EL CAJON – Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are offering a wide variety of short-term, accelerated classes this fall – making it easier and more flexible than ever for students to obtain college credits quickly and expand their academic horizons.
The classes, many starting Oct. 17, are being offered in person, online, and in hybrid formats – a continuation of offerings that allow students to take control of how they can complete their coursework. Short-term classes, which help students earn credits quickly, can be completed in as little as four, six, or eight weeks – in contrast to 16 weeks for regular semester-length classes. Most courses are instructor-led and have assignments with deadlines. Short-term classes are not mini versions of full-semester length classes, and they are not self-paced.
Many students like short-term classes because they are fast, affordable, and flexible; they enable students to graduate sooner, they offer flexibility for students who are juggling family responsibilities, work, and school; and they offer flexible meeting options, including courses that meet face-to-face (F2F), online, in hybrid formats, and over Zoom to broadcast classes live (HyFlex).
Grossmont College’s list of short-term classes, is updated daily. A list of short-term classes at Cuyamaca College is available through the college’s home page.
Many of the short-term classes earn students the same three credits as the majority of courses offered during the semester. At only $46 a unit for California residents, they are a bargain.
Financial aid and the Grossmont-Cuyamaca College Promise program are available to those who qualify. The Grossmont-Cuyamaca College Promise provides two free years of tuition and payment of mandatory fees at Grossmont or Cuyamaca College for first-time students who are attending college full-time.
Below are some highlights of the short-term course offerings at each college:
Grossmont College
Grossmont College is offering several short-term classes in history, including new courses in Latin American Politics and Foreign Policy, and Early World, Modern World, Modern American, and Women in World history courses.
Other short-term classes will be offered in the college’s Administration of Justice program. These include a course in forensics, which is the only one of its kind in California. The course has helped train crime scene technicians who are now working throughout the Southwestern United States.
Cuyamaca College
Cuyamaca College is offering short-term classes at its Center for Water Studies, which provides pre-employment training and advanced courses in water and wastewater technology. Short-term CWS classes beginning Oct. 17 include Water Resources Management (CWS-103) and Safety in Water & Wastewater (CWS 107), and others. Deadlines to add these classes can be found at https://www.cuyamaca.edu/admissions/deadlines/2022fa-dealines-dates-10-5-22.pdf.
For more information on applying and enrolling, as well as financial aid, visit the Now page.
For Grossmont College application and registration assistance, visit Grossmont’s Helpdesk. For Cuyamaca College application and registration assistance, connect live with a person via Zoom or the Student Help Center.
The district’s two colleges, Grossmont College in El Cajon and Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego, together serve about 17,000 students. For information about the college district, go to www.gcccd.edu.