Community colleges, or 2-year schools, are a type of school that offers enrollment to those that live in the surrounding community. Typically they are open enrollment for students who graduated from high school. All District 214 students live in the Harper College district.
At Harper College, you can:
Earn a Certificate to obtain job-specific skills.
Earn an Associate Degree to prepare to enter the workforce or to transfer to a 4-year college.
Complete an apprenticeship to earn money through work while taking courses toward your degree.
Earn a 4-year degree (Bachelor's) degree through Harper’s University Center.
CLICK HERE to explore Harper’s 10 areas of interest and find your “right fit.”
Can be a great way to get additional training in a specific area.
Generally can be completed in 6-18 months and require no General Education classes (e.g. math, English, etc.).
Many can be “stacked” on top of previous certificates to make yourself more marketable when applying for jobs or moving up in your company or toward completing a 2-year degree.
Harper College offers over 70 certificate programs, but also has tuition agreements with other schools for programs not offered.
o Advanced Welding
o Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Service
o Bread and Pastry Arts
o Early Childhood Education
o Emergency and Disaster Management
o Graphic Arts
o hotel Management
o IT Support Technician
o Kitchen and Bath Specialty
o Medical Assistant
o Private Security
o Web Development
o and 60+ more!
Associate Degrees are two-year career programs to prepare to enter the workforce or to transfer to four-year institutions.
Four degrees designed to help prepare you to transfer to a four-year university
Academic counselors help you choose classes based on where you want to transfer to
Guaranteed admission and transfer guidance with institutions for a smooth transition
Partners: DePaul University, Governors State, Roosevelt University
Earn your bachelor's degree without leaving Harper's campus with these university partners and programs:
o DePaul University – Business Administration (BAPS), Communication and Media (BA)
o Northern Illinois University – Computer Science (BS), Psychology (BA or BS)
o Roosevelt University – Criminal Justice (BA), Elementary Education (BA), Graphic Design (BA), Health Sciences Administration (BA), Human Resource Management (BSBA), Master of Business Administration (MBA)
o Southern Illinois University – Accounting (BS), Public Safety Management (BS)
Employers hire you, pay you a salary with benefits, plus pay for your education at Harper
You usually spend 1.5-2 years minimum working for that company after your education is complete
Some employers will pay for your bachelor’s degree afterwards
Harper College's Apprenticeship Programs
o Industrial Maintenance Mechanic
o Marketing and Sales Management
If Harper College does not offer the certificate or degree program you are interested in, you can request to attend a different community college in Illinois for the price of that school's in-district tuition through a joint agreement. Students would apply to both colleges and submit a joint agreement form to Harper College.
Example: Automotive Technology at Triton College (Harper does not offer this program of study)
CLICK HERE for the joint agreement form.
Some community colleges offer housing. Here are a few examples:
Kirkwood Community College (near University of Iowa)
Spoon River College (housing at Western Illinois University)
University of Wisconsin System (two-year schools with housing)
Parkland Pathway (housing at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign)
California Community Colleges (two-year schools with housing)