March

March 1, 2010 | Volume 18, Number 3

Local and Regional Educational Resources

By Hacienda Network Staff Writer

"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence," once observed American poet Robert Frost. In the Tri-Valley, there is no lack of opportunity to enhance that ability, given the wealth of educational institutions focused on adult learning, be it for personal enrichment or professional advancement.

Universities

The Bay Area is home to some of the greatest institutions of higher learning in the world. One of the benefits of being in the Tri-Valley is the ability to take advantage of the reach of many of these that offer special opportunities for educational excellence.

Golden Gate University
536 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-2968
800-GGU-4YOU or 415-442-7800
www.ggu.edu

Golden Gate University has been committed to meeting the career and educational needs of busy adults since 1901. One of its most recent moves was to shutter its Walnut Creek campus and direct greater focus to its advanced CyberCampus.

According to the Golden Gate web site, "CyberCampus offers a virtual classroom experience that combines academic rigor with flexibility. Courses are composed of sound, relevant educational content, and taught by experts who are well-respected working professionals in their fields."

Entirely Web-based, CyberCampus courses enable students to earn full degrees and/or professional certificates, update their skills, or accelerate the completion of degree programs ever setting foot on campus.

Discussion is an essential part of every CyberCampus course, and students communicate with the instructor and with each other through a Web-based online learning platform,

The long list of degree and certificate programs that can be obtained entirely online ranges encompasses 12 graduate degrees, seven undergraduate degrees, and a number of professional certificates, in areas from management to estate planning to taxation. View the options at www.ggu.edu/cybercampus/DegreesCourses or call (888) 874-CYBER (2923).

John F. Kennedy University
100 Ellinwood Way
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523-4817
(800) 696-5358
www.jfku.edu

The mission of John F. Kennedy University is "to provide access to high-quality, innovative educational opportunities that integrate theory and life experience." JFKU's Pleasant Hill campus offers undergraduate degree-completion programs, master's degrees, and continuing and extended education from its five schools: Education and Liberal Arts, Holistic Studies, Law, Management, and the Graduate School of Professional Psychology.

The Continuing Education division provides high-quality, graduate-level, non-degree programs and courses in the fields of psychology and mental health, social work, nursing, and nonprofit leadership. Onsite and online programs are created and facilitated by experts in their respective areas.

On the undergraduate level, JFK University offers a flexible Bachelor's degree completion program, with classes in the late afternoons, evenings, and some weekends. Online course options are also expanding. The Credit by Assessment program enables students to earn up to 30 quarter units for work-related projects including corporate training, professional workshops, seminars, and volunteer training. Undergraduates who want to earn an advanced degree can link to a graduate program to save time and money.

University of Phoenix
7901 Stoneridge Drive
Pleasanton, CA 94588
(800) 266-2107
www.phoenix.edu

The University of Phoenix has been an educational innovator since its founding in 1976. The largest private university in North America, UOPX offers courses at nearly 200 locations and over the Internet in most countries around the world,

At the University's Bay Area Campus in Pleasanton, students can choose from a wide range of programs from the associate to the doctoral level. The B.S. degree is offered in such fields as business, nursing, technology, human services, criminal justice, and psychology. Most courses are available both online and at the local site. At the graduate level, programs leading to the MBA and Master of Management degrees are especially popular, as are the graduate programs in education and nursing.

At the Bay Area Campus, students focus on only one course at a time, allowing them to absorb in-depth knowledge in a shorter period of time than in traditional programs. Each on-campus course meets once a week, at a time convenient for working students.

University of San Francisco
One Annabel Lane, Bishop Ranch 12
San Ramon, CA 94583
(925) 867-2711
www.usfca.edu/hac

University of San Francisco, San Ramon Regional Campus Meeting the lifelong learning needs of a diverse student population is essential to the mission of the University of San Francisco, which has a regional campus in San Ramon. This site, as well as three others, in Cupertino, Sacramento, and Santa Rosa, makes college accessible to working adults in their local communities. With classes in convenient locations and scheduled for evenings and weekends, USF regional campus programs acknowledge the unique needs adult students have to balance the many demands in their lives. The full-service San Ramon campus supports its adult learners, and the faculty who teach them, with a full administrative and advising staff, seven classrooms, a library, conference room, and on-line tutoring. Special services included a Career Services Center, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Disability Related Services Office.

