DSU and U-Mary Partnership | Video

Alex Hagan | 12/4/2012

Earlier this year, University of Mary formed a partnership with Arizona State University. The agreement provides an opportunity for ASU students to take courses in Theological studies or Catholic studies to complement their degree. U-Mary has now formed a similar agreement with Dickinson State University.

Until now students at Dickinson State University weren`t able to pursue graduate degrees at the school. But a partnership with the University of Mary is changing that. Now, students will be able to earn both a bachelors and masters degree in just five years through the program.

"People who want to stay in this region, to be able to get as good of an education as they can get anywhere and yet remain part of the communities here," said DSU President Dr. D.C. Coston.

"We believe that partnerships are the future of higher education. The old days when institutions would get their egos in the way and grind out competition between each other aren`t effective and don`t serve students," said U-Mary President Father James Shea.

The University of Mary will offer graduate degrees in nursing, education, counseling, and business.

"Programs that will help student move very deliberately through bachelors programs and into completing a masters program," Coston said.

Both presidents say the four programs helps immensely for students in a booming community like Dickinson.

"They have a bustling, burgeoning business community and there`s a need for people who have a MBA and Executive MBA and we offer that," Shea said.

They say making the funding between a private and public school won`t be an issue.

"We set this up in a way which there`s a much integral structure," Shea said.

Both universities plan to have the programs in place within several months.

The agreement must first go through the accreditation association before it can be fully approved.

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