing and cybersecurity in January.
Baerwald says the talent shortage may prompt more four‑year colleges and universities to offer reduced‑credit baccalaureate degrees: “Especially here in Wisconsin, employers need qualified, talented workforce ASAP.”
Other institutions in the region are joining up to offer new pathways to bachelor’s degrees. Fox Valley Technical College and UW‑Green Bay recently announced the launch of a 2+2 transfer agreement, allowing eligible FVTC graduates to enter UW‑Green Bay with junior status and pursue any of four business‑related bachelor’s degree programs. Those degrees include management, marketing, business administration (supply chain emphasis) or human resources management. Students have the option to complete that coursework online.
That 2+2 model offers a way for a student to earn a bachelor’s degree while also reducing costs. The MPTC‑Yavapai model does the same, and it also provides a way for the student to navigate work‑life commitments and school for one year rather than two, Baerwald says.
The partnership has also prompted discussion at the state level. The Wisconsin Technical College System is looking at MPTC and Yavapai’s model to see whether it can be expanded to the 16 colleges within its system, says Katy Pettersen, director of strategic advancement for the Wisconsin Technical College System.
The state tech college system, which sees almost 300,000 students annually, already has more than 600 transfer agreements with colleges and universities both within Wisconsin and across the country, “each one designed to give students more options, more flexibility and more control over their academic journeys,” Petterson says.
The MPTC and Yavapai partnership “is a great example of how our colleges continue to think creatively and pursue innovative solutions that remove barriers for students,” she says.
