National
Labor College
©2012 National Labor College | NLCVB01A 10000 New Hampshire Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20903 www.NLC.edu
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(union bug) Future student:
Here
is the
information you requested
about
finishing your college degree
at the
2
Congratulations on taking the first step to completing your college degree!
I am pleased to send you a viewbook about the National Labor College (NLC). I hope that it answers your questions about what it takes to complete your college degree through the NLC’s School of Professional Studies or School of Labor Studies.
As you read through the viewbook, you’ll soon discover how the NLC is truly unique. We’re the only regionally accredited higher education institution committed to educating union members and their families, and union leaders and staff. Our bachelor’s degree programs are specifically designed to prepare you for job growth opportunities in your existing field … or a new one and to promote the values of the labor movement. Our online classes allow you to schedule the classwork at your convenience. And our tuition and fees (approximately $265 per credit) are affordable for many working families — financial aid and Union Plus scholarships are also available to those who qualify. When you’re ready to take the next step, simply go to our website at www.NLC.eduto complete an application. Or, please call our knowledgeable Admissions Counselors with more questions at 1-888-427-8200.
Take the next step now. You will be as happy as all the NLC graduates you will meet in these pages when you fulfill your educational goals.
In solidarity,
Paula E. Peinovich, Ph.D. President
Letter from
the President
Letter
from the
President
Contents
Contents
About the National Labor College (NLC). . . 5
Accreditation . . . 5
Admission Requirements. . . 5
Financial Information. . . 6
What is Online Learning?. . . 7
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) . . . 7
Academic Calendar . . . 7
School of Professional Studies . . . 9
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration . . . 9
Bachelor of Arts in Construction Management. . . 11
Bachelor of Science in Emergency Readiness and Response Management. . . 12
School of Labor Studies. . . 13
Bachelor of Arts in Labor Studies. . . 13
Bachelor of Arts in Labor Education. . . 14
Bachelor of Arts in Labor History. . . 14
Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy of Labor. . . 14
“Learning is much easier for me in my forties
than when I graduated from high school.”
“These online degree programs make labor education
much more accessible to many people.”
Denise Sebo, IBEW member, Illinois
National Labor College
About
the
National Labor College
The National Labor College (NLC) is truly unique. We’re the only regionally accredited higher education institution committed to educating union members and their families, and union leaders and staff. Regional accreditation is the gold standard of accreditation making your degree of the highest value nationwide. This allows you to access federal student aid, transfer credits easily and move on to graduate programs at top schools. Our bachelor’s degree programs are
specifically designed to prepare you for job growth opportunities in your existing field … or a new one. Our online classes allow you to schedule the classwork at your convenience. In our academic programs, we honor higher learning that takes place both inside and outside the collegiate community and recognize relevant union training for college credit.
Accreditation
The National Labor College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. 215-284-5000). The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
To look us up on the Middle States Commission on Higher Education site or for more information about how accreditation works and what it means, please go to www.msche.org.
Admission
Admission Requirements
You can apply to any of the NLC’s bachelor’s degree programs online at www.NLC.edu/application.html. The National Labor College accepts applicants throughout the year on a rolling basis. An application must be received approximately 6-8 weeks before a term’s start date to allow time to process the application by gathering the necessary documentation. You may begin to take classes in a spring, summer or fall term.
Since the NLC is an upper-level-degree completion institution, most of our students have credits from accredited colleges, apprenticeships or other types of prior learning that can be transferred towards their degree. You may begin a program of study at any time; however, you must have 56 credits on an NLC transcript to be eligible for federal student aid or loans. You may also enroll in the Prior Learning Assessment Workshop (see page 7) and complete a portfolio, where you can earn up to 30 credits for your collegiate learning that you acquired outside of a traditional classroom. The NLC accepts up to 84 transfer credits towards a degree in Business Administration, Construction Management, and Emergency Readiness and Response Management and up to 90 transfer credits towards any of the degrees in the School of Labor Studies.
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Financial Information
Tuition
The NLC’s tuition is less expensive than the average academic institution.
Average Tuition and Fees, 2011-2012 Academic Year*
*Source: Trends in College Pricing 2011 by the College Board Advocacy & Policy Center
Federal Student Aid
Fully admitted NLC students with 56 earned or transferred credits may apply for federal aid at the NLC.
