Collin College
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Collin College is a public community college district in Texas. Established in 1985, the district has grown as the county has grown from around 5,000 students in 1986 to more than 60,000 credit and noncredit students.[3]
Key Information
Formerly known as the Collin County Community College District, CCCCD, or CCCC, the college rebranded itself "Collin College" in March 2007. The district headquarters is in the Collin Higher Education Center in McKinney.
As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service area of Collin College includes all of Collin County and Rockwall County and the portions of Denton County within the cities of Frisco and The Colony and the portions included within the Celina and Prosper school districts.[4]
Campuses
[edit]
The McKinney Campus (also known as Central Park Campus) opened in 1985.[5] The campus features include a multistory parking garage, library, classrooms, offices, and a student development center. The campus library totals 73,500 square feet (6,830 m2). In January 2016, Collin College added a 125,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Health Sciences Center named after former Collin College district president Cary A. Israel.[6]

The Plano Campus (also known as Spring Creek Campus) opened in fall of 1988.[7] By number of students, this campus is the largest and hosts the college district's fine arts and athletics[8] programs. The campus features a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) art gallery,[9][10] theatre center,[11] gymnasium (Cougar Hall), and tennis facilities. In January 2013, the college opened an 88,000-square-foot library building with majestic architecture inspired by Thomas Jefferson's design for the University of Virginia.[7]
The Frisco Campus (also known as Preston Ridge Campus) opened in July 1995. In 2014, thanks to a $2 million gift for scholarships by Roger and Jody Lawler of Frisco,[12] the campus renamed their 70,000-square-foot (6,500 m2) building from "D Building" to "Lawler Hall" in honor of the donation. Collin College's business and high-tech programs are centered at Frisco Campus. The culinary arts program[13] moved there in 2009.
The district administration is located in the Collin Higher Education Center (CHEC) in McKinney. The CHEC hosts – among other things – a number of bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs from five North Texas universities: Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas Woman's University, the University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Tech University, and the University of North Texas. Offerings vary per university. The center is located at the intersection of the Central Expressway (U.S. Route 75) and Texas State Highway 121.[14]
The Public Safety Training Center (PSTC) in McKinney provides reality-based training for law enforcement and firefighter cadets and active first responders. Training elements include law enforcement and firefighter training areas with simulated retail spaces, office buildings, and living areas for reality-based scenario training, three firearms ranges, specialized gas-fired burn structures, a confined-space rescue simulator, and other training obstacles. The facility, which was built in partnership with the cities of McKinney and Allen, opened in September 2018.[15]
The Technical Campus, located in Allen, opened in the fall of 2020.[16]
The Wylie Campus also opened in the fall of 2020.[17] Designed to support 7,500 students at capacity, the campus's opening allowed for the expansion of the college's veterinary medicine program. The campus was built in cooperation with the city of Wylie, which donated about 44 acres across the street from the city's municipal complex toward the project.
Farmersville Campus opened in March 2021. The first building, a roughly 52,000-square-foot facility, is designed to accommodate 1,250 learners.[18]
Celina Campus opened in the fall of 2021. The first phase of the campus is 96,000 square feet and support up to 2,500 students.[19]
The following is a list of the college district's current and planned campuses.

- Celina Campus[20][21]
- Collin College Technical Campus (Allen)[22]
- Collin Higher Education Center (McKinney)[23]
- Courtyard Center (Plano)[24]
- Farmersville Campus [25]
- Frisco Campus (Preston Ridge Campus)[26]
- McKinney Campus (Central Park Campus)[27]
- Public Safety Training Center (McKinney)[28]
- Plano Campus (Spring Creek Campus)[29]
- Wylie Campus[20][30][31]
2017 bond program and current master plan
[edit]The residents of Collin County approved a $600 million bond proposition in May 2017 to fund the college district's master plan. Master plan projects funded by the bond included the Technical Campus, the Wylie Campus, the Public Safety Training Center in McKinney, and safety upgrades to existing campuses. Outstanding projects funded by the bond include planned campuses in Celina and Farmersville, an information technology building at the Frisco Campus, welcome centers at the college's existing campuses, and other upgrades to improve student experiences throughout the district.[32]
Coronavirus deaths
[edit]The effects of this pandemic have been blown utterly out of proportion across our nation and reported with unfortunate sensationalism and few facts regardless of which news outlet one tunes into. It has become political in a pivotal election year and frankly, it has made our jobs all the more difficult.
