Degree Programs
Please review the course catalog on EGCC.edu for additional details about the academic programs.
#EarnADegreeDebtFree
The Free College program in partnership with Eastern Gateway Community College provides access to a variety of programs and classes to help you meet your education goals.
Whether you’re just starting college, enhancing your skills, changing careers, or looking for classes to enrich your life, we have a place for you. And thousands of our students have transferred their courses and credits to institutions all over the country.
Remember, you can complete your degree online from anywhere and access your courses at any time of the day. We want working professionals to have the opportunity to fit online education into their busy lives.
Programs offered through Free College:
Social Work
Associate of Arts (General Studies and Transfer)
Criminal Justice
Teacher Education Degree (Associate of Arts)
Patient Health Navigator
Healthcare Administration
Professional Office Management Degree
Accounting
Paralegal
Business Management Degree and Certificate
As part of the Business Management Degree the college offers several focus areas designed to give students a solid foundation in business and an additional introduction to specialized areas of the business world.
Business Management focus options include:
Advertising
Cyber Security
Data Analytics
Digital and Social Media
Environment and Conservation Studies
Entrepreneurship
Finance
Hospitality: Food and Beverage Management
Hospitality: Hotel and Event Management
Human Resources Management
IT Help Desk
Labor Studies
Marketing
Operations and Logistics
Programming & Development
Project Management Fundamentals
EGCC offers some additional programs in which students can enroll, but some content fees may apply.
Those programs include:
Information Technology
Health Information Management
Medical Coding Specialist
Medical Scribe Specialist
Fire Science
Program details: For further detail, please review EGCC’s course catalog here Course Catalog
Programs offered through Free College:
Students must complete an average of 60 credits (depending on the program) for each of EGCC’s degree programs. Note that depending on the number of credits taken per semester, and the number of any previous credits earned and transferred, 60 credits usually takes a full-time student 2 years to complete. Students utilizing the Free College Benefit are not required to attend full time and can take just 1 class per term. EGCC is committed to helping working adults complete their education in a way that promotes success!
Social Work
The social work program at EGCC has been developed for students who are interested in transferring to a college or university to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in social work, or for those seeking employment as a registered social worker assistant in which one only needs an Associate’s Degree. Studying social work enables one to work with children, adults, families, school systems, hospitals, nursing homes, juvenile detention centers, job and family services, mental health institutions, prison populations and communities to enhance individual wellbeing and to assist in individual’s functioning in institutions, at home, or in the community.
An assistant to licensed social workers may typically be helping licensed social workers who are involved in assessments, referrals, initial screening, helping with case management, prevention services and community programs or development.
EGCC staff will advise students in how to coordinate the hands-on, in person practicum that is required to complete the Degree at EGCC. Students pursuing the practicum in order to complete the Degree will be responsible for fees associated with the required criminal background check and drug analysis.
Associate of Arts Degree (General Studies and Transfer)
The Associate of Arts (AA) degree parallels the first two years of a Bachelor of Arts degree at most four-year institutions. As a student in the program, you may progress into baccalaureate programs such as psychology, sociology, English, history, fine arts, communications, or other fields in the arts disciplines. Students who are interested in transferring courses to another institution should choose this program, which offers many of the general education courses students in all colleges and universities are required to take.
Criminal Justice Degree
The Associate of Criminal Justice program is your launchpad into the ever-changing and growing field. Designed to arm you with the knowledge and skills necessary for employment in local, state, and federal agencies, it’s also structured to support your transfer to a four-year institution. Course topics include Criminal Investigation, Crisis Intervention, and Homeland Security.
Peace Office Training or Corrections certification holders are eligible to receive college credit toward this degree- so you’re already finished with many of the requirements of this degree!
Teacher Education Degree (Associate of Arts)
EGCC’s Associate of Arts degree in Teacher Education can be your first step in building a foundation for success as a teacher. A Bachelor’s Degree is required by the Ohio Department of Education–as well as every state’s Department of Education– to be a lead educator in a public-school setting, and EGCC’s AA degree can be your start on that path.
With EGCC’s program, you will focus on important topics such as child development, learning assessment, special learners, and instructional strategy. It’s designed to begin to equip prospective teachers with the base knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively as they progress on their pathway to teaching and education.
It can be a credential on its own for certain pre-kindergarten or paraprofessional roles, depending on the state in which you are seeking employment. It can also serve as the basis for students wishing to transfer to a Bachelor’s Degree in education.
