Pacific Oaks College is an independent private non-profit postsecondary institution committed to the basic Quaker beliefs of inclusion, public integrity, and appreciating individual people. The key focus of the college is on all the needs of young children and their families and all individuals who directly or indirectly influence their lives on a daily basis. Pacific Oaks College is known and recognized for its innovative attempts to lessen the bias of the country’s education system and for assisting students in developing the necessary skills to help people from a variety of backgrounds, learning styles, and strengths to recognize their unique qualities. It prepares students to pursue careers as educators, human development professionals, and counselors. Pacific Oaks College instills three fundamental concepts in its educational values: every student has essential worth, educational growth is a vigorous and lifelong process, and every person has a distinctive identity and individual potential. The college has received a Special Commendation from the American Association of Colleges and Universities for Distinguished Achievement in Undergraduate Education for its one-of-a-kind teaching and learning pedagogy.
Pacific Oaks College is acknowledged for its progressive educational method that focuses on valuing academic success and practical real-world experiences. The educational environment includes academic instruction, clinical training, research, and community outreach elements to enable students to gain a solid understanding of the common settings for children and how these settings affect child development. The college instills the belief that both theory and practice are understood through action and communication. The college also encourages educational experiences within the campus environment, profession, and public schools that promote students to identify their own strengths and interests, effectively handle challenges, and become competent in working with others. Students are encouraged to work and learn from each other and faculty members work with students to help them achieve their goals.
Pacific Oaks College offers various programs including human development, early childhood education, marital and family therapy, and teacher education credentialing at the certificate, bachelor degree, and master degree levels. Its innovative curriculum provides students with a slid knowledge base and the practical applied abilities to pursue successful careers. The programs are intended to meet the needs of all students including those busy schedules and other professional and personal obligations. Its online programs features 7 ½ week accelerated courses that are delivered via the eCollege platform. Students are able to connect to their courses at their convenience and most courses require students to login in at least three to six times per week. Students are able to communicate asynchronously with instructors and other students. The online platform offers a new student orientation that is a self-paced tutorial to enable students to become familiar with the virtual environment and instructors and other students. Online students are able to access admissions and financial aid counseling resources, library resources, and other services.
A group of seven Quaker families founded Pacific Oaks College as a community education center in 1945. The college quickly expanded while directed by Evangeline Burgess and Molly Morgenroth due to the fast recognition of a positive environment for children. The expanding nursery school sparked a need to develop teacher education programs. The institution offered accredited bachelor and master degree programs in 1959.
Accreditation
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredits Pacific Oaks College.
Scholarships Offered
Pacific Oaks College offers several scholarships based on academic merit and financial need such as the Cal Endow MFT Scholarship, Hearst Scholarship, Elizabeth Herrick Trust, California Endowment Grant, Fletcher Jones Scholarship, Ralph M. Parsons, Mayr Foundation, Pilario/Brown College Scholarship, Ahmanson Foundation, Pacific Oaks College Scholarship, Eaton and Beverly Ballard College Scholarship, PONW Scholarship, Career Incentive-Online, Driscoll Clevenger, Latino Family Literature, Rose Engel College Scholarship, Wolman Scholarship Fund, James and Elizabeth Greene College Scholarship, Jane G. Treister College Scholarship, W.M. Keck Foundation Scholarship, Maynard Scholarship, and Norris Foundation.
Financing Options
Pacific Oaks College participates in several financial aid programs including the Federal Pell Grant, Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), National SMART Grant, Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct Stafford Unsubsidized Loan, California State Grants, Federal Work Study, and Federal Parental Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), and Graduate PLUS Loan. Pacific Oaks also offers payment plans for enrollment fees.
Credit Earning Options
Pacific Oaks College grants credits for prior coursework completed at other regionally accredited colleges and universities. All transfer coursework must have a grade of a C or better. Transfer credits must be in five basic content areas: oral and written expression, social science, science and math, humanities and the arts, and electives. The college also awards credits for the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and up to 30 credits for life experiences. Students seeking credit for life experiences must complete three-credit Reflections on Life Experience course to be awarded the full 30 credits.