With an academic population of more than 350 students, the San Ramon campus is home to three major academic divisions: the School of Education, the School of Nursing, and the College of Business and Professional Studies. The School of Education offers a Master of Arts program along with regular and multiple subject Teaching Credentials. The Graduate School of Nursing offers an MSN degree program for both non-nurses and RNs. Undergraduates interested in earning a Bachelors degree in nursing can attend a monthly Q&A session on the BSN program. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 5, at 4:00 pm, at Lone Mountain Admission Presentation Room, room 216.

The recently reorganized School of Business and Professional Studies (BPS) is the result of a merger between the University's School of Business and Management with the College of Professional Studies. In San Ramon, the college offers four undergraduate degree-completion programs and five graduate programs. Undergraduate specialties include Applied Economics, Information Systems, Organizational Behavior and Leadership, and Public Administration for Law Enforcement or for Non-Profits. Graduate programs include Information Systems, Organization Development, Project Management, and Public Administration.

Colleges

The college system is well represented in the Tri-Valley with many offerings available to employees and residents. Nearby facilities offer a wide-ranging curriculum for educational enrichment.

Las Positas College
3000 Campus Hill Drive
Livermore, CA 94551
(925) 424-1000
www.laspositascollege.edu

Part of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District (CLPCCD), Las Positas College offers 38 associate degree programs and 42 certificate programs, in fields as varied as automotive technology, visual and performing arts, environmental science, early childhood development, and computing studies.

Many classes are offered on a flexible schedule so students can continue to work at their current jobs while upgrading skills or training for a new career. Course credit can often be applied to an Associate's Degree or transferred towards a Bachelor's Degree.

The school's new program in Viticulture, Enology & Horticulture prepares students for careers in the wine industry, either the grape-growing or wine-making side. A six-week summer course in viticultural practices helps support the campus Demonstration Vineyard.

The campus is also home to the only OSHA Training Center in northern California. The center provides the highest quality safety and health training available, based on the most current OSHA regulations and information. A diverse curriculum targets the needs of construction and general industry, including essential training tools for safety professionals, trainer preparation courses, and customized onsite training. A four-session Trainer Course in OSHA Standards for General Industry starts May 11. Cal/OSHA Standards for the Construction Industry is offered in May, July, August, and October.

Saint Mary's College of California
1928 Saint Mary's Road
Moraga, CA 94575
(925) 631-4900 (866) 306-0395
www.stmarys-ca.edu

One of the oldest colleges in the West, Saint Mary's College of California was founded by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco in 1863. The school moved to its present location in Moraga in 1928.

Saint Mary's has a diverse selection of graduate degree programs, many of which are designed to meet the needs of the working professional. Through the Kalmanovitz School of Education, teachers can earn credentials in Counseling, Teaching English as a Second Language, Early Childhood Education, Montessori, Reading and Language Arts Leadership, and Special Education, among other areas.

The School of Liberal Arts offers graduate programs in Kinesiology and Liberal Studies; a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, and a Master of Arts in Leadership. The School of Economics & Business Administration offers Executive, Trans-Global Executive, and Professional MBAs and a Master of Science in Financial Analysis and Investment Management Program.

Extended and Adult Education

Whether a University Extension course or Adult Education, several institutions offer instruction on a wide variety of topics. Through these courses, participants can gain relevant skills and knowledge from a selection of stellar educators.

California State University, East Bay
25800 Carlos Bee Boulevard
Hayward, CA 94542
(510) 885-3605
www.csueastbay.edu

Cal State East Bay's Division of Continuing Education is part of a wholly self-supporting unit that develops and markets its own programs, administers its schedules, and registers and enrolls students without general fund support. Courses are offered in Hayward, Oakland, and Concord.

The division offers online programs, professional development, certificates, and degrees for East Bay professionals. More than 50 certificate programs cover such areas as Behavioral Health and Science, Business and Management, Corporate Training, Computer Science, Education, Engineering and Project Management, Legal and Real Estate/Construction Management. Continuing Education for Teachers, Continuing Legal Education, Notary Public Training, and Test Preparation. The new online Arts Management Career Development certificate program has been created to meet the demand of managing cultural and public service organizations. Students may take courses for academic credit with no application.

