Parkland College

Parkland College has consistently enhanced its global reputation for academic excellence and community enrichment since its inception in 1967. Located in Champaign, Illinois, a top destination for international students from all around the world, the College has been delivering vocational-technical and academic instruction to more than 210,000 people for the past four decades.

The College has become a center for educational opportunity and community enrichment in East Central Illinois and has earned a national reputation for its excellent academic standards, innovative programs, and quality instruction. The Articulation Compact Program allows Parkland students who have completed their AA or AS degree to transfer as juniors (3^rd year students) to certain Illinois state universities. The Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) allows Parkland students to complete a set of courses guaranteed to transfer between participating institutions statewide (2+2 transfer).

The Parkland Learning Advantage

Parkland College unlocks a new world of opportunities for international students offering more than mere living and studying in an American college environment. Global awareness and multi-culturalism are two pillars of Parkland College, and as a whole, the College prides itself on its international students.

Key Highlights

Accreditation  

The College is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools since 1972. In addition to this, many career programs of the College are accredited by various agencies.

Diverse Student Body
The College campus is a melting point of student life where the average annual enrollment exceeds 18,000 students from different corners of the world.

Competent and caring faculty
Parkland faculty have Doctorates and Master’s Degrees in their areas of specialty and participate in continuing education and training in Parkland’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.  Like the student body, Parkland faculty come from all over the world.

Broad range of academic offerings

• 100+ associate's degree and certificate programs for career/university transfer/job-specific training
• 600+ full- and part-time members of staff which includes teachers, counselors and librarians.
• Academic support for all learning styles and levels
• Campus, online and hybrid learning opportunities
• Counseling and career advice services are available
• Small classes and specialized labs: 20 students per class, on average
• Degrees conferred include Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Associate in Fine Arts, Associate in Engineering Science, Associate in Applied Science, and Associate in General Studies
• Partnerships with four-year colleges for advanced degrees
• Dedicated international transfer partnership with the University of Cincinnati

Parkland College is centrally located on a 233-acre landscape in Champaign, Illinois. The campus is a ten-minute drive from the University of Illinois. Parkland can be reached in about two-and-half hours from downtown Chicago and Indianapolis, and in about three hours from St. Louis.

Willard Airport is located nearby and serviced by a number of major airlines. 

Getting around town
Public transportation to Parkland College from Champaign and Urbana is provided by the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District.

Parkland College offers a wide variety of degree and certificate programs to students in an array of traditional and non-traditional disciplines to meet their educational needs. These programs are largely career-oriented leading to a job, or transfer programs leading to higher education in four-year universities all over the U.S.

Parkland College is the largest transfer institution for the University of Illinois which is also located in Champaign-Urbana.

Departments

The College enlightens and inspires students with the course offerings through its departments.

The various departments of the College are:

Business and Agri-Industries

Students can choose from marketing, accounting, restaurant or hotel management, agribusiness, precision agriculture technology, landscape design, and dozens of other associate-degree and career certificate programs.

Computer Science and Information Technology

Students have the opportunity to kick-start profitable and challenging careers as 3D computer artists/animators, 3D games/graphics developers, database managers, IT office professionals, microcomputer support specialists, network administrators, programmers, or website creators.
 
Fine and Applied Arts

Students can build a strong educational foundation in art, music, theatre, speech, or the mass communication areas of graphic design, radio and TV broadcasting and communications technology.
 
Engineering Science and Technologies

All programs feature hands-on components and include on-the-job training and graduates have enjoyed 100% job placement in these lucrative, in-demand fields. The Associate in Engineering Science Degree is intended for students who wish to transfer to 4-year universities to pursue engineering degrees.

Health Professions

Parkland's Health Professions career programs are designed to give students leading-edge skills in caring for the well-being of others, through hands-on training in up-to-date labs, classrooms, area clinics, and local hospitals

Humanities

Parkland offers courses in the liberal arts which include composition, reading, religion, philosophy, literature, and foreign languages. The Department of Humanities aims to equip students with skills that sharpen their intellects.

Mathematics

The ‘Associate in Science degree program’ in mathematics emphasizes scientific and theoretical applications and prepares students' in math required for most of the college’s degree programs.  

Natural Sciences

The Parkland Department of Natural Sciences teaches students about the nature and practice of science, with courses in chemistry, physics, astronomy, meteorology, geology, biology, evolution, environmental biology, microbiology, kinesiology, forensic science, and human anatomy and physiology.

Social Sciences and Human Services

The department of Social Sciences and Human Services offers a wide variety of associate-degree and transfer programs in both traditional and contemporary studies. The department’s certificate programs provide practical training and rich experiences.

