Fayetteville Technical Community College
More than 280 degrees, diplomas and certificates in science, applied science, the arts and general education are offered at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Transfer credits for entry into four-year universities are offered as well.
FTCC has a wide variety of affordable and flexible education programs for students at all stages of life, including those seeking associate degrees transferable to a four-year college, those looking for training to move directly into the workplace, and those seeking new skills for career advancement or personal enrichment.
“Community colleges have played a significant role in increasing educational attainment, improving lifetime earnings and powering the nation’s economic growth,” says Mark Sorrells, who became FTCC’s fifth president in January when he succeeded Larry Keen, who retired after serving since 2007.
Study programs include nursing, dental assisting, emergency management training and other health care fields; law enforcement, firefighter training, emergency management and other public service fields; cybersecurity, computer programming, digital media technology and other computer technology fields; supply-chain management, accounting, hospitality management and other business fields; and welding, carpentry, plumbing and other skilled trades.
In December 2022, FTCC dedicated a new Nursing Education & Simulation Center on campus with expectations of expanding its nursing education enrollment from 280 to 400. In March, it announced two new partnerships: With Richmond Community College to help area counties meet local workforce needs, and with Mercedes-Benz USA to implement a program to develop entry-level technicians for Mercedes-Benz dealers.
Founded in 1961, FTCC is the third-largest community college in the state, with the main campus at 2201 Hull Road, a 10-acre satellite campus in Spring Lake and a location in the Liberty Training and Education Center (LTEC) on Fort Liberty.
Contact: 910-678-8400 or faytechcc.edu
Fayetteville State University
“Bronco pride” reigns at Fayetteville State University, part of the University of North Carolina System and the state’s second-oldest public institution of higher education, having been founded in 1867.
FSU is a historically Black university, with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in fields including nursing, business, criminal justice and social work.
With more than 6,700 students, FSU is among the most diverse institutions in the nation.
The Bronco Midtown development near campus is a collaboration between the university and the city of Fayetteville. Chick-fil-A, Starbucks and other retail outlets will be part of the renovated center off Murchison Road. The Fayetteville-Cumberland Regional Entrepreneur and Business HUB opened last year, and the Greater Fayetteville Chamber has moved its offices from downtown to Bronco Midtown.
The HUB provides training and start-up capital to local entrepreneurs and business owners at no cost.
“These new enterprises are significant investments in our local economy that will create new employment and revenue opportunities, offer welcoming and vibrant gathering places for families, and further enrich our student experience,” says FSU Chancellor Darrell T. Allison.
Allison says key goals of FSU are to boost educational access and outcomes and expanding access to recreation and broadband.
FSU is an NC Promise school, which means that its tuition rate makes a college education more affordable. Undergraduate tuition in the program is $500 per semester for in-state students and $2,000 per semester for out-of-state students.
Contact: 910-672-1111 or uncfsu.edu
Methodist University
As Cumberland County’s only independent, four-year institution of higher education, Methodist University has nearly 2,000 students from across the United States and more than 40 countries. Methodist offers more than 80 areas of study, including multiple master’s and doctoral programs.
In January 2023, Higher Education Digest named Methodist as one of 10 “must-watch” North American colleges and universities in 2022.
Earlier this year, the university and Cape Fear Valley Health unveiled a partnership establishing the state-of-the-art Methodist University College of Medicine to train the next generation of health care professionals.
“We are excited to create a new medical school that will provide students with highly innovative medical education combined with local clinical experiences,” says university President Stanley T. Wearden. “This partnership is a tremendous opportunity for our institution to engage with Cape Fear Valley Health to address the shortage of health care professionals, particularly in rural areas, and to improve the quality of health care delivery, which will enrich the local community and beyond.”
Other graduate programs include doctoral programs in nursing practice, executive leadership, physical therapy and occupational therapy, and master’s programs in physician assistant studies, health administration, clinical mental health counseling, criminal justice, educational leadership, nursing and business administration.
The university offers online degrees and has a campus on Fort Liberty; more than 100 student clubs, honor societies and organizations; and 20 NCAA sports programs. More than $24 million in scholarships are awarded annually to Methodist students.
Methodist hosts a professional golf management program with a 100% graduate job rate in the golf industry and a professional tennis management program, one of only nine such programs in the country.
Contact: 910-630-7000 or methodist.edu
