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Certificate Programs Offer Quick Learning for Busy ProfessionalsSelf-Starters Thrive Online

By Rodney Welch

If you want to start a new career or advance in your chosen field, but can’t squeeze regular school attendance into your schedule, an online certificate

may be just what you’re looking for.

Both the University of South Carolina and Midlands Technical College offer on-line certification programs that let students work at their own pace and in their own home.

“One of the best advantages of online learning is that you have flexibility in terms of when and where you will study while having classroom access 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” says Cathy Pitts, direc-tor of programs for the Corporate and Con-tinuing Education Division at Midlands Technical College.

Not only that, but there’s no travel or endless searches for decent parking.

“One of the logistical advantages that

students receive from the online format is that while they still receive a real-time, interactive learning experience with their instructor, they are relieved of the time, cost and logistical burden of traveling to and from a physical site,” says Tiffany Hoe-fer, program manager for the Professional Education area within USC’s Department of Continuing Education and Conferences.

Certificate programs “are a solution for those who want to get a short-term, highly career-oriented, compressed program to get out into the job market,” said Carol Aslanian, senior vice president of market research at EducationDynamics, said in a 2010 U.S. News and World Report article.

Project Management, Computer and Web Skills, Paralegal Studies and More

The University of South Carolina offers non-credit certificate programs in several growing career fields, such as Grant Writ-ing, Project Management, Paralegal Studies, and training in Six Sigma models.

Although these classes are more acces-sible in terms of convenience, they aren’t just shortcuts.

“All certificates are designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the concepts involved with the particular course of study,” Hoefer said. “Each pro-gram requires student interaction and abil-ity to demonstrate and apply the principles learned in the classes.”

The Six Sigma Program is a series of product quality and business efficiency strategies that have been adopted by com-panies across the country. The program involves an infrastructure for both green belt and black belt certification, both of which are offered at USC.

The Green Belt certification takes one month to complete and costs $2,995; Black Belt takes two months and costs $4,995.

“The Six Sigma Green and Black Belt certificate programs each require a student to demonstrate understanding of the prin-ciples learned in class through test assign-ments, and Black Belt students complete an additional project,” Hoefer says. “These

assessments help show employers that our students must be able to understand and apply the knowledge shared through the course.”

The Six Sigma participants come from a variety of industries, she said, such as insur-ance and manufacturing, among others.

USC’s popular online Paralegal Studies certificate program takes six months to complete and costs $4,995.

Paralegal students at USC, Hoefer said, are tested on each individual area of study (Introduction to Law, Torts and Personal Injury Law, Legal Research and Writing, Civil Litigation, Family Law, and Contract Law), and must complete and pass indi-vidual assignments.

“The paralegal program can be applied cross-industries, as it teaches research, multi-tasking and technical writing skills,” Hoefer says. “Our students tend to use it in the law field — or as a stepping stone to prepare for law school.”

Popular certificate programs at Mid-lands Tech, according to Pitts, include grant writing, project management, computer technology (especially Microsoft Office products such as Excel, as well as web design and maintenance), business writing and “soft skills” classes, such as leadership.

Class durations vary from six weeks to about a year, with costs ranging from $99 to $5,000.

“Students can easily interact with each

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For more informationCentura Collegecenturacollege.eduCertificates for HVAC technician, network technician, medical billing & coding specialist and medical assistant. Contact for details of online offerings.

Drexel Universitydrexel.comOffers 45 online certificate programs in areas including business, clinical research, education, engineering, information science, healthcare and more.

ECPI Universityecpi.eduOnline degree programs in technology, information systems, accounting, criminal justice, food service management, healthcare and more.

Kaplan Universitykupace.comOnline certificate programs in information technology, healthcare, accounting, human resources and more.

Penn Stateworldcampus.psu.eduOnline certificate programs in nursing, information technology, digital arts, project management, statistics, supply chain management, community development and more.

University of California – Berkeley Extension extension.berkeley.edu/online/#certificatesOnline certificate programs in accounting, business analysis, editing, marketing, paralegal studies, project management and more.

University of Phoenixphoenix.eduOnline certificate programs in human resource management, project management and technology.

USC Certificate Programssaeu.sc.edu/conted/link/certificatesOnline certification in lean six sigma, paralegal studies, project management and grant writing.

Midlands Technical Certificate Programsmtctraining.com/CertPrograms2.htmPrograms in a wide range of careers; contact for details.

other and communicate with the instructor freely,” Pitts said. “Our online instructors are subject matter experts and are well-experienced in the field of online delivery of instruction.”

No to Aid, But Yes to LoansAlthough FAFSA (Free Application for

Federal Student Aid) and VA Student Loan benefits do not apply to online certificate programs, students at both USC and Mid-lands Tech may qualify for loans through other sources, such as Sallie Mae Smart Option Loans.

“The application process is fast and is among the highest in acceptance rates in

the industry,” Pitts said. Also, this route “of-fers an alternative loan to students, which allows deferment while in school, addition-al expenses for books, fees, equipment, and even living expenses, along with flexible repayment options. If your credit is in ques-tion, you can still apply with a cosigner.”

For Pitts, the best online students tend to be self-starters.

“Successful online learners are typically those who are well-organized and who can pace themselves without the constant need for reminders,” she said. “These learner characteristics translate well into well-de-veloped employee characteristics.”

