SAN MARCOS –Not-For-Credit classes are for anyone in the Palomar community who want to better their recreational skills or acquire specific industry training/certifications.
Palomar College has a wide range of classes, recreational activities, and learning opportunities. One of the newer ones are Not-For-Credit classes.
Not to be confused with Non-credit classes, Not-For-Credit classes are independent to college credit classes and Non-credit classes. For example, Non-credit classes are generally free if you’re enrolled to the college credit class that it’s associated with. Not-For-Credit classes are paid for by the people taking the classes themselves.
According to Palomar Colleges’ Public Affairs Director Laura Gropen, Palomar will be broadening the use of Not-For-Credit classes because “These courses really emphasize the ‘community’ in community college.” Gropen continues, “We can offer courses recreationally and bring the community on campus to explore all that Palomar has to offer.”
Although it is unclear whether or not the spike of Not-For-Credit classes is due to the diminishing enrollment at Palomar, Gropen commented that these classes “could potentially lead to pathways for them and increased enrollments in our credit and non-credit programs.”
Not-For-Credit classes are for everyone. More specifically, these classes are to the disposal of anyone willing to pay for it and learn something new. That being said, it’s common for graduates to return to campus and take a class for a specific certification for their field of industry.
Another way Not-For-Credit classes differ from other classes on campus are the instructors. Not-For-Credit classes can be taught by professors, Palomar faculty, and even Industry experts in that field.
Looking at the classes that could be taught, a wide range of possibilities exist. They could include recreational dance classes, food handling certification, dental assisting, and even heavy duty diesel mechanics.
Not-for-credit classes are a very versatile resource for students and locals to take for multiple resources. These resources include extended professional certification, recreational skills, and a general understanding of skills in a specific industry.
—Gehrig Rosen
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