The educational community within Plano and the surrounding area is dedicated to providing advanced learning designed to effectively train and prepare students for professional opportunities with local businesses. With a strong local commitment to technology, many area campuses specialize in telecommunications, computer science, engineering, and business management.
Collin County Community College District (CCCCD) is Plano's lead educational entity serving more than 40,000 credit and continuing education students annually. Two of the college’s six campuses are in the city of Plano, offering more than 100 certificates and programs. From art and science to technical certification training, the college’s courses are designed to create marketable skills for every student.
Nationally recognized as a leader in higher education, CCCCD is the first community college in the nation to offer teacher certification and concurrent admissions agreements with major universities. Among its faculty are the U.S. Professor of the Year, presented by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council of Advancement and Support of Education, and four Minnie Stevens Piper Professors, one of Texas' highest honors bestowed upon college and university professors.
Committed to meeting the educational needs of Plano businesses, CCCCD works in tandem with area companies to secure training grants. Grant funds are used to design customized training programs for local businesses. Training courses range from management development and foreign language to computer and high-tech skills. Continuing education for professional and occupational development is also part of the college’s commitment to academic excellence and professional growth.
The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) is located on the southern border of Plano and has a satellite campus within the city, providing undergraduate, master’s and doctorate degree programs. With seven schools of study, the university offers the top math, science and engineering curricula in the region. It is one of the fastest growing engineering schools in the country and was the first university to offer a fully-accredited Telecommunications Engineering degree program in 1998. In 2001, the UTD NonTech Institute was endowed and is attracting worldwide scientific interest. The university works closely with Plano businesses to cultivate research programs and cooperative education programs.
Southern Methodist University has opened a campus in Plano, to serve as a catalyst to improving local businesses’ ability to succeed in today’s global workplace. Providing masters’ degree programs and executive and management development courses, the university is focused on providing advanced educational training for employees of local companies.
Other major institutions of higher learning in the metroplex include Dallas Baptist University, The University of Dallas, the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Women's University, the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas Christian University, and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.