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Public Relations and Marketing | Published Jan 31, 2022
For students looking to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business, starting the journey at College of Lake County (CLC) before earning a transfer degree is a fantastic opportunity to save money while getting a high-quality education.
In students' first two years of an undergraduate program at a four-year institution, they’ll likely take mostly general education courses. The same courses can be taken at CLC for a fraction of the cost.
“I teach business, so I think of things from a business perspective,” Business Faculty Bob Dodd said. “College is expensive, and this is a great way to cut down on your tuition costs. I came to CLC out of high school. That’s how I started my college career.”
Classes for the associate degree in business are taught in all kinds of modalities, including online, so students can earn a degree from home.
While general education credits make up the bulk of the associate degree, CLC offers many business electives that are beneficial to a student's education. Introduction to Business is a great start, especially for those still trying to figure out what area of business they want to get into. Other popular electives include Principles of Management and Marketing and Business Law, taught by real lawyers.
That’s another perk of learning at CLC: everyone in the business department has industry experience, with some, including Dodd, working in the field for over 30 years before they started teaching. Many adjunct faculty members are still working in business today. Their experience in the field means faculty can bring stories and experiences into the classroom and offer valuable networking opportunities.
“We focus on our teaching, and that’s very different than what you’re going to find at a four-year university where the professors teach one or two classes a semester,” Dodd said. “It may not be what they want to do. They’re there for research.”
CLC makes transferring to a four-year college or university easy with the help of CLC’s 30+ four-year guaranteed transfer partners. The business degree specifically transfers well, Dodd said, with many schools accepting credit for general education courses and business electives.
Dodd says the business and accounting departments have the highest number of transfer students at CLC.
The broadness of the business associate degree makes it a great choice for students who aren’t sure what career they want to go into thanks to all the different paths the degree opens. Introduction to Business gives students an overview of these various career options.
“This is a very employable degree,” Dodd said. “It’s a great degree to get if you’re looking for a job, and I think that’s the ultimate goal for most people.”
About College of Lake County
College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves in northeastern Illinois. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, college classes are affordable and accessible to help each student achieve academic, career and personal goals. More than 70,000 students graduated with degrees and certificates since the college opened in 1969. College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes and is a national leader in many areas, including sustainability and conservation.