Baccalaureate Degree Programs

In our continued efforts to advocate for the local impact community colleges have on their students and economies, the Community College League of California is actively supporting colleges' plans to affirm baccalaureate programs on their campuses.  The CCLC Board of Directors has committed to this priority, and League President/CEO Larry Galizio serves on the California Community College Baccalaureate Association as its secretary-treasurer.

NEW: 2024 Baccalaureate Degree Programs (Nursing) white paper

In the News

Equity Can't Wait: Now is the Time for the Community College Baccalaureate Degree by Larry Galizio

The Equity Imperative of the Place-Bound Student, March 2, 2023 in Diverse Issues in Higher Education by Larry Galizio

California Community Colleges moving forward with bachelor's degree approvals despite lawmaker objections, May 1, 2023 by Michael Burke,  EdSource

California becomes battleground over bachelor’s degrees at community colleges, May 11, 2023 by Laura Spitalniak, Higher Ed Dive

Additional Information

California Community College Baccalaureate Association

California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office Baccalaureate Degree Information 

Resource Kit: March 2023 Baccalaureate Degree Week Advocacy Materials

Take Action: Support AB 927

Joint Letter from Senator Newman and Assemblymember Fong to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.  April 18, 2023.

The potential of California’s community college baccalaureate for closing racial equity gaps. UCLA Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos. (April 2023).

Response letter from Interim CCC Chancellor Daisy Gonzalez to Senator Newman and Assemblymember Fong. April 25, 2023.

Baccalaureate Degrees Currently Offered at California Community Colleges  

• Antelope Valley College: Airframe Manufacturing Technology (AFMT) and Respiratory Care (coming soon)

• Bakersfield College: Industrial Automation and Research Laboratory Technology

• Cerritos College: Dental Hygiene

• Crafton Hills College: Respiratory Care

• Cypress College: Mortuary Science and Dental Hygiene (coming soon)

• De Anza College: Automotive Technology Management

• El Camino College: Respiratory Care

• Feather River College: Equine and Ranch Management and Ecosystem Restoration & Applied Fire Management

• Foothill College: Dental Hygiene and Respiratory Care

• Fresno College: Dental Hygiene

• Hartnell College: Respiratory Care

• Los Angeles Mission College: Biomanufacturing 

• Los Angeles Valley College: Respiratory Care 

• MiraCosta College: Biomanufacturing

• Modesto Junior College: Respiratory Care

• Moorpark College: Biomanufacturing

• Mt. San Antonio College: Histotechnology

• Oxnard College: Dental Hygiene (coming soon)

• Rio Hondo College: Automative Technology

• San Diego City College: Cyber Defense and Analysis

• San Diego Mesa College: Health Information Management

• San Diego Miramar College: Public Safety Management 

• Santa Ana College: Occupational Studies and Paralegal Studies (coming soon)

• Santa Monica College: Interaction Design

• Shasta College: Health Information Management

• College of the Siskiyous: Paramedicine (coming soon)

• Skyline College: Respiratory Care

• Solano College: Biomanufacturing

• Taft College: Dental Hygiene Administration

• Ventura College: Automotive Career Education

• Victor Valley College: Respiratory Care (coming soon)

• West Los Angeles College: Dental Hygiene and Aviation Maintenance Technology: Avionics

Background

Twenty-five states have enabled their community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees. This is not an effort to turn community colleges into four-year institutions. These degree programs are for the purpose of preparing students for specific jobs in the workforce, in fields for which employers and professional organizations now either require or strongly prefer a bachelor’s degree, rather than an associate degree, for employment eligibility. These are also fields in which public universities do not offer programs and do not plan to offer programs.

In 2014, Senator Marty Block, successfully initiated a pilot program through Senate Bill 850 that allowed 15 California community colleges to each offer one bachelor’s degree program in a workforce field. Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 850 into law.  Since then, 32 colleges have made proposals and 15 have been approved by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office based upon several criteria, including the demonstration of workforce need and the colleges’ ability to implement these programs without additional state funding.