Oxnard College gets greenlight to offer first bachelor's degree

Isaiah Murtaugh, Ventura County Star
·2 min read
The Oxnard College clock tower stands above the south quad.
The Oxnard College clock tower stands above the south quad.

A bachelor's degree will soon be offered for Oxnard College dental hygiene students.

The California Community College Chancellor's office announced Monday that Oxnard College has full approval to launch a four-year dental hygiene bachelor's degree program. The college plans to welcome its first bachelor's students in fall 2025.

"It's tremendous," Luis Gonzalez, the college's vice president of academic affairs, said Wednesday. "We are excited about the opportunity to kick off the program, to provide access for students who are already recognized for their success rates."

Oxnard College earned tentative approval for the program in the fall, then spent the intervening months under review for potential conflicts with degree programs in the University of California and California State University systems.

With the full approval, the 7,000-student campus joins Moorpark and Ventura colleges as the third and final of the county's community colleges preparing to offer their first-ever bachelor's degrees.

Moorpark College plans to launch a biomanufacturing bachelor's track in the fall and Ventura College will start offering a bachelor's degree in automotive career education in fall 2025.

Across the state, 39 bachelor's degree programs at 32 community colleges now have a green light from the state chancellor. Another 11 potential programs, including a cybersecurity bachelor's track at Moorpark College, are still waiting for final approval, according to the chancellor's office.

More degrees could be on their way. Gonzalez said the three Ventura County Community College District campuses are all exploring more bachelor's programs.

Oxnard College's next goal, he said, is to restart a previous attempt to build an "applied advocacy and organizing" bachelor's degree to help develop the next generation of community organizers.

"Wherever we think we can develop a baccalaureate program," he said. "We will."

Isaiah Murtaugh covers education for the Ventura County Star in partnership with Report for America. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh and @vcsschools. You can support this work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Oxnard College gets greenlight to offer first bachelor's degree