Community college

A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.

Australia

In Australia, the term community college is not used. Analogous to community colleges are colleges or institutes of Technical and Further Education (TAFEs); institutions mostly regulated at state and territory level. There are also an increasing number of private providers of varying social esteem; often these are colloquially called "colleges".

TAFEs and other providers carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults enhance their numeracy and literacy skills. The majority of Australian universities can also be traced back to such forerunners, although obtaining a university charter has always changed their nature. In TAFEs and colleges today, courses are designed for personal development of an individual and/or for employment outcomes. Educational programs cover a variety of topics such as arts, languages, business and lifestyle; and are usually timetabled to be conducted in the evenings or weekends to accommodate people working full-time. Funding for colleges may come from government grants and course fees; and many are not-for-profit organisations. There are located in metropolitan, regional and rural locations of Australia.

Hagerstown Community College

Hagerstown Community College (HCC) was founded in 1946 as Maryland’s first community college. More than 100 programs of study are available for university transfer, career preparation, or personal development, as well as non-credit continuing education courses, customized training programs and Washington County’s adult education program. Associate degrees, certificates and letters of recognition are awarded. HCC is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Special programs include the Job Training Student Resources for adults in need of immediate job skills and the ESSENCE Program, which enables area high school students to take college classes at a discounted rate. The 319-acre picturesque campus encompasses 18 buildings and includes a full-service business incubator, numerous gardens and an outdoor amphitheater.

Recent Developments: In 2012-2013, HCC renovated three instructional buildings and completed construction on a brand new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Building. The five-story STEM Building houses all of HCC’s STEM programs including biotechnology, alternative energy, cybersecurity, and many others. It includes sophisticated laboratories, classrooms, and faculty offices, and features several green components including a rainwater harvesting system, solar panels, and two green roofs.

Hagerstown

Hagerstown is the name of several places in the United States of America:

College

College (Latin: collegium) is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. Usage of the word college varies in English-speaking nations. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate university, or an institution offering vocational education.

In the United States and Italy, "college" formally refers to a constituent part of a university, but generally "college" and "university" are used interchangeably, whereas in Oceania and South Asia, "college" may refer to a secondary or high school, a college of further education, a training institution that awards trade qualifications, or a constituent part of a university (See this comparison of British and American English educational terminology for further information).

Etymology

In ancient Rome a collegium was a club or society, a group of people living together under a common set of rules (con- = "together" + leg- = "law" or lego = "I choose" or "I read").

Overview

Higher education

Community

A community is a social unit of any size that shares common values, or that is situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a village or town). It is a group of people who are connected by durable relations that extend beyond immediate genealogical ties, and who mutually define that relationship as important to their social identity and practice. Although communities are usually small, community may also refer to large groups, such as national communities, international communities, and virtual communities.

The word "community" is derived from the Old French comuneté which comes from the Latin communitas (from Latin communis, things held in common).

In human communities, intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, and risks, may be shared in common, affecting the identity of the participants, and their degree of cohesiveness.

Perspectives from various disciplines

Community studies

Community studies is an academic field drawing on both sociology and anthropology and the social research methods of ethnography and participant observation in the study of community. In academic settings around the world, community studies is variously a sub-discipline of anthropology or sociology, or an independent discipline. It is often interdisciplinary and geared toward practical applications rather than purely theoretical perspectives. Community studies is sometimes combined with other fields, i.e., "Urban and Community Studies," "Health and Community Studies," or "Family and Community studies."