Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) Academics and Unique Programs

Academics

Located in Santa Rosa, California, Santa Rosa Junior College seeks to meet the needs of its community by providing a wide array of classes and educational options to its students. While attending SRJC, students may earn transfer degrees, associate’s degrees, vocational certificates or continuing education credits. There are also general education courses available for students that simply seek to improve daily life skills such as math, reading and writing. Many people also pick up a few classes at SRJC in order to adopt a new hobby or broaden skills used in their profession. Whatever the need, SRJC strives to meet it.

Associate’s Degrees

An associate’s degree offers graduates several opportunities. Graduates may go directly into the workforce and begin a new career or use their associate’s degree as a starting point in order to have a career while working toward a bachelor’s degree. Many students choose to use the associate’s degree as a transfer degree in order to take advantage of the lower tuition at SRCC.

To earn an associate’s degree or a transfer degree from Santa Rosa Junior College, all students must meet five criteria. First, they must meet a general education pattern by taking a determined number of General Education Courses. Second, students must take at least eighteen units directly related to the major applied for. Next, at least sixty units total must be earned. In order for Santa Rosa to grant a degree, a student must be registered at SRJC during the semester that the degree is finally earned and at least twelve of the credits must have been earned at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Vocational Certificates

Santa Rosa Junior College offers a diverse array of nearly two hundred occupational certificate programs to prepare students for entry level positions in the workforce or for self-employment. An example of some of these are Animal Science, Automotive Technology, Dental Assisting and Restaurant Management. These classes provide an excellent opportunity for a student to enhance or acquire job skills. Santa Rosa students may earn either a Certificate of Achievement or a Skills Certificate. Typically a Certificate of Achievement is more than eighteen units and takes between one and two years to complete. A Skills Certificate is eighteen units or less and consists of a few concentrated courses relating to the topic being studied.

Other Programs

Santa Rosa Junior College also offers GED programs, Community Education courses, Continuing Education Credits, online learning opportunities and a Study Abroad program. SRJC is truly a unique facility that offers growth via education to every member of its community.

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Information Summary

Ranks 142nd in California and 1925th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	64.7
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$3,246
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	20 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	77% / 47%
Enrollment Total (all students)	20,000

Unique Programs

In addition to the astounding number of programs and many unique study environments that Santa Rosa Junior College has to offer, they also promote a Study Abroad Program. The purpose of the International Education at Santa Rosa Junior College is to provide a diverse, well-rounded education to students in order to prepare them for a successful career in a global environment. The requirements to participate in the program are simple. The student must complete a minimum of twelve credits in non-performing classes and have a minimum GPA of 2.0. The program is offered in either a thirteen-week semester term in which the student earns twelve units, or a five-week summer term in which the student studies abroad and earns six to seven units.

Students get the opportunity to study in such places as London and Florence while earning college credits in classes taught by professors that are familiar to them, thus gaining a global education without having to completely learn a new language or be without the support of people familiar to them. This is a unique program and demonstrates Santa Rosa Junior College’s dedication to providing the best educational experience possible to every student that enrolls there.

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Admissions

Admission to Santa Rosa Junior College is a five-step process. First, complete the school’s application that is available on the school website. Students who apply will receive a student identification number and a PIN number.

Next, Santa Rosa Junior College requires placement testing for many of its programs. A clear understanding of the English language in both its written and spoken forms is essential for success at SRJC. Also, a math placement test is also required for students seeking to start a transfer degree, enter into an associate’s degree program, or obtain some technical career certificates. A chemistry placement test is also required where appropriate.

Students may be exempted from any or all of these tests if they have completed high school math or English, scored three or higher on College Board AP exams in math or English, scored as “ready” for CSU college level math or English on the EAP test at a high school or have already taken placement tests at another two-year college.

The next step is go through orientation. This may be accomplished in one of three ways. Students may take the orientation course on campus, participate in a “drop-in” orientation scheduled on campus, or complete an online orientation.

Students that have gone through orientation are now ready to attend counseling. During June, July or August students have to visit the Welcome Center to speak with a counselor. During the session, class schedules and educational goals will be discussed and a guideline will be developed. If a student has AP or EAP test results or transcripts from another school, it is a good idea to bring them to this appointment.

