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Programs in mortuary science, dental hygiene and automotive technology are among those selected to pilot bachelor’s degrees at California community colleges, officials announced Tuesday.

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors gave initial approval to 15 campuses that applied to be among the first to offer the advanced degrees. A law signed last year by Gov. Jerry Brown allows the campuses to offer bachelor’s degrees as part of a pilot program; the degrees cannot duplicate those offered by University of California or California State University campuses.

The programs were chosen from among 34 applications, officials said in a news release, and were selected for their geographical diversity, program rigor and the ability to meet an unaddressed workforce need. The selected programs are expected to be finalized in March, after an additional review by the community colleges Chancellor’s Office and officials from UC and CSU.

The programs and colleges receiving initial approval are: airframe manufacturing technology at Antelope Valley College; industrial automation at Bakersfield College; emergency services and allied health systems at Crafton Hills College; mortuary science at Cypress College; equine industry at Feather River College; dental hygiene at Foothill College and West Los Angeles College; bio-manufacturing at MiraCosta College; respiratory care at Modesto Junior College and Skyline College; automotive technology at Rio Hondo College; health information management at San Diego Mesa College; occupational studies at Santa Ana College; interaction design at Santa Monica College; and health information management at Shasta College. A summary of the individual programs can be found here.

The bachelor’s programs must be operational no later than the 2017-18 academic year, although districts may begin offering the programs as early as fall 2015.

Base student fees for the bachelor’s degree programs are expected to run about $10,000 over four years, officials have said.

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