Psychology majors can now earn a bachelor’s degree by taking classes at City College, offered by  California State University of Channel Islands.

“For our students and our community, it’s a win-win,” said Dr. Jack Friedlander, acting superintendent president. “It’s not for every student, but for those who want to stay in Santa Barbara, it’s a great option.”

CSU Channel Islands is located in Camarillo, Calif., approximately an hour drive from Santa Barbara.

Dr. Gary Berg, dean of Extended Education at CSU Channel Island, said that collaborating with City College will save students from long commutes or even being forces to move to another city.

“Cal State Universities have to work effectively with community colleges, especially around transfer students,” Berg said.

The bachelor’s degree  completion program consists of four 12-week terms, meeting Friday evenings and Saturdays on the City College campus.

Students enrolled in the program will be instructed in the upper division courses by Channel Islands  faculty.

The fee is $375 per unit, and the total cost of the program is $18,750 or more, depending on the number of units taken.

Like the transfer agreement with Antioch University, Channel Island will give transferring students the opportunity to finish their studies after one year.

More agreements with CSU Channel Islands in other areas of studies are planned, Friedlander said.

“We talked about exploring upper division degrees in communication, art, biology, entertainment and multimedia, and political science,” he said. “We are looking to expand the transfer opportunities our students have.”

When the idea to partner with universities emerged, Friedlander was the executive vice president, working for then President Peter MacDougall.

When MacDougall left his position at City College in 2002, Friedlander said that he made sure to keep the idea going.

“He and I worked on it together, but yes I kept it alive,” Friedlander said. “That’s the joy, to see something that was an aspiration come true.”