Patient Health Navigator Certificate
Interested in how to navigate the world of health insurance? Healthcare advocacy is an emerging and exciting career– a sizable portion of the over 500,000 healthcare jobs in the last 5 years were in this area.
The range of Patient Navigator duties varies and EGCC students will be prepared to work in community or healthcare settings. Upon successful completion, students will understand medical terminology; ICD-9 & 10, CPT codes, and the equivalent; Medicaid claims; UB04’s; 1500’s; Medicare; Medicaid; and Commercial RA’s as well as Microsoft word/excel/office.
Healthcare Administration Degree
The healthcare industry continues to be one of the fastest-growing sectors of our economy. Almost everyone needs care at some point in their life. Our Healthcare Management focus can prepare you to play an important role in areas such as healthcare policy, managed care, insurance, information systems, or finance in settings such as hospitals, clinics, private practices, and more. This degree will help you advance your commitment to serving others with the knowledge and ability to be effective in a variety of positions.
Your courses will include Introduction to Health Care Systems; Law and Ethics; Healthcare Management; and Healthcare Finance.
Professional Office Management Degree
EGCC’s Professional Office Management degree helps you develop strong leadership, analytical and communication skills, while preparing you for employment in a variety of positions in business, communications, government, healthcare and industry.
Classes include principles of management, organizational behavior, psychology, human resources, social media marketing and computer applications.
Qualified administrative services and office managers and are currently in high demand. The federal government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects this sector to grow by 10% by 2026. The median salary is over $90,000, with entry level jobs averaging $40,000 or more per year.
Accounting
The Accounting Program is designed to prepare students for employment in entry level positions in both public and private accounting. The program also will prepare the student who wishes to continue towards a four-year degree in accounting. As a paraprofessional, the program graduate is an important member of the management team performing cost analysis, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of conventional financial statements, and utilizing knowledge of a firm’s records to suggest improvements.
Students will have experience using computers for accounting applications, including spreadsheets, integrated general ledger packages, and payroll packages.
Paralegal Degree
The Paralegal Program is designed to prepare students for employment in a law environment in both public and private sectors. The paralegal graduate will be performing legal preparations, such as closings, hearings, trials, and corporate meetings. Other duties include the gathering of relevant facts of cases, identifying appropriate laws and decisions, organizing information, and preparing legal arguments.
Paralegals work in government agencies, law firms, corporations, real estate firms, as well as non-profit organizations. The demand for paralegal professionals is expected to increase by more than 50% over the next ten years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Business Management Degree
Eastern Gateway Community College’s Business Management degree offers a well-rounded program to graduates looking to begin a career in business or for promotion opportunities that can advance their careers. An Associate Degree can also be a major step towards completing a Bachelor’s Degree. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of management principles, business-oriented technology and interpersonal skills, with course work that covers the fundamentals of business, management, critical thinking, project planning and implementation, business software, and communication.
With an Associate Degree in Business Management, graduates qualify for entry-level and administrative roles in private, public and nonprofit organizations. Many find employment as management trainees or managers in the sales or retail industry. Others work as project assistants, office managers and technology-oriented support specialists.
And to help students go deeper in a particular area of interest, we’ve developed various focus areas that are part of the Business Management degree. These focus areas offer career-oriented courses that will help you build the skills and industry background information that will be useful in specialty fields.
Like any educational pursuit, the student’s experience will be dependent on your individual goals. EGCC’s focus areas will help broaden and define the student’s skill base so they are more successful in career pursuits.
EGCC’s Business Management focus areas include:
Advertising (focus)
The advertising industry is a global, multibillion-dollar business that, at its most basic level, serves as a conduit between makers and consumers. It’s a dynamic, fast-changing business with many, many different ways to try to reach a consumer. There is both a creative side to the business and a financial and sales side and this focus area introduces you to both.
The courses for this focus are Advertising and Promotion; Salesmanship; Interactive Advertisement; and Digital Photography.
Cyber Security (focus)
Expertise in computer security is in high demand. This focus area prepares students to defend and protect information, technology and computer systems. Students will prepare for careers dealing with networking and system administration fundamentals, with the primary focus being defensive strategies to securing networks and systems.
The courses for this focus area are Security Foundations; Networking Foundations; System Administration; and Network Defense.
Data Analytics (focus)
Analyzing data is vital to a variety of organizations and is becoming increasingly important as entities think about big data. Professionals with this training can help increase revenue and discover business insights to boost production.
You may conduct independent research and analyze information from various internal and external sources. Data is the foundation from which businesses and organizations can tell a compelling story to drive action.
