PITTSBURGH TECHNICAL COLLEGE GROWS ONLINE OFFERINGS AS NEEDS FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING EXPAND
Top existing programs convert to online environment while maintaining PTC standards for education
PITTSBURGH—September 22, 2020 – Pittsburgh Technical College (PTC) is proud to announce the addition of five fully-online program offerings. While PTC welcomed approximately 400 students back to campus in July, it continues to meet the needs of the majority of its students in the virtual modality by providing fully online associate degrees in Computer Programming, Criminal Justice, Electronics Engineering Technology, and Multimedia Technologies – Web Design and Development, as well as a fully online degree completion opportunity for a bachelor’s in science in Information Systems and Technology (IST).
“The global pandemic brought a learning opportunity for all of us in higher education forcing us to transition to a virtual modality of instruction. In doing so, we at PTC discovered we are virtually excellent and need to do more to make our programs available to potential students who need to study online even without a healthcare crisis,” says PTC’s President and CEO, Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith. “We have been planning to grow our online offerings and have pushed the timeline forward now that we’re already teaching these courses virtually as a result of COVID-19.”
“With PTC’s stellar in-field placement rate averaging higher than 95%, it is our obligation to make our education model available to a broader audience,” adds Dr. Harvey-Smith.
The IST degree completion option launches with PTC’s next class start on Oct. 22, 2020. The other four programs are available for enrollment to start on Jan. 26, 2021. The college already offers fully-online associate’s degrees in Business Administration and Medical Office Administration, as well as a certificate in Medical Coding and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Online bachelor’s degree completions are available in Business Administration and Applied Management to individuals who have previously earned an accredited associate degree.
PTC, renowned for it’s effective use of applied learning techniques in which students actively gain proficiency from instructors with real world experience from the beginning of their program, first successfully transferred its instructional methods to the online environment in 2010. All of PTC’s online programs allow for virtual application of the students’ knowledge and capstone projects with area corporations prior to graduation. PTC is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) meaning its graduates, whether from an online or on-ground program, earn the same degree.