Federal student aid may be used to cover expenses such as tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, buying a computer or paying for dependent care. The U.S. government offers a number of grant and loan programs to help eligible students finance college. Grants do not have to be repaid as long as you meet specified requirements, while loans are borrowed funds that must be repaid. Eligibility is determined by the federal government and is based on financial need as well as a number of other factors. Students completing Certificate Programs are not eligible for financial aid. The NLC participates in the Federal Pell Grant and Direct Loan programs. In order to apply for federal student aid with NLC, please visit www.NLC.edu/financial-aid.html.
Scholarships
Through the generosity of our alumni, staff, friends and partners, the NLC is pleased to offer a variety of scholarships that allow us to support our students’ unique financial needs. Union Plus NLC Scholarships are available for students with financial need. This scholarship program is sponsored by the Union Plus Education Foundation and
administered by the National Labor College. The Union Plus Education Foundation’s donation to the National Labor College represents the largest financial aid contribution to the college. Visit our website for information on eligibility and how to apply for all scholarships at www.NLC.edu/scholarships.html.
Veterans Benefits
The National Labor College is proud to participate in the veterans benefits program. Interested students should contact the federal Department of Veterans Affairs for more information at www.gibill.va.gov.
Academic Institution Per Credit Cost Per Course Cost (3 credits) Percentage More Than NLC
National Labor College $ 265.00 $ 795.00 — Public 4-Year In State $ 274.80 $ 824.40 4%
Public 4-Year Out-of-State $ 692.33 $ 2,077.00 161% Private Nonprofit 4-Year $ 950.00 $ 2,850.00 258%
Academic Calendar
Academic Calendar
The NLC has three semesters every calendar year. Each semester has 15 weeks and is split into two, 7-week terms. For the 2012 calendar year, the key dates are as follows:
Spring Semester: January 9 – April 20, 2012
Spring Term A (Jan. 9 – Feb. 24); Term B (Mar. 5 – Apr. 20, 2012) Summer Semester: May 7 – August 17, 2012
Summer Term A (May 7 – Jun. 22); Term B (Jul. 2 – Aug. 17, 2012) Fall Semester: September 4 – December 14, 2012
Fall Term A (Sep. 4 – Oct. 19); Term B (Oct. 29 – Dec. 14 , 2012)
Online Learning
What
is
Online Learning?
The NLC’s online format allows you to maintain your commitments to family, work, community and union. Our well-designed, highly interactive classes allow you to master course material conveniently at home.
Your first course will provide a comprehensive introduction on how to succeed in online learning. You will learn how simple the technology is and how easy it is to communicate with your professor and fellow students throughout each week as you complete assignments and engage in lively dialogue.
You will be studying with people just like you—students finishing their college degrees who are committed to the labor movement. Even though your classmates live around the country, you will build solidarity and be part of a dynamic community that shares labor’s values.
Prior Learning Assessment
Prior Learning Assessment
The Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Workshop enables you to earn college credits for skills learned and
knowledge acquired outside of the traditional college classroom setting. Credits may be earned for learning gained in such activities as on-the-job training, union work, community volunteering, starting a business, or mastering a craft or hobby over the years. The key to earning credits lies in the student’s ability to demonstrate his or her learning through written essays, documentation and other sources of verification through a portfolio process.
“Everything has gone so smoothly — the professors,
counselors, financial aid staff have all been great.”
Sarah Gray, flight attendant, IAM member, Texas
Professional Studies
School
of
Professional Studies
The School of Professional Studies currently offers three majors: Business Administration, Construction
Management, and Emergency Readiness and Response Management. These programs are specifically designed to help working people advance in their careers. All majors in the School of Professional Studies have two required courses in labor studies that provide students with an understanding of the contributions of the labor movement to the world of work.
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration
The NLC’s bachelor’s degree in Business Administration is designed for rank-and-file union members and adult members of union families interested in acquiring the business knowledge and skills in a degree program that emphasizes sustainable and ethical business practices. Union members interested in starting or improving the performance of their own small businesses will find this program suitable for their learning needs. This program is also effective for union staff or elected officials interested in improving their ability to manage and administer unions and other organizations.
The Business Administration degree requires students to complete 36 credits—12 required core courses
(of 3 credits each) listed below. To graduate, you must have 120 total credits, including general education credits.
