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Higher Education
Central Texas College
Central Texas College is a public, two-year community college, with its central
campus located between Killeen and Copperas Cove, just off Highway 190, adjacent
to Fort Hood.
CTC offers over 100 associate degrees and certificates of completion in
academic, professional and vocational/technical fields. The college offers a
wide variety of courses, from agriculture to criminal justice, drama to nursing,
and business administration to telecommunications. The college caters to the
needs of both full-time and part-time students by offering daytime, evening and
online courses. Many programs are short-term and designed to focus on and
strengthen each student’s job skills so they may move directly into
better-paying jobs. Non-credit and continuing education courses are also offered
on a regular basis.
In addition to the Central Campus, CTC has 180 locations worldwide at five
other campuses: Fort Hood/Service Area Campus, Continental Campus, Pacific Far
East Campus, Europe Campus, and Navy Campus. CTC offers classes on military
installations, ships at sea and correctional institutions. Today, nearly 50,000
students around the world are taking courses at one of CTC’s locations.
More than 5,500 students enroll in courses on CTC Central Campus every
semester with an additional 2,800 students taking classes at other sites in
Texas including Fort Hood and Gatesville. Tuition is $22 per
credit hour for in-district residents, with a three-hour minimum. Additional
fees are also assessed. The school is funded in part by local property taxes. In
August 2001, the College’s board of trustees passed an Ad Valorem tax rate of
$0.1485 per $100 property valuation, marking the tenth year in a row CTC tax
rate remained the same or decreased.
There are many opportunities for financial aid at CTC. The Central Campus
Financial Aid and the Veterans Services offices assist students in securing
scholarships, grants, and loans. The Financial Aid office processes about
15,000 applications and awards $6 to 7 million in financial aid each year. The
amount of financial aid awarded by CTC in the form of grants, loans, and
scholarships increases 15-17% every year. Additionally, the College Foundation
offers over $70,000 in scholarships to CTC students every year.
Central Texas College is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunities
Colleges (SOC). This guarantees that those in the military who complete at least
25% of their coursework in residence at CTC can continue to work on their
degrees at other institutions of higher learning and receive a degree from CTC
when all credit requirements have been satisfied. It is particularly beneficial
due to frequent military transfers, and CTC remains the top institution in the
world in SOC agreements.
$8.5 million, 64,000-square-foot Technology Center &
Planetarium was completed in 2003. The two-story facility is the largest building on campus, and
houses a state-of-the-art planetarium,
18 classrooms, three video conference rooms, two computer labs, science lab,
instructional development lab, faculty training lab, conference room, and 32
faculty and staff offices. The planetarium features a 60-foot dome and
stadium seating for 184 people, which will make it the largest domed theater in
the state of Texas. This new facility has capabilities for the
multi-media science programming, monthly science lectures, and laser light
shows, and will also house CTC’s Distance Learning Program. The facility has
been designed to serve CTC students and faculty as well as students and teachers
from the surrounding communities. The theater provides afternoon, evening and
weekend educational and entertainment programs for area residents and visitors.
Construction of an $8.2 million, 54,000-square-foot CTC Natatorium and
Physical Education Center was completed in November 2000. This state-of-the-art
facility houses a 5,400-square-foot aerobics area, 4,000-square-foot weight room
equipped with 35 exercise machines, 3 basketball courts, and an environmentally
controlled natatorium with an eight-lane, 25-meter heated competition pool.
Adjacent to the center are new football and baseball fields, 2-mile jogging
track, a volleyball court and six tennis courts. The center’s features also
include expanded locker room areas for students and faculty, classrooms, and a
student lounge.
Construction of a $2.2 million, 30,000-square-foot CTC Fort Hood Campus
building was completed in the summer 2001. The facility houses student
registration, counseling and student services areas, as well as administrative
offices and computer labs. Approximately one-third of the space in the facility
is utilized by the Fort Hood’s Casey Memorial library. CTC Fort Hood Campus
building is located next door to the new Soldier Development Center.
Statistics
Central Campus Headcount: 6,000
Enrollment: 50,000
Average Age: 28.3
Male Students: 46%
Female Students: 54%
Tarleton State University - Central Texas
Tarleton State University - Central Texas in
Killeen is a one-of-a-kind, upper-level institution offering bachelor and master degrees to those who enter at the junior level. Tarleton Central Texas
is a member of the Texas A&M University System. Tarleton-Central Texas is the
newest extension of Tarleton State University's outreach of higher education.
Tarleton-Central Texas has a diverse
student population nearing 2,000. Twenty-three percent of students are
active-duty military who are fulfilling increasing educational requirements of
career soldiers. As a result, Tarleton-Central Texas offers evening and weekend
classes to accommodate students who work during the day.
Statistics
Enrollment: 1,994
Average Age: 34
Male Students: 35%
Female Students:
65%
University of Mary Hardin Baylor
Located in nearby Belton, Texas, the University of Mary Hardin Baylor is a private
university offering a liberal arts curriculum. The university was founded in 1845 and was once known as
the oldest women's college west of the Mississippi before becoming co-educational in 1971.
The University of Mary Hardin Baylor is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
Statistics
Enrollment: 2,624
Average Age: 25
Male Students: 35%
Female Students: 65%
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