Going Back to School in 2012?

Did you resolve to go back to school in 2012?  Would you like to finish a bachelor's degree, complete a graduate degree, or seek professional certification?  If so, the University Center can help.

The University Center of Lake County is a great resource for adults who are contemplating a return to college.  Not only do our 19 member universities from across Illinois offer more than 80 academic programs, we also have an Academic Advisor available for a free independent consultation about the best options to pursue your academic or professional goals.  She can help you sort out your choices, develop the list of questions you'll want to ask about each program, and refer you to the best contact at each university or program for more information.  Call 847/665-4000 or visit www.ucenter.org to set up a pre-admission advising appointment.

For 2012, the University Center is adding three new programs. Southern Illinois University Carbondale has added two undergraduate programs and Concordia University Chicago has added a graduate program.

Southern will begin recruiting immediately for a bachelor’s completion program in special education that leads to initial teaching certification as a Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBS1). They expect to identify an initial group of students who will start classes in the fall of 2012 at the Center’s Grayslake facility and will continue through the program together. The program also includes a certification-only option that enables current teachers to complete the coursework necessary to add the LBS1 certification in special education. By providing two options, the program can serve students completing the College of Lake County’s Associate of Arts in Teaching  in Special Education and also serve alumni of  the elementary education teaching certification program that Southern has been offered through the University Center since 2002. The program will also welcome others with the appropriate transfer coursework.

Southern will also begin recruiting immediately for their fully online Bachelor of Science in Business and Administration degree completion program. Through this program, students can earn the final sixty hours for a bachelor’s degree in business. This program breaks the curriculum into ten “Content Areas,” each of which includes two paired eight-week courses. This structure enables a part-time student to complete one Content Area per sixteen-week semester while taking one course at a time. Students who wish to accelerate their pace may enroll in a second Content Area per semester.

Concordia University Chicago is now offering through the University Center a Master of Arts in Educational Technology with a Type 10 Certification option and Technology Specialist Endorsement. They also offer a non-degree, endorsement-only option designed for teachers who already hold a master’s degree. The program is for teachers who wish to continue building their skill at incorporating technology into their teaching to enhance their students’ learning. It builds on the Graduate Certificate in Educational Technology that Concordia had already been offering through the Center and enables them to take advantage of the strong instructional technology available in the Center’s Grayslake facility.  

For information about these new programs or any of the 80+ academic programs offered through the University Center by its nineteen member universities, visit www.ucenter.org or call (847) 665-4000.