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Literally and figuratively speaking, bridges are wonderful things. They help us get from Point A to Point

B. They signify stability, transition and connectivity. For would-be college students, all of those things and more are true about bridge programs, designed to help students successfully transfer from one school to another — typically from two-year to four-year degree programs.

Although four-year schools aren’t the right choice for everyone, there are many students who might benefit from starting out at a two-year school and then “bridging the gap” to a four-year program. Especially if grades or money are an issue, bridge programs offer viable solutions to eventually earning a four-year college degree.

Bridges 101: What You Should Know

“Bridge programs provide support for students who plan to transfer from one college to another,” says Andrew Dalzell, assistant director of transfer initiatives at the University of South Carolina. “Understand-

ing the destination school’s transfer require-ments well in advance is critical. Bridge programs help to educate students at the start of their college careers, and this ultimately makes the transfer experience more efficient, productive and rewarding.”

Dalzell says USC has course-by-course transfer agreements with all 16 of South Car-olina’s state technical colleges. These agree-ments make it possible for college students to plan ahead and make wise course choices that will pay off when it’s time to transfer. Students who participate in either one of USC’s two bridge programs receive guidance from college advisors who stay up-to-date on USC’s transfer policies and requirements.

Program advisors help participants understand which classes they should take to maximize transfer credit for their intended major at Carolina. The same goes for trans-fers to most other four-year schools as well.

According to the SC Technical College System, eligible students may participate in bridge programs in one of two ways: They are either invited to participate by the four-year college to which they applied, but were denied admission; or they apply to a techni-

cal college as a transfer student and identify themselves as desiring to participate in one of the college’s bridge programs.

Bridge program participants generally may transfer after completing what amounts to a full freshman year of college-level coursework and attaining the GPA required by the college to which they are transfer-ring. Students in bridge programs typically experience a streamlined transition when transferring to a four-year institution, and see greater success after they have trans-ferred.

Two Bridge Program Options at USCUSC’s nonresidential bridge program was

established in 2007; it is open to all students enrolled in a South Carolina state technical college who have not attended a school out-side of the technical college system, and who have completed no more than 45 semester hours of non-remedial college course work.

“Bridge students receive ongoing support from both technical college and university student service personnel,” says Dalzell. “There are no additional fees associated with being in USC’s bridge program.”

USC also offers a residential bridge program called Gamecock Gateway, which started in fall of 2012. Gamecock Gateway is an invitation-only program for high school students who are identified via their fresh-man application to the university.

“Gamecock Gateway is a partnership between Midlands Technical College and the University of South Carolina, where students live on USC’s campus while they attend classes at Midlands Tech,” Dalzell says. Gateway students pay additional fees to participate in the program.

Additionally, Midlands Technical College offers bridge programs to Benedict College, Columbia College, Newberry College and Lander University in Greenwood.

Lessons Learned: The Benefits of Bridging It

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mention lots of time — at a technical school early on, only to find out later that your cred-its won’t transfer to your four-year program of choice. It’s a frustrating (and expensive) experience to be sure, but one that can easily be avoided by taking time to plan ahead.

“The most common mistake we see transfer students make is when they don’t take time to understand the admission requirements of their transfer school before they apply,” says Dalzell. “It seems really simple, but thoroughly reading the school’s admissions website, and even speaking to an admissions officer, can prevent headaches in the long run.”

“Another thing that might seem obvious, but needs to be mentioned, is paying atten-tion to application deadlines. Every college has different deadlines, and it’s important to meet those deadlines so you don’t have to wait for another semester to pass before you can be considered for admission.”

Being realistic about your schedule and your finances before you apply is also helpful, says Dalzell.

“Will you have to work to fund your de-gree? If so, how many hours will you have to work per week? Does that leave you enough time to study and do well in school? If the answer to your transfer application is ‘yes,’ are you ready, willing and able to dedicate the time necessary to being a successful stu-dent at your new college? And finally, what is the environment like at the college where you hope to transfer? Have you taken time to visit the school and assess whether or not it is a good fit for you?”

Thinking through these details is key, Dalzell says — and bridge programs can help students do that.

“These are all questions that can be ad-dressed in a bridge program setting, where students have the luxury of time to evaluate their strengths and interests, to benefit from the counsel of college administrators on both sides, and to develop a strong understanding of why, where, and how they plan to transfer in one or two years.”

Get Started: Building Your Own Bridge

If you’re trying to decide if a bridge program is right for you, the South Carolina Transfer and Articulation Center (SC TRAC) is a good place to start. This web-based clearinghouse (sctrac.org) is a one-stop shop for transfer students, administrators and ad-visors/faculty. For a more personal approach, don’t forget to contact the transfer advisor or bridge program coordinator at your school(s) of choice.

Whether through bridge programs or otherwise, preparing South Carolina’s students for college success has become a top priority for the state’s business, community and legislative leaders.

Together, several Midlands-area organi-zations have formed the Graduation Impera-tive to advance this goal; visit graduation-imperative.org for more information.

A Bridge AcrossPlanning Ahead for a Smooth College Transfer

By Allison Caldwell

Bridge-Building: A Head Start

Learn more about bridge programs at Midlands-area schools.

Benedict Collegebenedict.edu/bridge, 705-4749

Columbia Collegecolumbiacollegesc.edu/bridge

Midlands Techmidlandstech.edu/bridge, 738-7743

SC Technical College Systemsctechsystem.edu/bridge.html

SCTRACsctrac.org

USC Office of Transfer Initiativessc.edu/bridge, 777-2242

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