DISTANCE EDUCATION

Online Courses–Online courses provide you with  the opportunity to complete all coursework, including testing, through the convenience of your own computer.  Students study at a time and place convenient to them, communicate with classmates, and receive guidance from instructors via the Internet.  International students and students for who English is not their first language must provide a current TOEFL report or take the on campus Michigan (ESL) assessment.  E-learning courses are offered only in English. If English is not a first language, please contact Admissions at 1-800-228-9553 extension 2421 or email intladmissions@mcneb.edu. They will provide guidelines for international students wanting to take online courses. Students can sample what a online course is like by choosing E-learning from the link on the College’s homepage.

Hybrid courses – Hybrid courses typically meet on campus for half the time but require online work during the week between classes. This allows students to focus on content during the week while using class time for more engaging activities. Usually there is less lecture than in traditional on campus courses.

Support Services – Any student may use the College computers in the learning centers, computer labs or libraries. One-on-one assistance is available to students at the Academic Resource Centers who wish to learn how to take online classes. Additionally, services from the writing and math centers are available to E-learning students. Librarians are available by phone, and in person, to help with resources including over 50 online research databases.

Course Conferencing – Course conferencing offerings enable students to attend classes with students at other MCC locations. You interact with the instructor and students at other campuses via video and audio connections.

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

Adult Basic Education (ABE)--Adult Basic Education (ABE) is a program sponsored jointly by the Nebraska State Department of Education and Metropolitan Community College. This program is for the adult 19 years of age or older with less than a ninth-grade level of attainment; however, a person between the ages of 16 and 19 who is not enrolled in a regular high school program may enroll with special permission from the Nebraska State Department of Education. The student is offered the opportunity to develop basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. Upon completion of this course of study, the student is ready to prepare for the General Educational Development (GED) examination. Classes are free.

Apprenticeship--MCC offers a four-year apprenticeship training program in electrical and plumbing trades. The program is offered at the Industrial Training Center located at South Omaha Campus. The electrical curriculum is approved by the State of Nebraska Electrical Board and the plumbing curriculum is approved by the City of Omaha Plumbing Board. All instruction is during the evening. For more information, call 738-4034.

Students who have successfully completed an approved apprenticeship program through one of the local unions or an approved in-house apprenticeship program through a company may receive up to 56 credits towards their associate degree. For more information about this program, contact the Coordinator of Programs at 738-4034.

MCC Career Connection – The college’s new online career center helps MCC students and alumni connect with area employers.

Community Education – Community Education is focused on providing the community with a variety of learning opportunities such as using Excel and Word, learning a language, or writing a resume. Community Education may also provide the community with personal enrichment activities like learning to dance, trying watercolor painting, repairing your house, or improving your mental and physical health.

Corporate Education & Training – One of Nebraska’s most vital resources is its strong workforce.  MCC plays a critical role in preparing individuals to meet the changing needs of business and industry. Whether we are connecting workers with existing programs or partnering with businesses to develop new ones, MCC listens to the community’s needs and shapes our educational offerings to meet them.

• Site-based training – brings MCC's training to your place of business
• Customized training – specially developed training to meet unique business needs
• Academic program development – certificate and degree programs developed in partnership with specific business and industries
• Stakeholder involvement – engaging professionals in MCC's efforts to maintain a rigorous and workforce-relevant curriculum

English as a Second Language Classes (ESL)--MCC's English as a Second Language (ESL) program offers both credit and non-credit learning options for the student who needs to develop his/her English language proficiency. Both credit and non-credit classes are offered to provide a sequenced program of instruction. An intensive credit program is also offered. This enables the student to begin his/her study of the English language at basic literacy levels and progress through ESL courses at intermediate and advanced levels.

The student who enters the ESL program is required to complete assessment testing to determine appropriate placement into the sequence of courses. To register for assessment testing, the individual should telephone the South Omaha Student Services office.

Additional information concerning non-credit ESL instruction can be obtained through the Adult Basic Education Office at (402) 457-2312. Information about credit ESL courses can be obtained from the South Omaha Student Services office at (402) 738-4505 or the office of the Dean of Learning Design and Support at (402) 457-2366.

