NWC and MSU Billings Offering Local Students New Opportunities

Northwest College and MSU Billings are joining forces to create professional “stepping stones” for local students to advance their education and careers.

The two institutions have announced a 2+2 partnership. Thru the partnership, Northwest College graduates who have completed an Associate of Science degree can transition into a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree at Montana State University Billings.

“For many students at Northwest College, finding a university with good programs and flexibility is key,” NWC Interim President Lisa Watson said. “Many of our students are also regionally close and like the feel of a smaller institution. Creating a 2+2 partnership with MSU Billings for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration is a wonderful fit, designed to support our students and their success for years to come.”

This new partnership has direct educational and financial benefits for Northwest College students, giving them the same benefits as MSU Billings students living in Montana.

If enrolled as full-time students, NWC graduates who choose to participate in the 2+2 program will be able to earn an MSUB business bachelor’s degree entirely online or in-person in just two years. They will also be afforded the same treatment and protection as other MSUB students enrolled, and the criteria for acceptance into MSUB are the same.

“We’re excited to partner with Northwest College to create a streamlined pathway for their graduates to further their educational opportunities,” says MSUB Chancellor and former NWC President Stefani Hicswa. “Their students are a good fit to finish their degree at MSUB. Our College of Business is AACSB accredited and properly prepares our graduates for the workforce.”

As states, Wyoming and Montana are part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program – an agreement among the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education’s 16 member states and territories. Through WUE, over 160 participating public colleges and universities provide significant nonresident tuition savings for western students.

Through WUE, eligible students can choose from hundreds of undergraduate programs outside their home state and pay no more than 150% of that institution’s resident tuition rate.

Since total nonresident college tuition rates may exceed 300% of resident rates, WUE increases affordable higher education choices for students and minimizes the adverse impacts of student loan debt.

This continues a flurry of advancement for Northwest College in 2021. Starting in Fall 2021, the college will begin offering its first four-year bachelors’ of applied science degree in professional studies.