FInally, the student may register for classes. This step is completed online via the school website. If a student needs disability services, the school offers reasonable accommodation to all that ask. Simply refer to the website for more information regarding this. It is also a good idea to check the website for financial aid and scholarship information. Often, scholarships require separate applications that the school will make available in advance.

Financial Aid

Financial assistance is available to students that need help paying for tuition, fees, books and living expenses while attending Santa Rosa Junior College. The college offers aid in the form of federal grants and loans, state grants and also features over seven hundred fifty local scholarships to students beginning at or transferring to SRJC. There is also a Board of Governors Enrollment Fee Waiver that waives enrollment fees for low-income students.

The first step to applying for financial aid is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that is available by January or February of the year prior to enrollment. It is essential that students complete this form as early as possible because many local scholarships have limited funds per year and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The FAFSA requires financial information for both the student and the family, so applicants should have this information available prior to starting the application.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 5406th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in California.

Athletics

The Santa Rosa Junior College offers students the chance to participate in many different sports including men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, track and field, water polo, cross country and swimming. Men’s sports also include baseball, wrestling and golf while women have additional opportunities to participate in softball and volleyball. The SRJC Bear Cubs sport colors of navy and orange and compete in the California Community College Athletic Association Northern California conference. Winners of several titles, the school is competitive in its conference.

Santa Rosa Junior College maintains a high level of pride and integrity regarding its athletic program. SRJC only recruits athletes that live in California and strives to offer a broad variety of both men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports that enhance the educational objectives of the school.

Additional School Information

Santa Rosa has four different campuses and learning centers that provide a diverse range of educational opportunities to students. The traditional classroom-type campuses are found on both the original Santa Rosa campus and the newer SRJC Petaluma Campus. The Petaluma Campus also houses SRJC’s Technology Academy. Santa Rosa Junior College’s Public Safety Training Center offers hands-on learning to public safety professionals. Students seeking to become a culinary professional study at the SRJC Culinary Cafe and Bakery and the SRJC Shone Farm offers students studying forestry and agriculture a hands-on environment in which to learn.

Founded in 1891, Santa Rosa Junior College’s Santa Rosa Campus is over a hundred acres of elegant, turn-of-the-century buildings where students can feel the rich history of the school simply by resting under one of the ancient oaks. The campus houses state-of-the-art facilities and is home to a planetarium, the Summer Repertoir Theatre, The Jesse Peter Native American Museum and an art museum. This campus is also the home to SRJC’s athletic program and features traditional classrooms housed in ivy-covered buildings.

The Petaluma Campus was originally opened in 1964 and expansion to include seven new buildings began in 2006. The new buildings house a massive library, a physical fitness center, dining areas, classrooms, physics and chemistry labs and student services areas. The Petaluma Campus features graceful Adobe buildings that reflect the style and architecture that is native to the area and offers students a technologically advanced environment in which to learn. This campus also houses the SRJC Technology Academy which offers a place for students and local technology businesses a place to network and learn together.

The SRJC Culinary Cafe and Bakery boasts a full-sized commercial kitchen where students may learn different culinary trades. Wine knowledge classes are held in the evenings and the facility features a retail bakery store, a cafe and catering services.

The SRJC Public Training Center was established in 1961 and offers training to police officers, firemen, emergency medical technicians and other law enforcement and public safety personnel. Featuring traditional classrooms, an indoor firing range, a state-of-the art scenario training village and an emergency medical lab facility, the center is the largest provider of in-service training for law enforcement personnel north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Finally, the SRJC Shone Farms facility was established in 1972 and is a self-sustaining, 365-acre farm where students majoring in forestry and agriculture receive hands-on training. Goods grown at the farm are used at the SRJC Culinary Cafe and the farm also generates income for the school via its vineyard, hay production and swine and sheep operations.

Bibliography

College. “SRJC Basketball Teams on Doorstep of Final Four”. Press Democrat.. (4 March 2011) College Blogs. Web. 19 April 2011.

Santa Rosa Junior College. Santa Rosa Junior College. 19 April 2011. Web. 19 April 2011.

City of Santa Rosa California. City of Santa Rosa, California. Web. 19 April 2011.

Santa Rosa Junior College