National Park Community College

 
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Officially created in 2003, National Park Community College is the result of a merger between two two-year institutions of higher learning, Garland County Community College and Quapaw Technical Institute. As a result of this union, National Park Community College became a comprehensive Arkansas college, offering both a traditional academic education with career and technical training courses. With diploma, certificate, and associate degree programs available, the school has grown accommodate nearly anyone's career or education needs.

Now the fourth largest community college in the state of Arkansas, National Park Community College is home to about 7,000 students each semester. Of the student population, nearly 4,000 individuals are enrolled in continuing education services, while approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in credit-earning courses that combine a traditional liberal arts education with professional training. Thanks to this unique blend of education, credit students are prepared to either enter the workforce after graduation, or transfer to a four-year college or university.

Quick Facts:

National Park Community College has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Individual programs within the school have been accredited by outside institutions. For example, the Nursing Programs A.S. (RN) has been approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing while the Health Information Technology Program has been accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs in cooperation with the American Health Information Management Association's council on Accreditation.

This Arkansas college offers online learning for subjects such as art appreciation, business English, sociology, medical terminology, world literature, and information systems.

Students of National Park Community College participate in such groups and organizations as the Student Artists Guid, NPCC Singers/Soundwaves, the Cultural Diversity Awareness Club, Advocates for Barrier Awareness, and National Vocational-Technical Honor Society.

This Arkansas college's Adult Education program assists adults in preparing for entry into postsecondary education and/or the workforce.