LEWISTON — Kaplan University has launched three new bachelor’s degree programs at its South Portland and Lewiston campuses to meet specific industry needs in high-growth sectors and help Maine achieve its goal to increase the percentage of college degree holders in its workforce.

The new programs include a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development. Students can take courses in classrooms, online or both.

“Our bachelor’s degree programs, which offer a career-focused curriculum, are designed to prepare students to graduate with skills that will make them more marketable professionals. Kaplan University is poised to play an important role in contributing to the region’s need for highly educated workers,” said Christopher Quinn, president of Kaplan University’s Maine campuses.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree focuses on helping students develop the knowledge and skills required to become effective, efficient managers.

The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree is designed to prepare students to work in a professional position in the public or private sectors of law enforcement, corrections or security.

The Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education degree is designed to provide a strong foundation in child growth and development, ethics, health and nutrition and lesson planning, with a focus on the applications of special education practice and theory in regular education and special education settings.

Originally founded as the Andover Institute of Business, the school opened in 1967 in the Portland area. The campuses were renamed Kaplan University in 2010 and serve students through the South Portland campus at 265 Western Ave. and the Lewiston campus at 475 Lisbon St.