Community college

In Canada and the United States, a community college, sometimes called a junior college, is an educational institution providing post-secondary education and lower-level tertiary education, granting certificates, diplomas, and associate's degrees. The name derives from the fact that community colleges primarily accept and attract students from the local community, and are often supported by the local community through property taxes.

Educational Offerings

Community colleges generally offer three levels of study programs.

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The first level of study is toward an Associate's degree, in which a student takes necessary courses needed to earn a degree that will allow for workforce entry into jobs requiring some level of college education but not a full four-year degree. The Associate's degree program also allows for students who wish to eventually obtain a bachelor's degree at a four-year college to complete the necessary "core" requirements to attend the college of their choice.

Related Topics:
Associate's degree - Bachelor's degree

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Many community colleges have arrangements with nearby four-year institutions, where a student obtaining an associate's degree in a field will automatically have his/her classes counted toward the bachelor's degree requirement. (For example, a community college associate's degree in accounting would count toward the four-year school's core requirement for a Business Administration degree.) Some have gone one step further, having arrangements with a four-year college for the student to obtain the bachelor's degree from the four-year college while taking all the courses via distance learning on the community college campus, thus limiting the number of trips to the four-year school.

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The second level of study is towards certification in an area of vocational training (such as nursing, computer repair, or welding), which require preparation for a state or national examination, or where certification would allow for hiring preference and/or a higher salary upon entering the workforce.

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The third level of study offers services of local interest to members of the community, such as job placement, adult continuing-education classes (either for personal achievement or to maintain certification in specialized fields), and developmental classes for children. Some community colleges offer opportunities for students to return and earn a high school diploma or obtain a GED. Community colleges often work with local businesses to develop specialized classes tailored toward the company's needs.

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