Kristina Bugante
Staff Writer
The University of La Verne has recently launched the Extended Learning program, which offers non-degree/non-credit courses and certificate programs to students.
The program offers certification in wedding and event planning, clinical medical assistant training, pharmacy technician training and an on-site corporate training program.
“The Extended Learning program is an opportunity for the University to engage and meet the educational needs of the community,” said Yvonne Gutierrez-Sandoval, the director of Extended Learning.
The program has open enrollment to anyone who is interested in taking the courses.
“This is a program they can use to try something new, to learn something new or to expand their horizons,” Chief Editorial Director Charles Bentley said.
Extended Learning strives to not only be another option for education, but to be a participating part of the community as well.
“We also want to provide other opportunities for people who are not in the degree seeking part of their life,” said Vice Provost Homa Shabahang.
The program will be a secondary option to the degree programs the University offers.
“To be able to offer this kind of opportunity is what a university is supposed to do,” Bentley said.
Extended Learning hopes to increase their partnership with institutions such as Casa Colina, a rehabilitation center in Pomona, Kaiser Permanente or any other healthcare providers to see if they have the needs to train people in their operations of pharmaceutical and clinical medial assistance.
“If we can help create opportunities for them to get new employees to help them get their future needs, then it’s a two-way street; it’s a full partnership,” Bentley said.
The pharmacy and clinical medical assistant training classes will be offered on the University’s Ontario regional campus.
“We also are looking forward to utilizing our facilities better,” Shabahang said.
“(The regional campuses) are wonderful facilities. They are state of the art, and they sit there without being utilized until the evening when the adults and graduate students come,” Shabahang said.
The Extended Learning program came about by evaluating the kinds of demands and questions the community had in regards to non-credit/non-degree programs.
“We went on different colleges’ websites, and (got) a sense of their extended or continuing education programs, professional developments, and (saw) what’s available and what’s being offered,” Gutierrez-Sandoval said.
The Pharmacy Technician Program is a combined total of 302 hours, and the Clinical Medical Assistant Training Program is a total of 294 hours. Both programs’ hours include classroom instruction, online training and off-site externships that both cost up to $3,499.
Certification in wedding and event planning costs up to $1,495.
Extended Learning has no affiliation with the main campus’ degree program.
The Journalism and Technology summer workshop has been removed by the request of Communications Department Chairman George Keeler.
However, the journalism course is still listed online.
The course will be taken down soon, according to Provost Greg Dewey.
Keeler said the provost announced at last Thursday’s faculty senate meeting that the programs of Extended Learning are not to conflict with what is already being offered at the University’s main campus.
The courses offer no credit and are only for community enlightenment, Keeler said.
Students cannot register for the courses yet.
For more information visit laverne.edu/extendedlearning.
Kristina Bugante can be reached at kristina.bugante@laverne.edu.
I would like to know when will you have the wedding planning class again.