About West Coast University

University Mission

At West Coast University, we embrace a student-centric learning partnership that leads to professional success. We deliver transformational education within a culture of integrity and personal accountability. We design market-responsive programs through collaboration between faculty and industry professionals. We continuously pursue more effective and innovative ways through which students develop the competencies and confidence required in a complex and changing world.

University Values

Objectives

• To provide degree programs in fields of study that lead to professional success.
• To provide academic and support services to enhance student success.
• To provide a caring environment that is supportive and concerned with each student’s success.
• To provide curricula, facilities, equipment and qualified faculty to prepare students for employment   in an ever-changing job market.
• To offer innovative and alternative modes of educational delivery to meet the needs of students’ personal and professional schedules.
• To assist in meeting the employment needs of related professions.

Institutional Learning Outcomes

Institutional learning outcomes are designed by the University as a whole, taking into account the role that both instruction and student services play in contributing to a student’s success. Institutional learning outcomes assume achievement of the stated programmatic learning outcomes of one’s discipline.

Upon graduating from a degree program offered by West Coast University, students should be able to:

1. Implement intellectual and practical problem solving skills through information assessment and critical thinking.
2. Demonstrate effective written communication skills.
3. Demonstrate effective oral communication skills.
4. Demonstrate computer proficiency and information literacy.
5. Describe ethical standards and legal guidelines associated with one’s chosen career field.
6. Explain why knowledge of and respect for the societal contributions of diverse cultures and perspectives is an important quality in one’s discipline.
7. Articulate the importance of working collaboratively with other healthcare providers in support of the client/patient.

University History

West Coast University (WCU) was originally chartered in California in 1909 as an ophthalmology school. In 1953, the University added evening-only programs. The success of this approach led the University to expand and diversify its programs to include offerings in health science. The University achieved accreditation by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities (ACSCU) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in 1963 and maintained that accreditation until March 1997. Associate degrees in science as well as master’s degree programs were introduced in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. In 1981, the University reorganized into three distinct colleges; the College of Business and Management, the College of Engineering, and the College of Letters and Sciences.

In May of 1997, new leadership was committed to refocusing the Institution’s program offerings to high-demand health care related programs that would be beneficial to working adults. These programs included Nursing, Dental Hygiene, and Health Care Management. West Coast University became accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) in 2002.

A branch campus in Orange County opened for classes in September of 2007. At the same time, the University launched its first online classes to provide greater flexibility for its students. An additional branch campus in Ontario, California, began offering classes in November of 2008. In 2009 the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree achieved accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

In June 2010, the University achieved an additional milestone, as it was approved to offer Masters degree programs in Nursing and Health Care Management by ACICS. In October of 2010, the Orange County, California campus Bachelor of Science program in Dental Hygiene received accreditation though the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). In addition, in 2010 the University applied for Eligibility from the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). In fall of 2011, WASC granted the University accreditation.

In 2012 West Coast University opened its fourth campus in Dallas, Texas. The campus offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, the first one for the institution outside of the State of California.

The Master of Science in Nursing program achieved CCNE accreditation in 2012.  As growth progressed, WCU opened the Center for Graduate Studies near downtown Los Angeles.  In the fall of 2013, the University commenced its Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program at the Los Angeles Campus. 

In April, 2014, West Coast University proudly opened its fifth campus in Miami, Florida and in early 2015, West Coast University added two distance education programs to the College of Nursing, a RN to BSN and a RN to MSN program.

University Academic Freedom and Responsibility

West Coast University supports an environment of open investigation and discourse in the pursuit of enhanced student learning. In the spirit of Academic Freedom, faculty members are encouraged to engage in an exhaustive quest of relevant inquiry that is free from outside intervention. Faculty members have the right and responsibility to express their understanding of the facts related to the subject matter in a manner that is educationally effective and professionally appropriate; furthermore, faculty are expected to engage in continuous assessment and programmatic self-reflection to ensure students demonstrate competence in identified learning outcomes. Faculty members are expected to keep abreast of developments in the field and to share their knowledge with students. Within the University’s model of shared governance, faculty members are urged to collaborate with colleagues to identify opportunities for improvement in scholarship, teaching and learning.

Curricular consistency is paramount to a culture of assessment that embraces ongoing student learning assessment, program evaluation, and responsive change. Accordingly, faculty share co-ownership over a common curriculum, whereby all courses are taught in alignment with a faculty-developed master syllabus. It is recognized that faculty members possess broad differences in areas of expertise, research interests, and styles of instructional delivery. This richness of diversity powerfully contributes to a learning environment that produces original thought, creative inspiration, and critical reasoning skills. In summation, Academic Freedom is interwoven into all teaching and learning processes that sustain learning outcomes and ultimately produce lifelong contributions to society.

Similarly, staff members have the right and responsibility to keep abreast of developments in their professional fields, and to share knowledge with their colleagues in the field. West Coast University expects that staff members will express this freedom in an appropriate way in compliance with their professional responsibilities to serve students, faculty and the institution.

Facilities Description

West Coast University campuses and classroom facilities include courtyards, study nooks and gathering spaces that encourage connections between students, faculty and associates. The classrooms at each campus integrate advanced technology wherever possible, including permanently mounted projectors, projection screens, interactive whiteboards and technologies that capture, print and transmit images and text. Spaces are also provided at each campus to support student needs including meeting rooms, food service areas, and computer stations with wireless connectivity. Each campus also provides a library and master's degree-prepared librarian, along with administrative functions and staff including admissions, registrar, student services, career services and financial aid.

Class Schedule Information

For programs operating on the 20-week semester model, classes are typically scheduled during the hours of 7:00 am to 11:00 pm Monday through Friday and 7:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Most often, students attend classes between two to four days per week; however, some courses (most notably in the nursing programs) may require additional days of instruction per week. Nursing clinical rotations may be scheduled any day of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays, 24 hours a day. The Dental Hygiene core curriculum requires students to attend classes, labs, and clinic sessions up to five days per week. After program completion and in preparation for clinical board examinations, Dental Hygiene students will be allowed to attend specific clinic sessions.  The RN to BSN, RN to MSN, and MSN Advanced Generalist distance education programs do not have face-to-face class meetings scheduled. The courses for these programs are open for students to commence coursework on the first Sunday of each eight week session as part of a trimester and close on the last Saturday of each eight week session within the trimester. 

Class Times

Please Note: Nursing clinical rotations may be scheduled any day of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays, 24 hours a day.

University Hours of Operation

California and Florida: The campus administrative offices normal hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Texas:  The campus administrative offices normal hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

All Campuses:  Online courses and related technical support are available and accessible to enrolled students seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Holidays Observed