Minnesota West Community And Technical College

Minnesota West Community and Technical College is a consolidated community/technical college formed on January 1, 1997 when Southwestern Technical College and Worthington Community College merged.The college has five campuses, in Canby, Granite Falls, Jackson, and Pipestone. They began as local area vocational schools in the 1960s. They officially merged to become Southwestern Technical College in 1985. It awards associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates in both liberal arts and a variety of technical and professional fields.Worthington Community College was established in 1936 as Worthington Junior College. In 1973 the name was changed to Worthington Community College when it was placed under the jurisdiction of the Minnesota Community College System. On July 1, 1995 the merged institution became members of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.Goals- To provide students with access to learning and information through electronic education and technology in addition to traditional methods of instruction.- To provide students with transferable credit, employment skills, and the ability to access lifelong learning.- To be a partner with agencies, other educational institutions, businesses and industries in regional economic development.- To continue evaluating all College activities, programs, and functions with regard to service to students, performance outcomes, fiscal accountability, and cost effectiveness to insure future College growth and success.Academics Minnesota West offers liberal arts and sciences programs that are transferable to four-year institutions and technical and career programs that lead to employment or possibly transfer.Students at Minnesota West have the opportunity to take classes through multiple delivery methods: traditional classrooms, instructional television classrooms, and online classrooms.Online LearningAt Minnesota West, we focus on developing Internet based courses that parallel campus courses. Online courses are taught by college faculty who work with students throughout the duration of the course. Instructors apply the same rigorous academic standards for success with an online course as they do in their traditional classroom courses.AccreditationThe College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools (NCA). View the institutional Self Study and the Request for Institutional Change for the Higher Learning Commission.Admissions InformationThe basic requirement for admittance to Minnesota West Community and Technical College is a high school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED) certificate.Admission to Minnesota West does not guarantee admission to college-level courses or programs of study. Programs and courses fill up on a first come-first served basis so you should apply early. Some programs require an additional separate admissions process. See listing below.You must apply to the college before registering for classes. To begin taking classes at Minnesota West, you must first be admitted, take the college assessment test, complete orientation, and register for classes.Financial AidCovering college costs is usually a cooperative effort involving student and parent resources and financial aid, which can consist of grants, scholarships, loans, and student employment.The responsibility of financing a college education begins with students and parents and their financial capability to contribute to the costs. How much parents and students are expected to contribute is determined by a Department of Education Needs Analysis Formula.