The California Community Colleges system has approved offering six additional bachelor’s degrees at various campuses across the state, the system’s chancellor announced March 26.
They include respiratory care at Antelope Valley College, paramedicine at College of the Siskiyous, dental hygiene at both Cypress and Oxnard colleges, paralegal studies at Santa Ana College, and respiratory care therapist at Victor Valley College.
The latest additions mean that there are now 39 bachelor’s degree programs available to students at the system’s 116 campuses across the state.
A 2021 state law granted the community college system the ability to approve up to 30 new bachelor’s degrees annually.
There are currently 13 more programs under review by system officials.
A current state law bans community colleges from creating bachelor’s degree programs that are already available at California State University or University of California campuses.
All 39 of California community college bachelor’s degree options are unique to the system and do not duplicate degrees offered at CSU or UC, according to officials.
However, California legislators recently introduced a bill that would revise that law in part in order to allow community colleges to offer students nursing bachelor’s degrees.
California Senate Bill 895, introduced in January by Sen. Richard Roth, would allow 15 community college districts that already provide associate degrees in nursing to also offer bachelor’s degrees.
The bill will be heard in the Senate Education Committee on April 10.
