Harper teams with Loyola for 4-year program

A new partnership between Harper College and Loyola University will allow students in the Northwest suburbs to get a new bachelor's degree.

Starting in June, the Chicago university will offer its bachelor of management degree at Harper's Northeast Center in Prospect Heights.

"This is unique because we're not asking students to come to our three campuses -- we're going to Harper," said Jeff Rosen, dean of Loyola's School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Such partnerships are common in higher education and are encouraged by state agencies. Harper has several degree completion programs like this, but most of the time, students must travel to another university for classes.

Currently, the only four-year institution that offers classes for a bachelor's degree on Harper's campus is Northern Illinois University for its nursing program.

"Increasingly, we're seeing that an associate's degree only gets you so far," Harper spokesman Phil Burdick said. "Just having an associate in business will not get you to management positions."

Loyola's management program is accelerated and designed for working adults. It's touted as a well-rounded program that prepares managers to excel in today's workplace.

Through the partnership, the degree will be available to graduates of Harper's "Adult Fast Track" program, as well as graduates from other Harper programs and other area community colleges.

Classes will be held at night and will begin in June.

The Palatine community college is trying to change state law to allow it to offer two pilot bachelor's degree programs on its own -- in public safety administration-homeland security and technology management.

"Our first choice is to always partner with a university," Burdick said. "Where we depart is when they won't offer the program on our campus."

This is the case for the two areas specified in Harper's bachelor's degree bill, he said.

Want to know more?

• The Harper-Loyola management bachelor's degree program's first information session will be Nov. 28 at the Harper Northeast Center, 1375 Wolf Road, Prospect Heights.

• It's from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and individual appointments can be arranged.

• Call (312) 915-6501 or e-mail scps@luc.edu for more information. Go to luc.edu/scps/mgmtodlnec_curriculum.shtml for details.