SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Marshall University and Glenville State College have reached an agreement that creates a straight forward path for students to earn two advanced degrees.
The presidents of both institutions signed the memorandums of understanding (MOU) for programs resulting in a doctorate in pharmacy and a master’s in accountancy.
Jerome Gilbert, President of Marshall University told MetroNews that the affiliation between the two schools allows students to not only stay in state but offer a strong future.
“Glenville and Marshall together will bring these students through their career path and out into the workforce. We are excited we can partner with them and be facilitators for career options for students,” Gilbert said.
The first agreement stipulates that Glenville students interested in pursuing a doctorate in pharmacy at Marshall can follow a specific program of study which, when successfully completed, will culminate in both an undergraduate degree in chemistry or biology from Glenville and a doctorate in pharmacy from Marshall, a release explained.
The agreement also obliges Marshall to grant interviews to all Glenville students who meet the minimum admissions requirements as determined by university officials. Marshall will accept up to 15 Glenville students annually who meet admissions requirements.
Gilbert said a student on this path would spend three years at Glenville and then four years at Marshall in the doctoral program. After the first year at Marshall, a student would be granted a bachelor’s from Glenville.
Jaime Taylor, Marshall Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs said this also allows the university more time to prepare the program. He said students at Glenville have already expressed interest.
“We can now make preparations. These students are going to get accepted as a freshman at Glenville so we know how many students will be coming into the program and can make sure we are prepared for them,” Taylor told MetroNews
“We are also going to be helping them, particularly the school of pharmacy, as they go through their programs at Glenville State.”
Mark Manchin, President of Glenville State told MetroNews that he and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Academic Affairs Gary Morris initially reached out to Marshall about a partnership for these two programs. He said Glenville is thankful that Marshall was willing to sign the pact.
“We don’t have the same resources as some of larger colleges. This gives our students an opportunity to get advanced degrees and professional degrees that they otherwise would not or they would have to leave our campus,” Manchin said.
The second agreement provides Glenville State’s students with an efficient transition into Marshall’s Master of Science in Accountancy degree program by allowing conditional acceptance and graduate course study at Marshall during the senior year of undergraduate studies at Glenville. Additionally, Marshall pledges to accept certain foundation courses delivered at Glenville as recognized requirements for the MSA program, a release said.
Gilbert said Marshall’s master’s degree program in accountancy is available fully online. He said students can even complete the program while staying in central West Virginia, if they choose to do so.
Staff and faculty at the Marshall University School of Pharmacy, the Lewis College of Business and Marshall’s Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs facilitated the agreements along with colleagues at Glenville State, a release stated.
This is not the first time the two have agreed with an academic partnership, the first in athletic training. Manchin and Gilbert both hinted at another agreement in the coming months with an undergraduate program.