Parkland College

Careers in horticulture are as diverse as the plants we work with! Our programs can teach you to nurture seedlings, grow food, design landscapes, create floral masterpieces, and construct hardscapes. Students have the option to begin in short-term certificate programs or start with an associate degree and transfer to a four-year institution. The curriculum focuses on hands-on learning to prepare you for your future career.

Landscape and Urban Horticulture focuses on the design and installation of hardscapes and plant material to create beautiful outdoor spaces for commercial and residential projects. The program develops students' landscape construction skills alongside plant cultivation and maintenance skills. Learn more about career options.... [-]

With career options that range from office assistant to top-level management, business administration is a popular career field among students planning transfer to a four-year college or university. Our transfer degree offers freshman and sophomore-level general business courses, as well as courses in accounting, business computer systems, and business law.

The business administration program includes courses in general business, accounting, finance, marketing, and management we well as general education courses. The option is available to take most classes in the online format.

The following recommendations apply to courses and programs in all of these fields:

Forget what you’ve seen on television. What real people working in Criminal Justice do is far more important than that. Are you the kind of person who wants to make a difference in the lives of others? Investigate a career in Criminal Justice.

Studying Criminal Justice at Parkland will allow you to gain strong skills in criminal justice, through coursework in law enforcement, psychology, sociology, and communication skills. You will receive an on-the-job internship with one of several approved criminal justice agencies; some of these internships are paid. If you are interested in a career in Criminal Justice, this is the place to start.

At Parkland, you'll have the advantage of small class sizes, taught by master faculty - never teaching assistants. Your success is our priority.... [-]

Build a solid foundation for your engineering career at Parkland College and transfer to a four-year institution to finish your degree. Save money and enjoy smaller class sizes!

Offering more than 100 Associates Degree and Certificate programs, Parkland College is well known for its small class sizes, state­-of-­the-art facilities, inclusive learning environment, and personable faculty. Parkland boasts the largest international student body of any 2­year college in the state of Illinois, with more than 300 students representing more than 40 countries.

The Associate Degree offers an ideal and inexpensive doorway for international students wanting to enter the American education system. Having worked to perfect their English language skills through the English as a Second Language (ESL) program or earned two years­ worth of transferable credits, many of Parkland’s international students then transfer on to 4­ year universities (2+2 transfer) around the United States, where they continue their educations, earning Baccalaureate and graduate degrees.... [-]

Parkland College Art & Design courses are designed to enhance your skills, build your portfolio, and develop the fundamentals needed to successfully transfer to a four-year college or university.Parkland's Art & Design faculty are working artists who have the experience and skills necessary to provide a strong foundation for students planning to transfer and pursue a bachelor's degree. Not looking to transfer? That's okay, our dedicated faculty can help you make the most of your talent and achieve your dream.

Careers in Fine and Applied Art fields include opportunities to work as entrepreneurs or to work in for-profit and not-for-profit industries.

Our programs prepare you for jobs organizing, managing and promoting, producing, directing, teaching or using creative and technical skills. Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics to view the annual average salaries for the visual arts industry. ... [-]

Do you love technology, solving science problems, and working outside? Parkland's precision agriculture program results in diverse career opportunities for graduates. Employment opportunities are abundant in roles such as precision agriculture technicians, research scientist, crop specialists, etc., who work with soil testing companies, crop consulting firms, and fertilizer and chemical companies. Working in agriculture doesn't always mean farming. Farmers need help making important decisions about what crops to plant, what and how much chemicals to use, and how to improve yield. Precision ag graduates earn a two-year associate in applied science degree that allows them to go right to work helping to feed America! ... [-]

Restaurant management involves aspects of public relations, inventory, dealing with staff, customer service, etc. Managers need to ensure that the restaurant operates efficiently and profitably. They need to be both business-like and creative. Sometimes a restaurant owner will also double as the restaurant manager. A strong manager is essential for restaurant success - he or she is normally the person handling both staff, as well as customer issues.

The Restaurant Management Program prepares students for career-track positions in the restaurant, catering, and institutional food service field. Specialized courses are offered in quantity food preparation; supervision; food, beverage, and labor cost control; and menu planning in the foodservice industry.... [-]

Do you dream of being on the radio, appearing on television, or attracting followers to a YouTube channel? Or maybe you want to promote a new idea, produce an award-winning film, take stunning photographs, or captivate audiences as a professional speaker? Whatever your dream, we have a class for that! Our classes are taught by committed faculty who have experience working in the fields they teach and are dedicated to your success.

Communication is one of the most important professional skills employers are looking for which makes it a popular and versatile field that will prepare students for leadership in a variety of careers including media, arts, marketing, public relations, customer service, journalism, and education.... [-]

Are you ready to expand your mind? Literature students discover the complexities of love, fear, courage, and the whole range of human emotions and motivations in the stories, plays, poems, and novels they read in literature classes.

