Auxiliary Education Services

Adult Education Program

This FREE program assists adults in the North Arkansas College service area to improve basic skills or to complete their educational goals through the high school level. Students can also utilize the program’s instruction to increase academic skills for the ACCUPLACER and/or ACT. Any students wishing to enter the military can also brush up on skills needed for the ASVAB. While enrolled, adults will have the opportunity to enhance their workforce readiness skills to obtain more rewarding employment. To enroll, students must be 16 years or older, not currently enrolled in a high school, and meet other state and local requirements. 

Adult Basic Education

This program accepts adults who are seeking assistance in improving skills equivalent to the basic grades of one through twelve. The instruction is provided FREE of charge to all students. Individualized as well as small group instruction is available. Subjects include reading, math, spelling, and writing.

General Educational Development (G.E.D.)

This FREE program accepts students who seek assistance in completing their GED (High School Equivalency). The GED credential is based on four tests. The tests cover reading and writing, social studies, science, and mathematics. The tests also measure communication, information-processing, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills. The GED test is designed to measure academic skills and knowledge in subjects that are learned during four years of high school. Classes are offered to help students learn individually or in a small group. 

English as a Second Language

The Adult Education Program offers FREE English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for individuals, 18 years or older, whose native language is not English. ESL classes are offered in Boone, Carroll, and Madison counties.  ESL students, who are not American citizens, may also receive additional instruction to prepare for the official citizenship exam and interview required to become an American citizen. 

For additional information, please call the Adult Education Department at (870) 391-3198 (Harrison or Jasper), (870) 423-4455 (Berryville), (479) 738-1133 (Huntsville), or (870) 447-3098 (Leslie). 

Continuing and Community Education

Continuing and Community Education is a vital service of the total educational program at North Arkansas College. Northark is dedicated to providing education opportunities for all who can profit from the instruction. Continuing and Community Education offerings are developed in response to observed or stated needs, requests, and interests of the residents of our community. The thrust of the non-credit program is to provide meaningful, lifelong learning for citizens of all ages to develop their personal potential, upgrade occupational skills, or simply engage in recreational activity. These courses are offered as non-credit and professional credit courses, seminars, workshops, and other activities. Customized programs can be developed to meet the workforce development needs of businesses and industries in Northark’s service area. We are committed to offering quality, continuing and community education programs and to sharing academic talents and college resources with the community we serve. For further information, contact the Continuing & Community Education Department. 

Developmental Education

For a variety of reasons, students may not have the academic background they need to succeed in college-level courses. For this reason, North Arkansas College offers College Preparatory courses (courses with a prefix of CP) for students who need additional academic work before enrolling in college classes or as companion courses that are taken along with college courses. The goal of these college preparatory classes is to help students make a successful adjustment to college. Classes are offered to support English, math, and science. Reading skills are integrated into English and science classes, and study skills are integrated into all three courses. It should be noted that courses numbered below 1000 do not count toward graduation, nor are they included when the registrar calculates grade point averages for the Dean’s List. 

Online and Distance Learning

Students often have busy schedules, and our online and distance learning program is designed to help students get the flexibility they need to go to college without sacrificing quality. North Arkansas College offers the delivery of these courses in four different formats - Online, Live Online, Hybrid, and Site-to-Site.

Online: Course delivery is entirely through the internet. A student is not expected to attend classes on campus.

Live Online: Classes meet online in a virtual classroom on specific dates and times. Assignments are done outside of the classroom.

Hybrid: Any course combination of face to face and internet delivery of coursework where the students on site attendance is required.

Site-to-Site: Synchronous course delivered from one Northark campus to another satellite campus or partner site.

For online and distance courses, the student is expected to have access to a computer with the system requirements below. Online and distance learning courses are consistent with the standard for courses offered through face-to-face instruction, although some or all of course content and faculty-student interaction occurs through one or more forms of delivery.