Admissions Criteria
• At least 56 prior college and/or apprenticeship credits
Required Core Courses
Digital Learning for the 21st Century Management and Labor in the 21st Century Business Ethics and Sustainability
Financial and Accounting Controls Marketing and New Media Research Methods
Labor and Work in the United States Legal Environment of Business Entrepreneurship
Managing Human Resources in a Dynamic Environment Capstone Project in Business Administration
Labor and Work in the Global Economy
Electives
Effective Leadership Film and Globalization
Labor and the American Political System Leadership Theory
Union Structure and Governance
Specialized Certificates
The Certificate in Small Business Management is a 12-credit program that provides students with a basic understanding of how to set up, staff and manage their own small business. The Certificate in Ethical Management is a 12-credit program that fosters a new breed of manager, who can grow organizations sustainably and ethically by promoting people, the planet and economic prosperity.
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“I’m sharing more health a nd safety
knowledge with members of my local.”
Professional Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Construction Management
The NLC’s Construction Management Program is geared for building and construction trades members who are interested in combining their experience in the industry with the knowledge required to advance in their careers. The NLC program has the academic standards of a traditional construction management program, which complements the experience workers have gained through apprenticeships and supervisory positions in the construction industry. This experience helps seasoned construction workers develop the insights needed to be effective leaders.
The Construction Management degree requires students to complete 36 credits—12 required core courses (of 3 credits each). To graduate, you must have 120 total credits, including general education credits.
Admissions Criteria
• At least 56 prior college and/or apprenticeship credits • Union membership or sponsorship by a building
trades union or building trades council • Construction experience
Required Core Courses
Digital Learning for the 21st Century Fundamentals of the Construction Industry I Fundamentals of the Construction Industry II Project Building Systems
Project Administration
Labor and Work in the United States
Construction Cost Accounting, Estimating and Finance Construction Project Planning and Scheduling
Industrial Relations in the Construction Industry Advanced Leadership and Business Communication Construction Industry Capstone Project
Labor and Work in the Global Economy
Electives
Effective Leadership Leadership Theory
Computer Skills for Trade Unionists Foundations of Safety and Health Industrial Hygiene
Specialized Certificates
Certificate in Construction Management
This certificate program is a 15-credit program designed to develop a thorough understanding of the planning, directing, coordinating and budgeting necessary for construction projects.
Professional Studies
Bachelor of Science in Emergency Readiness and Response Management
The NLC’s degree in Emergency Readiness and Response Management is designed for rank and file union members and adult members of union families interested in fire service, EMS, law enforcement, public safety and related fields. Through this program, students will gain the skills currently in high demand for expanding opportunities at the federal, state and local levels. The NLC is the only higher education institution offering a Bachelor of Science degree that combines homeland security courses—which examine the function, organization, and responsibilities of homeland security agencies and personnel—with courses in labor studies.
The Emergency Readiness and Response Management degree requires students to complete 36 credits—12 required core courses (of 3 credits each). To graduate, you must have 120 total credits, including general education credits.
Admissions Criteria
• At least 56 prior college and/or apprenticeship credits
Required Core Courses
Digital Learning for the 21st Century
Fundamentals of Emergency Readiness and Response Management Labor and Work in the United States
Disaster Response, Operations and Management
Legal and Ethical Aspects of Emergency Readiness and Response Management Research Methods for Emergency Readiness and Response Management Risk Management
Strategic Financial Planning and Management
Leadership: Systems Thinking and Critical Decision Making Emergency Planning
Capstone Project in Emergency Readiness and Response Management Labor and Work in the Global Economy
Electives
Effective Leadership Leadership Theory Bioterrorism Industrial Hygiene
Hazardous Materials in Transportation Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence Analysis
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Specialized Certificates
Certificate in Emergency Management
This certificate program is a 15-credit program that provides students with a comprehensive under-standing of the principles of emergency manage-ment and Homeland Security including disaster response and consequence management.
Labor Studies
School
of
Labor Studies
The School of Labor Studies currently offers six majors: Labor Studies, Labor History, Labor Education, Political Economy of Labor, Labor Safety and Health, and Union Leadership and Administration. These programs are specifically designed to help working people advance in their careers, develop leadership skills and deepen their knowledge of the labor movement. All of the bachelor’s degrees offered in the School of Labor Studies require students to complete a 30 credit curriculum or 10 required core courses (of 3 credits each). To graduate, students must have 120 total credits, including general education credits.
Required Core Courses for All School of Labor Studies Degrees
• Introduction to Labor Studies • Labor and the Economy • Comparative Research Methods • Senior Seminar
• Senior Project
Bachelor of Arts in Labor Studies
The Labor Studies major encourages students to develop a broad-based understanding of labor’s context, opportunities and challenges.
Requirements:
Students must complete the 5 required core courses (of 3 credits each) in addition to 5 upper-level courses (of 3 credits each), including at least two courses from other major areas.
