Regents Bachelor of Arts
The Regents Bachelor of Arts degree is an online program designed for adult learners. It provides the foundation to start a new career in a field that requires a bachelor’s degree, to pursue a promotion in your current career, to prepare for graduate studies, or to fulfill a lifelong dream.
How will I focus my studies?
The Regents Bachelor of Arts was created by the West Virginia State Board of Regents in 1975. It is a degree program designed specifically for adult students. The basic principle underlying the degree is that credit is awarded for what students know regardless of how that knowledge is obtained. The program differs from other degrees in that Regents students — in addition to taking traditional college courses — may earn college-equivalent credit through a written portfolio that shows how selected work experiences can be equated to college courses.
The RBA program assumes that adults have different needs and goals from traditional undergraduates. The program is designed to provide students with a broad education without the requirement of a major. This allows students to design their own course of study.
The RBA is an online program that is suited to the demands of many working adults. Online courses in the RBA program are delivered in an asynchronous format, which means that there is no specific scheduled meeting time for classes. This allows students to complete the assigned work when their weekly schedule allows.
The RBA Program was created by the West Virginia State Board of Regents in 1975. Although that board no longer exists, the degree program continues in the 10 public universities and four-year colleges in the state.
Faith Burrill
Major: RBA
One of my favorite things about the RBA program is that it allowed me to tailor
my degree to fit my career goals and my personal interests. It gave me the opportunity
to build on my years of experience in non-profit work that ranges from home-plan
assistance for West Virginia parolees, to Afghan refugee support, to addressing
the transportation, healthcare, and housing gap in Ritchie and Doddridge Counties
in West Virginia.
Because of the scope and flexibility of the program, I learned to apply critical thinking skills over a wide range of subjects while honing practical skills like drafting grant proposals, conducting surveys, planning budgets, and launching media campaigns. Most importantly, the expertise and detailed feedback from my professors both in and out of class boosted my confidence and taught me how to apply rigorous academic research to the issues that matter most to me and my community.