— Neil Matkin, President of Collin College[33]
Collin College has been repeatedly criticized for its lack of transparency regarding COVID-19 on campus and risks of in-person classes. College president Matkin overruled faculty concerns about virus protections in June 2020, stating the campus would remain open. In August 2020, he downplayed the virus, stating the national case count is "clearly inflated".
During that Fall 2020 semester, a faculty member, a student and a staff member all died of COVID-19. Iris Meda, a recently retired nurse, had begun teaching nursing assistant classes in August 2020. According to her family, she came in contact with a sick student in October and died in mid-November.[34] The staff were informed of her death as an information item 22 paragraphs deep in an email titled "College Update & Happy Thanksgiving!"[33][35][36][37][38][39][40] A student died of COVID-19 in October 2020, and a food-service employee infection led to the closure of the cafeteria, though faculty only learned about the infections informally. The school's services went virtual after classes ended for the semester on December 14. Services resumed in-person, in January, after the normal holiday break.[33][41][35][36][37][38]
Later, in August 2021, dean of nursing Jane Leach also died from COVID-19.[42]
Free speech controversy
[edit]On February 17, 2021, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) named Collin College to its 10th annual list of the "10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2021" list.[43] FIRE cited Collin College president Neil Matkin's public condemnation of a tweet sent by history professor Lora Burnett from her personal account that was critical of then Vice President Mike Pence. FIRE also referenced the senior administration's overturning of recommended contract renewals of two faculty members, Audra Heaslip and Suzanne Jones. Both professors had publicly criticized Collin College's handling of COVID-19,[44] and they were members of the Collin College chapter of the Texas Faculty Association, a non-bargaining union disliked by college administration. Collin College declined to renew Lora Burnett's teaching contract for the following year and later settled a lawsuit over her non-renewal for $70,000 and attorney's fees.[45] Jones also sued the university in September 2021.[46]
In January 2022, shortly after settling the lawsuit by Professor Burnett, Collin College fired history professor Michael Phillips following his suggestion that students in his classes consider wearing masks. College administration had previously warned Phillips and other faculty to refrain from recommending students wear masks.[47] Phillips had served for 13 years as a professor at the college.[48] Earlier in the academic year, Collin College had disciplined Professor Phillips for a Twitter post that revealed the college's gag rule banning even the suggestion that students wear masks. According to Professor Phillips, in 2017, President Matkin and other members of the administration admonished him and threatened his job following his campaign to press the city of Dallas to remove its Confederate monuments.[44] On March 8, 2022, Phillips, in conjunction with FIRE, sued the college[49] but lost the case in court.[50]
Several Collin College employees have claimed that the college requires many employees to sign nondisclosure agreements, an unusual practice in higher education.[51]
On April 24, 2023, the American Association of University Professors issued a report titled "Egregious Violations of Academic Freedom at Collin College." It documents the dismissals of Professors Lora Burnett, Suzanne Jones, and Michael Phillips and concludes that they were " compelled to find that general conditions for academic freedom at Collin College are severely degraded."[52] In addition it placed Collin College on its list of censured institutions.[53] In a statement, the college replied to the report, maintaining that "that tenure and academic freedom are not unqualified privileges that can be extorted by external groups for their own purposes."[54]
Academics
[edit]In addition to associate degrees, the college has bachelor's degrees in cybersecurity and nursing established in 2019; this was the first time Collin College made its own bachelor's degrees available.[55] The college had worked with university partners to offer their bachelor's degrees at its Collin Higher Education Center. In 2021–22, the college conferred 26 bachelor's degrees, all of which were in nursing.
Athletics
[edit]Collin College's athletic program offers scholarships in men and women's basketball, esports, golf, and tennis, as well as women's volleyball. All teams are known as the Cougars. They compete in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference in the NJCAA Region 5.[56] Collin College Women's Basketball won NTJCAC conference championships in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023, and 2024. The team participated in the NJCAA national tournament in 2023 and 2024.[57]
The competition basketball gym and tennis facilities are located on the Plano Campus. Volleyball matches will be held at the Frisco Campus.
