Online Associate’s Degree Programs Available at Renton Technical College
Renton Technical College appears in our ranking of the 20 Best Colleges for an Online Associates Degree.
Renton Technical College offers several online and hybrid degree programs for students. The hybrid programs ask students to take some classes on-campus or do practicums and other fieldwork off-campus. Students can enroll in the legal assistant program if they want to work as paralegals. It helps students earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in five quarters and includes 93 credits of courses. The program’s hybrid courses are on Tuesdays and Thursdays and last from 6 to 9 pm. Students can also take some Saturday classes.
Those who want to help people and can start in the fall can choose the college’s massage therapy practitioner program. The college has a chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association on-campus, which offers opportunities for students to hear about job openings and internships and check out the bachelor’s and graduate programs. Students spend five quarters to complete the 90 credits needed to graduate. They’ll take Kinesiology, First Aid/CPR and Safety, Anatomy and Physiology, Massage Licensing Preparation and Injury Evaluation and Treatment. The college also requires that students work in a clinic and do at least one internship.
Though some of the college’s programs have a transfer pathway for those who want to attend another college, others can prepare students for working in the health care field and other industries. One option is the revenue management specialist program, which helps students become health care professionals and find work in hospitals and similar facilities. Incoming students need strong writing and language skills and familiarity with different computer operations. Majors take some unique classes, including Introduction to Medical Terminology, Patient Navigation and Chronic Illness, Introduction to Excel in Health Care, Current Legal Aspects of Health Care and Introduction to Medical Databases.
Also available is an associate’s degree in early childhood education. This program focuses on the education needs of children in preschool through elementary school. It accepts new students in the fall, spring and summer quarters and includes up to 110 credits that students complete over an average of six quarters. To get a certificate to work in this field, students need to complete a practicum and take both Introduction to Early Childhood Education and Health, Safety and Nutrition. They need to take 47 credits of classes to get a state certificate, including Child, Family and Community, Curriculum Development, Learning Environments, Language and Literacy Development, and Observation and Assessment. Online students can study medical assisting, nursing assisting and office assisting online too.
About Renton Technical College
Renton Technical College is both a public and a community college that offers certificate programs and programs that help students earn associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. Established in 1942, it opened as a small school that offered training for those enlisting in the military and others who wanted to help with the war effort. The State of Washington stepped in after World War II and funded new programs that helped soldiers train for jobs after returning home. It would continue growing in the 1960s thanks to a new campus in Renton and an admissions policy that accepted any student. Also known as Renton Tech and RTC, it now offers programs in nine fields through different departments, including business technology, automotive technology, culinary arts, general technology, and education and human services.
Renton Technical College Accreditation Details
Renton Tech has regional accreditation, which is why students can use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to find out if they qualify for financial aid. This helps them get Pell grants and other federal aid as well as some of the funds offered by the state government. This accreditation comes from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and is in good standing. Students can view the college’s accreditation details online when they apply.
Renton Technical College Application Requirements
Future RTC students can apply in one of three ways. They can access the online application on the college’s website or download a copy of the application and send it to the campus through the mail. The college also allows students to apply in person when they visit the Roberts Center, which is in Building I. Those who visit this building can talk to representatives from the Admissions Office about any issues they have. A similar application is available for students who earned credits and want to transfer to Renton Tech.
RTC only accepts students who are 18 years of age or older. They also need to have an interest in obtaining a degree or certificate and have some type of educational background. This can include a high school diploma, college credits, a GED or a home school transcript. Students can submit their transcripts or scores to help the college place them into certain subjects. Those who do not provide a transcript or score need to take a placement assessment. RTC encourages students to apply early as those who register after the term starts are subject to a $75 late fee.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Washington residents enrolled in all associate’s degree programs pay $127.26 per credit hour. Students from outside of Washington pay a nonresident rate of $141.86 per credit hour. These figures include the fees that they pay also. Students enrolled in certain programs will pay a fee of $5 to $40 per credit hour in addition to their tuition. The college charges a $25 fee for some of its biology, chemistry, and computer science classes. There is also a $40 fee for each online course taken and a $4 fee when students take hybrid classes.
Students in need of financial aid should create an account with the FAFSA website at the beginning of October and complete the form as soon as possible. They will need their parents’ tax records to show how much their parents make and how much they can help with the cost of attending the university. Once the university gets that form, it will design a financial aid to meet the estimated need that it shows. Not only can this help students get scholarships and grants, but it can help them qualify for work-study too. Those who need more help can borrow loans from the federal government. All of the hybrid and online associate’s degree programs at Renton Technical College charge low rates and offer financial aid for students.
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