SRU, BC3 overhaul programs to fill region’s in-demand jobs
As college enrollment among 18-year-olds continues to decline, higher education institutions in the county are being pushed to rethink how they operate.
Slippery Rock University is responding with a wave of program changes set to roll out in the 2026-27 school year.
The reforms are aimed at aligning degrees more closely with high-demand industries and better supporting students through completion. Among the most notable additions is a new four-year nursing degree launching in fall 2026.
Timothy Slekar, SRU associate provost for academic innovation and dean of graduate and continuing education, said the strategy university president Karen Riley cited is “moving at the speed of industry and not higher education.”
Slekar said, as nursing continues to be a popular profession, SRU is upgrading its current offerings from a two-year transfer program to a four-year bachelor’s program that is entirely taught at SRU.
Programs changing at Slippery Rock University
• Four-year nursing program
• Community College of Beaver County aviation program co-enrollment
• Carpenters union of Pittsburgh transfer
SRU’s partnership with the Community College of Beaver County will allow students to co-enroll with both institutions to attain an associate aviation degree from Beaver County, as well as a bachelor’s from Slippery Rock in another major.
Those completing an apprenticeship with the Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters’ Technical Centers in Pittsburgh will also have new enrollment options at SRU starting in fall 2026. Those toward the end of their apprentice journey will be able to transfer to SRU to obtain a bachelor’s degree.
Butler County Community College is also looking to the future and expanding multiple programs and departments for the fall 2026 semester.
Three changes are in the Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health. These programs primarily prepare students for an associate degree and lead them to the appropriate licensing examinations for their occupational goals.
The physical therapist assistant associate degree career program will be adding a three-year option, in addition to the two-year selective admissions program. Belinda Richardson, of the BC3 academic affairs office, said the program will remain 70-71 credits, the same as the two-year program, and will give students a chance to focus on core classes and adjustment time.
Programs Changing at BC3
Physical Therapist Assistant Program
Medical coding and billing specialist certificate program
Massage therapy workplace certificate program
History (Virtual available)
“The reason for the three-year track is to increase student success to allow for students to take their gen. eds. (general education classes) their first year,” Richardson said. “For the second year of the program, these students will automatically have a seat in the program. It changes the pace of the program, not the class work.”
The physical therapist assistant program prepares students for the post-graduation National Physical Therapy Examination, which is required for students to obtain a state physical therapy or a physical therapy assistant license.
Richardson said they have a 100% certification and post-graduation employment rate in the program.
Additionally, the medical coding and billing specialist certificate program will begin offering live-online sections of coding classes. Coding 1 will be held in the fall and coding 2 will be held in the spring, allowing students scheduling flexibility.
The third program changing at BC3 is the massage therapy workplace certificate program.
The 19-credit program will begin as a hybrid structure online and in-person. Labs will be held in person, but lectures will be asynchronous online, allowing students to work at a pace of their choosing while attending labs two evenings per week in person.
Richardson said BC3 acknowledges people in college are likely working outside the home and may not have the flexibility to attend full-time lectures. This style of program is good for those who may only be able to attend the hands-on labs in person and prepares them for the massage and bodywork licensing exam.
“At BC3, our academic and workforce development teams have focused on expanding access, removing barriers and making sure what we offer aligns with real workforce needs.” Richardson said.