Awards
[edit]In 2020, the college applied for and was classified among "community engaged" institutions. Collin College was one of three two-year institutions in the nation and one of 119 U.S. colleges and universities to receive the classification; only 11 institutions in Texas were awarded this distinction in 2015 and 2020 combined.[58] That same year, the college was also named a center of excellence in nursing education by the National League for Nursing.[59] The following year, the college's respiratory care program received the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist Credentialing Success Award from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care for the eighth consecutive year.[60] The college was named one of the best higher-education employers in the nation for the second year in a row, according to a survey by The Great Colleges to Work For® program.[61]
Notable faculty
[edit]- Levi Bryant – Continental philosopher, influential figure of the Speculative Realism and Object-Oriented Ontology movements.
References
[edit]- ^ "Personnel Head Count – Collin College".
- ^ "District Statistics – Collin College".
- ^ "Collin College marks highest enrollment in 35-year history | Community Impact". September 16, 2019.
- ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.175. COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
- ^ "Central Park Campus". Collin.edu. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- ^ Luna, Nicole (January 20, 2016). "Collin College Opens New Cary A Israel Health Sciences Center". Community Impact. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ a b "Spring Creek Campus Library Design". Collin.edu. June 23, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ "Collin College – Athletics". Collin College Athletics. Collin.edu. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
- ^ "Collin College – THE ARTS Gallery". Collin.edu. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- ^ "Gallery Listings". TASA. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
- ^ "Collin Theatre Center". Collin College. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ "Record-Setting Gift At Collin College: Frisco Couple Donates $2 Million For Scholarships". www.collin.edu. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
- ^ "Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Education". Collin.edu. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ "Maps/Visit Us." (Archive) Collin College. Retrieved on July 17, 2013.
- ^ Ritter, Cassidy (September 18, 2018). "Collin College opens Public Safety Training Center in McKinney". Community Impact. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Ford, Greg (September 15, 2020). "Collin College celebrates Technical Campus opening". Star Local. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
- ^ Engbrock, Chad (September 26, 2020). "Collin College holds Open House for Wylie campus today". Wylie News. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
- ^ "Collin College celebrates opening of Farmersville Campus". McKinney Courier-Gazette. May 24, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
- ^ "Collin College holds Celina campus ribbon cutting and library dedication". Celina Record. September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Beattie, Chris (July 2, 2016). "Collin College to build Wylie campus, centers in Celina, Farmersville". Celina Record. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
- ^ "Celina Campus". Collin College. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ "Collin College Technical Campus". Collin College. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
- ^ "Collin Higher Education Center". Collin College. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ "Courtyard Center". Collin College. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ "Farmersville Campus". Collin College. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "Frisco Campus". Collin College. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ "McKinney Campus". Collin College. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ "Public Safety Training Center". Collin College. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
- ^ "Plano Campus". Collin College. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ Mott, Brit (July 21, 2016). "Collin College to open Wylie Campus in 2020 – Plano Profile Connecting Collin County". planoprofile.com. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
- ^ "Wylie Campus". Collin College. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ Luna, Nicole (May 7, 2017). "Collin College $600 million bond passes with more than 55 percent of the votes". Community Impact Newspaper. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
- ^ a b c Zeeble, Bill (November 11, 2020). "Collin College Doesn't Post A COVID-19 Dashboard. Faculty, Students Ask Why". KERA News. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Zeeble, Bill (August 13, 2021). "Collin College Dean Of Nursing Dies From COVID-19 Complications". KERA News. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ a b Zeeble, Bill (December 9, 2020). "Collin College Ends In-Person Classes Until 2021, Publishes COVID-19 Dashboard". KERA News. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ a b Redden, Elizabeth (August 24, 2020). "College president faces criticism for how he communicated a professor's death from COVID". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ a b Wright, Lawrence (December 28, 2020). "The Plague Year". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ a b Salcedo, Andrea (November 24, 2020). "A 70-year-old came out of retirement to teach nursing. She died of complications from Covid-19 after a student exposed her". