Studying Education at Pacific Oaks College
Pacific Oaks College appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Best Online Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education Degree Programs.
Pacific Oaks College offers several programs in education and was originally founded as an institution for future teachers. More than 35 percent of the students at Pacific Oaks College are enrolled in education programs. Not only can students enroll in bachelor’s degree programs in education, but the college also offers several graduate programs in areas like elementary education and special education. Degrees are offered at the Pasadena Campus, the secondary campus in San Jose, and online. The college suggests that students who earn a degree in education will have many opportunities since education in the United States is in a period of reform with new legislative action meant to improve public school programs and student access to STEM classes and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
At the undergraduate level, students may earn a Bachelor of Arts in Childhood Education and may choose one of several concentrations. Those areas include the topics of trauma studies, STEAM, elementary education & special education, and elementary education. Students who want to use their degree to teach in California will want to decide what grade they want to teach and then ensure their studies will lead to earning a teaching credential. Students who enroll online from another state may also use their degree at Pacific Oaks College to become licensed in their state but are encouraged to check with the government education board in their state of residence to confirm they are on the right path to becoming a teacher.
Some of the courses a student may take when enrolled in one of the undergraduate programs at Pacific Oaks College include Cognitive Development: How Children Learn and Child, Family, & Community Partnerships in Early Childhood Education. Students may transfer to Pacific Oaks College with credits earned at other colleges and may also request to have their life or career experience used as credit for satisfying the program’s curriculum requirements. At the conclusion of study and after obtaining licensure, students may qualify to become teachers, as well as work as childcare or preschool administrators, principals, or assistant directors of educational facilities.
Becoming a principal or high-level administrator will usually require a graduate degree, so students may want to consider one of the graduate programs at Pacific Oaks College. Those degrees include a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education with available concentrations in Organizational Leadership & Change and Trauma Studies. Students will benefit from an education program which was the site of one of the nation’s first Head Start training programs, which was launched in 1964. Classes a student may take in the graduate program include Public Policy and Its Impact on Childhood and Families and Creating Responsive Communities for All Families.
About Pacific Oaks College
Pacific Oaks College is located in Pasadena, California and has around 1,000 enrolled at its Pasadena location, as well as at its second campus in San Jose, California. Students can enroll part-time or full-time in pursuit of their degree and may take classes online or on campus. The college was established in 1958 and was meant to offer progressive education with a focus on early childhood and human development through adulthood. The college operated as an extension of the UCLA campus for a few years before becoming an independent institution. Today, the college includes lessons on social injustice in its programs, and the college also operates a children’s school at its Pasadena location. The school’s official colors are green and orange.
Pacific Oaks College Accreditation Details
Regional accreditation for Pacific Oaks College comes from the Western Senior Colleges & Universities Commission. The college was first accredited in 1959 and has maintained its accreditation since that time. The college is also a member of TCS Education Systems, which is a system of nonprofit colleges. The school has gained authorization to operate in several states around the country, which allows students from states like Alaska, Maryland, and Pennsylvania to enroll and take classes online. The program for Education Specialists has gained approval from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy satisfies the requirements of the Board of Behavioral Sciences, and students in that program can take the MFT exam to become licensed in the State of California.
Pacific Oaks College Application Requirements
Applying to Pacific Oaks College means completing the official application, paying a $55 application fee, attending an interview with someone from the Admissions Committee, and demonstrating a commitment to the values of the college. Students will also write a personal statement and a resume that demonstrates at least three years of life experience or professional experience or an official transcript with credits taken at a regionally accredited school. Undergraduate applicants who have a cumulative high school GPA of less than 2.0 or who don’t have sufficient professional or life experience may need to send the college additional supporting materials with their application. Supporting items may include an additional essay of at least three pages that describes why the student wants to attend college or a letter of support from a non-relative who believes the student will find success in a program at the college.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition at Pacific Oaks College for undergraduate lower division courses is $350 per credit hour. Upper-division undergraduate courses are $832 per credit hour. The program in Early Childhood Education: Elementary Education & Special Education is $665 per credit hour. Students pursuing a teaching credential pay $832 per credit, graduate students pay $1,103 per credit, and graduate students seeking a teaching credential will also pay $1,103 per credit. Active duty members of the military pay $250 per credit hour, and the families of veterans and members of the military pay $665 per credit hour for undergraduate programs and $882 for graduate programs. The ECE Steam Certificate program is $150 per credit hour.
Students enrolled for classes at Pacific Oaks College may submit a FAFSA form and qualify for federal financial aid that may include loans and grants to help pay for school. Students who accept a financial aid award will need to sign a Stafford Master Promissory Note and complete Entrance Counseling. Pacific Oaks College also offers a variety of institutional scholarships, and future students can apply online for consideration. Scholarships are offered on a first come, first awarded basis, so students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. The college recommends that students interested in any of the education programs at Pacific Oaks College apply at least one month before enrollment, to secure a scholarship award.