A partial list of options appears below: Union Structure and Governance Labor and the American Political System Strategic Grievance Handling
Labor in the Global Economy Film and Globalization
Labor Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Labor Education
The Labor Education major is specifically designed for labor and community educators, trainers and activists who teach, design, implement and administer educational programs invested in key critical areas, including leadership, organizing, health and safety, and apprenticeships and training. The labor education program empowers trainers, educators and activists by giving them the tools they need to deliver a first-rate educational experience to union members.
Requirements:
Students must complete the 5 required core courses in addition to 4 of the following courses (of 3 credits each): Methods that Motivate
Distance Learning for Labor Educators The Adult Learner
Plus one elective course.
Bachelor of Arts in Labor History
The Labor History major exposes students to the development and evolution of the American labor movement and its impact on society and culture. Courses provide students with a thorough knowledge of the modern labor movement by examining its origins and growth.
Requirements:
Students must complete the 5 required core courses in addition to 4 of the following courses (of 3 credits each): History of Labor Education
History of the American Labor Movement – Part I History of the American Labor Movement – Part II Plus one elective course.
Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy of Labor
The Political Economy of Labor degree bypasses the division between economics and politics to look at how economies actually work, the choices that shape them, who benefits and who gets hurt. The NLC political economy curriculum helps students understand how globalization affects workers, jobs, and economic policy, and it explores the role the labor movement can play in creating more just alternatives.
Requirements:
Students must complete the 5 required core courses in addition to the following 4 courses (of 3 credits each): Jobs and Growth, Debt and Deficits: What Should Labor Do?
Organizing the Global Workforce Plus one elective course.
Instructional Systems Design Instructional Technology
History of Labor and the Law Gender and Identity in Labor History Global Capital and Full Employment
Global Capital and Full Employment Labor and Trade in the Global Economy
“My NLC degree will help me reach my goal — to teach
in my union’s apprenticeship program.”
Eric Seislove, SMWIA member, Washington
Labor Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Union Leadership and Administration
The Union Leadership and Administration degree is designed to explore the theoretical and practical aspects of labor movement leadership and leadership more generally. Courses are designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of bargaining, financial and general management issues. Students who are local union officers or hold leadership positions in their unions are ideal candidates for this course of study.
Requirements:
Students must complete the 5 required core courses in addition to 4 of the following courses:
Union Administration
Union Structure and Governance Effective Leadership: Making It All Work New Union Staff
Strategic Grievance Handling Leadership-Theory
Computer Skills for Trade Unionists 2
Organizing and Representing the New Workforce Labor Law
Labor and the American Political System Plus one elective course.
Bachelor of Arts in Labor Safety and Health
The Labor Safety and Health degree focuses on issues and concerns relating to workplace safety and health. Students in this degree program study policy, standards and union strategies as well as learn technical skills to improve their understanding and application of worker safety and health principles.
Requirements:
Students must complete the 5 required core courses in addition to 4 courses from the following categories as explained below:
Category 1:
(Complete at least one) Workplace Hazards and the Law Industrial HygieneFoundations in Occupational Safety and Health
Category 2:
(Complete at least one but no more than three) BioterrorismSelf-Directed Study in Occupational Health and Safety Case Studies in Occupational Safety and Health Hazardous Materials Transportation
Chemical Emergency Response
“Apply now, absolutely do it!”
Linda Murphy, paraeducator,
CSEA member, California
Checklist
Next Steps
1
Call an Admissions Counselor at
1-888-427-8200
.
2
Choose a degree program (Business Administration, Construction Management,
Emergency Readiness and Response Management, or Labor Studies).
3
Complete and submit the application at
www.NLC.edu/application.html
with application fee.
4
Send for all official transcripts, apprenticeship, military and other training records and
proof of union membership.
5
Investigate financial aid at
www.NLC.edu/financial-aid.html
and scholarships at
www.NLC.edu/scholarships.html
.
6
Register for classes and study!
Photo credits: All individuals included are actual students or graduates of the National Labor College and recipients of Union Plus scholarships. Their photos and quotes are used with permission. www.unionplus.org
On the front cover, the individuals pictured are (starting in the upper left and going clockwise):
Michael Poch, crane operator, IAM member, Pennsylvania; Bridget Gael Benjamin, steamfitter, UA member, New Jersey; Peter Kennedy, BMWED staffer, Indiana; and Belinda Gunn, SEIU member, Illinois.
