The Gates Foundation, Learning First initiative and our partnership with Coastline Community College represent an important step forward for the Penn State World Campus and the College of the Liberal Arts through the Department of Psychology.

University Park, PA (PRWEB) February 03, 2014

Penn State’s online campus, World Campus, and Coastline Community College are partnering to enable California students to complete associate and bachelor’s degrees close to home. The partnership is part of the Learning First Program led by the League for Innovation in the Community College and funded by the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation.

“The Gates Foundation, Learning First initiative and our partnership with Coastline Community College represent an important step forward for the Penn State World Campus and the College of the Liberal Arts through the Department of Psychology,” said Karen I. Pollack, director of Academic Affairs, Undergraduate Programs, World Campus. “We have been working closely with the advisers and the faculty at Coastline to ensure a seamless transition to Penn State where Coastline students benefit from access to our faculty, our courses, our University Libraries, advising and career services.”

Students will earn an associate degree from Coastline in Fountain Valley, Calif., and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts, which offers bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in psychology online through World Campus.

Christopher P. Long, associate dean for graduate and undergraduate education, Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts, said, “Our agreement with Coastline Community College is a model of how institutional connections can add real educational value for individual students. We are providing a structure that allows students to earn a degree without requiring them to uproot their work and family lives. We are very excited about this relationship with Coastline Community College, because it is a paradigm for agreements with many other community colleges around the United States.”

Coastline students enrolling at Penn State will receive a waiver of the application fee, in-state tuition, pre-admission advising, a transfer credits roadmap, enhanced student services and a four-year tuition freeze.

“Another benefit for Learning First students,” said Rich Carlson, Penn State professor and associate head of psychology, “is the opportunity to earn the same psychology degree that is offered at Penn State’s University Park campus. Our courses are taught by specialists in the particular areas of psychology represented by the courses, most of whom also teach courses in residence at the University Park campus.”

Penn State World Campus specializes in adult online education, delivering more than 100 of the University’s most highly regarded graduate, undergraduate and professional education programs. As part of Penn State Outreach and Online Education, the World Campus enrolls 13,838 students worldwide.

Coastline Community College promotes academic excellence and student success for today’s global students through accessible, flexible, innovative education that leads to the attainment of associate degrees, transfers, certificates, basic skills readiness for college, and career and technical education.

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