SE Texas Times

Houston Community College (HCC) has been approved as a Level 2 baccalaureate granting institution, beginning with four-year degrees in Artificial Intelligence & Robotics and Healthcare Management.

The announcement was made by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees at its 2022 Annual Meeting Atlanta, Ga., recently. SACSCOC is the accrediting organization for HCC and other colleges and universities across 14 states in the southern United States.

HCC will launch its new bachelor’s degree programs in fall 2023.

The Bachelor of Applied Technology in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics will address a growing and critical need for skilled workers in a rapidly evolving technical field. Over the last decade, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gained a substantial foothold in a variety of industries. The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (2021) recognizes AI as “already ubiquitous in everyday life” and that “application of AI techniques to solve problems is...turning once-fantastical ideas into realities across a range of disciplines.”

Graduates of this program will enter a profession with 2,586 annual job openings in our region and a median annual salary of $97,200.

The Bachelor of Applied Science in Healthcare Management will prepare students for career advancement or entry-level healthcare managerial positions. The degree program enables working professionals to advance their career by focusing on leadership skills, knowledge, and credentials in the healthcare management field.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cites Medical and Health Services Managers as a growing occupational field based on increased demand for healthcare services as the baby-boom population ages. As medical service needs increase, the need for managers “who organize and manage medical information and healthcare staff” will also increase.

Graduates of this program will enter a profession with 1,752 annual job openings in the Houston region and a median annual salary of $64,200.

“We are continually exploring ways to provide relevant programs and instruction that serve the needs of students and employers in our service area,” said HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, Ph.D., P.E. “With these two inaugural bachelor’s degree programs, we give students an opportunity to start and complete their four-year education on the same HCC campus.”

Original source can be found here.