Virginia College

Virginia College is a chain of private for-profit post-secondary institutions located primarily in the Southeastern United States. It is a Proprietary college which, in comparison to traditional colleges or universities, offers classes related to specific professions. In common with other such colleges, Virginia College offers certificates, diplomas, and degrees in the areas of health and medical, information technology, business, office management, and criminal justice.Virginia College website: [http://www.vc.edu/] ]

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name = Virginia College
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established = 1983
type = For-profit
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head_label = Owner
head = Educational Corporation of America
students = approx. 5,000
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city = Birmingham (Main Campus)
state = Alabama
country = USA
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History

The original Virginia College campus was founded in 1983 in Roanoke, VA. In 1989, the college was purchased by Education Futures, Inc. In February 1992, Virginia College opened its first branch campus in Birmingham, Alabama. Another branch campus was opened in April 1993 in Huntsville, Alabama. Several more branches have opened since as the school has expanded.

Ownership

The company that owns and operates the schools, Education Corporation of America, is a privately held corporation headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. ECA also owns Virginia College Online, which offers distance education academic programs via the Internet; San Diego Golf Academy; and Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College, offering degrees in the culinary arts. [ [http://www.ecacolleges.com Education Corporation of America] ]

Virginia College locations

On-ground campuses of Virginia College are located in Birmingham, Alabama; Huntsville, Alabama; Mobile, Alabama; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; Biloxi, Mississippi; Pensacola, Florida; and Austin, Texas. The Culinard campus and teaching kitchens are in Birmingham, Alabama. San Diego Golf Academy campuses are in Honolulu, Hawaii; San Diego, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Orlando, Florida.

Curriculum

As with similar proprietary colleges, [http://www.vc.edu Virginia College] claims to prepare students for direct entry into the job market. Instructors are not tenured professors, but tend to be people employed in the professions in which they teach, and may or may not hold advanced degrees. Students seeking a better-rounded education should choose a more traditional college. [http://www.vconline.edu Virginia College Online] offers online classes and degrees.

Accreditation

Virginia College programs are accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, which is an agency offering "national" accreditation, but not regional accreditation. Because of this, many regionally accredited schools, including state colleges and universities, are reluctant to accept their credits in transfer or recognize their degrees for entry into graduate programs. [http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/10/19/transfer "Demanding Credit", Inside Higher Education website, dated Oct. 19, 2005 by Scott Jaschik] ] [http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/02/26/transfer "Tussling Over Transfer of Credit", Inside Higher Education website, February 26, 2007 by Doug Lederman] ] [http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/education/courses/distancelearn-09.html "What is the Difference Between Regional and National Accreditation", Yahoo! Education website] ] [http://www.useducation.com.pk/stpages/typesofaccreditation.html "Types of Accreditation", Education USA website] ] However, since national accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, financial aid is available to students who qualify, and degrees from the college are legitimate for professional use. [http://www.elearners.com/resources/accreditation.asp "Understanding Accreditation", eLearners.com website] ]

ee also

*Vocational school
*Proprietary colleges
*Cooking school
*For-Profit School
*Online degrees
*Master of Business Administration

References