Tom Behrens
In May of 2022 Houston Community College – Katy Campus opened its doors of its new campus, 22910 Colonial Parkway, Katy, to students. The campus is located directly across the street from the University of Houston, which HCC is partnering with to provide students the opportunity to be co-enrolled at both institutions. The Foxlake Campus was closed and is now in the process of being demolished.
Relocating to the new location also allowed HCC to increase revenues, provide a stronger focus on engineering, nursing and workforce-directed programming, and a stronger partnership with the Katy community.
HCC Katy offers classes from Accounting to Welding Technology, leading to a two-year degree certificate. In 2022, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees approved HCC as a Level 2 baccalaureate granting institution. The college can award Bachelor’s degrees after four years of study in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Healthcare Management.
SACSCOC is the accrediting organization for HCC and other colleges and universities across 14 states in the southern United States. HCC will launch its new bachelor’s degree programs in fall 2023.
The Bachelor of Applied Technology in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics will address a growing and critical need for skilled workers in a rapidly evolving technical field. Over the last decade, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gained a substantial foothold in a variety of industries. The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (2021) recognizes AI as “already ubiquitous in everyday life” and that “application of AI techniques to solve problems is turning once-fantastical ideas into realities across a range of disciplines.”
Graduates of this program will enter a profession with 2,586 annual job openings in our region and a median annual salary of $97,200.
The Bachelor of Applied Science in Healthcare Management will prepare students for career advancement or entry-level healthcare managerial positions. The degree program enables working professionals to advance their career by focusing on leadership skills, knowledge, and credentials in the healthcare management field.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cites Medical and Health Services Managers as a growing occupational field based on increased demand for healthcare services as the baby-boom population ages. As medical service needs increase, the need for managers “who organize and manage medical information and healthcare staff” will also increase.
Graduates of this program will enter a profession with 1,752 annual job openings in the Houston region and a median annual salary of $64,200.
“We are continually exploring ways to provide relevant programs and instruction that serve the needs of students and employers in our service area,” said HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, Ph.D., P.E. “With these two inaugural bachelor’s degree programs, we give students an opportunity to start and complete their four-year education on the same HCC campus.”
More information on the bachelor’s degree and the two-year certificate programs can be obtained by contacting the HCC Katy Campus at (713) 718-5757, or visit the campus – 22910 Colonial Pkwy, Katy, TX 77449.