Specialty schools are private, for-profit educational institutions that
direct their focus on very specific, work-related skills. They are appealing to
those residing in Utah who wish to change careers or enhance their skills at
their current job, as the class schedules are usually quite flexible, and
students can schedule them around their current work schedule.
Career
changers or the underemployed in Utah also find specialty schools attractive
because the programs are accelerated and students don't have to devote four
years to training. Instead, they spend anywhere from nine months to two years
focusing on the specific skill set needed to enhance their employment
opportunities upon graduation.
The class size at specialty
Utah colleges can quite
small, allowing for more one on one teacher-student attention. Specialty schools
have very high acceptance rates, making it easy for anyone who wants to go to
school to be able to go to school.
Tuition for specialty schools varies.
Some tuition rates are very high, others are average. The individual school's
accreditations and affiliations determine whether or not students can receive
federally subsidized financial aid.
Specialty schools are not designed
for students who wish to transfer out to a four-year , bachelor's degree
granting institution in Utah. Many specialty school credits will not transfer to
other institutions. Some have arrangements with specific schools to accept their
credits, but most do not. Specialty schools are designed, however, for people
who want to enter the workforce. For those who need to advance their careers or
start a new career by learning a specific skill set will benefit from this
accelerated program. Some specialty schools in Utah do offer their own
bachelor's or even master's degrees.
Trade Specialty Schools
Trade
schools offer hands on training in one specific field. Trade schools include:
cosmetology, culinary and vocational-technical schools. Trade schools usually
train people whose field requires a license, and upon graduations students
receive their license (through state examinations) rather than a degree. Trade
schools tend to focus on one specific field and offer training that’s usually
hands-on. Good examples of trade schools include schools of culinary arts,
flight schools, and cosmetology schools. These schools usually offer
certificates or licenses as opposed to degrees
Proprietary Specialty
Schools
Proprietary schools are a specific kind of specialty school and
they follow workforce trends and put together educational programs to match
these trends. Many Proprietary schools are
schools of
healthcare and allied health. If the current hot trend in employment is
biotechnology, these proprietary schools will put together a curriculum aimed at
training people in this field. Proprietary schools may have one campus, or they
may have 100.
The author of this article is in close association with the
Utah colleges. He has
written many articles on the
schools of
healthcare as well.