By: Arthur Hall
Submitted: 2011-08-26 13:10:51 | Word Count: 439
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.
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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.
