Excelsior College and University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education Partner to Offer Students More Opportunities
Albany, New York — Excelsior College is building a learning ecosystem to offer seamless pathways for students and award college credit for certificate programs. University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education (UCI DCE) is partnering with Excelsior to offer students earning evaluated certificates an opportunity to convert that professional certificate to credit in an Excelsior degree program.
In addition, through this partnership, Excelsior students and alumni will have the opportunity to enroll in the UCI DCE certificate programs to continue their lifelong learning.
Excelsior College was founded in 1971 as the Regents External Degree Program, which evaluated credit earned from college courses, proficiency examinations, military educational programs, and the assessment of knowledge gained from experience and nontraditional approaches to education to help students achieve degree completion. While evolving to offer degree programs fully online, Excelsior has maintained its commitment to aggregating credit for previous learning accomplishments and awarding credit for approved workplace and military training, health care credentials, and industry certifications.
“The partnership between Excelsior and UCI DCE represents a shift in higher education to a larger educational ecosystem,” said David Schejbal, president of Excelsior College. “The collaboration will allow students of both institutions flexibility in customizing the best learning experience to meet their needs.”
UCI DCE was established in 1962 and has served the lifelong learning and career development needs of individuals and organizations. It offers over 80 industry-relevant certificates and specialized studies programs.
“The learning pathway partnership between the University of California Irvine’s Division of Continuing Education (UCI) and Excelsior College is a wonderful example of the kind of inter-institutional cooperation that foreshadows a major trend in higher education,” said Gary Matkin, dean of continuing education and vice provost of career pathways. “Built on the need for students to have facilitated on-ramps to learning that create value to them over their life transitions, the partnership combines the strength of UCI’s credit certificate programs and Excelsior’s long tradition of innovation in degree completion programs. Students can start with a UCI program gaining credit for it toward an Excelsior degree or start with the degree and enhance it with a UCI certificate program. As always, for both institutions, students are at the center of this partnership. We hope this partnership will be a model for other institutions as higher education evolves to meet students’ needs.”
More information about the partnership is available at excelsior.edu/uci.
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Media Contact Excelsior College:
Erin Coufal, ecoufal@excelsior.edu, 518-608-8498
ABOUT EXCELSIOR COLLEGE
Excelsior College is an accredited, not-for-profit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. The college contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971, Excelsior meets students where they are — academically and geographically — removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity.
