Delaware Valley University Cohorts Help Single Parents Achieve Their Career Goals
Delaware Valley University’s off-site cohorts are attracting students who are balancing the responsibilities of parenting while going back to school. For some students, the cohorts provide just the right blend of flexibility and convenience to make returning to school for a bachelor’s degree more manageable.
Jennifer Bell ’21, a Levittown, Pennsylvania, native who is raising a 7-year-old daughter, is pursuing a career in counseling psychology through one of the University’s cohorts. Bell currently takes classes through DelVal on Bucks County Community College’s campus in Newtown, Pennsylvania. She is part of a counseling psychology bachelor’s degree cohort that DelVal offers off-site.
“Having this opportunity (to take classes through the cohort) has pushed me in the direction to want to go further,” said Bell.
After she earns her bachelor’s, she plans to go to graduate school. Bell is passionate about making a difference in the field of addiction treatment.
“I would like to specialize in addiction, working with families and people who struggle with addiction themselves,” said Bell. “It is sad to see that sometimes people feel they don’t have a place to go or a way out. I’m interested in helping people find their way again.”
Bell said the program allows her to spend more quality time with her daughter.
“I am a single parent,” said Bell. “I balance a full-time job. I also have a part-time job on the weekends. On top of that, I decided I was going to go back to school. Time management is really key. I never want my daughter to feel like I’m not giving her sufficient time. What’s really great about the cohort is I’m able to do part of the courses online. She goes to bed and I can do my homework.”
Bell said she met another mother in the program who landed a job in her field before she graduated.
“That was encouraging for me to see,” said Bell.
Bell said the faculty have been great resources.
“Allison Black, my communications teacher, has been amazing,” said Bell. “She has been very encouraging and helpful. She’s just one of those faculty members who you feel like you can talk to. That was helpful in moving forward in what I’m doing. I could talk to her outside of class.”
She said she also liked that many of her psychology faculty members are working in the field.
“The faculty are very knowledgeable,” said Bell. “They are always giving you different ways to approach situations. They can tell us what it is like working in the field and help us develop our own style. So, it’s not just from the textbook.”
Bell said the cohort model also helps financially.
“I pay less than what regular tuition would be through the cohort,” said Bell. “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to continue on with my bachelor’s so the financial aspect was very helpful.”
Cohort tuition is $425 per credit, with tuition lock and no additional fees. Students complete the required courses through six continuous semesters of part-time study. Classes are offered through a combination of in-person and online classes.
Bell said she would encourage other parents who are thinking about going back to school to look into a cohort.
“I am able to take the classes closer to home, and the schedules work really well,” said Bell. “Any parent who is out there working a 9-to-5, you can have an opportunity to go back. Cohorts can provide a great opportunity for people who are looking to get back into school, but don’t have the ability to go on a full-time basis.”
The University’s cohort programs at Delaware County Community College and Bucks County Community College allow students to complete their bachelor’s degrees in business administration and counseling psychology through flexible evening and online classes. The cohorts provide a supportive environment and a sense of community.
The University is currently accepting applications for the Fall 2019 cohorts for Delaware County Community College and Bucks County Community College. Classes will start the week of Aug. 26. It is recommended that students reach out by July to start for the fall.
To learn more about Delaware Valley University’s off-site cohorts, please visit delval.edu/transfer or contact Linda Lefevre at linda.lefevre@delval.edu.