Topline:
California community colleges have been expanding their offerings in recent years. They now offer 33 bachelor's degrees, including a new biomanufacturing degree at Los Angeles Mission College.
Why it matters: This opens up the potential for greater mobility for science students at LAMC, many of whom go on to work in biotechnology fields, like stem cell research and drug manufacturing.
The backstory: Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law in 2021 that allows community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees after passing a state approval process.
Other degrees: LAMC joins other area community colleges that offer bachelor's degrees, including Santa Ana College, Mt. San Antonio College and Santa Monica College.
What's next: Advanced coursework will begin in the spring, with a full launch in the 2024 fall semester. LAMC's biomanufacturing program is accepting applications from now until Dec. 15.
California has approved two new bachelor’s programs at community colleges, including a bachelor of science degree in biomanufacturing at Los Angeles Mission College in Sylmar.
Dean of Academic Affairs Farisa Morales said offering a bachelor’s degree was a logical next step for LAMC, since biotechnology companies are already recruiting students from the school’s certificate program.
“It's so inspiring to work at a community college - where I went to, by the way, as a student – and see how our community gets revitalized,” Morales said.
Chander Arora, the head of LAMC’s biotechnology program, saw a strong demand for the program from her own students — starting with when she polled students about the possibility of offering a B.S. degree.
“We got an overwhelming response,” Arora said. “Everybody was like, ‘I hope you can offer it soon.’ Their excitement empowered us.”
Arora also used her connections with local biotechnology companies to help build the curriculum.
“I talked to the employers: 'What are they looking for? What is their Christmas wish list of an ideal employee?'” she said.
The main thing Arora heard back from employers is that they see less turnover when their workers have degrees in the same field.
“So we thought, ‘Why don't we take the next step?’” Arora said.
Arora’s students have gone on to work at pharmaceutical companies that make treatments for hemophilia and botulism, as well as companies that do stem cell research.
Morales said she’s already seen the way that LAMC’s biotechnology program has changed her students’ lives, even before the new B.S. program.
“We had a student who recently graduated from our biotechnology certificate, and he and his father were window cleaners back when he was a child,” Morales said. “The kid would peek inside just to see what was happening.”
Morales said that one of those buildings they were cleaning housed a biotechnology company.
“His father told him, ‘My son, I want you to work inside one of these days,’” Morales said. “So here comes this young adult who comes and takes this program, and within a semester, he gets the training, he gets an offer from the same company, now he's working inside. So it really changes the lives of students.”
The school will begin offering upper level courses in the spring, with a full launch of the degree next fall. Applications for the program are now open until Dec. 15.
Gov. Gavin Newsom made the state’s community college bachelor program permanent in 2021. Currently, 24 states in the U.S. offer bachelor’s programs.
The state also recently approved a bachelor’s degree in public safety management at San Diego Miramar College, bringing the total number of bachelor’s degrees offered at California community colleges to 33.
