Boston College is taking a new approach to continuing education, through a new slate of courses and workshops offered through Boston College Continuing Education (BCCE), which was established last year in the Office of the Provost.
The inaugural programs have been developed in partnership with the School of Social Work and the Law School to create and implement continuing education, professional development, and online programming for alumni, practitioners in various fields and the general public.
“Our renewed focus on continuing education emphasizes aligning the needs and interests of our alumni, professional communities, and the public with the expertise of Boston College’s acclaimed faculty,” said Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley. “We are eager to launch these new initiatives and look forward to future courses, workshops and certificate programs that offer participants an academic experience that is rewarding, both professionally and personally.”
A central focus of the new initiative is to provide a variety of lifelong learning opportunities to alumni and the community, said Director of Continuing Education Patricia Tyler.
“This new initiative allows us to provide educational offerings to alumni so they can reconnect with BC – perhaps in different ways than in the past – engage with BC faculty in these two schools, and continue to feel a part of the University,” said Tyler, who joined BC last year. “This is also an opportunity to reach out to practitioners in these fields and the public, so that the community can experience the wonderful faculty we have at BC.”
BCCE faculty will be drawn from the ranks of the University’s degree programs, as well as experts working in various fields, Tyler said.
The programs presented in collaboration with the School of Social Work offer continuing education units (CEUs) that count toward renewal of licensure for participants, but are not for college credit.
With the School of Social Work, BCCE has unveiled two new post-graduate certificate programs for experienced clinicians: Advanced Clinical Practice for Adults and Advanced Clinical Practice for Children, Youth, and Families. For each program, participants will complete eight six-hour courses, including three required core courses and five electives. Each certificate will deliver 48 CEUs.
In addition, the collaboration with the School of Social Work offers a series of topical workshops three times a year that will allow participants to earn CEUs to maintain licensure.
BCCE is also launching two programs developed with the Law School. The first is a series of self-directed online courses focused on current topics in the legal profession, beginning with ethics. The goal is to offer approximately six online courses a year that will allow participants to gain Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits in states where ongoing CLEs are required to maintain licensure.
The second program, “Insights: US Legal System,” is an intensive one-week program developed along the lines of BC Law School’s three-week Summer Institute Foundations of US Law and Practice. “Insights” will provide a primer on the US legal system for international students, educators, and practitioners who will spend one week on campus. The accelerated, in-depth format will allow opportunities for greater participation.
“The ‘Insights’ program is an exciting new venture for us and we also hope to work with the Law School to develop programs like ‘Insights’ on other compelling topics,” said Director of Strategic Initiatives and Organizational Effectiveness Carolyn Bargoot, who is spearheading the continuing education initiative for the Office of the Provost.
Expanding continuing education offerings into other BC schools and colleges will take place in collaboration with deans and faculty as BCCE identifies demand from alumni or the public in specific subjects or professional development requirements, Bargoot said.
“We’re excited to partner with the School of Social Work and Boston College Law School and we hope to collaborate with other schools in the future,” said Bargoot. “The Connell School of Nursing and the School of Theology and Ministry have their own continuing education departments within their schools. We hope in the future to collaborate with them on programming where it makes sense. In addition, we plan to develop interdisciplinary conferences and varied programming for alumni and the public, and we’re open to new ideas for programs from schools and faculty who would like to partner with us.”
More information is available at the Boston College Continuing Education website.
Ed Hayward | University Communications