The five-week class of the University of Phoenix corporate model can be utilized by community colleges

Community colleges must change how they schedule classes to meet the changing needs of the students they serve. Institutions like the University of Phoenix have developed alternative schedules and grow at annual rates of 20 to 25 percent while the rest of higher education grows at one percent to two percent annually. The University of Phoenix is the largest of the for-profit institutions.; Students are more satisfied with classes that meet for five weeks than traditional programs where classes meet for fifteen weeks. Students are willing to pay higher tuition dollars, attend school year around, and work outside the classroom to meet demands placed upon them for an accelerated program. Most faculty members at the University of Phoenix are part-time or practitioner faculty. A degree can be completed in less than one-half the time as a traditional educational program. Students are interested in reducing their time spent in the classroom even though the tuition rate is four times the national average for two-year colleges and twice the average for a four-year college.; University of Phoenix students are working adults, 23 years of age or older and employed full time. Survey results indicate these students want an accelerated degree with a quality reputation. They show a strong loyalty to accelerated programing even when not fully satisfied with everything at the University of Phoenix. If given a choice for future formal degree programs they would overwhelmingly choose accelerated programs over traditional programs. The adult learner at the University does not attend for sports programs, the use of the gymnasium, the pool, the student center, the library, or spacious campuses. They attend for a quality accelerated degree.; Final conclusions include that community colleges can develop and implement an accelerated program through partnership with the University of Phoenix or on their own. These programs should be geared to working adults and use a modularized curriculum. Facilities, full time faculty, lecture style classes, and extensive scheduling are not necessary for drawing the adult learner. Listening to the desires and needs of students is an effective method to grow as a college or university.