AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward’s University launched two new majors this fall aimed at bringing a bachelor’s degree within reach of re-entering students, working professionals, and transfer students.

The university is working to meet the needs of re-entering students (individuals who have stopped out of their education for a time and go back) and transferring students who want to complete their four-year degrees to move up in their careers and expand their career pathways. Nationally, there’s a pool of 39 million individuals holding onto college credits, including 3.1 million new individuals since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, but there is a gap in completion, according to University Business.

Along with transfer and re-entering students, there are many working individuals with associate degrees who want to maximize their investment in education by earning a bachelor’s degree. At the same time, there are challenges to going back to college, including balancing work and families, and financial obstacles.

With an eye on making education more attainable for all students, St. Edward’s is introducing two new majors — The Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Leadership and Social Justice (BLA) and the Bachelor of Arts in Health Systems and Administration (HSA). The BLA offers flexibility and online courses, while the HSA enables associate degree holders to apply health sciences credits toward their bachelor’s degree for a more seamless student experience.

In keeping with the Holy Cross mission of St. Edward’s, both degree programs will prepare students to become professionals who approach issues from an equity and social justice perspective.

Here’s more about each new major: 

Flexible, Online and Part-time

Housed in the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, the Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Leadership and Social Justice was designed to support emerging leaders in a range of fields that impact social justice issues. 

The BLA in Leadership and Social Justice prepares students to lead social improvement efforts and work with social justice-focused organizations in roles including diversity officer, nonprofit leader, fundraiser, and community organizer. 

The online, part-time format of this program provides flexibility for working adults and transfer students seeking to complete their undergraduate degrees, as well as for current undergraduate juniors or seniors looking to change their major or career path.

Working Health Care Professionals

Meanwhile, the cross-disciplinary Bachelor of Arts in Health Systems and Administration provides working professionals in health fields an opportunity to complete a meaningful, career-relevant bachelor’s degree that prepares them for leadership roles and career advancement in a high-demand field.

The degree is designed for working professionals in healthcare fields; those with associate degrees or prior healthcare training are best suited for this major. For those already holding associate degrees, up to 66 credits of the associate degree for a health sciences program may transfer into the Health Systems and Administration program, potentially shortening the time and cost of the degree.

The job outlook for health professionals is strong over the next decade. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 32% growth in employment of medical and health services managers through 2030. 

Health Systems and Administration majors can look forward to a variety of career paths, including medical health services director, medical clinic director, medical systems administrator and medical operations manager.

In-depth Support

In addition to degree programs that appeal to re-entering, working adults and transfer students, St. Edward’s provides wrap-around support including assistance with financial aid, and success coaches dedicated to supporting students as they attain their educational goals and design their personalized, rich educational experience including service opportunities, hands-on learning and internships. 

For more information on these and other degree options, visit the majors, minors and certificates page.

AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward’s University, a private university in Austin, Texas, is featured in season four of The College Tour, a TV series that is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Hosted by The Amazing Race season two winner Alex Boylan, The College Tour is a series created to empower high school students to virtually tour colleges from the comfort of their own home.

The new 30-minute episode of The College Tour: St. Edward’s debuts on Amazon Prime, IMDb and other streaming platforms on May 10. 

“We are excited to showcase our vibrant campus, culture of equity and justice, courageous teaching, and energetic hometown of Austin, Texas, in this episode of The College Tour, St. Edward’s University President Montserrat Fuentes said. “And we are beaming with pride for the students starring in the episode who are representative of the talent, compassion and upward trajectory of our entire student body and campus community.”

This latest episode of The College Tour allows viewers to hear real, inspirational stories directly from students about the academic experience and campus life at St. Edward’s. For employers, recruiters and others, this episode is a great way to learn more about what St. Edward’s has to offer as a community partner and top-ranked institution.

Set on the picturesque hilltop campus of St. Edward’s just minutes from downtown Austin, the episode shares the academic journeys of 10 outstanding students, providing a snapshot of our vibrant campus life, distinctive Holy Cross tradition, personalized educational experience, hands-on learning, top-notch campus facilities, NCAA athletic programs and much more.

Viewers will also see how students benefit from the vast array of internships, service opportunities and activities that are available in Austin, which is consistently recognized as one of the most creative, outdoor-loving, tech-focused and growing cities in the country.

The students featured in The College Tour: St. Edward’s are:

• Rory O’Connor Arias, Senior, New Haven, Connecticut
• Mary Elizabeth Buckel, Senior, Westlake Village, California
• Eduardo ‘Lalo’ Carrillo, Senior, McAllen, Texas
• Mimi Currah, Freshman, Seattle, Washington
• Meriam Elawad, Senior, San Antonio, Texas
• Michelle Flores, Senior, El Paso, Texas
• Evan Mao, Junior, Union City, California
• Carla Pineda, Senior, Dallas, Texas
• Liam Quinn, Sophomore, Campbell, California
• Sierra Sweeney, Junior, Brandywine Maryland

The engaging and fast-paced TV series is a convenient and helpful tool for all students who are looking for the right cultural and academic fit for their college experience. Typically, students visit only a few schools during the college search process because of time and cost, but this series allows them to expand their college interests, according to the producers.

“Selecting a college is a monumental decision in a young person’s educational journey and this episode will give prospects a firsthand look at what makes St. Edward’s culture so special,” said Alex Boylan, executive producer and host. “And most importantly the story of the college is told through the authentic lens of its students.”

Watch on Amazon Prime, IMDb or The College Tour: St. Edward’s. To schedule a virtual or in-person visit, go to Visit the Hilltop.

About St. Edward’s University:

St. Edward’s University is a private university in the Catholic, Holy Cross tradition with approximately 3,600 students. Located in Austin, Texas, it is one of the top universities in Texas and offers more than 50 undergraduate and 10 graduate programs. St. Edward’s delivers a premier, highly personalized education that provides students distinctive academics and extensive internships, research and service learning opportunities on a vibrant and inclusive hilltop campus in a world-class city. St. Edward’s has been recognized for 19 consecutive years as one of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report. In the U.S. News 2022 rankings, St. Edward’s is in the list of top 10 Best Regional Universities in the West for the 3rd consecutive year.  

About The College Tour

The College Tour is a powerful series created to empower high school students to virtually travel across America for an inside look at colleges and universities. The series is Executive Produced by award winning producers- Lisa Hennessy, Alex Boylan, Burton Roberts and Mike Murray and hosted by Amazing Race winner Alex Boylan, each episode of The College Tour highlights a college or university through the eyes of its students, faculty and alumni, providing prospective students with an intimate look at life on campus beyond what is written in brochures or websites. The College Tour is available on Amazon Prime Video, IMDb TV and across The College Tour platform including its own mobile app and The College Tour website.