Palm Beach State College

Also known as Palm Beach Atlantic PBA

901 S. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, FL

Palm Beach State College (PBSC), located in Lake Worth, Florida, was formerly  called Palm Beach Community College (PBCC). PBSC was the oldest community college in Florida, formerly a two-year institution offering associate's degrees in arts, science, and applied science.  With its name change and expansion, the school continues to offer associate's degrees in these areas, as well as technical certificates, and now also offers a four-year bachelor's degree.  Students may choose many programs of study that allow them to transfer their credits to a four-year institution.

Palm Beach State College also offers Distance Learning programs, with both credit and non-credit courses available online. The online course goals and objectives for distance learning programs are the same as those offered on campus.

History

Palm Beach State College was founded in 1933 as Palm Beach Junior College.  It initially had 41 students enrolled, and it was housed in a building adjacent to Palm Beach High School.  Palm Beach State College's main campus west of Lake Worth opened in 1955. The Belle Glade campus opened in 1978, and the Palm Beach Gardens campus opened in 1980.  The opening of the Boca Raton campus followed in 1983. The college's name was changed in 1988 to Palm Beach Community College, as a reflection of its broader scope of programs and services.  Further expansion and development of its educational offerings led to its most recent name change to Palm Beach State College in 2010.

Academics

The academic calendar of Palm Beach State College follows the semester format, with fall, spring and summer "terms."  Within each academic term there are four sessions. Students have the option to attend a full term of 16 weeks, or to enroll in a shorter session of either eight weeks or 12 weeks.

Colleges and Schools

Palm Beach State College is divided into Programs of Study, rather than into colleges and schools.  Palm Beach State College's Programs of Study include:

• General Education
• Bachelor of Applied Science
• Associate in Arts Degree (University Transfer)
• Business and Office Management
• Child Care, Human Services and Teacher Education
• Computer Science and Information Technology
• Creative Arts and Communications
• Health Care
• Public Safety
• Science and Environment
• Trade and Industry

Student Life

Each of the four campuses of Palm Beach State College has a Campus of Student Activities Office that provides students with a list of activities that are opportunities for involvement and connecting with other students. There are a variety of student clubs and organizations, many intramural sports activities, as well as academic, community service, and leadership programs, among others.

Student services include a Career Center, Testing Center, Wellness Center, Student Learning Center, Veteran Services Center, and more.

Traditions

Palm Beach State College's mascot is the panther, and the school colors are green and gold.

Athletics

The Palm Beach State College "Panthers" athletics teams participate in several intercollegiate sports including:

Men's Sports:

• Baseball
• Basketball

Women's Sports:

• Basketball
• Softball
• Volleyball

Satellite Campuses

Palm Beach State College has four campuses in and around the Lake Worth, Florida area:

• Belle Glade Campus
• Boca Raton Campus
• Lake Worth Campus
• Palm Beach Gardens Campus 

Community Life

Palm Beach State College has several arts and entertainment facilities on its campuses that are open to the general community. It has three theatres located on three of its campuses: Belle Glade (Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center), Lake Worth (Duncan Theatre), and Palm Beach Gardens (Eissey Campus Theatre).  These theatres are open to students and community members and offer a full calendar of performances year round.

On Palm Beach State College's Lake Worth campus is the Jan and Gary Dario Gallery, "dedicated to promoting artistic excellence within the visual arts in the Palm Beach area." The gallery holds and annual national painting, drawing and printmaking competition that features local and national artists and is judged by museum directors and curators from the local community.