Organizational Leadership and Learning (BS)

About

Appalachian State University’s Career and Technical Education (BS) concentration in workforce leadership and development is a broad and flexible program designed for students who are interested in combining technical skills with the business preparation needed to advance into management or the training of employees within a particular industry. It does not lead to teaching licensure, as do other CTE concentrations at Appalachian.

The program offers a distinctive combination of career and technical courses, workforce courses, business foundations — such as accounting, marketing, law and organization behavior, and an internship. It develops the “hard” and “soft” skills needed to improve your competitiveness in the workforce.

The program is designed to accommodate the needs of both transfer students, who may already have earned an associate degree and have work experience in a particular business or industry, and traditional students just beginning their postsecondary education. It is offered both online and on campus.

After Graduation

Employment: Students in this concentration will have the business training as well as development of technical and soft skills to pursue entrepreneurial ventures or careers in business, industry, government, health care institutions or postsecondary educational-technical institutions.

Graduate school: Students will have the preparation needed for advanced study in a variety of fields, including business, education, training and development, and other areas.

People

Faculty Profile: Dr. Jerianne Taylor

CTE “connects the dots” in teaching technical skills, business foundations and the soft skills needed in the workplace, says Taylor, CTE professor and program director.
Alumna Profile: Kathleen Varner ’19

Kathleen (Kat) Varner graduated with a B.S. in CTE with a workforce concentration and is now the executive director for a non-profit organization called the Fenix in You Foundation, which serves at-risk and disconnected youth.

Courses

Program of Study
- Students pursuing this major explore Principles of Accounting, Human Resource Management, Business Communications and more.
Four Year Guide

Click on the pdf for your major
NCCC Transfer Four Year Guide

Related Programs

Minors

A minor is not required.

View all minors

Engagement Outside the Classroom

Phi Beta Lambda is the collegiate division of Future Business Leaders of America.

North Carolina Association for Career and Technical Education (NCACTE)

Student North Carolina Association of Educators - a pre-professional organization for college students interested in a career in education.

Chi Sigma Iota - the international honor society for students, professional counselors and counselor educators.

Kappa Delta Pi - the national honorary education fraternity.

Orchesis - the expressive arts honor society, which sponsors activities throughout the year.

View all student organization contacts

Global Learning

Appalachian is committed to introducing students to different cultures and teaching them how to live and interact in a global society. International internships for this program may be available.

Admission Requirements

Admission to Appalachian’s Teacher Education Program is required.

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Degrees

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Costs and Aid

Why Appalachian?

This concentration is delivered both online and on campus. It is among only a few workforce development programs offered at the bachelor’s level.
The CTE program has a long-standing commitment to excellence and is well-respected at the local, state, national and international levels.
CTE graduates are hired quickly and often have multiple job offers.
A required internship offers work site experience with a qualified professional mentor.
Faculty and students are actively involved in professional and student organizations related to Career and Technical Education. Students have the opportunity to compete in regional, state and national TEECA, TSA and VEX competitions through the student organization ASU TECA.

Location

Boone campus
Hickory campus
Online

Careers

Entrepreneur
Career Facilitator/Manager/Specialist
Workforce Specialist (working for the state workforce organizations or private organizations)
Former Offender Specialist
Agricultural Employment Specialist
Apprenticeship Specialist
Career Counselor or Career Advisor
Corporate Curriculum Specialist
Product Trainer/Education Specialist
Business Services Representative
Workforce Education Director
Workforce Education Cooperative Education
Workforce Education Teacher in Middle and High Schools
Teacher in Career and Technical Education Centers
Government Training Programs
Business Training Programs
Industry Training Programs
Adult and Continuing Education Programs
Professional Development Consultant
Organizational Development Specialist/Consultant
Instructional Coordinator
Community College Instructor
Military Development

Some of these roles may require education beyond a bachelor’s degree.

Contacts

Reich College of Education

Department of Media, Career Studies and Leadership Development

Reich College of Education
Approximately 2,400 students
- The Reich College of Education enrolls approximately 2,400 students in its bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist and doctoral degree programs. It houses five departments: Curriculum and Instruction, Family and Child Studies, Human Development and Psychological Counseling, Leadership and Educational Studies, and Reading Education and Special Education.
Teacher preparation
- Appalachian has been training quality educators for more than 100 years and is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
- Appalachian offers the largest undergraduate teacher preparation program in North Carolina, graduating about 500 teachers a year. There is at least one RCOE graduate working in every county in North Carolina.
- The Reich College of Education is recognized consistently in the annual Institution of Higher Education Performance Report by the State Board of Education.
Close ties to public schools
- The Appalachian State University Public School Partnership – which includes 125 schools in nine surrounding districts – provides sites for student teachers and interns as well as professional development opportunities for teachers.
- The Appalachian State University Academy at Middle Fork, located in Walkertown, North Carolina, serves over 300 K-5 students. The Academy provides a balanced education through the implementation of research-based practices, state-of-the-art literacy instruction, and exemplary classroom instruction and administration.
Graduate programs
- The School of Graduate Studies’ Accelerated Admission program, in which select undergraduate students can fulfill both undergraduate and graduate course requirements in their senior year toward the completion of a graduate degree program, is offered in: higher education, reading education and special education.
- Other education-related master’s degrees, graduate certificates and specialist degrees are listed on Appalachian’s School of Graduate Studies website.