Programs Added to Bergen Center for Online Learning
PARAMUS, N.J. – Bergen Community College has expanded its Center for Online Learning, adding fully accredited programs in criminal justice, information technology and professional studies as available options for the fall semester.
The center debuted earlier this year with programs in psychology and business administration. Enrollment for the programs has opened at Bergen.edu and will continue through the start of classes on September 6.
The center offers Bergen’s first fully virtual degree programs, which mirror the curricula of the College’s in-person offerings. The virtual center provides students with the flexibility afforded by remote education while still having access to courses taught by Bergen faculty.
Students also have access to a complete complement of online services - including the industry-leading “Canvas” course environment - tutoring, advising and career services, and financial aid resources. Unique to the center, each enrollee works with a dedicated student success coach who provides guidance on coursework and transitioning to a fully online program.
To make the most of the fully virtual programs, students should have access to a personal computer, high-speed Internet, a webcam and microphone. Tuition remains the same as in-person Bergen classes.
According to a recent Cengage survey, 76 percent of community college students expect to take at least some courses fully online this year. The study, conducted in partnership with the Association of Community College Trustees, Phi Theta Kappa and other leading community college organizations, speaks to a trend in higher education accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent reliance on distance learning. The number of undergraduates enrolled exclusively in online courses jumped from 2.5 million to 7 million from 2019 to 2020, with 11.8 million students enrolled in at least one online course overall, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Developing robust online education options became a key takeaway in Bergen’s newly established academic master plan and President Eric M. Friedman’s annual goals.
The College will host information sessions on Wednesday, May 24 at noon, Thursday, June 8 at 6 p.m., Thursday, June 15 at noon, Wednesday, July 12 at noon and Thursday, July 27 at 6 p.m. For more information, or to attend an information session, email coladmissions@bergen.edu, call (201) 447-7200 or visit Bergen.edu/col.
Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.
Photo caption: Students can take Bergen courses anywhere, at any time, with the Center for Online Learning.