Fairmont State University Joins WVHEPC in Celebrating 50 Years of Transforming Lives Through the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree
Fairmont State University is proud to join the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission in celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the statewide Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) degree program. Since its creation in 1975, the program has transformed the lives of adult learners by offering flexible, accessible pathways to earning a college degree.
Fairmont State University’s RBA program is designed specifically for adults who have been out of high school for at least four years and who may have previous college credit, military service, or professional experience. The degree provides a flexible and interdisciplinary approach, allowing students to build an academic plan that supports their personal or professional goals. Coursework can be completed online, in person, in compressed formats, or on weekends, which allows adult learners to balance education with work and family responsibilities.
“Nontraditional students bring exceptional dedication, perseverance, and real-world experience to their academic work. The RBA program gives them a pathway to convert that experience into meaningful progress toward a degree,” said RBA Program Coordinator Lisa D. Jones. “It is a privilege to support our students as they navigate their goals, overcome challenges, and ultimately achieve success, and advance into the next phases of their academic and professional journeys. Their achievements strengthen our communities across West Virginia and beyond—including several who have returned to Fairmont State University as valued members of our campus community. Their accomplishments reflect the true spirit of Fairmont State and the mission of the RBA degree.”
A unique feature of the RBA program is the College-Equivalent Credit/Prior Learning Assessment option, which allows enrolled students the possibility to receive credit for documented and demonstrated college-level knowledge and skills that have been learned in environments and agencies outside the traditional higher education classroom.
The degree consists of 120 credit hours, including general education requirements and upper-division courses. Instead of choosing a traditional major, RBA students are able to focus on areas of interest and design a degree that fits their unique needs.
In the last five years alone, more than 3,200 RBA degrees have been awarded across West Virginia. According to a recent report from the National Student Clearinghouse, in 2024 there were 179,965 West Virginians under the age of 65 who had some college credit but no completed credential. The RBA program offers an important opportunity for those individuals to return to higher education and complete a degree on a timeline that fits their lives.
“This incredibly unique and flexible degree program is an unsung hero in West Virginia’s higher education story,” said Dr. Chris Rasmussen, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. “Many adults enter the workforce and then assume that returning to college is not an option. The RBA program, with its flexibility and its ability to award credit for work experience, makes a degree possible for so many people across the state. Graduates of the program are contributing to their workplaces and communities every day.”
The only prerequisites for the program are having a GED or equivalent and being out of high school for at least three years. Many adult learners pursuing the RBA degree may also qualify for financial aid.
For more information about the RBA program at Fairmont State University, visit www.fairmontstate.edu/academics/rba.
