Several new degrees, that allow students to find work right after completion, are coming to Moorpark College this fall.
The Theater, Journalism and Biology program are each introducing new degrees this fall and in 2016. Each of these degrees can be completed in a semester. John Loprieno, Department Chair of the Theater Department, is encouraging students to look into the new degrees being offered.
“With all these Proficiency Awards available, students really need to be aware of these programs because they may have already qualified for these awards and certificates,” said Loprieno.
Loprieno is bringing Proficiency Awards in Playwriting, Performance Arts Management, and Theater Arts: Technical Theater to the Theater Department this fall. There are no prerequisites for the classes in these programs. These programs are for students who are looking to learn a specialized skill and are not thinking of transferring to a university.
The Business Administration Department is restructuring their programs for this fall. They are deleting several specialized degrees and are focusing on students achieving more generic degrees instead. Reet Sumal, Department Chair of BAD, said this change gives students more opportunity to choose what they want to specialize in.
“The Business Administration Department, BAD, has rearchitected the program to provide more flexibility and options for our students,” said Sumal.
The Journalism Department is introducing a Digital Journalism Proficiency Award in the fall. This award offers students expertise in digital-video making. Joanna Miller, a full-time journalism instructor at Moorpark College, said these skills are necessary to find work in journalism.
“In today’s journalism, whether it is news, entertainment or P.R, employers want people who are literate in digital arts,” said Miller.
The Biology Division is bringing back the Emergency Medical Technician (E.M.T.) Proficiency Award to Moorpark College in fall of 2016. This program has no prerequisites and consists of two classes that can be completed in a semester as well as a national test. The only requirement is a student must be over 18 years old. After completion, an E.M.T. is qualified to work in ambulances and the emergency room said Kimberly Hoffmans, Dean of the Biology Division.
“It will help you as a stepping stone into a future career in medicine,” said Hoffmans.
The Environmental Science Department is deleting the Associate in Science in Environmental Technology in preparation for an Associate to Transfer Degree that should be coming this year. Robert Keil, Department Chair of the Environmental Science Department, said no one had been getting that degree for the last few years.
The new degrees being offered at Moorpark College are part of a state-wide push to bring back career-technical programs to community colleges. Career-technical programs allow students to find work right after school.