The courses for this focus area are Basic Statistics; Programming Foundations; Statistical Programming; and Data Wrangling and Visualization.
Digital and Social Media (focus)
Digital marketing is one of the fastest-growing careers and is quickly becoming an essential part of marketing in virtually every business. Today, billions of people all over the world are getting their information via social media platforms. Marketing professionals, small business owners, and corporate leaders all need the digital tools and skills to be successful in today’s economy.
The courses for this focus are Electronic Commerce: The Strategic Perspective;
Social Media Marketing; Consumer Behavior; and Writing for Interactive Media.
Entrepreneurship (focus)
Many people dream of owning their own business, which is why over 10% of people in this country are self-employed– and that number is expected to grow. More and more workers are looking for the flexibility and freedom that being their own boss can provide. This focus area will help students hone the necessary fundamental skills and tactics needed to be successful in getting a business started and real-world entrepreneurial pursuits.
The courses for this focus are Entrepreneurship; Quantitative Reasoning; Customer Service; and Business Ethics.
Environment and Conservation Studies (focus)
The Environment and Conservation focus is a great opportunity for business-minded individuals who are interested in a career involving the sustainability of the environment and conservation. Students will be encouraged to learn to view and analyze environmental issues from scientific, political and social standpoints.
Courses include Environment and Resources Policy; Environmental Sustainability; Current Issues in Environmental Science; and Global Perspectives in Alternative Energy Sources.
Finance (focus)
The fast-paced global economy has changed the way finance works on a fundamental level. As day-to-day financial tasks become more complex and interconnected—from transactions to investing—it pays to have a comprehensive finance skill set. In fact, it has become a requirement for success in just about any organization and even day-to-day life!
The courses for this focus are Financial Management; Managerial Accounting; Securities and Investment; and Financial Accounting 2.
Hospitality: Food and Beverage Management (focus)
Be prepared for the many possibilities beyond the kitchen with this focus, which will give you an understanding of the operation of both the front and the back of the house. You’ll be prepared for positions including management trainee, kitchen manager, catering manager, or assistant pastry, banquet, or sous-chef with restaurants, hotels, resorts, and caterers.
The courses for this focus are Fundamentals of Food Service Industry; Fundamentals of Food Safety; Food Service Management; and Food and Beverage Operations.
Hospitality: Hotel and Event Management (focus)
The hospitality is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the US and refers to a wide array of businesses, including hotels and event planning, cruises and even some professional athletics. Some sports teams, for instance, look for individuals with a hospitality management degree to make travel and living arrangements for their athletes.
Planning events requires many different skills from managing the catering staff to the marketing and sales of your space. This focus area will give a broad introduction to the various roles involved in hotel and event management.
The courses for this focus area are Introduction to Quality Improvement; Food and Beverage Operations; Hotel and Convention Management; and Event Management.
Human Resources (focus)
The success of any business or organization is dependent on the employees who work there. Therefore, the human resources department plays an essential role in developing organizational strategy as well as handling the employee-centered activities – including the role of unions in the workplace! This focus can help strengthen your skills in HR or prepare you to interact with employees directly to help them resolve problems, understand their benefits, or adjudicate disputes between employees.
The courses for this focus are Business Law; Training Concepts; Compensation Management; and Employee Benefits.
IT Help Desk (focus)
The IT Help Desk focus of EGCC ‘s Business Management degree was developed with the support of Google. This focus will prepare students for high-demand, entry-level jobs in IT as Help Desk support.
Nearly every employer that uses computers has a need for IT Support professionals. The demand for the jobs exceeds the number of qualified candidates who can fill them. In fact, the growth in the area is faster than the average of all other occupations.
Labor Studies (focus)
Designed in collaboration with highly respected and seasoned leaders from the labor movement, EGCC’s Labor Studies focus prepares students to assume leadership roles in the workplace and in their communities. Whether you are already working as a union organizer or professional, a dedicated advocate or an interested observer, this focus will help you gain the necessary skills and understanding of the workplace to meet the challenges of the new millennium.
The courses for this focus are Introduction to Labor / the American Labor Movement; Collective Bargaining; Law of Labor / Industrial Relations; and Labor and Management Relationship.
Marketing (focus)
Looking ways to persuade and influence people? Pursue our Marketing focus and you can learn all the ways to promote brands—from writing and creating content and ads to planning and managing large-scale events. Students will learn about the many media in which to promote products and services, as well as the way advertising interrelates to marketing.
Courses for this focus are Salesmanship; Advertising; Social Media Marketing; and Customer Service.