Literature examines human life in varied ways, from considering our need to write to pondering why we're here. Many students say that discussing literature in class provides one of the best learning experiences in their college careers. The activities in a literature class - reading, writing, discussing, thinking critically about texts and ideas - prepare students for the work world and for life. But beyond that, studying literature enriches our lives, truly a central goal of higher education. Take the opportunity while you are in college to discover the deepest mysteries of the human heart. That's what happens in a literature course.... [-]

The Liberal Arts and Sciences encompasses a range of academic disciplines, from mathematics to the arts. LAS 189, a required course for all AA degrees, reflects this interdisciplinary ideal in its structure and approach.

LAS 189 is a required course for all AA and AS transfer degree programs at Parkland College. Think of it as a kind of “capstone” course which brings together many of the ideas, issues, and methodologies you’ve learned in your general education classes within a single course.

At Parkland, you'll have the advantage of small class sizes, taught by master faculty - never teaching assistants. Your success is our priority.... [-]

Computer Science students demonstrate a long-term focused career vision, are organized and able to manage their time, able to balance work and life, responsible and have the ability to take the lead, persistent and tenacious in their problem-solving skills, and willing to help others and be team-oriented.

Offering more than 100 Associates Degree and Certificate programs, Parkland College is well known for its small class sizes, state­-of-the-art facilities, inclusive learning environment, and personable faculty. Parkland boasts the largest international student body of any 2 ­year college in the state of Illinois, with more than 300 students representing more than 40 countries.

Today's manufacturing plants are high-tech hubs of automation and CNC and PLC programming. An industry shortage of trained industrial technicians and the need to keep increasingly sophisticated machinery functioning and efficient will drive demand for these skilled workers.

Skilled technicians troubleshoot machinery issues, improve system efficiency, and ensure the quality of products using the latest technology. Our graduates report high job satisfaction and significant earning potential. Students receive hands-on training in welding, machinery maintenance and automation, computer-aided drafting, and CNC programming - just the skills needed to go right to work in as little as two years.... [-]

Take an Earth Science class and explore the dynamic processes that shape planet Earth and its atmosphere. You will have the opportunity to engage in interactive courses through hands-on activities and field trips in an on-campus or online environment. Whether you're satisfying your general education requirements or considering a career in science, we invite you to choose the Earth Science course that interests you.

Exciting and fulfilling careers await those who study earth science. Students interested in the atmospheric sciences can choose from specialties within the disciplines of meteorology and climatology, such as agricultural meteorology, forecasting for a governmental agency or private company, or climatological research. Students interested in the geological sciences can look forward to careers in a wide-variety of disciplines related to geology and the environment, including seismology, hydrogeology, environmental geology, or oil and gas exploration.... [-]

The Agricultural Business Management program is a two-year associate in applied science (AAS) degree that combines a unique combination of agriculture sciences and business with emphasis on practical, skill-based courses for the management of agriculture production. Students take courses in crop and soil sciences, soil fertility, pest management, sales, business management, and marketing. Industry competencies essential for today's production agriculture provides student expertise for management positions in various agriculture businesses, including agricultural marketing and processing firms, agricultural supply and service firms, and agriculture production and management. Students also gain industry experience through internship work experience in a related agriculture business.... [-]

Biology has been called the science of life. From the most basic cellular processes to the internal workings of the most complex organisms, biology teaches us about ourselves and other plant and animal species, and how we all coexist on earth.

Students wishing to enter careers in many life-science and Health Professions careers will get their start in our biology courses. Agriculture and Agriculture Technology, basic research, medical/pharmaceutical research, science writing, medicine, therapeutics, kinesiology, sustainability and environmental biology and man other careers will have their roots in a basic understanding of biology.

Parkland's course offerings include anatomy and other biological science courses for health professions and pre-professional medicine students. Some courses feature field trips to nearby prairies and ecosystems, while another takes students on a two-week Caribbean exploration. Other biology courses cover evolution, nutrition, microbiology, and the new field of biotechnology. All courses are laboratory-based, and many are offered online or during evening hours.... [-]

Parkland is committed to helping you select the math courses most appropriate to your needs, based on our wide-ranging career and transfer programs.

"Math is not about numbers, equations, computations, and algorithms; it is about understanding." -William Paul Thurston, Renowned mathematician, awarded the Fields Medal in 1982

Most careers today require a solid background in math. Employers want workers with varying degrees of math ability for the fields of business (accountants, cashiers, real estate agents), medicine and science (pharmacists, physicians, engineers), technology (architects, auto service technicians, programmers), human services (psychologists, educators, EMTs), and others. ... [-]

Offering more than 100 Associates Degree and Certificate programs, Parkland College is well known for its small class sizes, state­-of-­the-­art facilities, inclusive learning environment, and personable faculty. Parkland boasts the largest international student body of any 2­ year college in the state of Illinois, with more than 300 students representing more than 40 countries. The Associate Degree offers an ideal and inexpensive doorway for international students wanting to enter the American education system. Having worked to perfect their English language skills through the English as a Second Language (ESL) program or earned two years­ worth of transferable credits, many of Parkland’s international students then transfer on to 4­ year universities (2+2 transfer) around the United States, where they continue their educations, earning Baccalaureate and graduate degrees. Parkland College faculty are well accustomed to the challenges faced by international students are experienced in dealing with them. Parkland strives to enhance global awareness and multiculturalism through education and faculty welcome the perspective brought by international students in their classes.... [-]