Online Associate’s Degree Programs Available at Peninsula College
Peninsula College appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Affordable Associate’s in Hospitality Management Online
Peninsula College in Washington offers opportunities for online students to earn their associate’s degrees. The college’s four administrative office systems programs prepare them to work as assistants in different fields. They can earn Associate of Applied Science (AAS) or Applied Technology (AAT) degrees in accounting or administrative assisting. The college also allows students to focus on medical or legal training and offers an administrative office assisting certificate program online. Those programs share some classes with the business administration program, which includes focuses on accounting, management and entrepreneurship foundations. Students can earn AAS and AAT degrees in information technology also.
Those who want to work for government agencies and in law enforcement will find the college’s criminal justice programs appealing. The cybersecurity and forensics program includes six quarters of courses such as Ethical Hacking, Securing the Modern Enterprise and Criminal Evidence. In the criminal justice program, students take Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminal Law, Juvenile Justice, Introduction to Supervision of Law Enforcement and Ethics in Criminal Justice along with other required classes. This is available as an AAT, AAS or certificate program. The college also offers programs in homeland security and emergency management. Some of the classes in this AAS program include Incident Command, All Hazards Emergency Planning, Survey of Environmental Science, Introduction to Political Science and Psychology. It includes a learning experience that is worth five credits, which requires that students do some fieldwork on top of their online courses.
Also available is an AAS in hospitality and ecotourism. Students do a hospitality internship in the last semester and can earn up to five credits. The college allows them to work in museums, restaurants and other areas such as state and national parks. Other courses include Technology in the Hospitality Industry, Social Media Marketing, Event Planning, Introduction to Ecotourism, Dining Room Management, Human Resources Management, and Hospitality and Tourism Marketing.
About Peninsula College
Peninsula College is a public college in Port Angeles, Washington. Established in 1961, the college opened after locals called for a new school in the peninsula area. They cited the lack of schools in the area and the fact that students needed to travel long distances to attend college. The Port Angeles High School opened its doors to the new college and set aside space for the incoming students. Just three years after opening, construction began on a new campus, which opened the following year. That provided more resources for students and allowed the college’s curriculum to grow. The campus now has 15 buildings on more than 70 acres of land.
Around an hour away from the main campus is the Forks Campus, but the college also offers classes through two centers in East Jefferson County. The addition of online classes helped enrollment grow even larger. Most of the degree programs available award graduates their associate’s degrees, though the college also offers a few bachelor’s options. Peninsula College serves as a community college and offers options for students who want to transfer and continue their studies. The college also offers several certificate programs.
Peninsula College Accreditation Details
Peninsula has the accreditation necessary for associate’s degree students who want to transfer their credits to a bachelor’s program. That is the regional accreditation that the college has from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). It is also why students can get federal and other types of aid when they complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The college has specialty accreditation for its associate’s program in nursing too.
Peninsula College Application Requirements
The open-door policy established by the college means that any student who wants to attend college can apply. Peninsula accepts students who have a high school diploma or a GED as well as those who went through home school programs and students who previously attended college. Students can visit the Clock Tower Building D on campus and request a paper application, which is also available from the Department of Student Services. There is also an online application available for students who want to apply from home. Peninsula only requires official transcripts and will accept both paper and digital records from high schools and testing centers.
Before taking classes, students need to take a placement test. College and high school transcripts can help the college place students in their first classes as can ACT or SAT scores. Those who do not have a transcript or a test score will need to take a placement exam, which the college offers on its campus. It does not require an appointment and allows students to drop in during regular business hours to take the exam. The college than asks that they attend a new student orientation session and meet with their advisors. Peninsula encourages students to apply for financial aid also.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Peninsula College includes all the fees it charges in the tuition rates that students pay. This rate starts at $141.76 per credit hour for Washington residents. Nonresidents generally pay $156.36 per credit hour unless they are in the military as those students pay the Washington resident rate. Veterans qualify for a discounted rate of $86.63 per credit hour as long as they meet the eligibility requirements of the college and the state. Students pay lab fees of up to $50 per class and a wellness fee of $2 per credit hour that gives them full access to the college’s wellness center.
The college has financial aid counselors who can help veterans and military students find out about their benefits. It also offers payment plans that charge students $35 per quarter to set up and use a plan. Students must make equal payments on their accounts three times during each quarter. Those who apply to the college, submit the FAFSA and meet all financial aid requirements can get financial aid. The college recommends that students apply for aid by the first of June to get help for the fall semester. There is an opportunity grant for students taking at least two classes and a WorkFirst Program for parents going back to school. Though the college offers some scholarships, it requires that students submit a scholarship application too. At Peninsula College, students in all of the online associate’s degree programs qualify for financial aid.
Related Resources:
