Gwinnett County residents have a variety of options for higher education, from certificate and diploma programs, undergraduate and graduate degrees, continuing education classes and career development seminars, all right here in Gwinnett County. The latest development in Gwinnett educational opportunities is the recent creation of Georgia Gwinnett College, the first new four-year college established in Georgia in more than 100 years. This new institution, which began offering classes in fall 2006, will eventually replace the undergraduate programs that were offered by Georgia Perimeter College, the University of Georgia, Southern Polytechnic State University and the Medical College of Georgia at Gwinnett University Center (GUC). The GUC campus has now become the campus of Georgia Gwinnett College.
Students can also earn certificates, diplomas, and degrees at Gwinnett Technical College, Shorter College, DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management and several other programs in Gwinnett County. Gwinnett is also just a short drive from many of Georgia’s top colleges such as Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Emory University, the University of Georgia’s Athens campus, Gainesville College, and Mercer University.
Georgia Gwinnett College, located at the intersection of Highway 316 and Collins Hill Road in Lawrenceville, is a high tech, four-year college serving the higher educational needs of Gwinnett County and the surrounding communities. GGC is a premier 21st century liberal arts college where learning takes place continuously and beyond the confines of the traditional classroom. The college is built on the cornerstones of the innovative use of educational technology and the commitment to an integrated experience that develops the whole person. The college was created by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia as “a true 21st century higher education institution,” with a principal responsibility for developing innovative approaches to higher education. Georgia Gwinnett is the first public four-year liberal arts college to be founded in the United States in the 21st century, and the first four-year college to be founded in Georgia in more than 100 years.
Bachelor’s degree majors include: Biology, Psychology, Business and Information Technology. For more information, contact Georgia Gwinnett College at 678-407-5000 or visit their Web site at: www.ggc.usg.edu.
Gwinnett Technical College in Lawrenceville delivers relevant knowledge and specialized training to more than 28,000 citizens each year through its credit, continuing education and adult education programs. Gwinnett Technical College offers more than 45 degree programs, the most comprehensive collection of career training in the state. The college maintains close ties to business and industry to ensure that its programs meet the needs of the workplace.
Individuals and businesses can also take advantage of hundreds of continuing education seminars, courses and customized training services designed to further professional and workforce development. Gwinnett Tech is also the county’s largest single provider of corporate training. Training is offered on-site or in the Busbee Center for International Workforce Development, the college’s state-of-the-art training and corporate events facility which is the perfect location for corporate seminars, training sessions, conferences and other gatherings of 20-400 persons. For more information, contact Gwinnett Technical College at 770-962-7580 or visit www.GwinnettTech.edu.
Brenau University is a private, comprehensive women’s liberal arts university in Gainesville, Ga., committed to single-gender education since 1878. The Evening and Weekend College, of which there is a location on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, and the Online College offer coeducational programs designed especially for the convenience of working adults. Brenau University was listed in U.S. News and World Report as #10 in the best value category among all master’s universities in the South, and was also designated a Best Southeastern College by the Princeton Review. For more information contact Brenau University at 770-534-6299 or visit their Web site at www.brenau.edu.
Central Michigan University is one of the leading and largest providers of off-campus programs in North America. The Master of Arts in Education at CMU’s Snellville location provides the knowledge and skills required for individuals to function effectively in various positions of educational leadership. This is not a certification program for public school teachers, as it presumes the individual is already trained and qualified in the technical aspects of her or his field. CMU also offers the Education Specialist degree at other Atlanta locations. For more information contact Central Michigan University at 770-933-7675 or visit their Web site at www.cmuatlanta.com.
ITT Technical Institute provides career-focused degree programs to Gwinnett and metro Atlanta students at its Duluth campus. Most ITT Technical Institute programs blend traditional academics with applied learning concepts, with a significant portion devoted to practical study in a lab environment. Curriculum offerings leading to associate’s and bachelor’s degrees are designed to help students prepare for career opportunities in various business and technology fields. An advisory committee of local businesses and employers help ITT Technical Institute periodically assess and update curricula, equipment and laboratory design. For more information, contact ITT Technical Institute at 678-957-8510 www.itt-tech.edu.
DeVry University and Keller Graduate School of Management, Gwinnett Center, fosters student learning through high-quality, career-oriented undergraduate and graduate programs in technology, business and management. Keller Graduate School of Management offers practitioner-oriented graduate management education focused on applied management concepts and skills. This focus is met through a curriculum developed, tested and continually improved through regular outcomes assessment and consultation by DeVry’s faculty and administrators with business leaders and other educators. DeVry’s Gwinnett Center, adjacent to Gwinnett Place Mall, serves students living and working along the I-85 corridor. For more information, contact DeVry’s Gwinnett Center at 404-292-7900 ext. 6402 (undergraduate) or ext. 6403 (graduate) or e-mail jplumley(at)keller.edu.
