Clark College

What is the history of Clark College?

Clark College is a public community college in Vancouver, Washington, founded in 1933. It began as a small private junior college and later became a public institution. Its history helps explain its present mix of university-transfer courses, workforce education and programs for students returning to school.

Clark has expanded beyond its original campus through additional teaching locations, including Clark College at Columbia Tech Center in east Vancouver. It now offers associate degrees and certificates as well as selected bachelor of applied science degrees. Those bachelor's programs are a specific extension of its community-college mission, not a sign that every Clark program is a four-year degree.

What are the faculties and departments at Clark College?

Clark College organizes its academic offerings around transfer education, career and technical programs, basic education and selected applied bachelor's degrees rather than a traditional university system of separate graduate schools. Students can pursue subjects ranging from English, mathematics and the sciences to business, computing, health care, manufacturing and the arts.

The credential matters when comparing programs. An associate degree designed for transfer has a different course plan from an associate degree intended primarily for employment. Certificates may take less time, while applied bachelor's programs have their own admission and prerequisite requirements. Clark's offerings include health-related programs such as dental hygiene and nursing; applicants should check the current catalog for the exact credential, campus, sequence and entry requirements of the program they want.

What is the location of Clark College?

Clark College's main campus is at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way in Vancouver, Washington, across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon. It serves the Vancouver area and operates additional instructional locations, including Clark College at Columbia Tech Center in east Vancouver.

The setting makes commuting a practical consideration: a class at the main campus may not be held at the same location as a specialized course or service. C-TRAN provides local bus service, and Portland International Airport is the principal nearby airport. Students planning a schedule should check each course's location and modality, then account for travel between campuses, work and home.

What is the mission and vision of Clark College?

Clark College describes its mission in terms of serving its community and helping individuals reach educational and professional goals. Its stated priorities encompass access to learning, student achievement and responsiveness to community needs.

In practice, prospective students can evaluate that purpose through the programs Clark offers: transfer pathways, career preparation, adult and basic education, and support services for different stages of study. A mission statement describes the college's intentions; it does not, by itself, establish what any individual student's experience or outcome will be.