Collins College (Phoenix)

This article is about the for-profit college in Phoenix, Arizona. For the college of hospitality management in Pomona, California, see The Collins College of Hospitality Management.

Established	1978
Type	Private, For Profit
President	Joshua E. Numan
Provost	Dr. Tim Dosemagen
Academic staff	80+
Admin. staff	200+
Students	1300+
Undergraduates	1300+
Postgraduates	N/A
Doctoral students	N/A
Location	Phoenix, AZ, USA
Campus	Urban
Affiliations	Arizona Private School Association, Tempe Chamber of Commerce, Career College Association, American Advertising Federation, International Association of Graphic Designers, American Institute of Graphic Arts, Printing Industry Association, Inc. of Arizona, Better Business Bureau, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Website	CollinsCollege.edu

Collins College is a private, for-profit college that specializes in the fields of visual arts and design. Owned by parent company, Career Education Corporation, Collins College has two campuses and many sister schools across the United States. The main campus is located in southeast Phoenix, with a smaller branch campus located in west Phoenix. Collins College students can earn a Bachelor’s or Associate's degree in a variety of programs, including Graphic Design, Game Design, Interior Design, Visual Art, and Film and Television Production.

History

In 1978, Al and Florence Collins founded Al Collins Graphic Design School. The school opened in Phoenix to a small group of students. Starting with a small evening program, in the early '80s day classes were later added and larger facilities were obtained. In 1982, the school became accredited by the National Association of Trade and Technical Schools (NATTS).

In 1985 the school moved to a larger campus in Tempe due to continued growth in its student population. The following year, a Computer Graphics program was added.

In 1987, the Arizona State Board for Private Post-secondary Education and NATTS granted the school the approval to offer an Associate of Arts (AA) degree in Graphic Design and in 1991, the Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design.

In February 1994, the school was acquired by Career Education Corporation (CEC).

In 1997, several revised and additional programs were licensed by Arizona and approved by the ACCSCT. The Associate of Arts degree in Graphic Design was revised and expanded to include optional specialty tracks and the BA Graphic Design received a general education component.

The Associate of Occupational Studies degree in Personal Computer/Network Technology was offered in 1997 and was later changed to an Associate of Science degree. Separate certificate programs in Multimedia Production and Digital Video Production were added, in addition to a Certificate in Computer Graphics program. In 1998, the school implemented the Associate of Occupational Studies degree in Animation.

As the student population continued to grow, from 1999 to 2001 additional property was acquired adjacent to the main campus. The school changed its name in 2001 to Collins College.

In 2001, the Bachelor of Arts degree in Animation was implemented.

In 2002, the Bachelor of Arts degree in Game Design was approved. All associate of Occupational Studies degrees were converted to academic degrees with the addition of general education courses for the Associate of Arts degree in Animation and Associate of Science degree in Personal Computer/Network Technology. The Bachelor of Science degree in Network Technology program was also implemented in 2002.

In 2003, the Associate of Arts degree in Media Arts and Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Arts programs were implemented. These programs were revised into the Associate of Arts degree in Digital Video Production and Bachelor of Arts degree in Film & Video Production in 2007.

In July 2003, the college expanded locations with a Phoenix Campus facility offering classes in Graphic Design and in October of the same year courses in PC/Network Technology. This campus was approved as a Branch campus in 2006.

In 2004 the Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design and Interior Design were implemented. In 2005 the Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Arts with a major in Game Art was approved.

In 2007 the school moved the School of Film and Visual Effects into a 26,000 sq ft (2,400 m²) facility. The 14th St. Studios house a 180 seat digital theater and two large sound stages equipped with professional lighting and electrical grids.^[1]

Between 2008 and 2009, the school dropped many courses that were once offered. The discontinued courses include the Associate of Science in Personal Computing/Network Technology, and the certificate programs of Interior Design, and Animation.^[2]

In January 2009, the majority of the main campus in Tempe was moved to a new location nearby in southeast Phoenix in the Cotton Center.^[3]

Accreditation

Collins College is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT),^{[citation needed]} is in good standing, and currently holds a zero negative findings rating from the accrediting commission.^{[citation needed]}

Programs

Collins College offers the following programs.^[4][5]

• Game Design Program – Bachelor’s Degree
• Graphic Design Program – Bachelor’s Degree
• Interior Design Program– Bachelor’s Degree
• Film & Video Program – Bachelor’s Degree
• Visual Arts specialization in Game Art Program– Bachelor’s Degree
• Digital Video Production Program – Associate Degree
• Visual Communication Program – Associate Degree

All students at Collins College are enrolled in career focused degree programs which have a core career component, and a general education component. The general education classes are in writing, oral communications, mathematics, business law, ethics, marketing and other courses and vary according to the specific degree program.

Campus

The Collins College Tempe campus is approximately 108,000 square feet (10,000 m²) and offers students large classrooms, computer labs, video editing bays, photography studio and a digital print room. The Phoenix campus is 22,357 square feet (2,077.0 m²) and includes various classrooms, administrative offices, a library / resource center and common areas for both students and faculty.

Both campuses are located in the metropolitan Phoenix area.

Awards

2008
Arizona Private School Association School of the Year
Arizona Private School Association Best Teacher – Trudy Taddeo
Arizona Private School Association Best Student Financial Services
Arizona Private School Association Best Student Organization-Collins College Student Council
Arizona Private School Association Best Recruiting Practices
Residential Architect Design Awards Project of the Year – Matt Trzebiatowski, AIA^[6]

2007
Phoenix Business Journal - Number One Computer Training School

2005
Arizona Private School Association School of the Year
Arizona Private School Association Best Teacher – Peter Walsh
Arizona Private School Association Best Community Service Practice
Arizona Private School Association Best Retention/Completion Program

References

1. ^ Collins College Announces it will be a Major Sponsor of 2008 Phoenix Film Festival, March 26, 2008 Yahoo Finance News
2. ^ Collins College Design Degree Programs
3. ^ "Collins College New Building"
4. ^ Arizona Department of Education, programs list
5. ^ City of Tempe, Arizona, educational facilities
6. ^ Collins College Interior Design Instructor Wins Project of the Year Award

External links

• School website
• Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology web site