Business and Public Management Online Degrees
At the College of Coastal Georgia, we offer flexible online business degrees designed for busy students. Our programs provide the convenience to learn at your own pace while participating in interactive virtual classrooms. Engage in meaningful discussions, connect with peers and instructors, and gain the skills necessary for success in the business world – all from the comfort of your home. Start your journey toward a rewarding business career today with our online degree options.
Online Bachelor of Applied Science in Workforce Management and Leadership
*Students who wish to apply for the Workforce Management and Leadership program need to have completed an Associate’s degree from a technical college.
The Bachelor of Applied Science offers a distinctive bachelor degree program that builds upon the foundational skills and knowledge earned in an Associate of Applied Science or Associate of Applied Technology program. This program is designed to sharpen the management and leadership abilities of highly-skilled, technically-proficient individuals.
Graduates will be ready to lead effectively as mid-level operations managers in their chosen vocational field. The program accepts core courses from the AAS/AAT degree and awards up to 36 hours of technical course credits toward the B.A.S. degree’s supporting classes.
Learn more about our Workforce Management and Leadership degree here.
Concentrations in Workforce Management and Leadership:
Criminal Justice
General Business
Healthcare and Information Management
Technical and Industrial
Dr. Ray Stephens
Lecturer of Business Administration
Dr. Stephens is the Program Director for the Workforce Management and Leadership program. He has over 19 years of administrative and teaching experience in the higher education and K-12 environments. He has developed and taught courses at Georgia Southern University within the doctoral education program, and has taught business courses with Liberty University, Indiana Wesleyan University, Baker College, and Darton College. While at Altamaha Technical College, (now Coastal Pines Technical College), he was the department head of the Marketing and Management programs. He has formed and facilitated over 15 business courses for online delivery methods.
Educationally, he possesses a Master’s degree in Business Administration, a Master’s degree in Education, coupled with a Doctorate in Education Administration. He is a graduate of the Georgia Tech Economic Development Institute, has a certificate in Online Learning Administration, Online Learning and Teaching Management, and is a Certified Customer Service Trainer and Advancement Officer.
He brings in practical business work experience in wholesale, retail and in banking. He is a previous owner of a small business that employed 27 employees with four locations. He is a member of various professional organizations including the North American Council for Online Learning, the Georgia Association of Career and Technical Education, the Academy of Legal Studies in Business, and the American Association of Community Colleges. He is a former president of the Georgia Southern University Alumni Association. In his hometown of Jesup, GA, he is past president of the Jesup Rotary Club and the Jaycees, and served on the Board of Directors for the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce.
Online Bachelor of Business Administration in General Business
When you choose College of Coastal Georgia’s 100% online BBA, you will find flexibility, academic strength, and the continuous support you need to gain an advantage in business. Whether you’re starting your degree or returning to finish, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration leads to lifelong success. Business degree graduates are in high demand, and the College of Coastal Georgia prepares graduates to compete and perform at an advanced level.
This program provides a strong business foundation, allowing students to immediately apply their knowledge in current work environments. The BBA Online program offers personalized advising, ensuring each student can earn their degree in their current environment. As coined by Dr. William “Skip” Mounts (Dean, School of Business and Public Management), “concierge advising” is the key to succeeding with this online degree program. In addition to the first-rate curriculum provided by our outstanding faculty, each student is assigned an advisor that will work with them to optimize course schedules that will challenge the student, as well as keep in mind the delicate balance of family, school, and work.
Learn more about our General Business degree here.
Dr. Bill Garlen
and Assistant Professor of Management
Bill Garlen is a seasoned management and leadership professional with diverse credentials that combine tactical leadership, corporate executive management, marketing, communications and human resources expertise. Garlen spent years as a business entrepreneur and has a background of achieving success in television, media, music, consulting, corporate, and proprietary business environments. His teaching background includes over 20 years experience in diverse adult education. Additionally, he spent several years in corporate training consulting where he designed, developed and taught courses online and in the classroom. Corporate courses developed include topics in business, management, leadership, marketing, mechanical engineering, real estate, appraisal, adult continuing education, occupational skills, safety and a wide range of computerized applications.
Garlen worked his way from the entry level up to executive management in large corporations, trained as a military officer, owned successful businesses and led a number of volunteer organizations. He served on the Boards of Directors of publicly traded companies. As a board member he served as a lead director, and as chairman of both the audit and compensation committees. He still serves on community boards with Rayonier and the Federal Correctional Institute in Jesup. His knowledge in balancing state, federal and institutional requirements with the practical needs of academic, business and industrial organizations provides him with a unique insight into business, management, and leadership with a unique ability to communicate real world knowledge to his students.
Garlen is a member of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, International Leadership Association, Learning and Development Center of Excellence and Education Technology and eLearning Professionals. At the College of Coastal Georgia he assists in administering and overseeing programs in the School of Business and Public Affairs, supports the development and coordination of the various curriculums in the School, coordinates the use of part-time faculty (recruitment, text selection, and orientation) and assists in assessment activities of the various programs within the school. In addition Garlen serves on the College of Coastal Georgia Curriculum Committee, the Web Oversight Committee, and on numerous faculty and staff search committees.
Online Bachelor of Science in Public Administration
Students in the Bachelor of Science in Public Administration Program are prepared for careers that make a difference, challenge their problem-solving skills, and allow them to take on leadership roles. The degree program is an excellent pathway for driven civic servants. Public managers oversee and direct operations in either the public sector or nonprofit sector by providing leadership, maximizing resources, and developing programs within their communities. Recent program graduates are readily being hired into positions in the public and nonprofit sectors. Students with this degree may go into a wide variety of fields, such as environmental management, healthcare, higher education, human resources, law, and much more.
Learn more about our Public Administration degree here.
Dr. Heather Farley
Associate Professor of Public Management
Heather Farley is Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, Public Policy & Management in the School of Business and Public Management at the College of Coastal Georgia. Dr. Farley has been teaching at the College for more than 10 years in the areas of policy, public management, and sustainability. She also serves as the Director of the College’s Honors program. In addition to her teaching role, Dr. Farley has served as the Sustainability Coordinator at the Sea Island Company, has held roles in advising and admissions at The College of Coastal Georgia, and was the Sustainability Coordinator at Northern Arizona University.
Dr. Farley earned her Ph.D. in Political Science (Environmental Policy), her M.A. in Public Policy, and a graduate certificate in Public Management from Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ). During her graduate studies, she also served as the full time Sustainability Coordinator for the University and helped develop the institution’s 2020 carbon neutrality strategic plan and goal. She also has a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from the College of Charleston (Charleston, SC); it was this course of study that sparked her passion for sustainability, the environment, and policy. In 2020, Dr. Farley published a second edition of her co-authored book titled Sustainability: If it’s Everything is it Nothing? She has presented her research and work at both national and regional conferences including: Western Political Science Association, American Society for Public Administration, Southern Political Science Association, Association for Environmental Studies and Sciences, and the Dimensions of Political Ecology conference.
In addition to her professional positions, Dr. Farley is active in her community through organizations such as the Green Scene of Coastal Georgia and other community organizations.