Dordt expands two-year associate’s degree options

The Business Administration Department at Dordt University has expanded the two-year associate’s degree options available for students.

In addition to taking foundational courses in business and more, students may choose from six emphases: accounting / bookkeeping, administrative assistant, entrepreneurship, event planning, general, as well as retail and sales.

“These expanded options allow us to serve a group of students better than we were able to before, and for those who are undecided between earning an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree, the two-year program can roll right into the four-year program,” says Dale Zevenbergen, director of the K&K Dooyema Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

“It also allows us to meet the needs more clearly of students who don't want a four-year experience but want a couple of years of the college experience to prepare them for their career goals,” says Sandy Vanden Bosch, chair and instructor of business administration.

The time and cost it takes to complete a college degree can be daunting, adds Eric Tudor, director of emerging markets. For a student who is unsure about attending college, completing a degree in 20 months might sound more doable. Some students also have a clearer idea of what career opportunities they would like to pursue. Dordt’s expanded two-year associate’s degree options in business administration can help them get there.

“Students are creators and innovators; they want a laboratory to test and shape their ideas and to consider deeply how Christians may disrupt their industries of interest,” says Tudor. “What we’ve done is build a platform around the business and core courses that we believe are foundational for their vocational calling and then empowered students to work with their academic adviser to develop the best-fit program around those interests.”

Very few Christian universities offer two-year programs, and “arguably none with this level of customization,” says Tudor. “We believe that Christian education should prepare Christians to engage in all career fields—not just those traditionally associated with liberal arts universities.”

Now, in addition to two-year programs in Agriculture, Engineering Technology, Education, and Computer Science, Dordt offers more than 12 different two-year programs and emphases.

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. For six years in a row, Dordt has been named number one in the nation for student engagement by The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, Princeton Review, and more.