Student development being the primary focus, the well-qualified teaching staff at the College utilizes their professional expertise and experience to guide students to success in their chosen areas of study.

Intensive ESL

Parkland College conducts an “English as a Second Language” program and helps the international students to sharpen their English skills for advancement in to college and university programs in the U.S. The College also offers a wide range of language and culture courses to international students.

Parkland College offers an academically inspiring learning environment for international students. The College has dedicated Public Safety Officers who are state-licensed experts in emergency medicine to take care of students’ health, safety and security.

Learning Facilities

The College supports students with learning facilities, thereby enhancing their creativity. Some of the learning facilities at the College are listed below.

• Over 85 classrooms
• 60 specialized labs
• 2,225 student computers
• Center for Academic Success: counseling and advising
• Student e-mail and wireless Internet access
• Library, with over 120,000 books, journals and other resources.
• An experimental agricultural land lab and a greenhouse
• Specialized automotive and agriculture technology buildings
• State-of-the-art kinesiology and human performance equipment from Polar
• Augmented Reality Sandbox

Recreational Facilities

The College also presents students with a wide variety of recreational facilities. Some of the recreational facilities at the College are a 2000-plus-seat gym and fitness centre, radio and TV stations, a 320-seat theatre, a 50-foot dome planetarium, an art gallery, a child development centre, a cafeteria, soccer, baseball and softball fields, an indoor track and tennis courts.

Advisory Services

The College’s advisory services include counseling, developmental education advising, career guidance and advisory services to the international students. There are counselors and advisors specifically dedicated to helping international students succeed.
 
Quick Links

• Support Services
• Resources

Parkland College hosts more than 200 international students representing 50 countries. International students enrich Parkland’s already flourishing cultural diversity and strengthen the College’s pillars of global awareness and multiculturalism.

Prerequisite

Admission to Parkland College is open to anyone who is a graduate of an accredited high school, has a GED, or is at least 18 years of age and able to benefit from college-level instruction.

Admissions information for International Applicants

Parkland College encourages International students to apply for programs. International students applying to Parkland College should apply for an F-1 student visa.

Admission Requirements:

• Completed International Application
• High school/secondary school transcript and diploma
• Passport
• Bank statement (minimum $24,670 USD balance)
• $50 application fee

For students holding an F1 visa
International students holding an F1 visa have three options:

• International students studying in other universities can apply to Parkland College as transferring students.
• International students studying in the University of Illinois can seek concurrent enrollment at Parkland College.
• Current F-1 students (not University of Illinois students) wanting to take courses, but not transferring to Parkland

Quick Links

• Academic Calendar
• International Application
• International Admissions
• Information for pending permanent residents (those awaiting a green card)

Parkland College welcomes the cultural diversity that students from around the globe bring to the campus each year.

The International Center serves as a portal for Parkland faculty, staff, students, and the community into the world of international possibility.

Parkland’s International Center:

• Provides opportunities for faculty & staff to engage and develop international experiences.
• Gives students a variety of Study Abroad options.
• Lets students and community members explore the world as citizens and as ambassadors in service learning projects.
• Provides links to international organizations and resources for faculty, students, and the community.
• Encourages an environment of cross-cultural learning in a global economy. 
• Shares student and faculty achievements on social media

At Parkland, it is believed that sometimes the best growth in college comes outside of the classroom. The Parkland College Office of Student Life will help students build résumés and also offer them volunteer and leadership opportunities. It also helps students with smaller things such as getting a student ID, finding a place to live, and preparing for commencement.

Student Government

The Student Association of Parkland College is led by an active and responsible Student Government (Senate). Student Government administers student affairs and acts on behalf of the student body to:

• provide a means of student expression and activity appropriate for such an organization
• encourage/promote interest in college affairs and activities
• make aware student needs, opinions, and attitudes
• promote and develop activities that enrich social, cultural, and academic life at Parkland

Campus-wide elections are held in fall/spring semesters for Student Government offices of: president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and ten senators. All students may be eligible for offices and Senate posts, and may serve as a director or member of a board or committee.

Student Clubs

With more than 40 student organizations to choose from, students will find that there’s something for everyone at Parkland College. Students can have fun while they make new friends, serve their community, plan events, reach goals, expand their talents and build an impressive résumé of civic involvement.

Intramurals

Intramural activities are provided for all Parkland students, faculty, and staff. Funded and staffed by students, the intramural program offers sand volleyball; golf; softball; bowling; indoor volleyball; basketball; billiards; euchre; and other sports, contests, activities, and special events.

Counseling and Advising

• The Counseling and Advising Center provides assistance in academic advising, career and transfer planning, and personal counseling to currently enrolled students at Parkland College.