BUTLER TWP - Starting next year, Butler County Community College students will be able to earn bachelor's degrees from any of four universities while still at the BC3 campus.

BC3 officials on Monday signed agreements with representatives of these four universities: the University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University, Point Park University, and Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio.

"This is an excellent opportunity for our students" BC3 President Cynthia Azari said. "For years our students have been telling us they wish they could continue to get a four-year degree at BC3 and now they can."

With the savings in transportation, room and board and parking, "this is definitely a cost saving for our students," said Nick Neupauer, BC3's vice president for academic affairs.

Students also will save by paying BC3's tuition for their freshman and sophomore level courses, which is $88 a credit hour for county residents, and $159 for nonresidents.

Tuition at the four universities are $244 per credit hour for business classes and $305 for computer classes at Franklin; $412 a credit at the University of Pittsburgh; $430 at Robert Morris; and $450 at Point Park. Point Park offers a discount of $55 per credit to BC3 graduates with associate's degrees.

"The way the program works, Neupauer said, "is that the student will earn his or her associate degree at BC3 and then will complete the required course work for the partner institution, attending classes at our main campus, one of our extensions, or online via the Internet."

"The second two years, the student will pay the partner institution's tuition rate," a news release said.

According to the agreements, students will be able to pursue 12 different majors at Franklin University. University of Pittsburgh students will be able to earn degrees in criminal justice in the College of General Studies. Robert Morris students can earn degrees in organizational studies. Point Park students can earn degrees in professional studies.

Geneva College has offered human resource management degrees at BC3 for more than 10 years.

"One of our slogans here at Butler County Community College is 'The smart place to start,' " Neupauer said. "Perhaps we can play in helping you finish as well."

Franklin is offering the most degrees, with 12 majors: accounting, applied management, business administration, computer science, digital communication, information technology, health care management, management, human resource management, management information sciences, marketing and public safety management.

"When a student is attending Franklin University from a distance, they still need a home base," which will be BC3, said Bob Morris, regional director of community college relations for Franklin University.

"They'll get to do courses here beyond the associate level for BC3 prices," he said. Forty credits must be taken online with Franklin, he said.

University of Pittsburgh students can take half of the 120 credits needed for a degree at BC3 prices, said Susan Kinsey, dean of the college of general studies for the University of Pittsburgh.

Robert Morris students will have to pay its prices for 51 credits, said Lawrence Tomie, associate vice president for academic affairs for Robert Morris.

Point Park students will take 66 credits at BC3 prices, and 54 at the university's price, said Judith Bolsinger, dean of the school of adult and professional studies for Point Park.

Ralph Phillips, dean of adult and community education for Geneva College, said a student can start with a minimum of 64 credits, and up to 84 can be from BC3. Geneva charges $390 per credit hour, he said.

The various schools will have different arrangements regarding professors.

Geneva and Franklin will approve qualified BC3 professors to teach their courses, Neupauer said.

The other universities might have their own professors come to BC3, have online classes, or combinations of both.

Some segments of the program will begin in January, according to Susan Changnon, BC3 director of public relations. The program will be in full swing by fall of 2006, she said.

For information, call BC3 transfer counselor Rich Laughner at 724-287-8711, Ext. 8260.