Individualized Studies Certificate Program Fair promotes certificate options for students pursuing this A.S. degree
Dakota County Technical College hosted an Individualized Studies Certificate Program Fair, the first of its kind, Wednesday, September 25, 2024, in the Library Atrium on the college’s campus in Rosemount, Minnesota. The event gave Individualized Studies majors the opportunity to network with DCTC faculty from various programs at the college.
Martin Springborg
“The sixty-credit DCTC Individualized Studies program requires students to take forty credits of general education courses and eighteen credits from their choice of technical programs,” explained Martin Springborg, the college’s dean of liberal arts and STEM. “Most students in the program use those eighteen credits to complete a smattering of courses from unrelated technical programs.”
Dean Springborg reported that the goal of the Certificate Program Fair was to introduce students to faculty from programs that offer certificate options that would fulfill the 18-credit technical elective requirement.
“We’re trying to help Individualized Studies students understand their options for earning an award within those eighteen credits versus just taking a random assortment of classes,” he said. “Having faculty at the fair talking to students about their programs and certificate options was something the students don’t experience during the process of making their degree plans—so it was a great event!”
Individualized Studies Certificate Program Fair gallery
View more event photos by opening the DCTC Flickr album:
Individualized Studies Certificate Program Fair
More about the Individualized Studies program at DCTC…
The Individualized Studies program at Dakota County Technical College allows you to custom-design an associate degree that meets educational and career goals you could not otherwise accomplish through existing college programs. The 60-credit Associate of Science (A.S.) degree is a great fit if you plan on transferring to a four-year college or university to earn a bachelor’s or more advanced degree.
The program is also an ideal option if you are:
>>>Looking to delve into occupational and/or technical courses in one or more areas of study
>>>Working and ready to advance your career
>>>Undecided about your future
>>>Enrolled in a technical program, but wish to change direction
Dean Martin Springborg described how the flexibility of the program represents a boon for students who need a range of options in their degree planning.
“The Individualized Studies program presents a unique opportunity for students who wish to complete their Minnesota Transfer Curriculum credits or ‘generals’ to transfer to a university or other institution,” Dean Springborg said. “The program also allows students to learn new skills in technical fields that can immediately be applied to their job or career post-graduation. The first course in the program, INDS 1002: Career and Education Exploration, is taught by a vibrant group of faculty representing a broad cross section of DCTC programs.”
Because this A.S. degree will be custom-designed to meet your educational and career goals, you won’t find a sample course sequence. You can also use the 18 credits from your technical elective courses to complete a certificate in one of the college’s technical programs.
Please contact a DCTC academic advisor to discuss your future plans and get help determining which courses you should take and when you should take them.
To earn your A.S. degree in this program, you need to complete three required courses, INDS 1002: Career and Education Exploration, COMS 1020: Interpersonal Communication, and ENGL 1150: Composition I, plus 18 credits of technical electives, and the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum. Technical electives are occupational and/or technical courses in areas of study that align with your goals.
The Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) is the format in which general education is defined and accomplished within public two- and four-year colleges and universities in Minnesota.
Learn more about the Individualized Studies program at DCTC by contacting:
Admissions
admissions@dctc.edu
651-423-8266
Room 2-110
