Cal Poly Expands Regional Degree Pathways with Cuesta and Allan Hancock Colleges
Contact: Matt Lazier
805-756-7109, mlazier@calpoly.edu
New Liberal Studies and Business Administration programs open for fall 2026; applications close Dec. 1.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly’s regional Bachelor’s Pathways are expanding following the success of the sociology program at Allan Hancock College. Applications are now open for the fall 2026 programs at Cuesta College and Hancock, including new programs in liberal studies and business administration.
Also known as 2+2 programs, these pathways bring Cal Poly curriculum, faculty and student services into community college settings, allowing accepted students to earn Cal Poly degrees by completing upper-division courses at partner campuses.
“These partnerships show what’s possible when we align our efforts to create Cal Poly degree opportunities for students across the Central Coast,” said Al Liddicoat, Cal Poly’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “By collaborating with Cuesta and Hancock, we’re extending Learn by Doing into the communities and building new and stronger pathways that serve more students and the region.”
Cal Poly’s Bachelor’s Pathways reflect the university’s ongoing commitment to regional collaboration and its role as a steward of place, supporting educational opportunity and workforce development across San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties.
Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo County
At Cuesta College, Cal Poly’s 2+2 liberal studies program caters to students seeking the flexibility of evening courses and a consistent schedule from term to term. Students take these evening Cal Poly courses on the Cuesta campus and online, along with school-based field experience each term. The program allows students to complete the upper-division courses in two, three or four years, depending on their course load each term. Emphasizing early-childhood and elementary education, the program develops educators who can meet the region’s growing demand for qualified teachers. Graduates earn a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies, providing a strong foundation for the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.
Hancock College in Santa Maria
At Allan Hancock College, Cal Poly’s Bachelor’s Pathways in Business Administration and Sociology offer flexible, career-focused routes to a Cal Poly degree. The business administration pathway leads to a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in management and human resources. Courses are taught in-person by Cal Poly faculty on the Hancock campus, with evening classes designed around a cohort model that supports collaboration and timely completion for working students.
The sociology pathway, first launched in 2024 to great success, offers a Bachelor of Arts in sociology through a hybrid format designed for students balancing school, work and family. The program will welcome its third cohort in fall 2026. Its coursework prepares graduates for careers in social services, criminal justice, law, government, education and community organizations.
Participants in all programs are fully enrolled Cal Poly students with access to university advising, library resources and Cal Poly student support services. Many students in these programs are eligible for financial aid, benefiting from full Cal Poly eligibility for state and federal support.
Local student enrollment at Cal Poly has more than doubled over the past decade as the university expands opportunities through outreach, advising and regional partnerships. These efforts, including the Bachelor’s Pathways, are designed to prepare graduates who will strengthen the Central Coast’s schools, businesses and organizations. Today, local students are admitted at nearly twice the rate of non-local applicants, underscoring Cal Poly’s ongoing commitment to making a Learn by Doing education more accessible to the communities it serves.
Program Links
Applications for fall 2026 are open through Dec. 1, 2025. Students can contact the Cuesta or Hancock Transfer Centers for details on eligibility, advising, and how to apply, or visit the following websites:
