California Coast University

About California Coast University

Finish What You Started...

California Coast University was founded in 1973 to meet the needs of qualified, highly motivated persons whose geographic, professional, or personal time constraints keep them from completing their education in traditional, on-campus programs.

If you desire to finish, or to further your education California Coast University can help you achieve your academic goals as quickly as your time and ability permit!

Coast Connection
California Coast University provides a web portal called Coast Connection, available to all active students and alumni. Coast Connection provides students with access to their records, including the coursework matrix identifying which courses have been completed, and which course(s) remain in the student's degree program. Students can submit examinations, contact faculty or student service personnel. Coast Connection also provides links to the University's Rental Library, allowing students to request and rent course textbooks. Hundreds of information links to discipline or course specific information and research sources are also available from the site.

The University's Rental Library
A student may obtain textbooks required for their courses in his or her local area. All textbooks may be rented from California Coast University's Rental Library.

Online Bookstore
California Coast University is an official Varsity Books eduPartner. Now students can receive the best possible service and the highest quality product, accurately and on time when purchasing textbooks. Not only does Varsity Books stock what students need, they also provide used books, a buyback program, a flexible return policy and a secure ordering site.

Discount Software and Hardware
California Coast University students, staff and faculty can order academically discounted software and hardware through CCU's partner vendors and manufacturers. Access to receive the discount for computer hardware and software is made available through the Student Center and is available to all active students.

California Coast University uses a rolling admissions process which allows students to register and begin their degree program any time during the year.

All programs are self-paced, which allows students to advance and complete their programs as rapidly as their own schedule and ability permits. The earliest a student may complete their studies and be awarded their degree is one academic year (9 months) from the date of enrollment. Students must complete all their degree requirements within five years from the date of enrollment. Extensions for extenuating circumstances are available through the Student Services Department.

During the admission process, all components of an applicant's background are thoroughly reviewed and evaluated against the University's coursework requirements. The assessment allows the University to determine which courses have already been satisfied, which courses students may submit a request for experiential learning credit, which courses may require a Challenge Exam, and which courses may require the assignment of a Study Guide.

California Coast University Tuition/Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for those who qualify.

The faculty of California Coast University is composed of qualified, experienced and respected educators who serve as counselors, and educational advisors for the students enrolled in programs at the University.

Since the University's programs are centered around the student's total life-learning accomplishments, which include work experience, prior academic classroom experience and self-directed learning outside the classroom, the members of the faculty of the University have been selected for their expertise in recognizing and evaluating these elements. The faculty members are drawn from appropriate academic disciplines and function as a catalyst to assist and guide students in their learning programs. All our Educators have demonstrated unique abilities to function in the alternative learning mode which has made California Coast University a leader in alternative education.

In addition to faculty responsibilities at California Coast University, some faculty members also serve on the faculty or administrative staffs of other local colleges, universities, or public school districts.

California Coast University Accreditation

California Coast University holds accreditation through the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The DETC is an educational association located in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1926, and has become the agency that sets  the standard for all distance education institutions.

The Accrediting Commission of the DETC is a recognized member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CHEA is a private nonprofit national organization that coordinates accreditation activity in the United States. It carries forward a long tradition that recognition of accrediting organizations should be a key strategy to ensure quality, accountability, and improvement in higher education. Recognition by CHEA affirms that standards and processes of accrediting organizations are consistent with quality, improvement, and accountability expectations that CHEA has established.

Professional and Academic Affiliations and Listings

• ACICS Transfer Alliance
• Alliance of Private Postsecondary Approved Institutions
• American Association for School Personnel Administrators
• American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions (AACRAO)
• American Council on Education (ACE)
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
• California Post Secondary Education Commission (CPEC)
• California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education Directory (BPPVE)
• California Private Post Secondary Directory
• Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)
• Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
• DANTES Catalog of Nationally Accredited Distance Learning Programs (NADLP)
• Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)
• Higher Education Directory (HED)
• Higher Education Transfer Alliance (HETA)
• National Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction (PONSI)
• Patterson's Guide to American Education
• United States Department of Education (USDoE)
• VA List of Approved Schools