GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Community College is increasing the number of seven-week classes they are offering.
The purpose of the additional classes is to help people who are starting or continuing their education, according to the college provost.
With these additions, GRCC will offer about 130 classes within a variety of subjects for the fall 2020 semester. These classes will be longer than the traditional 50-minute sessions and will be completed in a shorter amount of time to adhere to students' schedules who have a busy life outside of school.
“We’re being responsive to those needs and busy schedules, creating more opportunities for people to connect when it works best for them," said GRCC President Bill Pink.
There will be nearly 40 classes offered within the School of Arts and Sciences and about 90 in the School of Workforce Development.
The classes will be offered in hybrid sessions, meaning they can be completed both online and in the classroom. The classes will cover the same amount of content as a typical semester-long class.
Provost Brian Knetl said the accelerated schedule is especially helpful for people who might have started work toward a degree but were interrupted before they could finish.
“We know there are many people who might be a class or two from completing that degree, and it can make a difference for them as they move forward. The traditional schedule might not work for people who are working around jobs and family obligations," Knetl said.
About 280,000 adults in Kent and Ottawa counties had not attended college or had not completed a degree or certificate, according to 2017 statistics from the federal government’s American Communities Survey.
He said the college will use this upcoming year to determine if the seven-week and Saturday schedules work for students, and strategically add sections to meet demand.
Open registration for new students starts March 20. Current students with 12 or more credits can start registering on March 10, and those with 11 credits or fewer can register starting March 17.
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