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Pettit, Emma (November 24, 2020). "'One of Us': A President's Message Stuns Faculty After Their Colleague Dies of Covid-19". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Tompkins, Lucy (December 1, 2020). "Retired only a few months, a nurse felt compelled to help. And then the virus hit her". The New York Times. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Zeeble, Bill (October 29, 2020). "Collin College Student Dies After Contracting COVID-19". KERA News. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Zeeble, Bill (August 13, 2021). "Collin College Dean Of Nursing Dies From COVID-19 Complications". KERA News. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- ^ FIRE (February 17, 2021). "10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2021". FIRE. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
- ^ a b Vasquez, Michael (April 13, 2021). "'That Man Makes Me Crazy': How one president shattered norms, played down Covid-19, and sent his critics packing". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
- ^ Richman, Talia (January 25, 2022). "Former Collin College professor who claimed retaliation over tweets resolves lawsuit with school". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ "USCourts : Case 4:21-cv-00733 Document 1 Filed 09/22/21" (PDF). Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ^ Vasquez, Michael (January 31, 2022). "Days After Settling a Lawsuit, a Texas College Ousts Another Outspoken Professor". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ Macon, Alex (March 30, 2021). "At Collin College, a Collision Over Free Speech". D Magazine. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ^ "LAWSUIT: A history professor advocated for removing Confederate statues. Then his college fired him". FIRE Newsdesk. Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ^ McGee, Kate (November 14, 2023). "Jury rules against Texas professor who claimed suburban community college retaliated against him for political speech". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ Zeeble, Bill (November 9, 2021). "Amid controversies over COVID-19 and fired professors, some blame Collin College's president". Texas Standard. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Egregious Violations of Academic Freedom at Collin College". AAUP. April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ Quinn, Ryan. "AAUP Censures Emporia State, Collin". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
- ^ Jaschik, Scott. "AAUP Condemns Collin College on Academic Freedom". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- ^ Panicker, Jobin (June 20, 2019). "Collin College to offer four-year bachelor's degree programs". WFAA. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
- ^ "NJCAA Region 5". njcaaregion5.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ^ "Women's Basketball closes out post-season run". Collin College. April 4, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ "Collin College Honored with 2020 Community Engagement Classification From Carnegie Foundation". Collin College. February 10, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "NLN Announces 2020 Centers of Excellence (COE) in Nursing Education". www.nln.org. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "CoARC – Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care – Awards and Scholarships". www.coarc.com. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "Collin College Named a '2020 Great College to Work For'". Collin College. September 14, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
External links
[edit]Collin College
View on GrokipediaHistory
Founding and Establishment (1984–1990)
The establishment of Collin College, formally the Collin County Community College District, stemmed from grassroots efforts amid rapid population growth in Collin County, Texas, during the mid-1980s. In 1984, the Committee of 100, a group of community leaders and volunteers, conducted a feasibility study and spearheaded a petition drive that collected over 25,000 signatures—exceeding the required 12,000—in just seven weeks to place the creation of a community college district on the ballot for a general election.[10][11] On April 6, 1985, voters approved the measure, establishing the district, electing a nine-member board of trustees, and authorizing a $70 million bond issuance to fund initial infrastructure, including two campuses.[12][13] Initial operations commenced without dedicated facilities, as the college's first classes opened in fall 1985 across five county high schools, enrolling 1,326 students in credit and noncredit programs focused on associate degrees, certificates, and transfer pathways.[12][13] By January 1986, the Central Park Campus in McKinney—a 155-acre site near the intersection of U.S. Highways 75 and 380—began operations, accommodating over 2,000 students and marking the transition from temporary high school venues to permanent college infrastructure funded by the bond.[12][13] In 1987, the institution awarded degrees to its inaugural graduating class of 13 students, offering 25 distinct credentials at the time.[10] Expansion continued with the completion of the Spring Creek Campus in Plano in fall 1988, a 380,000-square-foot facility on 110 acres designed to handle growing demand from the county's burgeoning suburbs.[12][13] Full accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was achieved in summer 1989, affirming the district's academic standards and operational maturity just four years after inception.[12] By 1990, early successes included standout graduates like Guillermo Ameer, who earned an Associate of Science degree magna cum laude, underscoring the college's rapid solidification as a key educational resource for local workforce development and university transfer.[10]Expansion and Enrollment Growth (1990s–2010s)
