With approval from the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia (USG) last month, Albany State University along with Columbus State University will become the first institutions in the system to offer nexus degree credentials.
The 60-credit-hour nexus degree emphasizes experiential learning, skilled knowledge and connections to industry partners in in-demand and emerging career fields. Albany State’s two nexus degree programs will focus on blockchain with machine learning and on data analytics. Columbus State’s will be in film production.
“We are committed to meeting the needs of both Georgia’s workforce and industry by giving students the skills they need as they grow into different careers and seek to expand their knowledge base,” said USG Chancellor Dr. Steve Wrigley. “I applaud Albany State and Columbus State for being the first institutions to offer our newest college credential.”
Nexus degrees can be used as “stackable credentials” in an education portfolio or stand on their own.
Students on track to earn a nexus degree take 42 credit hours of general education and 18 credit hours of coursework “focusing on the skills and knowledge requirements of high-demand industries,” according to system officials. The 18-hour apprenticeship component must include six credit hours of experiential learning and a minimum of 12 credit hours in upper division coursework.