Operations and Logistics (focus)
Operations and logistics management involves planning, implementing, and supervising the production of goods or services, and in our rapidly changing world these skills are more in demand that ever before. Operations managers have responsibilities in both strategy and day-to-day production and cross-function in other departments such as sales, marketing, and finance.
Courses in this focus are Logistics, Quality Improvement, Training Concepts and Spreadsheets.
Programming and Development (focus)
Programmers, developers, and software engineers design and develop many types of software, including computer games and entertainment applications, mobile applications, business applications, database systems, computer systems, and interactive web sites. Students will get an introduction to these important areas and begin to develop competencies in designing, implementing, integrating, testing and maintaining software systems.
The courses for this focus area are Coding from Scratch; Front End Foundations; Front End Frameworks, and Programming Foundations.
Project Management Fundamentals (focus)
In business and in life, new projects arise every day–virtually every organization runs projects. Project managers have a role in a wide variety of fields such as construction or pharmaceuticals and can specialize in areas such as new product development or research and experimentation. Successful project managers need to have strong leadership skills, the ability to delegate responsibilities, and an eagerness to face new challenges.
Courses in this focus include: Introduction to Project Management; Managing Risk; Effective Scheduling and Control; and Spreadsheet Concepts.
The following are additional EGCC programs that are not fully part of the Free College program. While a scholarship will be applied, students will be responsible for some content costs. Please ask your advisor for details.
Medical Coding Specialist
The Medical Coding Specialist Certificate of Completion, along with relevant work experience, prepares students to take the certification examination offered by the American Health Information Management Association to become a Certified Coding Associate (CCA). After further experience they may apply to become a Certified Coding Specialist (CCS). This program mirrors the first two semesters of the Health Information Management degree. Students who complete this certificate may continue on with the Health Information Management degree.
Program Cost
Tuition and fees: Free for Free College-eligible students.
Books/Content: Less than $1,000 for the entire program.
Additional costs: Free College will not cover required background checks or licensing fees.
Medical Scribe Specialist
A medical scribe is trained to be in the room with the doctor and patients and create real time medical records during the visit. Scribes work in various settings such as emergency departments, small to medium doctors’ offices, and other facilities. They possess the appropriate knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, billing/coding/ reimbursement, electronic health records, quality improvement principles, legal privacy/security of protected health information in order to provide entry-level assistance to physicians. Students who complete this certificate may continue with the Medical Coding Certificate and/or Health Information Management degree programs.
Program Cost
Tuition and fees: Free for Free College-eligible students.
Books/Content: Less than $1,000 for the entire program.
Additional costs: Free College will not cover required background checks or licensing fees.
Health Information Management
Health Information Management is the processing of patients’ electronic health records. This program blends knowledge and skills from health information and business management, with computer applications and medicine to provide the necessary foundation for success. Upon successful completion, students will be prepared for a variety of job opportunities in the medical field and be eligible to sit for the RHIT certification. The first two semesters of the HIM degree are the same as the medical coding certificate.
Program Cost
Tuition and fees: Free for Free College-eligible students.
Books/Content: Less than $1,000 for the entire program.
Additional costs: Free College will not cover required background checks or licensing fees.
Information Technology
This IT degree provides students with a comprehensive understanding of various areas of IT, including computer hardware, operating systems, networking, and security. Students will gain the skills needed to set up and manage high performance computer networks using the latest networking tools including TCP/IP, security firewalls, internet services and more. Students will also receive training in a variety of current technologies including Linux, Cisco and Microsoft. Hands-on experience is provided through guided computer simulations. Students will also gain the skills defined by Google for IT Help Desk qualifications, which include troubleshooting, customer service, operating systems, system administration, automation, and security.
Program Cost
Tuition and fees: Free for Free College-eligible students.
Books/Content: Approximately $700.00 for the entire program: course fees change on a per-course basis.
Note:
Students also have the option of enrolling in the IT Help Desk focus of the Business Management degree, which will be entirely covered by the Free College Scholarship.
Fire Science
EGCC’s online Fire Science program is for those seeking enhanced skills and a broad spectrum of knowledge in the field of fire science. Developed in partnership with the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters, EGCC’s program draws on their extensive experience and leadership in fire services. Based on the FESHE Model Curriculum published by the National Fire Academy, EGCC’s online Fire Science program teaches students the latest industry principles, theory, and best practices.
Program Cost
Tuition and fees: Free for Free College-eligible students.
Books/Content: Approximately $700.00 for the entire program: course fees change on a per-course basis.
Note: Free College will cover the course content fees for eligible union students belonging to an Ohio union.