Butler County Community College (BC3) has 37 career programs, 18 transfer programs, and 21 certificates in the areas of Business, Health Care, Humanities and Social Sciences and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).
Students can earn a 2-year degree or 1-year short-term workplace certificate and start a career upon graduation. 70% of BC3 students are enrolled in programs that can be transferred to a 4-year college or university to complete a bachelor’s degree. BC3 credits are recognized by public, private, state-related, and online colleges and universities.
Through a partnership with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, students can earn an associate degree from BC3 in one of twelve programs and transfer to any PA state institution with junior standing. Degree completion partnerships with Chatham University, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Franklin University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, LaRoche College, and the University of Pittsburgh give students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in various programs while staying on BC3’s main campus through classroom, hybrid, and online courses.
BC3 offers affordable tuition at a fraction of the cost of a 4-year public or private institution. In fact, 80% of BC3 students receive financial aid to help pay for their education and 75% graduate debt-free. The BC3 Education Foundation, Inc. awards over $200,000 in scholarships to students each year.
As a regional community college, BC3 has six locations: BC3 Main Campus in Butler; BC3 @ Cranberry in Cranberry Township; BC3 @ Lawrence Crossing in New Castle; BC3 @ LindenPointe in Hermitage; BC3 @ Brockway in Brockway; and BC3 @ Armstrong in Ford City.
BC3 offers courses in the classroom, as a hybrid, or online. There are many session start dates per semester including five-week online sessions, giving students flexible options that fit their schedule. Plus, the College’s support services including academic and career advising, transfer counseling, and tutoring help students meet their goals. Students can even jump start their college education and earn transferrable credit while in their sophomore, junior or senior year of high school through BC3’s College Within the High School and College Pathways programs.
BC3 also offers noncredit continuing education opportunities including Lifelong Learning, Adult Literacy, Workforce Development, Public Safety Training, and summer enrichment programs for grades K-12. The goal of continuing education at BC3 is to meet the self-defined noncredit educational needs of the community and its citizens. Flexibility and innovation characterize these courses and programs.
Butler County Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.