Moorpark College to offer county's 1st community college bachelor's degree
Moorpark College will be the first community college in the county to offer bachelor's degrees when a new biotechnology program launches in fall 2024.
The Ventura County Community College District officially announced the new Bachelor of Science in Applied Biomanufacturing program after getting the green light from the California Community Colleges Board of Governors during its Jan. 23 meeting.
“Moorpark College aims to provide our community with educational opportunities that lead to careers that help them build wealth — not just a living wage — and salaries that lift students out of poverty into solid middle-class professional jobs," college president Julius Sokenu said in a statement.
The college will continue to offer its associate degree in biotechnology, a flagship program that was built on connections with the area's large biotech industry.
The new baccalaureate program is the first such offering at a Ventura County community college. It came out of a 2021 decision by the state Legislature to extend and expand a 2014 pilot bill that added bachelor's degrees to 15 community colleges around California. The 2021 bill authorized the state community college board to accept an additional 30 programs each year.
In September, Moorpark College's new program was on the state board's agenda alongside a slate of nine other programs, but was among three proposals delayed by objections from the California State University system. CSU officials worried that Moorpark College would "duplicate" CSU programs, according to board minutes.
But at January's meeting, Aisha Lowe, a state community college vice chancellor, announced that CSU officials had agreed to let Moorpark College's program proceed along with a cyberdefense program at San Diego City College.
The district's release said it hopes the new degree program "will help diversify the local workforce by removing barriers and offering employment opportunities for low-income and minority individuals, women and recent immigrants."
“The Ventura County Community College District prides itself on the work we do with our industry partners to enhance students’ futures and address workforce needs,” Chancellor Rick MacLennan wrote. More bachelor's degree programs could be coming to Ventura County, MacLennan said, noting Ventura College and Oxnard College are exploring programs for in-demand fields.
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