catalog - Prairie State College

OVERVIEW2006-2008 CATALOGOVERVIEWConsider some facts about Prairie State College and the excellentIllinois community college system:• PSC was the first community college in the state to guaranteethat credits will transfer to other Illinois colleges, anassurance that has grown through the Illinois ArticulationInitiative.• Our Adult Training & Outreach Center, is one of the onlybuildings in the country dedicated to Adult Education.• More than 50 colleges and universities are represented bythe graduate degrees of our faculty.• Students in PSC’s health profession programs have anear-perfect pass rate on certification exams.• PSC has received 10 Government Financial OfficersAssociation awards for excellence in financial reporting.• Since 2002, the College has added four intercollegiatesports to its line-up.• In 2004 the U.S. Dept. of Education awarded PSC agrant of $1.79 million over five years, under the Title IIIStrengthening Institutions Program.• PSC was one of only eight community colleges in thecountry in 2006 to receive an American Association ofCommunity Colleges Service Learning Grant.• The first community college in the nation, Joliet JuniorCollege, was established in Illinois in 1901. Co-founderWilliam Rainey Harper, who had founded the University ofChicago 10 years before that, came up with the “two +two” transfer idea, that students would first attend a “juniorcollege” and then transfer to a “senior college.”• Community colleges in Illinois enroll 60 percent of allundergraduate students in Illinois public higher education.But we’re more than mere bullet points.Your future is not atrivial pursuit to us.At Prairie State College, we mean what wesay: Start near. Go far.EDUCATIONAL OPTIONSWhether you’re a high school student, an adult juggling familyand work responsibilities, a career-changer needing to retrain,someone in need of English-language training or a GED, or alifelong learner seeking a personal interest class, we are yourcommunity college.We have the people and the programs to help you defineand achieve your goals. Here are the highlights of our creditand non-credit programs. Use the Contents page and the Indexin the back to find out more about a particular topic.TRANSFER EDUCATION: STARTING ABACHELOR’S DEGREEIf a bachelor’s degree is your goal, PSC can be a great place tostart.The combination of high-quality education, small class size,well-equipped facilities, and low tuition make us an excellentfirst choice for many. In fact, about one-fifth of the graduatesfrom district high schools enroll at PSC each year.Take care of general education requirements while decidingon your major.The Student Success Center, advisors and counselors,excellent professors, ease of transferring credits, and ahost of other services move you toward the undergraduatedegree you want.We offer three degrees with which you cantransfer as a junior and earn a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor ofScience or Bachelor of Fine Arts.Associate in Arts (A.A.). Choose from more than 20 majors inthe arts, humanities and social sciences, including CriminalJustice, Education, English, pre-Law, Mass Communication, Musicand Political Science.Associate in Science (A.S.). We offer more than 15 majors inthe sciences, including Astronomy, Biological Sciences,Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Science/Geology, pre-Engineering, Mathematics, pre-Medicine, Nursing, pre-PhysicalTherapy and Physics.Associate in Fine Arts (A.F.A.). The A.F.A. allows you to take thesame sequence of studio art courses that art majors take atfour-year colleges and universities. Excellent instruction and facilitieshelp you earn the credits and develop that portfolio neededfor admittance to B.F.A. programs.Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.). The newest of our degreesis designed for students preparing for careers in secondary education,particularly to teach in high-need disciplines.See page 45 for a complete list of transfer degree programs.6CAREER EDUCATION:TRAINING AND RETOOLINGWhether you’re a recent high school graduate or between jobsand needing to retool for today’s (and tomorrow’s) workplace,PSC’s Career programs provide what you need. Up-to-date,well-equipped facilities and experienced faculty members combineto help you step out and step up.Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.). The 60- to 62-credit-hourprograms cover nearly every career field from auto tech to infotech to the health professions. See page 71 for a complete listof degree programs.Certificates. Short-term programs are the perfect way to gainnew skills to boost your earnings and your career potential.Weoffer more than 60 certificates, including Accounting, CAD,Networking, Industrial Electrician, Digital Design, SurgicalTechnology, Personal Trainer and Photography. See page 71 for acomplete list of certificate programs.