Brightpoint Community College’s Upcoming Academic Year Includes Three New Programs

Primary Media Contact:

Holly Walker
Director of Communications and Public Relations
804-594-1530

Secondary Media Contact:

Heather Busch
Director of Marketing and Brand Strategy
804-594-1532

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Brightpoint Community College kicks off its new academic year on August 24, 2026, with three new majors, all of which are designed to meet the region’s evolving workforce needs.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree

Brightpoint’s new pharmaceutical manufacturing degree builds upon the college’s existing pharmaceutical manufacturing career studies certificate. This new degree, which includes 63 – 69 credits, depending on the post-completion pathway a student wants to take, is designed to support the region’s growing pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. The program prepares students for immediate entry into the workforce as production technicians, quality control specialists and quality assurance specialists in pharmaceutical manufacturing and related industries. For those who want to continue their education beyond the associate degree, Brightpoint has established articulation agreements that establish pathways to Virginia Commonwealth University’s pharmaceutical sciences bachelor’s degree and to Virginia State University’s bachelor’s degrees in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering or manufacturing engineering. Details about the pharmaceutical manufacturing AAS may be found in Brightpoint’s catalog.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Career Studies Certificate (CSC)

The Artificial Intelligence CSC, developed with employer input, is a 21-credit program designed to prepare students for entry level business and information technology careers that require knowledge of AI. In the program, students will learn to interact effectively with AI through strategic prompting, create custom AI agents to address real world business needs, and apply training data to understand how machine learning works. In addition, this program includes classes that introduce students to programming, database, and project management skillsets. Specifics about required coursework for this program may be found in Brightpoint’s catalog.

Hospitality Management Career Studies Certificate

The hospitality management CSC is designed for those new to the hospitality industry and those already working in the field who want to advance their careers. The 24-credit program was created with the assistance of business partners to create a novel structured internship model that provides students with meaningful work-based learning opportunities each semester. This CSC also includes coursework in marketing and sales, hospitality law, event planning, financial literacy and customer experience management. Additional information about the hospitality management program may be found in Brightpoint’s catalog. 

“At Brightpoint, we work closely with employers to ensure our programs lead to meaningful career opportunities,” said Dr. Nancy Sévère-Barnett, dean of Brightpoint’s Business, Engineering and Technology Division, which oversees all the new majors available this semester. “These new programs reflect our commitment to preparing students for emerging technologies and industries that are growing across our region.”

Those interested in learning more about one of Brightpoint’s new or existing majors or who would like to find out how to get started at the college may contact the college’s Help Hub. To provide flexibility to students, the college’s Fall 2026 semester includes classes that start in August, September, October and November; that are held on-campus, online or in a hybrid format that blends on-campus and online instruction; and that are held during different times of the day. Registration for the fall semester is ongoing, and the full schedule of classes is available to explore online. 

Brightpoint Community College, one of the largest institutions in the Virginia Community College System, envisions a success story for every student. Brightpoint offers students a high-quality, high-value education, with more than 80 majors that provide pathways to careers in in-demand fields; transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities; and industry credentials and licensures. The college, with campuses in Chester and Midlothian, online classes, and off-campus classrooms, served 12,686 students during the 2024-25 academic year. It also assisted 4,200 learners through Community College Workforce Alliance, the shared workforce division of Brightpoint and Reynolds community colleges.