In the 1990s, Collin College pursued territorial expansion amid rising demand from Collin County's burgeoning population, opening the Frisco Campus in July 1995 after groundbreaking on March 12, 1994, with initial fall enrollment of 1,367 students across Founders Hall and Heritage Hall.[14] This followed the acquisition and opening of the Courtyard Center in October 1994 for continuing education and economic development programs, purchased for $2.9 million in 1993.[14] The Allen Center also launched in August 1999 within Allen High School, spanning 10,000 square feet to accommodate dual-credit and community courses.[14] Unduplicated annual credit enrollment rose steadily from 15,213 in fiscal year 1990 to 18,982 in 1999, reflecting broader access enabled by these facilities.[15] The 2000s saw further infrastructure investments, including a $57 million bond approved on November 6, 2001, which funded additions like the McKinney Campus C-wing, bookstore, and maintenance building opened in August 2002.[14] Key developments included the Frisco Campus D Building (74,000 square feet) in spring 2004, its library and classrooms in January 2005, and the Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Education (9,200 square feet) in fall 2009.[14] These enhancements supported accelerating enrollment, with unduplicated credit headcount increasing from 20,237 in fiscal year 2000 to 34,233 in 2009, driven by regional economic expansion and transfers from high schools.[15] Entering the 2010s, the college added the Collin Higher Education Center (125,000 square feet) in January 2010, followed by the Frisco Campus conference center (19,000 square feet) and J Building in 2012, the Plano Campus library (88,000 square feet) in January 2013, and the McKinney Campus conference center (23,500 square feet) in September 2015.[14] The Cary A. Israel Health Sciences Center (125,000 square feet) opened January 20, 2016, and the Public Safety Training Center (128,000 square feet) debuted September 28, 2018, on 25 acres in McKinney for law enforcement and firefighting training.[14] Enrollment momentum persisted, with unduplicated credit figures climbing from 38,895 in fiscal year 2010 to 46,969 in 2019, underscoring the institution's adaptation to sustained demographic pressures in North Texas suburbs.[15]Recent Milestones and 40th Anniversary (2020s)
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Collin College approved the CougarCare employee benefit plan in July 2020, investing up to $750,000 to support staff health needs, earning it recognition as a 2020-2021 Innovation of the Year by the Association of Community College Trustees.[16] The college also maintained student engagement through virtual events like trivia games and financial literacy workshops during fall 2020, adapting to remote learning while prioritizing completion rates.[17] By 2021, Collin College reported the highest student success rates among Texas's 11 community college districts, at 48.8% and 50.0% for key cohorts, reflecting effective retention and completion strategies under its 2020-2025 Strategic Plan.[18] In 2022, it received the Great College to Work For honor for the fifth consecutive year from the Great Colleges to Work For program, highlighting strong workplace culture.[19] That same year, the college earned designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency, bolstering its workforce programs in high-demand fields like cybersecurity and nursing.[1] Culminating the decade, Collin College marked its 40th anniversary in 2025, commemorating its founding in 1985 with initial enrollment of 1,495 students that semester, expanding to 2,800 by the second.[10] Celebrations included public events such as a music festival and campus carnival in McKinney and Celina in March, a group photo at the original McKinney Campus on April 8, and a week of activities in April featuring student and alumni spotlights.[20][10] By this milestone, the institution had grown to 10 campuses across seven cities, offering five bachelor's degrees and emphasizing healthcare education at sites like McKinney.[21] Student achievements persisted, with competitors earning 10 gold, seven silver, and six bronze medals in statewide skills contests in spring 2025.[22]Campuses and Infrastructure
Primary Campuses and Locations
Collin College maintains multiple primary physical campuses across Collin County and adjacent areas in Texas, supporting a range of academic, workforce, and transfer programs. These facilities, totaling around 11 including centers, are distributed in cities such as McKinney, Plano, Frisco, Wylie, Celina, Farmersville, and Allen, with the McKinney and Plano campuses serving as longstanding hubs for core operations.[1][3] The McKinney Campus, located at 2200 W. University Drive, McKinney, TX 75071, functions as a primary site for health sciences education, including nationally recognized nursing programs housed in the Cary A. Israel Health Sciences Center.[23] It offers general education courses and supports foundational college activities.[3] The Plano Campus, at 2800 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX 75074, emphasizes rigorous academic and workforce training alongside visual and performing arts, athletics facilities, and the district's only on-campus housing.[24] Additional primary campuses include the Frisco Campus at 9700 Wade Blvd., Frisco, TX 75035, which enrolls over 8,500 students and features specialized programs like the Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Education; the Wylie Campus at 391 Country Club Road, Wylie, TX 75098, a 300,000-square-foot facility on nearly 100 acres opened in fall 2020 with amenities such as a library and student center; the Celina Campus at 2505 Kinship Parkway, Celina, TX 75009, a 96,000-square-foot site accommodating up to 2,500 students for transfer and health sciences courses; the Farmersville Campus at 501 S. Collin Parkway, Farmersville, TX 75442, a 52,000-square-foot venue providing local access to degree programs; and the Allen Technical Campus at 2550 Bending Branch Way, Allen, TX 75013, focused on hands-on workforce training in fields like construction, healthcare, and welding.[3][25][26]| Campus | Address | Key Focus Areas |
