New partnership powers low-cost BW education for Cuyahoga County workforce

Baldwin Wallace University is teaming up with Cuyahoga County to offer high-quality bachelor's and master's degree programs to more than 7,900 county employees as part of the county government's tuition assistance program.

BW is one of three educational institutions in the newly approved tuition assistance partnership, joining Cleveland State University and Tri-C as the only independent university option.

BW is committed to the shared vision of a thriving, upwardly mobile, highly educated, public workforce in the Greater Cleveland area.

Zero-tuition bachelor's degree

BW's Bachelor of Applied Arts in Business (BAAB) will be offered to county employees at a tuition rate that may be fully covered by the county's per-credit-hour educational assistance. Books and course fees are not included.

The distinctive new BAAB degree program, developed in the BW Carmel Boyer School of Business and approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education, is designed to build upon the skills an adult learner has already gained from work and life experience and to develop supervisory and managerial competencies.

The BAAB course delivery is fully flexible, allowing students to attend traditional, in-person classes offered evenings or weekends, participate in those classes in real-time online, or watch a recording at a time of their choosing. This Hy-Flex model gives students complete control over when, where and how they attend classes.

Low-cost master's degrees

Using the same flexible course delivery, BW will also offer three master's degree programs at a nominal out-of-pocket tuition after the county reimbursement.

A Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) degree, Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and Master of Public Health (MPH) degree are all available to county employees who currently hold a bachelor's degree and meet prerequisite requirements.

The reduced credit-hour charges, combined with Cuyahoga County's tuition reimbursement, mean a 32-credit-hour, BW master's degree program can be completed part time, in three years, for a total out-of-pocket tuition of $2,800, plus books and fees.

In addition, a variety of graduate certificate programs are also available in business analytics, human resource management, leadership and innovation and more. Most of the programs are "stackable certificates," which count toward an MBA.

Vital Northeast Ohio educational partner

BW's innovative approaches to developing programs for both non-traditional adult learners in undergraduate programs and professionals seeking graduate education are part of a larger focus on university-organizational partnerships that grew out of BW's strategic plan.

"BW has a long history of collaborating with area businesses and organizations on custom training and consulting provided by our world-class faculty," explained BW Provost Dr. Stephen Stahl. "We are now building on that tradition with partnerships that offer expanded access and value, helping to fulfill our goal for the University to be 'positioned as an essential partner in the economic and community development of Northeast Ohio and beyond.'"

For more information

Qualified Cuyahoga County employees who have completed a BW enrollment application and have been admitted may register for classes starting in the fall 2022 semester.

Additional details on the Cuyahoga County workforce program are outlined at BW-Cuyahoga County Partnership.

Interested Cuyahoga County employees may contact Kristen Bidinger, BW partnership manager, at Kristen.bidinger@meteorlearning.com or (216) 401-3963.