Santa Monica College announced it has received final approval to launch a Bachelor of Science degree in Cloud Computing, with the new program scheduled to begin in the fall of 2027.
The decision positions the community college to directly address a well-documented skills gap in the Los Angeles technology sector. By offering a four-year degree, Santa Monica College (SMC) aims to provide an accessible and affordable educational track for students seeking high-demand roles in enterprise cloud infrastructure and management. This program represents a significant expansion of the college’s career education offerings and its role in regional workforce development, creating a new pipeline for talent in a field where a baccalaureate degree is increasingly a prerequisite for employment.
What We Know So Far
- Santa Monica College received formal approval from both the California Community Colleges Board of Governors and the Accrediting Commission of Community & Junior Colleges to establish the new degree program.
- The Bachelor of Science in Cloud Computing is scheduled to officially launch and accept its first cohort of students in the Fall 2027 semester, according to college announcements.
- The program's curriculum will be built upon the college's existing lower-division cloud computing courses, which were developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), as reported by Patch.com.
- According to a report from MyNewsLA.com, the curriculum is designed to align with key industry-recognized certifications from major cloud providers and organizations, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and CompTIA.
- The estimated annual cost for the program is approximately $10,000 for California residents, a figure that does not include potential financial aid.
- This will be the second four-year degree offered by SMC, following the successful launch of its Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design (IxD) in 2015.
