The Benefits of Non-Credit Classes

By Nicholas S., graduate student, SUNY Empire State College

April 5, 2017

Non-credit classes and volunteer work may be a great approach for some students and people in general with disabilities, people with limited time, people with limited money, people who are scared of student debt, people who don’t love taking tests and writing papers, or people who need a job right away.

If you need help locating volunteer work, Empire State College has a department that focuses primarily on this type of thing:

https://alumni.esc.edu/get-involved/volunteer/pay-forward-initiative/

If you need help locating non-credit classes that will be useful in the work world, SUNY Empire State College has some great ideas for just the right course that will help and will look good on your resume for almost any entry level office position.  Some of these courses are:

Workplace Skills:

http://www.ed2go.com/esccwa/online-courses/individual-excellence?tab=detail

High Demand Entry Level Healthcare Skills:

http://www.ed2go.com/esccwa/online-courses/medical-terminology-word-association-approach?tab=detail

Entry Level Office Computer Programs:

http://www.ed2go.com/esccwa/online-courses/computer-skills-for-the-workplace?tab=detail

http://www.ed2go.com/esccwa/online-courses/microsoft-excel-2007-introduction?tab=detail

http://www.ed2go.com/esccwa/online-courses/microsoft-word-2007-introduction?tab=detail

Communicating Your Needs Through Creative Writing:

http://www.ed2go.com/esccwa/online-courses/write-your-life-story?tab=detail

Workplace Communication:

http://www.ed2go.com/esccwa/online-courses/interpersonal-communication?tab=detail

http://www.ed2go.com/esccwa/online-courses/keys-to-effective-communication?tab=detail

The classes offered are approximately $100 dollars and are six weeks long. Browse the courses listed in the Continuing Education Courses catalog below that meet your needs and interests:

https://alumni.esc.edu/discover-resources-benefits/benefits/continuing-education-courses/

SUNY Empire State College also has more selections for those who want to attend something for fun or in person through the Academy for Lifelong Learning:

https://www.esc.edu/media/esc-foundation/all/A.L.L.-Spring-2017-Brochure-12-13-2016.pdf

And lastly, doing a skill search can be extremely helpful in narrowing down your needs and interests in courses.  See the Skill Search example below.  The capital district has a large job market and if you plan on attending the upcoming Student Wellness Retreat, it’s a great way to network and learn more about courses!