What if you could earn a college degree without going to class?
This is a new approach that many California community colleges will be testing in the near future.
Instead of spending hours in class and being graded on assignments, students will be tested to prove they have the relevant skills needed for a degree.
These California colleges, specifically, are designed with working adults in mind, offering greater flexibility and the possibility of earning a degree faster for those already in the workforce. calmatters,
This is called competency-based education (CBE), but the concept is nothing new. According to U.S. News and World ReportThe learning model has been around for decades.
There are many colleges and schools that have already implemented some type of competency-based program.
Nearly 500 colleges and universities across the country were surveyed by the American Institute for Research in 2020 about their use of CBE. survey found that 13% were already offering at least one degree or certificate through the learning model.
Eight community colleges in California were awarded funding in 2021 to design a single associate degree program using the CBE, which would differentiate them from two-year institutions across the country.
While still in the works, those potential degrees include a variety of fields including early childhood education, business administration and automotive technology.
However, launching the program has not been without its problems. Most of the criticism and concerns come from faculty who are concerned about how this could affect their salary, which is based on lecture hours and intellectual property.