Massachusetts is renowned for its institutions of higher learning, not only for the Ivy League, state and private universities, but for community colleges that also offer degree programs that fit with the lives of busy professionals and students whose scheduling and financial needs are not as flexible as some others may be. Affordable academic programs for personal and professional growth in business and industry, skills improvement, job training and professional certifications are available at community colleges.
North Shore Community College
Associate degrees and transfer programs offer students a variety of choices in educational direction at North Shore Community College. With locations in Danvers, Beverly and Lynn, access to classrooms is convenient for North Shore residents. Applicants must test to prove they have basic core skills, such as communication and mathematics relevant to learning at the college level. Nearly 8,000 students are enrolled and 84 percent of career and technical program students find jobs within three months of graduation. Courses are offered in nearly 100 different areas of study, from accounting, animal care and aviation to Web developer, wellness and healing arts, and youth worker.
Middlesex Community College
Earn college credits while still in high school by qualifying to take classes at the Bedford or Lowell locations of Middlesex Community College which offer 78 degree and certificate programs (as of February 2011). Placement at local businesses are promoted for internship opportunities, while teaching programs that transfer credits to the state universities in Framingham and Salem can lead to a bachelor's degree. Hundreds of non-credit courses for personal enrichment are offered, as well as online courses and summer camps. For degree program enrollment, a student must have a GED or high school diploma and have completed Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) requirements or have passed an assessment test.
Bunker Hill Community College
Aside from four Boston locations, Bunker Hill Community College's main campus is located north of Boston in Charlestown. More than 12,000 students, of which two-thirds are women, attend programs leading to associate's degrees and certificate programs or prepare them to transfer to four-year universities. This community college strives for enrollment diversity and accepts students from many countries and cultural backgrounds. Tutoring guidance and offender reentry programs are offered, as well as the opposite end of the spectrum -- self-directed learning.
Northern Essex Community College
The north shore locations in Haverhill and Lawrence, as well as extension sites in Methuen, Groveland and Andover, of Northern Essex Community College offer its approximately 15,000 students a two-year education for associate in arts or science degrees and many certificates of program completion. There are 16 general programs of study from which to choose in majors, such as technology, performing arts, health, liberal arts, criminal justice, business, and communications that can result in more 70 degree majors. Distance learning and non-credit programs are offered.
Tags: Community College, Bunker Hill, Bunker Hill Community, certificate programs, Community College
