FAIRMONT – It’s never too late to go back for your degree.
For 50 years, Fairmont State University has partnered with the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission to offer the Regents Bachelor of Arts degree – geared to those students returning to school after venturing into the world.
Maybe you joined the military, said Lisa Jones, who coordinates the RBA program on campus.
Perhaps you had a baby – or had hired on in a job that was too demanding at the time for books, she said.
Whatever the circumstance, she said, you’re more than welcome at Fairmont State.
“Nontraditional students bring exceptional dedication, perseverance and real-world experience to their work,” Jones said. “It’s a privilege to support those students as they navigate their goals and overcome challenges.”
Visit www.fairmontstate.edu/academics/rba for all the particulars on the program, she said.
Prerequisites are at a minimum, the coordinator said. Applicates must be in possession of a high school diploma or GED, while being out of high school for at least three years.
It’s also geared to academic forgiveness, if, say, your college transcript is marred by Fs from your time around.
There’s that, Jones said, plus the program’s popular equivalent credit-prior learning option, where all those stops on your resume could be converted to course hours toward your degree.
RBA candidates may also qualify for financial aid, she said, with the opportunity of completing course work on campus or online.
More than 3,000 West Virginians earned RBA degrees over the past years, according to numbers culled by the Higher Education Policy Commission.
“This incredibly unique and flexible degree program is an unsung hero in West Virginia’s higher education story,” the policy commission’s vice chancellor for academic affairs Chris Rasmussen said.
And right now, he said, there are lots of unrealized academic dreams in Almost Heaven.
The National Student Clearinghouse reported in 2024 that there were 179,965 West Virginians under the age of 65 who had some college credit – but no completed credential.