The Continuing Education division also has a strong commitment to the local business community, providing customized solutions to meet employers' training and development needs. The state-of-the-art Professional Development and Conference Center, in Oakland, is an affordable, convenient venue in which corporations and nonprofit organizations can hold such gatherings.

Ohlone College Newark Center for Health Sciences and Technology
39399 Cherry Street
Newark, CA 94560
(510) 742-2300
www.ohlone.edu/org/newark/

Open since January 2008, the Ohlone College Newark Center for Health Sciences and Technology is the first "green" community college campus in the nation. The school aims to teach environmental stewardship through responsible, sustainable practices as well as course content.

Environmental and sustainability components are integrated across the curriculum. The array of programs includes Allied Health, Phlebotomy, Biotechnology, Environmental Studies, Geography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Physical Therapist Assistant, Registered Nursing, and Respiratory Therapist. Courses in general education, fitness and wellness, and lifelong learning are also offered at various hours during the day, at night, and on the weekends to accommodate student scheduling needs.

The campus's California Applied Biotechnology Center offers skill-enhancing training for biotechnology industry employers and employees. Taught by industry professionals with extensive hands-on experience, the workshops cover topics relating to biomedical, medical devices, diagnostics, pharmaceutical, and other areas.

A Solar Intensive Training Course, approved for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) training, will be held April 5 through 9.

The Ohlone-Newark Corporate Learning Institute serves local businesses, industries, and government agencies, providing customized training in Customer Service, Leadership Development, and Project Management, to help businesses improve quality, efficiency, and profitability.

Pleasanton Unified School District - Amador Valley Adult & Community Education
215 Abbie Street
Pleasanton, CA 94566
(925) 426-4280
www.pleasanton.k12.ca.us/EducationalServices/AdultEducation/

Under the umbrella of the Pleasanton School District, the Amador Valley Adult and Community Education department has a three-fold mission: providing lifelong educational opportunities and personal enrichment, addressing the unique interests of individuals, and meeting changing community needs in an area that encompasses Pleasanton, Alamo, San Ramon, Danville, and Sunol.

Every semester the department offers many classes in numerous subject areas. Programs include: Classes for Older Adults, English as a Second Language, Career Technical Education, Parent Education, Adult HS Diploma, GED, Health and Safety, Computer, Medical Terminology, and Medical Billing. Personal enrichment classes such as wine appreciation and conversational foreign languages are frequent favorites, as is Community Band. Programs are designed for students 18 years of age or older.

Among the many popular Money Management topics, a two-hour course, "How to Establish and Maintain an Excellent Credit Rating," will be offered on three separate dates: March 18, April 22, and May 20. Another, "How You Can Profit By Buying Distressed Properties, Repos, Foreclosures, and 'Ugly Ducklings,'" will be presented in two, three-hour sessions on April 20 and April 22. An Intensive Computer Academy focusing on Microsoft Office 2007 meets from 4:00 to 8:00 pm three nights a week from May 18 through June 17.

The full course catalog and registration forms can be viewed online at the web site below.

U.C. Berkeley Extension Administrative Office
1995 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94720-7000
(510) 642-4111
www.unex.berkeley.edu

UC Berkeley Extension offers a wide range of professional certificates and specialized programs of study, including teaching credentials and licensure courses for continuing education units (CEU) . Most students are adult learners with bachelor's degrees. More than one- third have graduate degrees.

With a rotating start schedule, courses are held in the evenings and on the weekends at multiple locations in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Redwood City. Many of the courses, professional certificates, and specialized programs of study are also available online.

Through the Corporate Education Program, existing catalog courses can be taught at the work site or another location of the employer's choosing. This is an excellent way to update workforce skills while minimizing lost work time. Students receive the same expert instruction and Berkeley-quality curriculum. Fully customized courses can be developed in consultation with an Extension education specialist.

Programs of study include Art & Design; Behavioral & Health Sciences; Business; Computer Technology & Information Management; Education; Engineering, Construction, & Facilities Management; Humanities, Languages, & Personal Development; Sciences, Biotechnology, & Mathematics; Sustainability Studies; and Writing, Editing, and Technical Communication. Professional certificates, which entail a minimum of 140 hours of coursework, are awarded in more than 20 subject areas.

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