Honors Program

Mission Statement 

North Arkansas College’s Honors Program is designed to enrich the educational experience of students who have demonstrated exceptional academic or leadership potential. The program provides a learning community for outstanding students to develop skills in effective communication, critical thinking, independent learning, and community service.  The Honors Program will assist the growth of students both academically and personally to ensure their continued success in college and beyond. 

Vision 

North Arkansas College’s Honors Program will offer uniquely creative, stimulating, and collaborative learning opportunities for students who have demonstrated exceptional academic or leadership potential.  

Entrance Pathways 

Students may enter the Honors Program Learning Community through any one of the following paths: 

1. An ACT Composite score of 21 or higher 
2. A High School Cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher 
3. A minimum of 12 completed college credits with a Cumulative 3.5 GPA or higher 
4. Accuplacer scores: Reading 102, Writing 104, Math 116 
5. A recommendation from an Advisor or Faculty member at North Arkansas College and Permission from the Honors Program Advisor  

Honors Program Expectations 

Completion of the Honors Program requires students to take a minimum of 15 hours from the list of available honors courses with a Cumulative 3.25 GPA. One of the courses selected must be Philosophy 1103 (Critical Thinking).  

Students who do not complete the Honors Program but take at least 9 hours of Honors courses with a Cumulative 3.25 GPA will qualify for a gold cord at graduation. 

Learning Resource Center - Library, Tutoring and Testing Center

The Learning Resource Center (LRC) includes Library, Testing Center and Tutoring Services in one location. It serves students as well as the Harrison community and is the study and research center for the College.  The LRC has a wide range of materials and services available to meet the needs of its users.  LRC staff members are available for one-on-one assistance in a variety of ways. These services include: 

Tutoring in Mathematics, Writing, English, Science, and other subjects 

Use of computer lab and printers  

Within the limitations of software licensing agreements, student-usable versions of all software taught on campus are available, including Adobe Creative Suite. 

Use of laptops, Wi-Fi and wireless printing 

Items & equipment available for checkout include: laptops, mobile hot spots, graphing calculators, books, DVDs, graphic novels, etc. 

Individual and group study areas are available to reserve. 

Academic, career, social and financial literacy-based workshops and activities 

Access to public benefits 

LRC staff members are available to offer one-on-one assistance in using Library resources, whether print, audio-visual, or electronic. The Library of Congress classification system is used for print collections, and a single online catalog provides simultaneous searching of resources. The online catalog is located here: http://www.northark.edu/student-and-community-services/library. 
  
The combined print collection is approximately 10,000 volumes, and access to several e-book collections is also provided. Students and faculty are encouraged to use the Inter-Library loan services for research materials not available locally. 

The LRC subscribes to several online databases that have replaced physical periodicals. Students can search on virtually any topic within these databases. There are thousands of periodicals covered, with many full text options. The Northark LRC also offers off-campus access for students and faculty to most of the subscription databases through the LRC tab on Office 365 Students. Any authorized user of the Northark computer network may access online library materials on-campus. 

The LRC is open Monday - Friday. Please call (870) 391-3368 for more information. 

Testing Center 

The North Arkansas College Testing Center (also known as Certification Center) offers secure testing for both paper tests and computer-based tests for students and professionals. Everyone who works in the Testing Center is a Certified Test Proctor.  Proctors are certified through each testing company as well through an internal training program.  Security cameras are installed at every test station and monitored by proctors. 

The Testing Center is open Monday - Friday, and appointments are strongly preferred. Testers are encouraged to arrive a few minutes before their scheduled testing time to allow sufficient time to check-in. Walk-ins are accepted only if there is a station available for testing. 
The Testing Center offers the following services: 

Student testing for makeup testing and online classes 

Accuplacer placement exams 

CLEP (College Level Examination Program) testing 

Work Keys testing 

Professional testing such as Praxis (teaching certification), Pearson Vue (i.e. GED and EMT), and Kryterion (Microsoft exams), and many others.  Call the Testing Center for a full list. 

