NSU And TC Team Up To Offer Easy Transfer To 4-Year Degree

Northwestern State University and Texarkana College announce an agreement to make earning a Bachelor's degree seemless.  Though 150 miles apart, the two schools are closer than ever.

Northwestern State University and Texarkana College have signed an articulation agreement to create a 2+2 program in Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counseling and Addiction Studies. 

“The agreement in addiction studies will allow Texarkana College associate degree students a seamless transfer to the bachelor's degree track at Northwestern State,” said Joseph D. (Jody) Biscoe, coordinator for the Addiction Studies degree program and an associate professor of Psychology and Addiction Studies at Northwestern State.

This is the fourth articulation agreement Northwestern State has signed with a two-year institution. Agreements are in place with Bossier Parish Community College, Sowela Technical Community College in Lake Charles and South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette.

“The students can plan a course of study while at the community college without fear of losing credits when transferring to Northwestern State,” stated Vernon Wilder, division chair of Social Sciences at Texarkana College.

Students who complete Texarkana College’s program can take classes at Northwestern State through a combination of online, compressed and desktop video, weekend, evening and one day a week classes.

 “Texarkana College continues to provide their region with a first rate chemical dependency program by setting the standards for training and education in the field,” said Biscoe. “With the articulation agreement this allows for a win-win situation not only for students, but also the two institutions to advance the educational opportunities for a trained workforce in the addiction profession.”

According to Biscoe, this agreement will allow students to enter a field that is requiring entrants to have additional education requirements.

“The profession is moving from one that had people with life experiences to one that required an associate degree and now a bachelor’s degree,” said Biscoe.

Biscoe said those who complete Northwestern State’s program will be able to take the test to become a certified substance abuse counselor in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas.

The addiction studies program at Northwestern State is one of the fastest growing programs at the university, increasing enrollment and its graduation rates over the last four years.

For more information on Northwestern State’s program in addiction studies, go to psychology.nsula.edu.