Community College
Berkshire Community College (BCC)
About BCC (from the BCC website):
BCC Mission Statement
- Berkshire Community College (BCC) strives to place higher education within reach of all residents of Berkshire County and beyond. BCC is committed to access, academic excellence, student success, and leadership in the community.
- BCC helps students overcome financial, physical, and/or social barriers and welcomes them into a college environment of academic excellence.
- BCC provides quality programs that prepare students to enter or progress within the workforce and/or for transfer, while fostering a lifelong enthusiasm for learning.
- BCC provides the resources and services students need to be successful, to meet our academic standards, and to achieve their personal and professional goals.
- BCC provides leadership by furthering the engagement of our students in the community; by working collaboratively with civic leaders, organizations, and employers; and by serving as a center for diverse educational and cultural activities
Values
In recognition of its tradition of academic excellence and service, Berkshire Community College affirms the following values:
- Integrity and Engagement. We expect all members of the college community to participate in the fulfillment of the college mission through actions that are forthright and consistent with the mission.
- Innovation. We promote a campus climate that encourages innovative thought and creative expression.
- Diversity and Inclusion. We foster an environment that validates and respects cultural identities and provides curriculum, pedagogy, programs and services within multicultural philosophies and frameworks.
- Service. We maintain a community that demonstrates respect for growth, responsibility, and leadership through service to others.
- Sustainability. We follow practices that promote environmental and financial sustainability at the college.
BCC is a dynamic learning community, transforming lives and preparing students to succeed in an increasingly complex, diverse, and changing world.
Associate Degree Programs:
BCC offers 40 associate degree options, which is a degree granted after at least a two-year course of study. BCC offers an Associate in Science (A.S.) and an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree. For the link to the BCC’s programs and classes click here
Bachelor’s Degree Articulation/Transfer Agreements:
BCC students who wish to continue their education at a four-year college or university can easily transfer to a large number of public and private institutions throughout Massachusetts and beyond.
BCC has articulation/transfer agreements with many four-year institutions in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the country. These colleges/universities will guarantee that if you graduate from a specific program with a predetermined grade point average (GPA) and suggested course of study, you will be guaranteed junior status and be treated with the same rights as those students who originally started at the four-year school.
For the link to the BCC’s programs and classes click here
Certificate Programs
Addiction Recovery Certificate Program: Prepares Human Service or other helping professionals for entry-level work in the substance use field. Graduates will be trained to offer the following entry-level supervised substance use services: Individual and group counseling, assessment, case planning, client services support, documentation, and community service outreach and referrals for individuals and families.
For the link to the Addiction Recovery Certificate Program click here
Mental Health Worker Certificate Program: Mental illness is a major public health problem, and has far reaching negative consequences on communities across the United States. Students will gain valuable knowledge of mental health that include: causes of mental illness; assessment, diagnosis, treatment techniques; wellness strategies for human service workers in order to prevent burnout; and community resources for individuals and family members. Students will also learn about dually diagnosed (mental health and substance use) clients. Legal and ethical issues, as well as cultural competency will be emphasized.
For the link to the Mental Health Worker Certificate Program click here
TRIO at BCC
TRIO Student Support Services is a free federally funded program under the U.S. Department of Education, established to assist students from first-generation, low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities to find college success.
For the link to TRIO at BCC click here
Workforce Development Training Programs https://www.berkshirecc.edu Community College
Berkshire Community College, Main Campus
1350 West Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201
(413) 499-4660
South County Center
343 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230
(413) 528-4521
Charles H. McCann Vocational Technical School
70 Hodges Cross Road, North Adams, MA 01247
(413) 236-5201
Adult Learner, HiSET/GED and Equal Opportunity Center Services
Berkshire Area Equal Opportunity Center
- Do you wish you had finished high school, or…
- want to finish a degree you started, but never completed, or…
- just want to further your education?
The Berkshire Area Educational Opportunity Centers provides:
- Postsecondary education access services to primarily low-income nontraditional students and adults (age 19 and above) who are interested in furthering their education
- Career exploration and advising, using technology and a variety of assessment tools provided to ensure that an education placement will be appropriate to the client’s ultimate career goals
Other services include:
- Information on education programs
- Admissions requirements information
- Financial aid assistance, including scholarship searches and application assistance
- Referrals to other academic support services
All services are FREE!
EOC advisors also provide clients with information about and assistance with:
- Career goal-setting
- Earning a GED (new HiSET)/high school equivalency diploma
- English language classes (ESOL)
- Selecting a college or training program
- Completing admissions and financial aid application paperwork
- Assistance in locating other academic support services
Target Populations: Most EOC clients are “first-generation college students,” meaning neither of their parents graduated from a 4-year college. They may be the first in their families to have graduated from high school. The majority of clients are also low-income.
Many EOC clients seek education or training in order to find a job that will pay a living wage. Or, they may have recently become unemployed and are in need of retraining in order to re-enter the workforce.
