Specialties
Berkshire Community College is a public, fully accredited, community college offering associate degree and certificate programs, as well as various other educational opportunities. BCC currently offers 36 associate degree and 19 certificate programs, including options and concentrations in education, liberal arts, fine and performing arts, computer science, health science, engineering technology, and allied health. The college boasts one of the highest graduation rates among the state's fifteen community colleges.
BCC strives to place higher education within reach of all residents of Berkshire County and beyond, and is committed to access, academic excellence, student success, and community leadership. More than 30% of Berkshire County high school students get their start at BCC, and 92% of graduates reported they were employed part-time or full-time. BCC is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the academic honors society for students at two-year colleges.
Berkshire Community College also offers cross-country, basketball, and soccer as club sports, and as part of the school's wellness initiative, offers free access to the fitness center and health classes to students and faculty. Other fitness activities include hikes and snowshoeing excursions.
History
Established in 1960.
Berkshire Community College was the first community college established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Today, there are 15 community colleges throughout the state. During its first 12 years, BCC was located in downtown Pittsfield in a former junior high school made available by the city. There, enrollment grew from 153 to 1,222 students.
In 1972, the college moved to its present location occupying a magnificent 180-acre site four miles from the center of Pittsfield. Twelve years later, a satellite facility known as the South County Center opened in Great Barrington. in 2014, nearly 3,000 students enrolled in day or evening credit courses at the main campus, off-campus sites, and/or online. Additionally, more than 5,200 people enrolled in various noncredit and workforce development offerings.
Meet the Manager: Ellen K.
Berkshire Community College is here to help you achieve your dreams and aspirations.
Here is our proposition to you...
You bring your commitment to learning, your willingness to work hard and persevere, and your desire to meet or exceed the expectations of our academic programs.
We will provide a curriculum designed to meet the myriad goals of our students. Some attend BCC as a starting place to earn a bachelor's degree; some use us as a source for training to become more productive in their present work or to pursue a new career path. Others are here for the pure joy of learning. We welcome you all.
We will provide a faculty of extraordinary skill and deep knowledge, a staff and administration whose goal it is to make the system work for you and not against you, physical facilities that are both pleasant and current, programs and services that can help you succeed, and a community of learners that support one another.
That is our compact with you. Together we can make it happen.