About Kingsborough Community College

Overview

Founded in 1963 as part of the City University of New York (CUNY), Kingsborough Community College remains firmly committed to its mission of providing both liberal arts and career education [and] to promoting student learning and development as well as strengthening and serving its diverse community. Kingsborough combines the best of what a college can offer. Its tranquil seaside location is a perfect setting for reflective academic pursuits, yet the college’s active engagement in the community provides students with exciting opportunities to become productive participants in a growing and vital borough.

Kingsborough has been named one of the leading community colleges in the country by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. It has also earned national recognition for its creative and effective use of learning communities, for the large number of degrees it confers, for the high percentage of graduates who continue their studies, and for the innovative programs that draw thousands of non-traditional students to its campus every year.

Kingsborough serves a widely diverse population of approximately 14,000 students and consistently ranks among the leading community colleges in the country in associate degrees awarded to minority students. Approximately 70% of Kingsborough’s students are enrolled in a liberal arts or science degree program; the rest pursue degrees in more specialized, career-oriented programs such as business, communications, criminal justice, culinary arts, nursing and allied health careers, information technology, journalism, maritime technology, tourism and hospitality, and the visual arts. It also maintains one of the most comprehensive adult and continuing education programs in New York City.

The college takes pride in its many support programs that enhance student success. All students are offered individual, personal and academic counseling; workshops to improve basic skills; and career planning and placement. Students enjoy the accessibility of Kingsborough faculty and administrators.

Kingsborough is a major presence in the bustling borough of Brooklyn and has partnered with dozens of schools borough-wide to create a seamless transition to college. Kingsborough also sponsors numerous activities year-round to meet the professional, recreational and cultural needs of the community, including lectures, concerts, art exhibits and theater productions.

KINGSBOROUGH

Was identified from the nation’s 1,200 public community colleges by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program as among the top 10% of community colleges in the country in in 2011 and was selected as one of the top four community colleges in the country in 2013.

Has received national recognition for the success of its freshman year Opening Doors Learning Communities program and has built on that initial success to expand the use of learning communities in later semesters and additional disciplines. Kingsborough has shared its learning communities model and methods with many institutions through workshops and at professional conferences across the country.

Is demonstrating its leadership in civic learning by having established a college-wide civic engagement graduation requirement and by participating in national civic engagement organizations and research projects.

Employs an academic calendar that is divided into two semesters, each consisting of a 12-week and a 6-week session. Full-time students who are NYC residents and attend the 12-week session may attend the 6-week module without additional tuition. Advantages include the ability to focus more intensively on developmental education programs or to accelerate academic progress.

Is consistently ranked by Community College Week as one of the leaders among community colleges in the number of associate degrees conferred in Business, Communications, and Education, and in the total number of minority graduates. In 2013, it ranked 11th for African-American graduates, 24th for Asian-American graduates, and 15th for all minorities.
Offers an Honors Program that affords high achieving students an opportunity to participate in a rich menu of co-curricular activities on- and off-campus to enrich their education. The college is also home to one of the largest chapters of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges.
Offers continuing education programs to over 20,000 students each year from ages six to seventy plus. Courses target occupational, academic, and personal development.

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