By: Angela Mennecke
COD Emergency Medical Services (EMS) students now have a convenient, affordable and streamlined approach to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Care Management thanks to a new 3+1 agreement with Concordia University Chicago.
Through the program, students complete their first three years of study through COD, while the fourth year is taught virtually by Concordia faculty at a reduced tuition rate.
“This program exemplifies COD’s mission to make education more affordable for its students while stressing academic quality,” said COD EMS Coordinator Joe Gilles. “By offering a dedicated pathway for EMS students, we are providing them with opportunities to advance their careers in health care leadership across diverse sectors such as business, education, government and nonprofits."
The new agreement is made possible through an existing institutional partnership between COD and Concordia. Through the partnership, COD and Concordia offer several 3+1 pathways for COD students to earn a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Management. Students who earn an Associate in Applied Science degree in Dental Hygiene, Diagnostic Medical Imaging Radiography, Management or Respiratory Care can all seamlessly transfer to Concordia to pursue advanced studies.
COD’s Associate in Applied Science degree in Emergency Medical Services includes Anatomy & Physiology, Biomedical Terminology, EMS Program electives, and is inclusive of the National Paramedic curriculum, which is required by most fire departments. The program focuses on emergency medical services and the administration of those services in any setting. After completion of the degree and all of the objectives of the Illinois Department of Public Health are passed, the student is allowed to take the National Registry of EMT’s (NREMT) Paramedic Certification exam, which upon passing, awards the NREMT Paramedic Certification and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Paramedic License.
Concordia’s Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Care Management provides a pathway for career advancement in health care leadership.