BA Programs

Marymount Receives Senior Colleges Commission’s Accreditation

Marymount is now one of two, four-year, co-educational Catholic colleges
 in Los Angeles County.

The Marymount College Board of Trustees and President Michael S. Brophy, Ph.D., announced Tuesday, February 23, 2010 the receipt of accreditation for its bachelor’s degree programs from the Senior Commission of Western Schools and Colleges.

“The college is celebrating,” says Chairman of the Board of Trustees Burt Arnold.  “This accreditation will expand our curriculum and we now move forward with the offering of courses to satisfy requirements for four-year Bachelor of Arts degree programs in Business, Liberal Arts and Media Studies in September of 2010.”

“The development of baccalaureate programs in Business, Liberal Arts and Media Studies will present our current students the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree studies here at Marymount College,” says Dr. Brophy.  “Of course, we will continue to offer superior quality two-year Associate of Arts degree programs in many areas for those students wishing to transfer to other schools. However, now we will also have the ability to offer students who are searching for a competitive four-year program in Business, Liberal Arts and Media Studies an advantageous choice in our region, where many comparable programs are impacted and difficult to access,” says Dr. Brophy. The accreditation does not change the Conditional Use Permit with the City of Rancho Palos Verdes which allows for a maximum enrollment of 793 students.

“In fact,” adds Dr. Brophy, “as private tuition rises and state schools’ compounding budget troubles make it harder to support classes and programs needed to graduate students in four years, students and parents have become more determined in their search for value-added programs that will enhance a student’s ability to stand out and get a job.”

Marymount College was one of the first to recognize this need and provides countless co-curricular opportunities that help develop character and life skills, analytical ability and diverse perspectives outside the classroom.  Moving beyond the exceptional, highly-individualized academic skill building, counseling and mentoring that is a part of every Marymount student’s experience, these opportunities include global travel to places like Egypt and England, volunteerism in many community-based organizations and career-inspiring internships.

On campus, the Marymount College Bachelor of Arts in Business will offer a flexible curriculum that emphasizes learning by doing, effective communication, critical thinking and the creation of value for self and society.  In addition to required major preparation and core courses, the Business program will offer concentrations in Entrepreneurship, Business Communication, Management Science and the Global Economy.

A Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts will enable students to design an interdisciplinary program with real world applications for a variety of careers and graduate school.  With the assistance of an advisor, Liberal Arts majors will select courses from business, media, psychology, global studies and American studies that combine for a powerful learning experience.  Mentoring, research and capstone experiences will add value to the degree and lend a breadth of learning that allow students to apply critical thinking and research skills.

Additionally, the Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies will offer another flexible curriculum option emphasizing hands-on learning by creative design, critical analysis, and production based knowledge and abilities. In addition to the program’s required major and core courses, Media Studies majors may choose to concentrate in the areas of Digital Art and Design, Video and Film Production, Digital Motion Graphics and Digital Animation or Digital Web Design and Digital Interactive Media.

          The College’s proximity to Los Angeles affords its students many opportunities for internships where classroom knowledge is applied to real-world learning.  Many students will have this opportunity through the College’s alumni network where Marymount College graduates are now working as professionals in careers such as business management, design, film, Web development, teaching and law.

True to Marymount College’s global perspective and Catholic heritage, all programs will promote respectful collaboration and are committed to providing students with a curriculum that is relevant, individualized, and supportive in sustaining life-long love of learning and a personally rewarding career.

 “While some may view the addition of BA Programs as a significant change,” says Dr. Brophy, “for more than 10 years we have been offering on our campus, through our Webster University weekend program, both four-year and graduate degrees.” 

Marymount College also boasts one of the most idyllic collegiate locales available.  Situated along the picturesque coastline of Southern California, Marymount College is a student-centered, culturally rich Catholic learning environment for students of all faiths who seek to transform their lives and achieve their academic, professional and life goals.