Prairie State College

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Prairie State College is a two-year community college based in Chicago Heights, Illinois and the only college operated by Illinois Community College District 515.

District area

Illinois Community College District 515 includes parts of Cook and Will counties. PSC also offers discounted tuition rates to residents of Lake County, Indiana.

Communities inside the district include:

Portions of these communities are also inside the district:

Campus

Prairie State College's 137-acre (0.55 km²) campus is located at South Halsted Street and Vollmer Road in Chicago Heights, Illinois.

The north campus facilities, to the north of Vollmer Road, include the Tech/Health Center, Child Care Center, Physical Plant and Facilities warehouses and headquarters, the Illinois Employment and Training Center, plus four wooden temporary structures where the Adult Education programs are held. Second Language, Literacy, Adult Basic Education and GED classes, and adult education computer labs are also located on the Northern part of the campus.

The main building, to the south of Vollmer Road, houses faculty and administrative offices, classrooms, laboratories, and student services facilities. At four stories, the main campus building includes a Technology Center, where programs such as Automotive, Welding, Manufacturing Technology and Air Conditioning and Heating programs take place. The College Fitness Center, Bookstore, Pioneer Cafe, Barnes & Noble Reading Room, Student Leadership Center, Library, Counseling and Academic Advising Center, Career Placement Services, Student Success Center, Cashier's Officer, Admissions, Information Center and most other student services can be found in this building. Also in this building is the Business and Community Education Center, a place for special events, meetings, conferences, and the site of the Christopher Art Gallery.

Academics

Classes are available days, evenings, weekends only, and online. PSC is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Student body

• 5,507 students enrolled in credit classes and program
• 62 % female, 38 % male
• 66 % part-time, 34 % full-time
• 61 % daytime, 39 % evenings and weekends
• Average student age: 28

Faculty

• Full-time faculty: 83
• 95 % of full-time faculty have a master’s or doctorate degree
• Student-Faculty ratio: 20:1

Number of degrees and certificates offered: 75 +

Transfer majors

PSC offers associate degrees to prepare students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. PSC was the first college in Illinois to guarantee that credits will transfer to other colleges and universities, an assurance that has grown throughout the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI).

Associate in Arts

Associate in Science

Associate in Fine Arts

• Art

Associate of Arts in Teaching

• Secondary Mathematics

Extracurricular activities

• Forensics (Speech) Team
• College Bowl
• Student Newspaper
• Literary Magazine
• Music Ensembles

Clubs

• Art Club
• Political Science Club
• Black Student Union
• All-Latin Alliance
• Nursing Club
• Chess Club
• Film Club

Sports

External links

• Prairie State College official Web site
• Prairie State College security car model in Google 3D Warehouse
• Prairie State College campus buildings model in Google 3D Warehouse