A Message from the President

Welcome to Foothill College!    

Thank you for selecting Foothill College as your higher education choice. You’ve come at just the right time. In 2023-2024 Foothill College launched several new programs that make our institution a destination college for students throughout the Bay Area and beyond. The BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Center and the Owl’s Nest, a vibrant center ensuring many of our students’ basic needs are met, both opened and are serving students daily. Also new to Foothill College is a MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) program as well as the Emerging Technology Institute, a campus hub that prepares educators for rapidly changing technological advancement like generative AI, robotics, virtual reality, and quantum technology. It is for these reasons and many more that Foothill College is consistently ranked as one of the very best community colleges in the country. Locally, we were honored in 2024 to be voted the best community college in the Bay Area by the Bay Area News Group readers.  

This recognition ensures that our value extends well beyond affordability. Foothill is an institution with programs that will grow our students’ academic confidence while helping them build a thriving career path that makes quality living in Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and beyond, possible. More importantly, we are a place that values students and we offer programs, services, opportunities, and events that will make our beautifully diverse population of students feel welcome, seen, and heard.      

If transfer is your goal, we offer six transfer agreements to University of California campuses and a Transfer Alliance Program (TAP) with UCLA. Students from the Foothill Honors Institute have demonstrated success in transferring to schools with highly competitive admissions. Our strong relationship with the California State University system, with over 1000 Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADTs) awarded in 2024, makes transfer to CSU campuses as seamless as possible. In addition, we encourage our students to seek acceptance at private colleges and universities where financial assistance makes attendance possible.    

While we lead California in preparing students for transfer to universities, we also have notable programs and apprenticeships at both our Los Altos Hills and Sunnyvale campuses and at sites around the Bay Area, that prepare students for the workforce. We offer a bachelor's degree in dental hygiene and, starting in fall 2024, will also offer a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy. We also welcome those enjoying retirement or looking for personal development opportunities to join our vibrant main campus and sustain a commitment to life-long learning by taking a class, attending an event, play, concert, symposium, or lecture series.    

How we offer our programs and services is as important as what we offer. Foothill College led California’s online learning initiative by building one of the first virtual classroom platforms in the country. While many educational institutions scrambled to offer quality online education during the pandemic, Foothill College was well prepared to serve all our students in virtual classrooms. We continue to offer the highest quality classes and services in multiple modalities and are continuing to innovate with new virtual reality classroom spaces.   

Alongside our phenomenal instructional faculty, you will be supported by knowledgeable and committed faculty and classified staff in our academic counseling, psychological counseling, tutoring, health services, transfer center, and financial aid offices. We also offer many learning communities that provide unparalleled support, especially to those whose families are new to higher education.     

We know you will enjoy your time on campus–whether walking the beautiful footpaths in Los Altos Hills or the halls of our Sunnyvale Center’s unique and historic building. Online learners will find our virtual campus and classrooms a rich, human experience. In all places and at all times, we embody our core values of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, transparency, forgiveness, and sustainability while delivering an education worthy of our high rankings.    

We wish you the very best on your journey with us!    

Kristina Whalen, Ph.D. 
President, Foothill College 

Introduction

Foothill College is a public, two-year college and part of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District.

Main Campus
12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022-4599
650.949.7777
foothill.edu

Sunnyvale Center
1070 Innovation Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1200
foothill.edu/sunnyvale

Accreditation

Foothill College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Foothill College’s accreditation was reaffirmed in January of 2018 by ACCJC after the completion of a comprehensive self-study in August 2017 and site evaluation team visit in October 2017. Learn more at foothill.edu/accreditation.

Foothill College is also accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Medical Association Council on Medical Education, and Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

This Catalog is Your Key to Success

The information you need to succeed as a Foothill College student is in this catalog. The following pages contain a wealth of information about courses, campus resources, student services, program descriptions, degree requirements, and college policies and procedures.

Use the catalog to:

• Plan your educational program;
• Review Foothill College policies and procedures;
• Learn about course and degree requirements; and
• Find important dates, phone numbers and locations.

Whether you want university-transfer preparation, career-training programs, basic skills improvement or professional development, you’ll find that Foothill College is a lively center for outstanding instruction and enriching student activities. Lives change in powerful ways at Foothill College.

At Foothill, we also have fun. From student clubs and social events to intercollegiate athletics and performing arts, Foothill offers you the total college experience.

Our students, faculty and staff come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. These traits, combined with our majestic campus, make Foothill a leader in providing students with a comprehensive, high-quality education.

Rules & Policies May Change

The Foothill-De Anza Community College District and Foothill College have made every reasonable effort to determine that information in this catalog is accurate. Changes may result from California legislature statutes or rules and policies adopted by the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees, chancellor or institutional designee. Courses and programs offered, together with other matters contained herein, are subject to change without notice by the administration of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District or Foothill College for reasons related to student enrollment, level of financial support, or for any other reason, at the discretion of the district and college. The district and college further reserve the right to add, amend or repeal any of its rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

12345 El Monte Road
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
650.949.7777
foothill.edu

To request this publication in alternative media, call 650.949.7017