|---|---|---|
| McKinney | 2200 W. University Drive, McKinney, TX 75071 | Health sciences, nursing, general education |
| Plano | 2800 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX 75074 | Arts, athletics, workforce programs |
| Frisco | 9700 Wade Blvd., Frisco, TX 75035 | Hospitality, culinary, high enrollment |
| Wylie | 391 Country Club Road, Wylie, TX 75098 | General academics, student services |
| Celina | 2505 Kinship Parkway, Celina, TX 75009 | Transfer, health sciences |
| Farmersville | 501 S. Collin Parkway, Farmersville, TX 75442 | Local degree access |
| Allen Technical | 2550 Bending Branch Way, Allen, TX 75013 | Vocational training in trades |
Facilities and Bond-Funded Developments
Collin College operates eleven campuses and centers across Collin County, Texas, equipped with academic facilities including classrooms, science and computer laboratories, libraries, student unions, and administrative buildings designed to support associate degrees, workforce training, and transfer programs.[3][1] Key established sites include the 640-acre McKinney Campus, serving as the administrative headquarters with specialized centers for health sciences and performing arts; the Plano Campus (Spring Creek), focused on general education and business programs; and the Frisco Campus (Preston Ridge), emphasizing technology and engineering instruction.[3][27] To address enrollment growth driven by Collin County's population increase from approximately 1 million in 2010 to over 1.1 million by 2020, voters approved a $600 million general obligation bond proposition on May 6, 2017, with 63% support and minimal impact on the tax rate.[28][29] The bond funded the Facilities Master Plan, prioritizing new constructions in underserved areas to accommodate projected demand for 7,500 additional students annually.[30] Major bond-funded developments include the 100-acre Wylie Campus, which opened for classes on August 24, 2020, spanning over 300,000 square feet with facilities for STEM disciplines, vocational nursing, and public safety training.[31][32] The Collin College Technical Campus in Allen, completed in 2020, features 193,000 square feet across four buildings for advanced manufacturing, IT, and dual-credit programs shared with Allen Independent School District.[33] The 50,000-square-foot Celina Campus and 60,000-square-foot Farmersville Campus, both opened in 2021, provide instructional and workforce spaces in northern Collin County.[34][35] Further expansions encompassed a $142 million technical facility in McKinney for engineering and applied sciences, alongside renovations such as $14.1 million in upgrades to the Frisco Campus's science labs and classrooms, completed by fiscal year 2022.[36][37] Ongoing projects under the 2023-2030 Destination Master Plan, partially financed by a 2020 general obligation bond and 2024 revenue bonds totaling over $212 million for five initiatives, continue to enhance infrastructure for emerging workforce needs.[38][39]Health Sciences and Specialized Centers
The Health Sciences and Emergency Services Division at Collin College provides associate degrees, certificates, and bachelor's programs focused on healthcare and emergency response careers, with offerings including nursing, dental hygiene, diagnostic medical sonography, and emergency medical services.[40] Programs are distributed across district campuses, with administrative offices at the McKinney Campus and specialized instruction at facilities like the Health Science Academy in Plano.[40] The Cary A. Israel Health Sciences Center, a 125,000-square-foot facility at the McKinney Campus, serves as the primary hub for these programs and opened in January 2016.[41][42] It houses state-of-the-art training for nursing tracks such as Associate Degree Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Licensed Vocational Nursing, alongside other health professions like physical therapist assistant, respiratory care, and surgical technology.[23][43] Key certificate programs emphasize practical skills, including certified nurse aide, phlebotomy technician, medical coding and billing, and pharmacy technician tracks within the Health Professions curriculum.[43] Emergency services components feature certificates in emergency medical technician and fire science, supporting workforce entry in public safety roles.[42] In October 2025, Collin College announced a new 34,000-square-foot health sciences center at the Frisco Campus to expand nursing simulation labs and introduce programs in radiologic technology, nuclear medicine, cardiovascular technology, and medical laboratory technician, addressing regional healthcare workforce shortages.[44] The facility will dedicate space to radiology and imaging on the first floor and nursing hands-on training on the second.[44]Academics
Associate and Transfer Programs
