Iowa Central College Online is a public non-profit online division of Iowa Central Community College. It strives to provide students with the necessary knowledge and tools to help make well-informed decisions regarding their future. It is dedicated to superiority in instruction and learning by meeting the various educational needs of a diverse student community in a constantly changing global environment. It places emphasis on learning beyond classroom and develops innovative and quality programs with constant improvement. Guide to Online Schools ranks Iowa Central Online as the second best online colleges in the nation.
Its online programs enable students to pursue their education anytime from anywhere with an Internet connection. The programs are flexible, accessible, and community-centered and focus on quality to make students graduate with the necessary knowledge and abilities to lead successful careers. The educational environment is designed to provide experiences for students who seek pre-professional courses, enhancement of educational and technical abilities, or developmental for self-improvement. Courses are typically eight weeks in length and students generally enroll in two courses at a time and four courses in a 16-week term. New courses start on a monthly basis.
Iowa Central College Online offers general education courses, adult basic education, college transfer courses, career and technical training, recreation and personal enrichment programs, economic development, and community service activities. It offers diploma and associate degree programs in various areas including general education, criminal justice, and computer networking technology, human services, and health care administration. Its associate degree programs are created to provide students with career skills and it acts as a stepping stone in pursuing education at a four-year institution of higher education to complete a bachelor degree. The programs provide students with a solid educational foundation and the necessary abilities to succeed in the workforce and in advanced educational settings. The online programs do not require specific attendance, but grading is based partly on participation. Students are expected to login in and engage in online interaction at least four days a week and twice per day. Instructors give points based on the student’s display of an understanding of course content and the quality of every discussion posting. Many courses feature live online labs.
Courses are delivered via the iNET Learning Management System (LMS) and students are able to access and download course materials and interact with instructors and fellow classmates. The system is accessible using any web browser on any type of device with access to the Internet. The iNet system is organized as an individual web page for every course and features a front greeting page that features side columns that provide automatically-generated information and a large main column that displays course content composed by instructors. Students are able to consistently keep track of their grades.
The faculty and staff at Iowa Central College Online are committed to ensuring the changing needs of students are being addressed in an appropriate way. Students have access to various student services such as course withdrawal information, student records access, graduation information, transcript requests, and tuition refund policies. Students also have access to career tools such as references for composing resumes, cover letters, and reference sheets.
Iowa Central Community College was structured in 1966 with the intention to offer a wide range of educational opportunities to the central Iowa area. It was established based on the foundation of three junior colleges in the area that had been in service since the 1920s. The college united with Buena Vista College to enable students to earn a bachelor degree while attending evening course options.
Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accredits Iowa Central College Online.
Scholarships Offered
Numerous individuals, businesses, and organizations donate funds to Iowa Central College Online to assist students in paying for their education. Some scholarships are based on based on financial need and others on specifications of the donor. The Financial Aid Office provides more information regarding these scholarships.
Financing Options
Iowa Central College Online offers a financial aid program that helps students pay for their education. Financial aid options include Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct Stafford Unsubsidized Loan, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Direct PLUS Loan, and Federal Work Study. It also accepts the State of Iowa Vocational-Technical Grant and Iowa Grant. Additionally, Iowa Central College Online accepts Military Tuition Assistance, Active Duty Army Tuition Reimbursement Plan, and Corporate Reimbursement Plan.
Credit Earning Options
Iowa Central College Online grants credits for previous coursework completed at other regionally accredited institutions. To obtain transfer credits official transcripts and supporting documents must be submitted to the admissions department.