N.C. Nonprofit Brings Online Degrees to UNC System
Credit: Jess Long at East Carolina University graduation. Photo courtesy of Jess Long- Project Kitty Hawk (PKH) and three public North Carolina universities are offering online majors in higher-wage, high-demand fields. PKH provides flexibility and a personal success coach to students.
- Fourteen bachelor’s degrees are available in nursing, business, psychology, and more.
- PKH’s president said school recognizability is one of the program’s biggest strengths for in-state students looking for online programs and for employers looking for local grads.
On May 9, Jess Long walked across the stage at East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville, North Carolina, to receive the psychology degree she earned online through the school’s Flight Path program by Project Kitty Hawk (PKH).
Long, a 29-year-old Eastern Carolina native began her degree program last summer while working to get her certified nursing assistant (CNA) license. However, that changed in October when she was diagnosed with cancer and began treatment.
“If it hadn’t been an online program, I would not have been able to keep going to school through multiple surgeries and treatments and stuff,” Long told BestColleges.
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Long is one of over 1,200 students who took advantage of PKH’s 14 fully online bachelor’s degrees in higher-wage, high-demand fields in the state offered by ECU, Appalachian State University (App State), and North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a historically Black university in Durham.
PKH is a nonprofit funded by the North Carolina General Assembly that brings online degrees to in-state schools through a program called Flight Path.
PKH President and CEO Andrew Kelly told BestColleges that the state wants its residents to attend in-state online colleges as part of its goal that 2 million North Carolinians have college degrees by 2030.
He also wants adult learners considering an online degree through popular out-of-state colleges to stay in state for their online programs. He said the cheaper online, in-state option opens up educational opportunities to different consumers at universities they recognize.
“That’s really exciting to say finally: ‘I can enroll in a public state university, in a program that actually fits my needs and is flexible enough for me to do while I’m working and juggling all the commitments I have,'” Kelly said.
How Does Flight Path Work?
Facing the enrollment cliff, Kelly said the state needs to invest in its adults who never went to college or finished some college without earning their degree.
“We’re an engine for North Carolina to continue to grow economically. This is a huge group of students that’ll be more productive and more likely to be retained, frankly, by their company if they can find educational advancement right here in their home state,” Kelly said.
Fourteen Flight Path bachelor’s degrees are available across App State, ECU, and NCCU. Some workforce-aligned degrees include:
- NCCU’s RN-to-BSN: A bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree for nurses who have a registered nurse (RN) license.
- NCCU’s bachelor of science (BS) in health administration and App State’s BS in health care management: Degrees for those looking to rise in the ranks in their healthcare system and take on more responsibility.
- App State’s bachelor of science in business administration (BSBA) in supply chain management: This profession keeps goods and services moving throughout the state’s diverse geography.
- App State’s BSBA in accounting: One of the most in-demand majors right now, and it is considered a recession-proof job.
Kelly also highlighted security studies at ECU and organizational leadership at App State — two programs suited for those who are in the military, out of the military, or reentering civilian life.
Even more degrees and partners will be added in the future, including the first graduate-level degree — a master of business administration through NCCU — in the fall.
Students apply and are admitted through their respective universities, not through PKH.
They are eligible for financial aid and loans in these programs, which consist of eight-week courses with five start dates throughout the year. Students also have access to 24/7 technical support and a one-on-one success coach from PKH.
And the degree has no “online” distinction — it’s the same as an in-person student’s degree.
Ready to finish your degree online? Read more:
Why a North Carolina Online Education Is Important for North Carolinians
Kelly believes some of the growth from these programs is driven by students who hadn’t considered an online degree program at all. Now, they see degrees from recognizable home universities and have considered going back to college.
North Carolina employers immediately recognize App State, NCCU, and ECU. Their reputations may not be matched by out-of-state online programs. These home school brands also convey that their graduates know how to be successful, particularly in North Carolina.
ECU’s recognizability is what pushed Long to finish her degree.
“It’s a great school, and it’s always felt kinda like my home,” Long told BestColleges. “My mom graduated from ECU, and I’ve always lived kind of close to campus. I really wanted to go there when I graduated high school, and I did end up going there. But, you know, life got in the way.”
While PKH tries to offer competitive per-credit-hour tuition rates to some of the biggest online colleges, students are paying more for name recognition.
For example, tuition for the 120-credit App State BSBA in accounting program is $412 per credit hour plus books and fees for in-state students and $494 for out-of-state students. Students are also required to have at least 24 transfer credits to apply.In comparison, Purdue University Global’s BS in accounting is $371 per credit — about $40 less than App State.
But Kelly said sometimes there’s more to your return on investment than just how inexpensive your degree is.
“So, if something’s really inexpensive, but you’re unlikely to complete a degree, or the degree you complete doesn’t have any value in the eyes of employers, it’s not particularly affordable, right? Because you spent that time, money, and energy on it,” Kelly told BestColleges.
Graduating from a Program Built for Adult Learners
Even as she was being treated for cancer, Long wanted nothing more than to walk across the stage for graduation. And just like her online program, ECU and PKH made that as accessible as possible for her.
“Some people think they can’t go back to school because they wouldn’t be able to handle the coursework or they’re just not in that part of their life anymore. But I think that especially programs like this — they’re specifically made for people like us.”
She begins on-campus studies at ECU this fall to get a master of science degree in human development and family science to do research and work with children and vulnerable populations.
“Listen, you are smart. And just because you know traditional college doesn’t feel like it would be a fit for you anymore doesn’t mean that there aren’t options out there now.”