The purpose of this study was to better understand the perceptions of employers and graduates regarding the applied baccalaureate degree when conferred by community colleges. By better understanding the perceptions of employers and graduates, community colleges considering offering applied baccalaureate degrees will have some context within which to begin communicating with local businesses—as well as prospective students of ACCBD — in order to ascertain their support or lack of support for the new degree.

Within the interpretive methodology, the method of grounded theory was used to develop a step-by-step process to collect, sort, evaluate, and analyze the data used in this study. Two research questions were used as a framework to guide the proposed research study: (1) How do employers view the applied baccalaureate when conferred by community colleges? And, (2) How do graduates who have earned a community college baccalaureate degree view the degree? Three colleges across North America were selected and employers and graduates were interviewed. The data collected resulted in seven themes and a proposed theory. The two research questions created a structure to investigate the ACCBD programs‘ strengths and weaknesses through the perspective of both the graduates and the employers of the graduates. Five themes emerged from the graduate interviews involving: (1) barriers that existed in continuing their education, (2) accommodating programs, (3) how the program prepared graduates for additional education, (4) alternative delivery modes of education, (5) education that appropriately prepared graduates for work. Two major themes emerged from the employer interviews: (1) graduates of ACCBD programs were prepared for employment, and (2) the ACCBD program strengthened the economic development of the community in which it was offered. From the themes, a proposed theory was developed to synthesize the common experiences of the study participants and provide others with a possible framework from which to plan and evaluate the ACCBD program. This proposed theory is a process with five stages: (1) student demand, (2) employer demand, (3) community college mission, (4) appropriate ACCBD program development, and (5) closing the loop to build a strong community.