College Profile
Since 1970, Howard Community College (HCC) has been the leading college choice for students and families in Howard County. Founded by the Board of Education of Howard County, HCC was formally authorized by the Howard County Commissioners and approved by the State of Maryland in 1966. The first classes were held in October 1970. Today, approximately 40 percent of all Howard County undergraduates attend HCC.
A public community college, HCC offers associate degree and certificate programs to more than 14,000 credit students annually in academic programs leading to transfer to four-year colleges or to immediate employment upon graduation. Over 15,000 additional students take noncredit courses for professional development or personal enrichment.
The college offers its courses in a variety of learning formats such as face-to-face, scheduled remote, flexible online, and hybrid. Students also have the option of scheduling daytime, evening, and weekend courses.
Conveniently located in the heart of Howard County, the HCC campus features a Science, Engineering, and Technology Building with advanced teaching and learning spaces for students pursuing degrees or careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. The Health Sciences Building offers modern classrooms and simulation laboratories to train nursing and allied health students.
Arts programs take center stage at the Peter & Elizabeth Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center, which features a recital hall, theatres, piano and multimedia labs, art galleries, a photography center, studios for music, sculpture, painting, ceramics, and much more.
The Mary Ellen Duncan Hall for English, Languages, and Business houses classrooms and labs for reading, writing, ESL, world languages, multimedia computer technology, and the Center for Entrepreneurial Business Excellence.
The Academic Commons is home to the college's hospitality and culinary studies program, with professional teaching kitchens and a student-run restaurant lab. The Social Sciences and Teacher Education Division is also located in this building, along with student life and the Galleria. The adjacent Howard Hall houses the college's honors programs, academic enrichment and support programs, a health care simulation lab, several classrooms and a lecture hall.
The Athletics & Fitness Center features a cardio and weight room; gymnasium; and five soccer-length regulation fields, including a 400-meter track. HCC is also home to the Dragons student-athlete teams, known for excelling in basketball, cross-country, lacrosse, soccer, track and field, volleyball, softball, and esports.
The Rouse Company Foundation Student Services Hall (RCF) is the central source for admissions and advising, registration, testing, financial aid services, and other resources. RCF also houses the bookstore and Cafe on the Quad.
Other facilities include the James Clark Jr. Library Hall with more than 40,000 volumes of reference materials and online databases, and the Patrick and Jill McCuan Hall with offices, classrooms, and Dragon Digital Media (the college television station and e-radio station).
No matter what you want to study, you can get there from Howard Community College.