Our programs are cohorted, which means we admit people in groups and they complete the entire program together from beginning to end. Cohorts typically have between 15-25 people. Having the same people in your classes every semester helps to build community and we have found our cohorts come to support each other like family. Another benefit of this cohort model is the fixed course schedule. All the programs courses are pre-designed and taken in a specific semester. Our faculty intentionally build on the coursework so what you learn in the second semester will build on the first and so on. This provides the opportunity to have much richer and deeper learning experiences since everyone has the same prerequisite knowledge as you progress through the program.

However, with a cohorted model, you do progress as a group. If a program is part-time, you can’t finish faster by taking double the classes; if a program is full-time, you can’t just take half the classes. However, we feel the benefits of the cohorted model outweigh the limited flexibility it brings. As a result of the cohort model, our programs are much more successful, as we have higher retention and graduation rates.