Collin College provides associate degrees designed primarily for students intending to transfer to four-year institutions, including the Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) in General Studies, which offer general academic coursework and electives aligned with the first two years of a bachelor's program.[45][46] These degrees require a minimum of 60 college-level credit hours, a cumulative GPA of 2.0, and completion of the general education core curriculum, ensuring seamless transfer of credits within Texas public universities under state guidelines.[47][45] The Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) targets students pursuing elementary or secondary education careers, incorporating specialized coursework in pedagogy and subject areas that transfer toward bachelor's degrees in education at partnering universities.[48] Field of Study (FOS) curricula, such as those in business, engineering, or health sciences, guarantee block transfer of up to 60 credits to Texas public four-year colleges, fulfilling lower-division requirements without loss of credit.[45] For instance, AA programs in areas like accounting, biology, or psychology provide foundational courses equivalent to university-level prerequisites.[49] Transfer pathways are facilitated through the Transfer U platform, which maps associate degrees to over 100 bachelor's options at approximately 20 institutions via 2+2 agreements, including co-enrollment opportunities in the Academic Alliance program allowing simultaneous pursuit of associate and bachelor's credits.[50][51] Partnerships with entities like Western Governors University Texas eliminate barriers for AAS holders seeking bachelor's completion, with articulated plans ensuring credit recognition.[52] These structures emphasize efficient progression, with resources like degree plans and transfer guides available to minimize excess credits upon transfer.[53]Bachelor's and Applied Degrees
Collin College offers bachelor's degrees primarily in applied and technical fields, authorized under Texas legislation allowing community colleges to award limited baccalaureate programs in workforce-related areas. These degrees typically require completion of an associate degree as a prerequisite and emphasize practical skills for career advancement in high-demand sectors such as health care, technology, and construction.[54][1] The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program builds on prior nursing education to prepare graduates for licensure as registered nurses and roles in advanced clinical practice.[54] In addition, the Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) in Cybersecurity equips students with skills in network security, risk management, and ethical hacking, targeting professionals seeking elevated positions in information technology security.[55] A new BAT in Software Development, launching in Fall 2025, focuses on automation, cloud computing, database management, and advanced programming to extend Associate of Applied Science (AAS) competencies.[56] Collin College also awards Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degrees, including in Construction Management, which covers project oversight, building materials, blueprint reading, and leadership in the industry.[57] The BAS in Clinical Operations Management (BASCOM), introduced in Fall 2023, targets allied health graduates and emphasizes operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and management in clinical environments such as hospitals and outpatient facilities.[58][59] For BAS completion, students must fulfill at least 25% of required coursework (minimum 30 semester credit hours) at Collin College.[60] These programs align with regional economic needs, offering pathways that reduce costs compared to traditional universities while maintaining accreditation standards.[61]Workforce Training and Certificates
Collin College offers a range of workforce training programs through credit-bearing certificates and non-credit continuing education (CE) courses, aimed at developing practical skills for immediate employment in high-demand sectors such as information technology, healthcare, construction, and business management. These programs align with regional economic needs, including partnerships with local industries in Collin County, Texas, to provide training that leads to industry-recognized certifications and job placement.[62][63] With over 200 degree and certificate pathways available, including specialized workforce options, the college serves approximately 60,000 credit and continuing education students annually, emphasizing career readiness in fields like cybersecurity, supply chain management, and automotive technology.[63][1] Credit-based workforce certificates, often classified as Certificates of Completion or Level 1 certificates, are integrated into Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree pathways and focus on technical vocational training. These programs provide foundational skills for entry-level positions and stackable credentials toward advanced degrees. Key examples include:- Automotive Technology and Collision Technology: Training in vehicle repair, diagnostics, and bodywork.[64]
- Construction Technology: Sub-specializations in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and facilities management.[64]
- Cybersecurity and Computer Networking: Preparation for roles in IT security and network administration.[64]
- Health Professions: Including pharmacy technician, medical assisting, and emergency medical services.[64]
- Welding and Robotics and Automation Technology: Hands-on skills for manufacturing and advanced automation.[64]
- CompTIA Certificate Series: IT fundamentals, A+, Network+, and Security+ preparation.[65]
- Project Management and Operations and Supply Chain Management: Skills for logistics and operational roles, including ASCM CPIM certification.[65]
- Human Resources Management: Preparation for SHRM-CP/SCP exams and HR operations.[65]
- Automotive Service and Repair: Basic to advanced vehicle maintenance training.[65]