For the link to the Berkshire EOC website click here: Berkshire Area Educational Opportunity Center
For the link to the statewide EOC website click here
Adult Learning Center – Pittsfield
The William Stickney Pittsfield Adult Learning Center (WSPALC) is currently registering (enrolling) students on a rolling basis. However, all prospective students will be asked to book an appointment as there will no longer be a walk-in registration (enrollment) process due to COVID-19. Please contact Bridget Manarchik at bmanarchik@pittsfield.net or (413) 499-9530 if you are interested in enrolling as the number of available seats for ABE and ESOL classes is limited.
Adult Basic Education (ABE)/Adult Secondary Education (ASE) Program
- ABE 1/2 – Beginner/Low Intermediate Class
- ABE (ASE) 2/3 – High Intermediate/Advanced Class
- ABE 3 – Advanced Class (GED/HiSET Prep)
- ABE Bridge – Transition to College and Careers
Adult Diploma Program (ADP)
- Project-Based Activities
- Community Service
- Supplemental Coursework
- H.S. Diploma awarded by Pittsfield Public Schools
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program
- ESOL 1 – Beginner Class
- ESOL 1/2 – Beginner/Intermediate Class
- ESOL 2/3 – Intermediate/Advanced Class
Support Services:
- Advising Services
- Education and Career Plan Development
- Education and Career Counseling
- Digital Literacy/Distance Learning Services
- Technology Training
- Technology Support
- Financial Aid Counseling Services via EOC – Educational Opportunity Center
- FAFSA Application Assistance
- College Application Process Support
For the link to the WSPALC website click here
Northern Berkshire Adult Basic Education Program
From the Website: The mission of the Northern Berkshire Adult Education is to assist the residents of Northern Berkshire County to achieve their academic and Career goals. We offer classes to prepare individuals to earn their Alternative High School Credential from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. All of our program and services are free of charge; funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Adult and Community Learning Services. The program has classes this fall being offered fully remote, hybrid and in person. Please contact us for additional information.
Classes Offered
- Adult Basic Education (ABE)Improve basic reading, writing and math skills
- Adult Secondary Education (ASE) Prepare for the new High School Equivalency Test/GED
- Blended Learning Prepare for the High School Equivalency Test and college and career & Career Readiness in class & on line
- ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages Classes – are for non-fluent English speakers who want to improve their language skills. Curriculum is designed to help with personal, social and business communications & prepare for U.S. citizenship.
College and Career Readiness
- Bridge to College Build the skills needed to be successful in a post secondary educational environment
- Employability Skills Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Pre-employment readiness for students preparing for this entry level health care position
Enrollment and Orientation
Individuals interested in enrolling in the program are encouraged to contact the Program Director at 413-662-5386 or via email at R.Bouquet@mcla.edu. All office hours are by appointment.
Contact Information
Robert Bouquet – Program Director
Phone – 413-662-5386 or 413-662-5330
New Location: Our program is now located on the Campus of Drury High School
1130 Church Street
North Adams, MA 01247
The Entrance to the program is located to left of the main entrance, under the overhang Suite A2 (signs are located on site to indicate location).
QUICK LINKS
Request More Information About ABE
Northern Berkshire Resource Guides
Four Year Colleges and Universities (local)
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA)
About MCLA (from the MCLA website):
At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives. In nearly every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate our students as individuals, as leaders, communicators, fully empowered to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 125-year commitment to public education we have fortified our commitment to equitable academic excellence. For eight of the last 10 years, MCLA has been named a Top Ten College by U.S. News and World Report. MCLA also appears on the organization’s list of top National Public Liberal Arts Colleges, as well as on the top 50 schools in U.S. News’ Social Mobility Ranking, which measures how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.
For more information, go to www.mcla.edu.
Main Campus: 375 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247 413.662.5000
Pittsfield Campus: 66 Allen Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201, 413.662.5575
To learn more about MCLA click here
Elms College
Elms College Bachelor Degree Completion Program at BCC
The Elms College bachelor’s degree completion programs offered at Berkshire Community College meet all general requirements of Elms College. You enter this program with the required associate’s degree (and at least 60 credits), satisfy Elms’ core requirements, and complete the requirements of your specific degree program.
Classes are held at the Berkshire Community College campus in Pittsfield on Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m., and are taught by Elms faculty. By completing your coursework in 10 eight-week sessions over a 20-month period, you can save thousands of dollars by completing your degree.
To learn more about Elms College and or its Bachelor Degree Program at BCC click here
Williams College
About Williams College (from the College Website):
Williams is a life-shaping journey that will inspire and guide you to think, create and act with purpose. Our location in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts is a place where you can find both focus and connection. It’s a community where you’ll surround yourself with two thousand passionate and intelligent peers, learning with others who are dedicated to becoming deeper thinkers and more effective leaders. For the link to Williams College click here
MassHire
High School Equivalency and GED Programs serve individuals ages 16 – 24. To learn more about these and other MassHire Youth Programs click here