Professional & Continuing Education brings education and training opportunities to California State University, Chico students and to the local community, our region, and beyond. We offer programs for working professionals, displaced workers, career changers, retired community members, and a host of others. We provide learners of all ages with opportunities to achieve their educational goals, including:

• Summer and winter sessions to help Chico State students graduate sooner.
• Online and off-campus degree programs.
• Professional development programs and courses.
• Courses for lifelong learning and personal enrichment.
• Access to university courses without university admission.

Our commitment and resources extend beyond the traditional university setting to accommodate unique educational and training needs in a variety of program formats and settings. As a self-support operation, we can be responsive to student goals and the changing needs and demands of the diverse continuing education space. By collaborating with campus partners and with business and industry, Professional & Continuing Education offers a variety of activities aimed at increasing the competitive edge for individuals to succeed in today's global work environment.

Our Programs

Summer and winter sessions offer Chico State students the opportunity to make progress toward their graduation goals in line with the CSU’s Graduation Initiative 2025. Most classes are offered online, and Continuing Education-funded grants are available to students with financial need.

Online and hybrid degree and degree completion programs provide opportunities for students to earn a degree, advance in their careers, and balance their educational goals and the demands of life. Programs are available in the fields of liberal studies, sociology, religious studies, humanities, nursing, social science, agricultural education, business, social work, and multicultural and gender studies. Many of these programs are administered through Chico Distance & Online Education, which has delivered distance education programming for over 40 years.

Professional & Continuing Education also partners with the College of Business to support student success and access to the management option in business administration degree completion program at the Shasta College University Center in downtown Redding. Students can complete the degree without traveling to Chico or can take courses and transfer to the main campus. We also offer the accelerated, affordable, high-value Chico State Online MBA with options in project management and health services administration, designed to prepare skilled professionals for in-demand roles in contemporary organizations. Recently added is the fully online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA). These flexible online programs maintain the personal touch that defines our respected College of Business programs.

Open University allows community members, working professionals, international or visiting students, former Chico State students, and alumni to enroll in university courses during fall and spring terms on a space-available basis to earn college credit without formal admission to the University. Open University opens doors to professional growth, exploring personal interests, preparing for a career change, or getting a jump start on a degree program.

Professional & Continuing Education develops professional training for a wide variety of audiences, both in collaboration with organizations and associations, with campus partners, and in-house. Current programs include the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Executive Leadership Institute, educator programs for the California Teachers Association and the National Art Educators Association, the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential (PASC) program for future public school administrators, the International Nurse Remediation Program, the Cybersecurity for Executives Program, the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Licensure Pathway, and the Northern California Neurodiversity and Disability Symposium.

Fully online career training programs led by subject-matter experts offer workers in today’s job market flexible and convenient courses and programs to help them upskill and meet the demands of current employers, acquire new skills for professional advancement, or explore a new career path. Topics include digital marketing, business analytics, sales operations, cloud engineering, AI and machine learning, web development, medical billing and coding, construction trades, and more.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) is a peer-led, learning-in-retirement organization that offers a wide variety of non-credit classes and activities for adults aged 50+ or retired. Through support from the Bernard Osher Foundation and generous donors, OLLI provides its 700+ members the opportunity to join in more than 130 peer-led courses on a wide variety of subjects, seminar series, and seasonal social events that serve as a forum to explore new topics, discuss current events, and network with community members. In addition to OLLI, the Bernard Osher Foundation also supports the Osher Reentry Scholarship Program dedicated to supporting re-entry students returning to the University to complete their degree.

Continuing Education offers conference planning and event management services for professional and academic groups to advance their fields and share learning opportunities. Every year, these conferences attract hundreds of participants to the beautiful Chico State campus, many for the first time.

For a comprehensive list of Professional & Continuing Education programs, class schedules, and services please visit rce.csuchico.edu or call 530-898-6105.