General Education Development (GED)--General Education Development (GED) is a high school completion program jointly sponsored by the Nebraska State Department of Education and Metropolitan Community College for the adult 19 years of age or older. However, a person who is at least 16 years of age and not in a regular high school program may enroll with special permission.

This program consists of GED preparation classes and GED testing. Classes are free. These classes prepare the adult for the GED examination, which is a nationally standardized test of high school equivalency for adults. There is an application fee for the high school diploma and a testing fee; the high school diploma is issued by the Nebraska Department of Education upon successful completion of the examination.

The GED examination consists of the following five timed tests:
Language Arts/Writing...... 50 quest. + 1 Essay (2 hours)
Social Studies.................. 50 quest. (1 hour, 10 minutes)
Science............................ 50 quest. (1 hour, 20 minutes)
Language Arts/Reading...... 40 quest.(1 hour, 5 minutes)
Mathematics....... 50 quest, 2 parts (1 hour, 30 minutes)

Metropolitan Community College is authorized by the Nebraska State Department of Education as a testing center.

Independent Study--Independent study allows a student to pursue, for credit, subject areas of interest outside of the existing College course structure. In certain instances, independent study may be used to complete the requirements for regularly offered courses.

The student wishing to take an independent study course must have the course approved by the faculty member and appropriate Academic Dean. The interested student should begin this process by contacting a faculty member teaching in the area of study.

Internship/Co-op Work Experience-- MCC's Internship/Cooperative Education program places the student in a working and learning environment for on-the-job training in his/her particular field of study before graduation. The student is placed with business, industry, or social services agencies.

An internship or co-op may be applied to many programs of study. Variable credit is granted for successful completion of training periods.

The interested student should contact the appropriate Academic Dean for eligibility requirements and application procedures.

K-12 Partnerships – MCC has established numerous partnerships with area K-12 schools for the benefit of students. Early entry courses, career academies, and high school-to-college transfer classes benefit students at the high school level. Other partnership activities enhance the career relevance and rigor of the K-12 experience to prepare students for a wide array of post-secondary options.

Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Program--
The Reserve Officers Training Core (ROTC) program at MCC is a joint venture between the Army ROTC program at Creighton University and the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). The program provides leadership training for the student who has an interest in becoming an officer in these services. Through written agreements, an MCC student may take the first two years of ROTC courses. While these courses are offered at Creighton University or UNO, by enrolling in the equivalent courses at MCC, students only need to pay MCC tuition. The required courses appear in this catalog under ROTC.

For further information, interested students should contact either the Army ROTC program at Creighton University (402) 280-1152), the Air Force ROTC program at UNO (402) 554-2318) or a MCC Student Services office.

Service-Learning and Cooperative Education – MCC understands how important it is to provide real-world experiences to reinforce what our students learn in the classroom.

• Service-Learning –projects that reinforce academic learning and promote civic involvement
• Cooperative Education – internships and practicum experiences for MCC students

Tech Prep--Tech Prep is a course of study that prepares the high school graduate to continue their post-secondary education in technically oriented careers and enhances school-to-career transition. It is a partnership effort between secondary and post-secondary institutions that promotes "seamless educational pathways" through career pathways and articulation agreements.

Career pathways provide a coherent sequence of courses that blend secondary education with two-year associate degree programs at Metropolitan Community College, which may furthermore provide articulation with four-year institutions. Secondary program areas include agriculture, business, family/consumer science, industrial technology, marketing and trades/industry. The career pathway serves as a "guidance tool" for counselors  by presenting a four-year planof study, two of which are spent at the secondary level and two at the post-secondary level.

For more information about Tech Prep and how students can take advantage of articulated credit, contact the Tech Prep office at 457-2243 or  visit www.mccneb.edu/techprep.

Weekend College--Friday, Saturday, and Sunday offerings include:

• college credit courses leading to a certificate or associate degree
• credit and non-credit courses to make a person a more effective employee and to facilitate job advancement
• special credit and non-credit courses to meet the particular needs of industrial, business, professional and civic groups

A student may enroll in a single course or a combination of courses to meet a special need or interest. She/he can improve or acquire special skills by enrolling in technical and occupational courses.

A course taken in the evening and/or on the weekend carries the same credit as a course taken in the regular day program, unless it is a non-credit course offering.

Admission requirements, academic regulations and student policies, as set forth in this catalog, apply to the evening and weekend student as they do to the day student.