Business Administration, BAAS

Would you like a college degree that prepares you for just about any career? If so, then earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration. It can open the doorway to jobs in management, sales, marketing, finance, human resources, budgeting, and insurance. The growth rates for business administration jobs are forecast to be up to 25 percent through 2026. Although trends in technology come and go, the need for a business education will always be there. Business leaders need education and training to learn the skills to do their jobs effectively. Average starting salaries for business administration graduates range from $55,000 to $80,000, depending on the job and location. Business jobs in North Carolina are currently paying above the national average. At Lees-McRae, some of the innovative courses you will take include Operations Management, Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics, Business Law, and International Business.  

Criminal Justice, BAAS

With a projected growth rate in available jobs that is above average, there has never been a better or more important time to enter the diverse field of criminal justice. With an average median salary over $65,000, police officers and detectives will earn more and advance in their careers with a bachelor’s degree in criminal  justice. Professionals in criminal justice work at the local, state, and federal levels of government to uphold social control, deter crime, and oversee criminal penalties and rehabilitation. At Lees-McRae, you will take unique courses that includes Terrorism, White Collar Crime, Criminological Theory, The Forgotten Victim, and Drug Addiction and Crime. Graduates of our program hold leadership positions in law enforcement, security, investigations, corrections, and juvenile justice systems. The degree will also prepare you for employment in federal agencies such as the FBI, CIA, ATF, DEA, Secret Service, NSA, TSA, Border Patrol, and FEMA.

Elementary Education, BS

Elementary educators specialize in the early academic years of children. Students in the program practice 21^st century classroom models and commit to nurturing and challenging minds of the next generation. Upon program completion, students are licensed to teach in both public and private schools. Graduates serve as teachers, mentors, and administrators in the United States and abroad. The average teacher salary in North Carolina is more than $54,000 annually, which ranks the state second in the entire southeast. Lees-McRae graduates have consistently been offered jobs over the past twenty years, and with more teaching jobs open than ever before, our placement rate is one of the highest around. Simply put, we specialize in teaching you how to teach.  

RN to BSN, BSN

Registered nurses care for patients and educate the public about health conditions. Our bachelor’s degree-completion program enables working nurses to build on current knowledge and skills while opening doors to opportunities in management and leadership positions in the medical field. Graduates are prepared for board certification or continued education in graduate schools. The average salary for an RN with a bachelor’s degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is more than $72,000 annually. This represents a significant pay increase over RNs who don’t have a bachelor's degree. Some of the highest paying positions for registered nurses who earn their BSN include Nurse Administrators, Nurse Case Managers, Nurse Informaticists, Paramedic Nurses, and Pharmaceutical RNs.

Human Services, BAAS

If you're interested in helping people, then the human services field is definitely for you. You'll find jobs in social and community services, including child protective service care, youth counseling, drug rehabilitation, and health education. These occupations often involve direct interaction with people and offer various methods of assistance, counseling and treatment. Increasingly, employers require a bachelor’s degree for entry level positions in the human services field. At Lees-McRae, our interdisciplinary coursework includes Community Resources, Human Growth and Development, Social Barriers and Public Policy, and Psychopathology and Maladaptive Behavior. We address human needs, focusing on both prevention and the remediation of problems. Graduates are prepared for board certification and to work in diverse settings such as community health centers, family service agencies, and rehabilitation programs. Some popular positions that are in high demand include eligibility workers, human services screeners, behavioral management aides, case management aides, community outreach workers, juvenile court liaisons, probation officers, and rehabilitation case workers.