Common Programs and Courses at Community Colleges

Community colleges are educational institutions that offer alternative courses and programs to those who are interested in taking them up. These courses are usually less formal than the ones taught at universities and other higher education facilities. There are some that do offer similar programs and courses as more formal schools.

Transition Programs

In many of the community colleges, there are transfer education degrees which are a sort of initial step to the four-year program that the student has his or her eye on. These courses often have the basic education necessary for the original four-year program that the student wants. In most cases, if not in all cases, the student completes the first two years of most bachelor's degree programs that are offered in universities and other formal schools. Usually, the requirements for general education are often met by those who finish the course in these educational institutions as well as some of the major requirements that may be tackled in these schools. When the student finally gets to the university where the four-year program is being offered, he or she will not need to repeat the requisite initial two years because of the courses that he or she has taken at community colleges.

Developmental Programs

These kinds of programs are aimed at high school graduates who may not be ready to enter higher education at the moment. Some college level courses are more difficult than others and many students are not academically ready to tackle these even after they have graduated from high school. The courses that are offered in these educational institutions are usually aimed at developing the skills and adding to the knowledge of the student to make the entrance to college level courses easier and less stressful. One might consider these courses as remedial courses to make the student understand the subjects better in addition to improving their skill level.

Career Programs

These kinds of courses are offered at community colleges to help high school graduates enter the workforce even though they are not college graduates. Those who enroll in these programs and finish them will have associate degrees and will be able to look for jobs immediately after they have graduated. The courses that are offered are usually two year courses which are usually focused on manual skills and training. These will enable the students to find work as soon as possible.

Continuing Programs

These courses are aimed at personal development and personal interest. Institutions and facilities usually offer these because the students or the prospective students are interested in the subject and would like to learn more about it. Some examples of these are foreign languages and other elective courses in high school or higher education. Other courses may not even be related to formal education such as photography, cooking, baking and other such subjects.

Many community colleges post what they have to offer on their information boards and websites. It is a good idea to check these out frequently.