Distance learning exams  

Respondus Monitor & Lockdown Browser assistance 
  

Due to security issues, the Testing Center restricts items students and other testing candidates can have in the testing room. A list of restricted items will be emailed to students/testing candidates when appointments are set. 

 
For more information or to make an appointment, please call the Testing Center at 870-391-3533. 

Northark Technical Center

The Northark Technical Center (NTC) allows highly motivated high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who reside in the North Arkansas College service area to take technical courses on the college campus. Students may earn elective high school credits each year as well as earning college credits in one of many different technical programs. Students spend one-half day at their high school and one-half day on the Northark campus. All services are provided at no cost to the student. Upon successful completion of required courses in each program of study, students are eligible to receive college certificates while still in high school.  All courses taken through the Northark Technical Center may be applied toward an Associate of Applied Science Degree. Detailed information about the opportunities available through NTC can be viewed at www.northark.edu. 

Students interested in enrolling at the Northark Technical Center should contact their high school counselor or call the Technical Center at 870-391-3146. 

Programs available to high school students at the Northark Technical Center include: 

Robotics and Manufacturing 
The Advanced Manufacturing program prepares high school students for entry-level positions in manufacturing industries, or to continue their education.  Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible for: 

• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Workforce Technology 
• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Manufacturing Technology 
• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Electronics Technology 
• Northark College Technical Certificate in General Technology 
• OSHA Safety Certification 

Automotive Service Technology 
The Automotive Service Technology (AST) program prepares high school students for entry-level positions as Automotive Service Technicians, or to continue their education. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible for: 

• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Gas Engine Repair and Brake Technology 
• Northark College Technical Certificate in General Technology 
• OSHA Safety Certification 
• SP2 Certifications 

Collision Repair Technology 
The Collision Repair Technology program prepares high school students for entry-level positions as Collision Repair Technicians, or continue their education. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible for: 

• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Collision Repair Technology 
• Northark College Technical Certificate in General Technology 
• OSHA Safety Certification 
• SP2 Certifications 
• I-CAR Certifications 

Construction Technology 
The Construction Technology program prepares high school students for entry-level positions in the construction industry or to continue their education. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible for: 

• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Construction Technology 
• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning 
• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Workforce Technology 
• Northark College Technical Certificate in General Technology 
• OSHA Safety Certification 
• NCCER Certifications 

Medical Professions Education 
The Medical Professions Education program prepares high school students for careers in health care professions, including jobs such as Administrative Medical Assistants, Certified Nursing Assistants, and Emergency Medical Technicians. Courses taken also prepare students to continue their education. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible for: 

• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Nursing Assistant 
• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Administrative Medical Assistant or Emergency Medical Technician 
• CNA State Certification 
• EMT State License 
• CPR Certification 

Outdoor Power Equipment 
The Outdoor Power Equipment program provides entry-level knowledge and skills to set up, operate and maintain outdoor equipment and technologies commonly used in this industry, including but not limited to mowing equipment, spraying equipment, small engines, ATVs, and UTVs. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible for: 

• OSHA Safety Certification 
• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Workforce Technology 
• Northark College Technical Certificate in Outdoor Power Equipment Technology 
• Northark College Technical Certificate in General Technology 

Welding Technology 
The Welding Technology program prepares high school students for entry-level positions in the welding industry, or to continue their education. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible for: 

• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Welding Applications & Procedures 
• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Shielded Metal Arc Welding 
• Northark College Certificate of Proficiency in Workforce Technology 
• Northark College Technical Certificate in General Technology 
• OSHA Safety Certification 
• NCCER Certifications 

STEMPrep Partnership with the University of Arkansas

The STEM Preparation Program is designed for students at two-year colleges in Arkansas who are interested in pursuing a degree in engineering. Through this program, Northark students can take selected University of Arkansas engineering courses online at Northark tuition rates. Interested students should contact Valerie Martin, Department Chair of Math, Science, and Agriculture, at 870-391-3327 or vmartin@northark.edu.