Curriculum

Our curriculum relates to situations you'll encounter at work and in your life.

An OLS student learns to cook.
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Our curriculum is meaningful and life-related.  

Classroom Learning + Real-World Experiences

Class sizes are small and class time is longer than a typical college course in order to provide you more learning time and differentiated instruction. Throughout the program, you will apply what you learn in the classroom to real-world experiences.

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Our Curriculum

Our curriculum is made up of four key components.

Courses

Our courses directly relate to work and life. Our scaffolded course structure provides reinforcement of learned concepts throughout the program. Examples of OLS courses:

  • Personal Finance 
    • Practice working with a personal budget and understand how to balance a bank account.
  • Citizenship
    • Learn how to advocate for yourself and your community and how local government operates
  • Workplace Readiness
    • Explore career interests, polish job interview skills and learn how to solve problems in the workplace.
  • Electives
    • Choose from a variety of courses such as Theater, Podcasts, Music Appreciation, fitness courses, and more.

All of our courses are listed in the Bellevue College Course Catalog.

View Our Course Catalog

Community Activities

In every course, you will take part in a community activity directly related to your coursework. You will apply academic knowledge in a real-world setting, learn about business operations and a variety of occupations, and learn networking skills and exhibit professional behaviors.

Examples of Community Activities:

  • Recording podcasts at a local studio
  • Attending a King County legislative forum
  • Visiting the Microsoft Inclusive Tech Lab
  • Making and delivering trail mix to people experiencing homelessness
  • Hosting a campus coffee social

Service Learning

Twice a year, students and staff in the OLS program come together for a service project.  Examples of past Service Learning projects have included:

  • Making greeting cards for the elderly, veterans, and disabled through the nonprofit Full Life Care 
  • Organizing and participating in food and care items drives for unhoused people
  • Making blankets for Seattle Children’s Hospital
  • Prepare grounds for spring planting at the Tavon Center

Internships

Your final two quarters are spent in a 250+ hour internship with a local business specific to your chosen career track. Every internship is unique and tailored to your strengths. Business partners include:

  • Nintendo
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • Marriot Hotels
  • Lionbridge Technologies
  • Bellevue School District
  • Aboda
  • Toyota of Bellevue
Learn About Internships

OLS Students in Action

OLS students engage with classroom instruction by taking notes and raising their hands.

Courses

Class sizes are small, to allow for more individualized support.

OLS students visit the Microsoft Tech Lab as a community activity.

Community Activities

OLS students visit the Microsoft Inclusive Tech Lab as they learn about technology and display professional behaviors.

A group of OLS students makes a blanket as part of their service learning.

Service Learning

Making blankets for Seattle Children’s Hospital is one way that OLS students serve the local community.

An OLS intern engages with small children on the playground at her internship workplace.

Internships

Ally interned at an early learning center during her final two quarters at OLS. All students intern at a local business in their field of interest.

What Our Students Say

Samantha visits a local retail store.
Service Projects are important because you gain new experiences and skills by giving back to the community.

Samantha, OLS Student

Class of 2019