Community Colleges Challenge Hierarchy With 4-Year Degrees

MIAMI — When LaKisha Coleman received her associate’s degree at Miami Dade Community College six years ago, her best bet for a bachelor’s degree seemed to be at the more expensive Florida International University.

But nowadays, Miami Dade College — the “Community” has been dropped — offers bachelor’s degrees in teaching and nursing and public safety management, and will soon add engineering technology, film production and others. Ms. Coleman returned to Miami Dade two years ago and is about to graduate with a degree in public safety management.

Ms. Coleman now recommends the college to family members. “It’s much cheaper, the teachers are good, you can do it in the evening while you work, and everyone’s very helpful,” she said.

As Ms. Coleman discovered, the line between community colleges and four-year universities is blurring.

Florida leads the way, with 14 community colleges authorized to offer bachelor’s degrees, and 12 already doing so, in fields as varied as fire safety management and veterinary technology. But nationwide, 17 states, including Nevada, Texas and Washington, have allowed community colleges to award associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, and in some, the community colleges have become four-year institutions. Others states are considering community college baccalaureates.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/education/03community.html?th&emc=th

for an alternative will grow.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5587965&mesg_id=5587965

Perhaps colleges should target working adults who want to pursue a degree taking one or two courses per semester and combine that with family and social life.

Such colleges use adjunct-instructors that are often readily available who combine experience with academic knowledge to make the educational experience more meaningful to students whose ages span late teens to 50s plus.