Arizona Western College, U of A Global Campus expand bachelor’s access

A new Arizona Western College partnership is set to make bachelor’s degrees cheaper for eligible Yuma students, with tuition at $295 per credit and annual savings of about $4,950 for students, employees and family members tied to AWC.

The agreement between Arizona Western College and the University of Arizona Global Campus was announced June 2 and published June 3, with both institutions framing it as a way to widen bachelor’s access across the Yuma region without forcing working adults to leave their jobs, families or support networks behind. Dr. Amy Rogers, UAGC’s director of Strategic Partnerships, said the effort reflects a shared focus on expanding access in practical ways for students balancing multiple responsibilities.

That practical piece matters in Yuma County, where bachelor’s-degree attainment remains far below broader benchmarks. Recent profiles cited county rates ranging from about 15.7% to 16.8% with a bachelor’s degree or higher, while an Arizona Western College economic overview put the figure at 18.3% for residents ages 25 to 64, compared with 37.3% nationally. The same AWC overview said the county’s civilian labor force totaled 83,296 and its labor force participation rate was 51.6%.

For students trying to move from an associate degree into a bachelor’s program, the issue is not just enrollment. It is whether credits transfer cleanly, whether coursework fits around shifts and caregiving, and whether a degree can be finished without uprooting a family budget. The new UAGC arrangement is aimed at that middle ground, offering another online pathway for people who need flexibility but still want a credential with wage potential.

The partnership also adds to a growing transfer network already taking shape around Yuma. The University of Arizona Yuma says it works with Arizona Western College on nearly twenty 2-plus-2 pathways, and AWC says students who complete an associate degree can continue into University of Arizona bachelor’s programs locally through UA Yuma. Arizona State University has also long drawn AWC students, with ASU reporting in 2024 that more than 800 AWC students had enrolled there since the 2020-21 academic year.

For Yuma County, the question is no longer whether students want more ways to finish a degree. The question is how many of those pathways will be affordable, transferable and flexible enough to keep more residents in school, in the workforce and in the community.