In 1959, the Louisiana Legislature authorized the establishment of LSUA as a two-year commuter college under the governance of the LSU Board of Supervisors. LSUA registered its first students in September of 1960. The first degree program, an Associate in Nursing degree, was initiated in the Division of Nursing in 1964.
The additional academic divisions of Liberal Arts, Business Administration, and Sciences were created in 1967. In 1974, LSUA was accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. This accreditation was reaffirmed in 1984, 1994, and 2004.
Only one associate degree was available at LSUA from 1964 to March 1986, when the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science transfer degrees were approved. Over the next 15 years, several associate degree and certificate programs were added that the university continues to offer including:
From 1976 through Spring 2003, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College offered the upper-level course work for select bachelor's degree programs on the LSUA campus through a program known as LSU Senior College. Initially, the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of General Studies were offered. The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education was added in 1982-83.
In a signing ceremony today, Northshore Technical Community College (NTCC) and Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA) signed a 2+2 articulation agreement making it easier for students to transfer credits from NTCC to LSUA. In the agreement, NTCC and LSUA have agreed to allow students to complete the Associate of General Studies or Associate of Applied Science at Northshore and transfer credit hours earned toward completion of LSUA’s Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences.
The agreement was announced and signed by Northshore Technical Community College Chancellor Dr. William S. Wainwright and Louisiana State University of Alexandria Chancellor Dr. Paul Coreil.
"As students throughout the greater Northshore region increasingly begin their four-year journey through Northshore Technical Community College, transfer pathways with highly engaged university partners like LSUA have never been more important,” said Dr. Wainwright, Northshore Chancellor. “The signing of this agreement positions students to gain access locally to LSUA while maximizing college affordability and time to completion."
LSUA Chancellor Dr. Paul Coreil added, "We are committed to providing seamless opportunities for Northshore Technical Community College graduates to continue their education and obtain a Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University of Alexandria. Working together for the benefit of all Louisiana students is clearly a shared objective that we know will result in a better prepared and educated workforce statewide.”
The new articulation agreement between NTCC and LSUA marks the beginning of a new and exciting partnership for students to continue to further their education and training after graduating from Northshore.
Dr. Paul Donaldson, NTCC Associate Provost of Academics & Transfer Pathways, explained, "Many students come to NTCC interested in sharpening career and technical skills to gain a competitive advantage in the workforce, not knowing that access to a promotion down the road could be enhanced by completing a bachelor's degree. We are thankful that an in-state university partner came to the table with a solution that avoids losing transferable credits while further equipping students for career growth. The LSU name means a lot to families in the Northshore region and, through this agreement, NTCC and LSUA are helping to make earning a degree from the LSU System more accessible than ever."
“This agreement gives all NTCC graduates with an Associate of Applied Science or an Associate of General Studies degree the opportunity to increase their earnings potential by completing a four-year baccalaureate program more quickly,” explained LSUA College of Business Dean Dr. Randall Dupont. “The BAAS removes the difficulty of transferring technical coursework. Its flexibility is especially beneficial to veterans and active-duty military who have earned technical credit through military programs.”
"We are excited to establish a transfer pathway with LSUA,” noted Dr. Daniel Roberts, Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. “This innovative approach allows all students seeking an associate degree at NTCC to transfer and complete their bachelor's degree at LSUA. The Northshore region is primed with students ready to advance their careers, and this partnership will strengthen Louisiana's economy."
About NTCC
With campus locations in Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington Parishes, NTCC is the premiere community college of the Northshore. NTCC offers a wide range of workforce training and transfer programs to students seeking a competitive edge in today’s global economy. When you enroll at NTCC, you become a part of a dynamic learning environment comprised of a student, faculty, and industry team focused on advancing your goals and launching your career. Enroll now and be part of building a stronger Louisiana workforce. The faculty, staff, and administration of Northshore Technical Community College are committed to your success.
CUTLINE: Northshore students who complete the Associate of General Studies or Associate of Applied Science can now transfer credits earned toward completion of the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences at LSUA.
Written by Adam Lord and Lauren Donaldson
Photo credit - Lauren Donaldson
On June 5, 2001, following approval by the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors and the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Louisiana Legislature passed legislation (Senate Bill 853) allowing Louisiana State University at Alexandria to offer baccalaureate degrees. In December 2002, SACSCOC approved a substantive change request from LSUA, thereby accrediting the university to award both associate and baccalaureate degrees.
In Fall 2003, LSUA was reorganized into colleges and departments rather than divisions. The College of Arts and Sciences is comprised of the departments of Arts, English and Humanities; Behavioral and Social Sciences; Biological Sciences; and Mathematics and Physical Sciences. The College of Professional Studies is comprised of the departments of Allied Health, Business Administration, Education, and Nursing.
LSUA began offering four baccalaureate degrees in Fall 2003: Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of General Studies, Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and Bachelor of Liberal Studies. Because there were students at LSUA who had completed upper-level course work through LSU Senior College, LSUA produced its first bachelor's degree graduates in December 2003.
A Bachelor of Science in Psychology, approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors in March 2005, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, approved by the LSU Board in June 2006, are now offered. In 2008 the university began offering Bachelor of Arts degrees in English, Communication Studies, and History, along with Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Nursing.
In addition to the Department of Education offering courses that lead to an Associate of Arts in The Care and Development of Young Children and the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, courses are offered for alternative certification in the following areas: Elementary Education, Grades 1-5; Health and Physical Education, Grades K-12; and Secondary Education, Grades 6-12 for the areas of biology, English, history, and mathematics. Students who major in biology, English, history, or mathematics may declare Secondary Education as a minor in these areas of study, earning certification to teach that subject in Grades 6-12. Add-on certifications are available for Early Childhood Education (PK-3) and Special Education in area of existing certification(s).
The Oaks, the university’s first student housing complex, opened in the fall of 2007. The complex, which includes four apartment buildings and a community center.
LSUA hired its first athletic director in January 2007 and began competing in NAIA men’s baseball and women’s fast-pitch softball in Spring 2008. In January 2010, LSUA’s new on-campus baseball-softball complex was unveiled in an opening day dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The complex is located on the north side of campus adjacent to the Fitness Center and features seats transferred from the famed Alex Box Stadium on the Baton Rouge campus.
LSUA added five sports in 2014 including men’s and women’s basketball and soccer teams along with women’s tennis. LSUA joined the Red River Athletic Conference in 2014. The RRAC includes Bacone College (Okla.), Huston-Tilloston University (Texas), Jarvis Christian College (Texas), Langston University (Okla.), LSU-Shreveport, Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas), Paul Quinn College (Texas), Texas College, University of St. Thomas (Texas), University of Texas-Brownsville, University of the Southwest (New Mexico) and Wiley College (Texas) in addition to LSUA.
The university’s newest building, Mulder Hall, was opened in August 2011. The building is a 70,000 square-foot facility that provides 18 classrooms, 4 academic department office suites, 52 faculty offices, 2 conference rooms, a computer lab and a writing lab, a painting and drawing studio, a ceramics studio, a photography suite, and a black box theater that seats 175 people.