Occupational and Life Skills Associate (OLSA)
Occupational And Life Skills Associate (OLSA)
LSC-Tomball
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Occupational and Life Skills Associate (OLSA) is an Occupational And Life Skills Associate (OLSA) program offered by Lone Star College in Tomball, TX. The program takes 60 credit hours to complete, with a total tuition of $6,660.
Program Overview
- The Occupational and Life Skills degree program is designed for neurodiverse students in the lifePATH® program. lifePATH®'s focus is to assist students as they: develop independence, exercise self-determination, increase knowledge of college-level academic expectations, practice the social expectations necessary for success in professional settings, and engage in opportunities for career exploration. While the OLSA does not focus on a specific industry, its purpose is to help students develop transferable skills that can be applied to any industry.
- Program Highlights
- Social expectations, also known as “soft skills,” for the adult world are embedded into each course and practiced as students work on requirements for the Occupational and Life Skills Associate (OLSA) Degree. During the first two years, students take requisite courses that focus on college-level academic expectations, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills. After two years, some students exit the lifePATH® OLSA cohort and/or simultaneously pursue other certificate or degree programs offered at Lone Star College, with lifePATH® wrap-around support. Students who remain in their lifePATH® OLSA cohort will spend the last two years learning about professional expectations and applying their soft skill knowledge to professional settings while earning both the OLSA degree and the Business Operations certificate.
- Credentials and Careers
- The OLSA does not focus on a specific industry. Its purpose is to help students develop transferable skills that can be applied to any industry. The OLSA emphasizes 21st-century workforce skills like communication, critical thinking, leadership and collaboration, and other soft skills.
- Transferability
- Some of the courses for the Business Operations Certificate are transferable depending on the institution and degree requirements.
- Please consult with a program advisor for more information about transferability.
Admission Requirements and Process
- Selective Admission Process
- The lifePATH® director will review admissions application materials to verify potential students meet the Pre-Admissions Requisite Skills (listed below).
- Pre-Admissions Requisite Skills
- Intelligence and Achievement Scores of 70 or above in all the following categories
- Full Scale IQ - 70+
- Reading Comprehension
- Written Expression or Fluency
- Math Problem Solving or Reasoning
- Group Admissions Interview
- Students meeting the Pre-Admissions Requisite skills criteria must participate in a Group Admissions Interview that includes both individual and group activities. The activities are designed to assess each student’s acquisition and use of lifePATH®’s required Prerequisite Skills (listed below).
- Students who demonstrate acquisition and use of the Prerequisite Skills (listed below) during the Group Admissions Interview will be conditionally admitted, pending successful completion of lifePATH ® ’s New Student Orientation/College Immersion.
- Prerequisite Skills
- Prerequisite skills acquisition and willingness to use these skills will be assessed during Group Admissions Interviews and the required lifePATH ® New Student Orientation/College Immersion. Demonstrated ability and willingness to:
- adhere to the LSC student code of conduct at all times
- respond to correction and feedback, as expected in the college environment
- navigate the LSC campus independently or with minimal assistance
- self-regulate emotional responses with minimal prompting
- engage and interact with other students, staff, and faculty
- work independently with minimal prompting and/or minimal checks for understanding
- communicate verbally, with assistive technology, or with ASL
- participate in all required lifePATH® activities
- explore personal soft skill/academic challenge areas
- commit to working toward growth in challenge areas
- New Student Orientation/College Immersion
- During New Student Orientation/College Immersion, students will be evaluated for ability and willingness to demonstrate the Prerequisite Skills (listed above) over an extended time (7- 8 days).
- Application Process
- Attend a lifePATH® information session: These sessions are designed to provide information about admissions requirements, required documentation, and application procedures. Attending an information session is mandatory for students applying to the lifePATH® program. To sign up for an information session please visit the lifePATH® website: www.lonestar.edu/lifePATH. For specifics about Lone Star College including campus tours, students should contact student services and request general campus information.
- Submit an application to the lifepath program: Students applying to lifePATH® must complete an application. The lifePATH® application includes contact information, campus preference, and personal essay. The essay should be written by the student.
- Submit educational evaluations : Students must submit educational evaluations to ensure prerequisite criteria are met. A full and individual evaluation (FIE) is the preferred evaluation method, however a reevaluation (REED) or other disability evaluation will be accepted if it includes scores for full scale intellectual quotient (FSIQ), reading comprehension, written expression, and math problem solving. lifePATH® does not provide educational evaluations. Potential sources for educational or disability evaluations include (1) school districts used in determining eligibility for special education services; (2) vocational rehabilitation, for determining eligibility for employment services; (3) local mental health authority; or (4) independent private evaluations.
- Apply to Lone Star College : lifePATH® students must apply to LSC as a credit student and complete all admission requirements to be admitted and enrolled in the program.
