As a flexible “fast track” education option, San Jacinto College offers Weekend College throughout the year at each of its three campuses.

San Jacinto College students (from left) April Watkins, Krystal De La Cruz, Jessica Beer, and Anthony Hernandez stretch during a Weekend College yoga class taught by Amy Parnell, shown in the back of the room. San Jacinto College’s Weekend College program offers a wide range of academic, technical and physical education course options.

The Weekend College provides students with a wide array of core classes including English, math, government, history, science, physical education, and humanities. The program also offers some technical classes, including automotive technology, welding technology, and non-destructive testing. Classes are offered on Friday afternoons and nights, on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Dr. Timothy Elliott, dean of the Central campus Weekend College program, says the learning option can be helpful to many people with busy schedules. “The purpose of the Weekend College is to offer a full course offering in a non-traditional time frame to accommodate people that work during the week that may have transportation issues, or perhaps need the spouse to babysit while they attend classes,” Elliott commented. “Our program design is built around our mantra of ‘earn a two-year degree in two years on the weekend.’ We offer this as part of the College’s mission to provide quality education.”

A San Jacinto College student can schedule a full load (12 to 15 credit hours) on the weekend through the Weekend College. According to recent research, San Jacinto College’s Weekend College has a core group of about 200 students that take classes only on weekends.

Weekend College classes are slightly longer in duration than traditional college classes due to a shortened term. Many of the Weekend College classes are “hybrid” and require a student to attend class while completing the remainder of the coursework via the Internet.

“This can allow a student, for at least two semesters, to take 12 hours on a Saturday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., which tends to be both a time and gas saver,” remarked Elliot.

San Jacinto College’s academic and technical departments establish the curriculum and coursework for the Weekend College program. “We use the same syllabi, textbooks, student learning outcomes, and grading procedures as the weekday classes,” noted Elliot. “It is not streamlined in any way. Our instructors and professors meet the high qualifications and standards required of all San Jacinto College instructors.”

Elliot says the Weekend College program has really begun to flourish and thrive in recent years. “It’s really growing due to the concept of earning a two-year degree in two years by taking classes on weekends only,” he said. “Since we’ve put that plan into place, the program has continued to both grow and be accepted by students.”

Weekend College is offered at the North, South and Central campuses, but the greatest number of class offerings for both core and technical courses are offered at the Central campus in Pasadena.

Registration for the Weekend College Fall 2008 term continues through Aug. 19, and weekend classes begin Sept. 5. For more information, please call Elliot at 281-476-1878, or visit http://www.sanjac.edu/ and click on the Learning Options link.