According to data from the National Student Clearinghouse, 39 million Americans have acquired some postsecondary education and training but did not earn a degree or credential. Of those, approximately 3.5 million are considered “potential completers,” meaning they have at least two years’ worth of full-time college credit over the past decade and have a high potential to earn a degree or credential if they re-enroll. Statistics reveal more than four million Texans fall in the category of “some college, no degree.” In the greater Houston region, there are more than 1 million.
Historically Black Texas Southern University in Houston is launching a new college that creates a pathway for people who started college but did not complete their degree program. The College of Transdisciplinary Studies will assist students to continue their education and complete and earn a baccalaureate degree or master’s degree. The College of Transdisciplinary Studies will consider appropriate work experience as credit toward degree completion and offer courses in a hybrid format.
This new College of Transdisciplinary Studies will provide eight majors at the bachelor’s level and four at the master’s level. Most students will be able to complete their degree in less than two years. This new endeavor will also include the creation of partnerships with industries and companies to assist employees with re-skilling and up-skilling to ensure they are prepared to fulfill workforce demands.
“Texas Southern University is excited about this opportunity to initiate tailored programs that meet the needs of individuals who, at present, lack a navigable path to complete a viable degree,” said Lesia L. Crumpton Young, president of Texas Southern University. “This new College of Transdisciplinary Studies will serve as the conduit through which thousands of students from around the Houston region and the state of Texas will have the opportunity to finish what they started, thus beginning the transformation many have long desired for their lives.”
