Educational Offerings

The educational offerings, as well as the initial design of the curriculum and course delivery methods, have evolved since Potomac College was established in 1989. Originally, the College had a student base from the high tech sector, with an average of five years work experience and 50 plus hours of college credit.  This model was not financially sustainable nor did it reflect the background of students in the larger National Capital Area. These changes are a direct result of the “mission expansion” to align the College’s educational programs to the educational needs of our service area. 

 The Lower Division program has been enhanced with more general education course offerings and five associate degree programs, to provide students with an internal termination point in their educational pathway of life-long learning.  Students with no college experience can now complete an associate program, continue in the lock-step Upper Division program, or enroll in another institution for a more specialized baccalaureate degree.

 Our objective is to ensure that the academic content of the Upper Division programs provides students with a rigorous curriculum of business and information technology theory, and the general education foundation for the first semester student in Lower Division. The foundation of the Upper Division program design is the linkage of theory to practice.  This has not changed since the College was established and continues to be what makes Potomac College unique from our peers in the proprietary academic community. 

Processes were designed and implemented to link curriculum development to identified student learning goals and objectives.  These processes are a primary responsibility of the faculty and are more than textbook selection; they require the continual review and modification of the various programs.  Each program is reviewed as a complete learning unit with an analysis on the relationship and how each course supports the degree program’s overall learning objectives.  In addition, Potomac College’s program delivery is designed for the working adult student.  Classes are offered on weekday evenings and Saturdays and the College operates on extended business hours with a flexible policy for student appointments with faculty or administrators. An overview of Potomac College’s educational offerings is presented below.