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine recently opened its Georgia campus in Suwanee in 2005 and now boasts more than 160 osteopathic medical students. In August 2006, the College began a two-year evening program leading to a master’s degree in bio-medical science. The curriculum, activities and academic calendar for the two programs mirror that of its Philadelphia campus. The College’s primary focus is to train students from Georgia and nearby Southern states to practice osteopathic medicine and encourage them to locate in inner cities and rural areas, which are experiencing a shortage of physicians. For more information, contact Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine at 678-225-7500 or visit their Web site at www.pcom.edu.
Shorter College Professional Studies Program offers accelerated associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees through its Professional Studies Program at its Lawrenceville campus. Established in Rome, Georgia, in 1873, Short College began offering its non-traditional degree programs in the metro-Atlanta area in 1992. Work-experienced adults residing in Gwinnett County find that Shorter College makes it possible for them to earn degrees in business administration, early childhood education, human services, management, and ministry studies without sacrificing their jobs. Financial aid is available to students who meet eligibility requirements. Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of College and Schools, Shorter has been cited for six consecutive years by U.S. News and World Report as one of “America’s Best Colleges”. For more information, contact Shorter’s Professional Studies Program, Lawrenceville campus, at 770-237-5288 or visit www.shorterdegree.com.
Spring Hill College’s mission is to provide an excellent education to people of all faiths who believe the development of the whole person is essential to a successful life. The College’s Norcross program is focused on the adult learner, whether the goal is to complete an undergraduate degree, earn a Masters or continue with lifelong learning. The college offers accelerated classes to adult students. Classes meet at convenient times once a week in the evening. Terms are five or eight weeks, allowing the student to complete up to nine semesters per year. Degree programs in Business, Organizational Leadership, Education, Nursing and Theology are offered. For more information, contact Spring Hill College at 678-924-1919 or visit their Web site at www.shc.edu/atlanta/.
The University of Georgia (UGA), founded in 1785, is the oldest and most comprehensive institution of higher education in Georgia. It is also consistently ranked among the top 25 public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, based on such factors as academic reputation, student retention and faculty resources. UGA began offering undergraduate degree programs at the Gwinnett University Center in Lawrenceville in 2002, but with the creation of the new Georgia Gwinnett College, these programs are being phased out. However, UGA, along with its Terry College of Business, is continuing to expand its graduate degree programs in Gwinnett, as well as non-credit courses for personal and professional development. Master’s degree programs leading to a UGA degree are offered in a variety of fields ranging from business administration to social work. For more information, call 678-407-5302 or visit www.uga.edu/gwinnett.
Other Educational Opportunities
Gwinnett County is home to a number of other business and vocational schools, educational consultants and branch campuses of colleges and universities based outside the county:
- Emory University Center for Lifelong Learning, 404-727-6000
- Georgia Medical Institute, 770-921-1085
- Mercer University, 678-547-6000
- Terry College of Business, 866-GOTERRY (468-3779)
- University of Georgia, 706-542-3000
- University of Phoenix, 678-731-0555
Continuing Education
Gwinnett Tech provides hundreds of seminars and workshops each quarter pertaining to business and management, computer training, medical services, occupational and technical skills and personal enrichment. Students participating in these programs often earn continuing education credits for certification, re-certification or license renewal. For more information, contact Gwinnett Tech at 770-995-9697 or visit their Web site at www.GwinnettTechnicalCollege.com.
Gwinnett County Public Library Information
The Gwinnett County Public Library’s vast resources are accessible to cardholders at www.gwinnettpl.org or at any of the county’s 14 branches. The Library opened its 14th branch at 700 Grayson Parkway in Grayson in October 2006.
The Library’s home page at www.gwinnettpl.org provides access to a wide variety of business information through searchable databases including those through Georgia Library Learning Online (GALILEO). Gwinnett residents have the convenience of being able to apply for a library card, search the catalog, place holds, manage fees and more, all online.
The Gwinnett County Public Library coordinates many children’s educational programs and supports the curriculum guidelines of Gwinnett County Public Schools and Buford City Schools. One of the Library’s key educational resources is its Live Homework Help, available 2-12 p.m., seven days a week. With a library card and a PIN number, Gwinnett students can sign on from the library or from their home computer to get free homework help in science, math, language arts, and social studies. Math and science help is offered in Spanish as well as English.
Hours
Monday-Thursday -- 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday-Saturday -- 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday -- 1-6 p.m.
Library Phone Numbers
Information and Branches -- 770-822-4522
Automated Renewal by Telephone -- 770-822-5351
Library Help Line -- 770-978-5154
www.gwinnettpl.org
Library Branches
Buford-Sugar Hill -- 770-945-4196
Centerville -- 770-978-4042
Collins Hill -- 770-822-2040
Dacula -- 770-822-2860
Duluth -- 770-476-1992
Elizabeth H. Williams (Snellville) -- 770-972-0988
Five Forks -- 770-978-5600
Grayson -- 770-277-7680
Lawrenceville -- 770-822-5361
Lilburn -- 770-921-7346
Mountain Park -- 770-921-1299
Norcross -- 770-448-4938
Peachtree Corners -- 770-729-0931
Suwanee -- 770-614-3418
