Continuing Education Programs Offer Flexibility for Working Adults in St. Charles County
By Sarah Wienke
Continuing education programs can help working adults train for a new career or make further advances in their current field.
There are several options for adults interested in returning to school in St. Charles County. Each offers students various degree and certificate programs and a flexible class schedule.
Brett Barger, dean of evening and graduate admissions at Lindenwood University, said he’s noticed a lot of students enrolling during the recent economic downturn.
“When economic times are bad, we see a lot of students who come back to school because they get laid off and so they are in the process of looking for new employment,” Barger said. Additionally, people who are still employed return to school because they want to show their increased value to their companies so they continue to employ them, he said.
A certificate or degree will in the long term improve a person’s chances of a successful career, said Andrea Crouch, coordinator of the returning learner program at St. Charles Community College. “If you have a college degree, [U.S. Census Bureau] statistics show it will earn you $1 million more in your lifetime than someone who hasn’t,” she said.
Additionally, adults can train for careers that interest them. “If you have to work, it might as well be something you’re interested and passionate about,” Crouch said.
St. Charles Community College offers a Returning Learners Workshop for people interested in going back to school explore what educational opportunities are available.
“What we find is so often people who haven’t been to college haven’t done it because they’re scared,” Crouch said. The workshop encourages students through confidence building, career guidance, financial aid planning and advice from faculty members.
“When people come to this, it encourages them,” Crouch said. “Half of the class signs up for one or more classes. You see people get started and they excel. It’s kind of neat.”
Lindenwood offers the Lindenwood College for Individual Education program designed specifically for working adults. Classes meet one night a week over a 12 week period. Students can earn their bachelor’s degree or master’s degree through this accelerated format.
“There are very few formats for working adults like the LCIE,” Barger said. “It provides knowledge students can use immediately at work and allows for balance of conflicting demands on an adult’s time.”
In addition to Lindenwood and St. Charles County Community College, St. Charles County has campuses for Sanford Brown and Vatterott College.
Sanford Brown, with a campus in St. Peters, offers associates degrees and certificates in medical assistant, medical coding and billing, massage therapy, business management, paralegal studies, dental assistant and fashion merchandising.
Vatterott College, located in O’Fallon, offers programs in business, healthcare, trade and technical careers. Students can earn a diploma or an associate of occupational studies degree in their chosen field.
Lindenwood University
Contact Information:
www.lindenwood.edu, 636-949-4933
Campuses: St. Charles (main campus); O’Fallon, Weldon Spring, Wentzville, Westport, South County, North County, St. Louis city, Daniel Boone (Defiance), Lincoln County, and Belleville, Ill.
Undergraduate programs: Business Administration; Christian Ministry Studies; Communications; Criminal Justice; Fire Science Management; Gerontology; Health Management; Hospitality Services Management; Human Resource Management; Information Technology; and Mortuary Management.
Graduate programs: Business Administration; Communications; Criminal Justice Administration; Gerontology; Health Management; Human Resource Management; and Master of Fine Arts in Writing.
St. Charles Community College
Contact Information:
www.stchas.edu, 636-922-8000
Campus: Cottleville
Programs: Associate of Science Degrees: pre-engineering, nursing and health information technology.
Associate of Applied Science Degrees: Allied Health, Business Administration, Business Administrative Systems, Computer Aided Drafting, Child Care and Early Education, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Education, General Technology, Graphic Design, Human Services, Massage Therapy and Skilled Trades.
Associate of Arts Degrees: Art, Biology/Pre-Med, Business, Chemistry, Communications, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Education, English, Foreign Language, Geography, History, Liberal Arts, Mathematics, Music, Political Science, Pre-Engineering, Pre- Health, Psychology/Sociology, Social Work and Theater.
Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree.
Certificates of Achievement: Business Administration, Business Administrative Systems, Child Care and Early Education, Computer Aided Drafting, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Global Studies and Non-Credit Certificate in Medical Transcription.
Sanford-Brown College:
Contact: www.sanford-brown.edu, 636-614-1774, or 888-657-2333.
Campus: St. Peters
Programs at that location: Creative Arts and Design, Game and Web Design, Criminal Justice and Security, Criminal Justice, Health Care, Allied Health, Massage Therapy, Medical Assistant, Medical Coding and Billing, Nursing, Practical Nursing, Surgical Technology, Veterinary Technology.
Vatterott College:
Contact Information:
www.vatterott-college.edu. Phone number, 636-978-7488, or 1-877- 495-7486.
Campus: O’Fallon.
Programs at that location:
Diploma: Computer Technology, Cosmetology, Electrical Mechanic, Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic and Medical Office Assistant.
Associate of Occupational Studies: Computer Systems and Network Technology, Electrical Mechanic Technology, Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology and Medical Assistant.
Originally published by Sarah Wienke.
(c) 2008 St. Charles County Business Record. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.