- Submit Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) scores : All LSC students (including lifePATH®) must take the TSIA exam. The TSIA exam helps to determine readiness for college level work. The TSIA assists lifePATH® faculty and staff in developing interventions to improve academic skills and determine eligibility for course enrollment in other certificate and degree programs outside of the OLSA.
Program Schedule
- This award requires 60 credit hours in total.
- Lone Star College reports 2016 contact hours for this award.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Workforce: Demonstrate skills necessary for workplace success, working knowledge of the hard and soft skills required in specific career interest areas, the ability to use decision-making models to evaluate personal strengths, challenges, strategies, and accommodations necessary for potential success in specific career interest areas.
- Interpersonal: Demonstrate skills employed when interacting with diverse individuals, in different roles in a variety of settings, in order to effectively communicate, consider alternate perspectives and adjust behavior and/or practices to effectively and productively interact with others.
- Academic behavioral skills: Demonstrate skills and strategies needed for success in the learning environment, as well as foundational skills and academic knowledge required to make informed academic decisions.
- Intrapersonal: Demonstrate the skills necessary for personal reflection: identifying emotional responses, personal motives, determining strengths and challenges, evaluating appropriate levels of relationships, analyzing the need for change, setting goals, advocating for wants and needs, and creating a realistic self-image.
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
- Tuition shown is the in-district rate of $111.00 per credit hour for 60 credit hours.
- Out-of-district Texas residents pay $249.00 per credit hour ($14,940.00); international and out-of-state students pay $313.00 per credit hour ($18,780.00).
- Lab fees vary by course and liability insurance, uniforms and supplies vary by program, so Lone Star College publishes no all-in total for this award. Tuition above excludes them.
- Financial aid and payment plans are available to most students.
- Application fee: none. Lone Star College applications are free.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | ||
| EDUC1300 | Learning Framework: 1st Year Experience | 3 |
| HRPOA1311 | Human Relations I | 2 |
| OLIE1202 | Effective Communication | 2 |
| OLIA1129 | Self-Awareness & Personal Change | 1 |
| OLAC0026 | Academic Readiness and Review I | 0 |
| Subtotal | 8 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| HRPOB1311 | Human Relations II | 1 |
| OLAC1313 | Business Composition | 3 |
| OLWF1204 | Career Cluster Research | 2 |
| OLIE1128 | Interpersonal Relationships | 1 |
| OLAC0027 | Academic Readiness and Review II | 0 |
| Subtotal | 7 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| BCISA1305 | Business Computer Applications I | 2 |
| OLIE1230 | Networking & Customer Service | 2 |
| OLAC1317 | Mathematic Essentials | 3 |
| OLIA1134 | Wellness Lifestyle I | 1 |
| OLAC0032 | Academic Readiness and Review III | 0 |
| Subtotal | 8 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| BCISB1305 | Business Computer Applications II | 1 |
| OLIE1211 | Organizational Teamwork | 2 |
| OLWF1213 | Career Path Exploration | 2 |
| OLIA1135 | Wellness Lifestyle II | 1 |
| OLAC0033 | Academic Readiness and Review IV | 0 |
| OLWF2136 | Campus RAMP I | 1 |
| Subtotal | 7 | |
| Fifth Semester | ||
| BUSIA1301 | Business Principles I | 2 |
| BMGTA1327 | Principles of Business Management I | 2 |
| OLIE2309 | History of Integration & Advocacy | 3 |
| OLWF2239 | Transition to Career I | 2 |
| OLAC0037 | Academic Readiness & Review V | 0 |
| OLWF2141 | Campus RAMP II | 1 |
| Subtotal | 10 | |
| Sixth Semester | ||
| BUSIB1301 | Business Principles II | 1 |
| BMGTB1327 | Principles of Business Management II | 1 |
| OLWF2216 | Self-Determined Career | 2 |
| OLWF2240 | Transition to Career II | 2 |
| OLAC0038 | Academic Readiness and Review 6 | 0 |
| Subtotal | 6 | |
| Seventh Semester | ||
| BMGTA2303 | Problem-Solving & Decision Making I | 2 |
| BMGTA1309 | Information & Project Management I | 2 |
| OLWF2288 | Community Internship I | 2 |
| OLIA2244 | Stress in the Workplace I | 2 |
| OLAC0042 | Academic Readiness and Review 7 | 0 |
| Subtotal | 8 | |
| Eighth Semester | ||
| BMGTB2303 | Problem-Solving & Decision Making II | 1 |
| BMGTB1309 | Information & Project Management II | 1 |
| OLWF2289 | Community Internship II | 2 |
| OLIA2245 | Stress in the Workplace II | 2 |
| OLAC0043 | Academic Readiness and Review 8 | 0 |
| Subtotal | 6 | |
| Program Total | 60 | |