Laney College Instructional Programs are designed to provide:

1. General Education courses which provide the students with knowledge, skills, appreciations, attitudes and values which each individual needs for an effective and well-balanced life in a democratic society;
2. Career Technical (Occupational) Education courses which lead directly to employment or upgrading after intensive training in theory and practical application in trade, technical, business and service occupations;
3. Transfer Education courses paralleling freshman and sophomore years at four-year institutions. Also included are courses which enable students to make up scholastic deficiencies while preparing for transfer to four-year colleges or universities;
4. English Curriculum for non-citizen and citizen students with English as a Second Language emphasis. This special program of courses in English is offered at Laney College for immigrants and resident citizens for whom English is not a native language. The courses are aimed at assisting the student in developing the following language skills in English: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Descriptions of the special courses are given in the COURSE ANNOUNCEMENTS, listed as English as a Second Language;
5. Basic Skills Education courses and programs, which are designed to prepare students for success in careers, day-to-day life activities, and transfer programs. English, English as a Second Language, and mathematics are the primary disciplines that offer the basic preparation. Laney also offers learning communities including Project Bridge, African American Learning Community, the 6-week Summer Transition Program, and the Career Advancement Academy to help accelerate student learning and smooth transition to college level course work and careers; and
6. Cooperative Work Experience Education, which is a joint effort of the College and the community to provide the student with opportunities to relate his/her college education to a “real” employment situation. In this program the student receives income, experience, and college credits. The business community becomes the classroom. Through the combined program of employment and classroom study, a student learns the relationship between theory and practical application. Any student may enroll in a Cooperative Work Experience Education plan. It constitutes a regular and essential element in the educational process.