Empire College

Highlights

• Over 48 years of higher education experience
• Over five year period school reports that graduates were placed in over 1,500 companies
• Offer flexible mix of day and evening classes
• Accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
• School of Law is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California

About the School

Empire College offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs as well as certificates and diplomas. Study areas include business administration, medical, information technology, and a Juris Doctor Law program.

The College describes its goal as to provide a curriculum and study setting that fosters increased employability for students. The school notes that strives to provide graduates with career skills and work ethic that are up to industry standards.

Academic Programs

Empire College is organized around two schools: The School of Business and the School of Law.

The School of Business, founded in 1961, offers career-focused programs including those for Accounting/Bookkeeping, Information Technology, Legal, Office Administration and Tourism and Hospitality. The school reports that during a five year period its graduates have been placed in over 1,500 companies, with combined income estimated to be more than $200 million.

Study areas in the School of Business include:

• Accounting/Bookkeeping – Programs are structured to meet varying levels of skills needed by students. Options, include, for example a Specialized Associate Degree, Accounting with Computer Applications, and Accounting Essentials.
• Information Technology – Students have the choices of focusing on Microsoft certification, Linux, Cisco and/or Security. Students can also take industry certification exams on campus.
• Medical – Programs available to students include: Medical Assistant, Clinical Medical Assistant, Medical Administrative Assistant, Medical Billing and Coding Technician, Medical Transcriptionist and Phlebotomy.
• Office Administration – Career programs for office administration include: Administrative Specialist, Executive Office Administration, Administrative Assistant, Accelerated Business Essentials, and Computerized Business Skills.
• Tourism & Hospitality – Courses are aimed at helping students enter careers within areas such as travel agencies, hotels, resorts, and wineries. Available courses cover hospitality, tourism, and wine industries.
• Legal –
Study areas include: Paralegal, Legal Office Administration and Legal Secretary.

Founded in 1973, the Empire College School of Law has been producing graduates from their evening Juris Doctor Law program. The school describes itself as one of the best accredited law schools in California. The school reports that since its founding that approximately 80% of its graduates who have taken the California Bar Exam have passed. In recent years the school has had one of the highest rates of pass rates among California Accredited Law Schools. In its local community, Sonoma County, the school notes that approximately 25% of the bar members are Empire graduates.

The Law School's juris doctorate program presents students with a broad array of thical and intellectual challenges from the field of law. Studies include criminal law, contracts, torts, property, evidence, civil procedure, constitutional law, wills and trusts, business organizations, remedies, professional responsibility, and much more. Graduates become Juris Doctor (J.D.). After successfully completing the program individuals must pass the California Bar Examination in order to practice law in the state.

Learning Options

• Classes are year-round
• The School of Law is a part-time, four-year evening program
• Business School programs vary from 6 to 18 months in length
• Day or evening classes are available for business school students

Faculty

Business School educators are professionals in their field. They also come to the classroom with real-world experience that they can share with their students.

All of the Law School professors are practicing attorneys or judges. They bring years of expertise from the field into the classroom.

Student Life

Empire College is a commuter school; there is no on-campus housing. Classroom interaction between students is on-going and provides opportunities for students to build relationships with classmates.

The Empire College Career Services department helps students obtain jobs in the workplace. The placement service is available to graduates throughout their lifetime.

Admissions and Financial Aid

The Business School has a rolling admissions policy so that prospective students can apply for admittance throughout the year. Undergraduate students are required to have earned high school diploma or its equivalent. If an applicant is 18, they may gain admission by passing an independently administered aptitude test in lieu of fulfilling the educational prerequisites.

The Law School assigns applicants into three separate categories according to their education backgrounds. Admission requirements and the need to provide LSAT scores varies depending on the category of the prospective student.

Grants, Loans and Work study aid options are available for eligible students. Aid programs are awarded based upon a "Need Analysis" in conjuncture with prior academic performance. Students may also put in place a monthly payment schedule to cover the cost of their education.