College Profile
Welcome to Dragon Country!
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 13,000 credit students annually in academic programs leading to transfer to four-year colleges or to immediate employment upon graduation. Approximately 8,000 additional students take noncredit courses for professional development, workforce training, or personal enrichment.
The college offers its courses in a variety of learning formats such as face-to-face, scheduled remote, flexible online, in-person hybrid, and online hybrid. Students also have the option of courses scheduled during the daytime, evening, and weekend. Howard Community College is implementing an Accelerated Pathways (7 weeks) model in fall 2024. Accelerated courses expand student options to save time, gain college credits faster, and advance toward degree completion, transfer options, and career readiness.
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. Kathleen Hetherington Hall 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, two 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 and Business Excellence.
The Academic Commons is home to the college's hospitality and culinary studies programs, with professional teaching kitchens and a student-run restaurant lab. Student life, the Galleria, Dragon Commons, and esports room are also located in the Academic Commons. 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 Kahlert Foundation Complex (anticipated to open in spring 2025) will house the college’s athletics and math programs. The facility will house a competition gym, weight room, locker rooms, classrooms, and collaborative learning spaces. The athletic fields located nearby include five soccer-length regulation fields and 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, advising, recruitment, registration, testing, financial aid services, and other resources. RCF also houses the campus bookstore and Ecker 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 podcast studio).
Howard Community College is proud to meet our students where they dream. We look forward to helping you on your journey along your pathway to success.