Over the past few years, Pacific Union College has enthusiastically expanded its graduate degree programs in education, nursing, communication, and business, offering flexibility, small class sizes, experiential learning, and most importantly, a Christian environment that empowers students with opportunities within the Seventh-day Adventist world and beyond.

Having offered the Master of Education program for some time, the college decided to broaden its offerings in other high-demand fields in an online setting, which has ultimately allowed PUC to expand its reach to more students in California and Hawaii. Currently, the M.Ed. degree is a summer-based program that exposes graduates to teaching skills and technological proficiency, scholarly research, and leadership development while observing classroom trends and issues.

Dean of the School of Arts, Humanities, and Professions, Milbert Mariano, emphasized the need to reach students beyond PUC. “We are adding to our list of online graduate programs providing much-needed training for busy professionals who want to advance their careers through master's degrees,” he said.

To keep up with the high demand for nurses in the job market, PUC now offers a Master of Science in Nursing, a 100% online program that provides core, specialty, and practicum courses to students who already hold a BSN. Two areas of specialization within this program are Nursing Education and Nursing Leadership and Business Management, equipping graduates for roles in healthcare and academia, as well as for administrative roles in healthcare settings.

“Being an employee at the college and attending school for both my BSN and now my MSN, I have found that it has been an overall enjoyable and rewarding experience,” said Clinical Care Director Sandy Sargent. “Although I have been in a leadership role for many years, I am learning the theory behind many of the skills I am doing. It is great to be able to put a name to the different processes used to be a successful nurse and nurse manager. The professors' support, availability, and dedication to my success show through, as does their enthusiasm for the program. They really wanted every student to succeed.”

Other programs designed for the working professional are the Master of Arts in Communication and the Master of Business Administration, both 100% online, which each offer three emphases and collaborate on one of those specializations: Strategic Communication.

Available in the M.A. in Communication are the Communication Research, Strategic Communication, and Health Communication emphases, as well as stackable certificates, whereas the MBA degree offers specializations in Healthcare Administration, Management, and Strategic Communication– allowing students to gain mentorship and learn under the guidance of experienced, faith-based faculty members.

Tara Hargrove, Chair of the Departments of Communication and World Languages, shared, “I am especially looking forward to more collaborations with other departments, institutions, and organizations," she said. "Courses are designed by industry professionals and faculty to include real-world experiences and applications, including a study tour experience–location pending! I love that this program is asynchronous and accessible for a wider range of students to add to their skill sets.”

Looking ahead, PUC is working to add online graduate and non-graduate programs not only to meet market needs but also to align with the college’s mission to Learn with Purpose, Rise in Faith, and Serve with Love.