About Gulf Coast College
Gulf Coast College is an accredited higher education institution devoted to offering vocational programs that allow our students to achieve their career goals. Since 1987, our commitment to educational excellence across all our programs has remained steadfast.
- Our Mission Statement
Gulf Coast College is committed to helping our students develop a high level of competency, obtained through the pursuit, assimilation, and dissemination of knowledge in our academic programs.
Our faculty and staff strive to prepare students with the ability to function proficiently in a competitive society and in the career of their choice.
Throughout every program we offer, the underlying objective is to create within each student an awareness of professional and social responsibility and an appreciation for the principles of ethical conduct.
- Our Institutional Philosophy
Our philosophy is to inspire students to strive for excellence and to achieve their maximum personal potential in their continuing education pursuits. Gulf Coast College encourages our student population to aspire to be the best they can be in their chosen academic, business, social, professional, and personal endeavors. Whatever the student’s academic interest, our focus is consistent on delivering the best education possible.
We place strong emphasis on the quality of our curriculum, maintaining a low student-to-teacher ratio, and providing practical training and real-world experience. By applying this philosophy to all that we do, we work diligently to ensure that the Gulf Coast graduate has been meticulously prepared for whatever lies ahead of them.
The History of Gulf Coast College
Gulf Coast College was founded in 1987 as a career training institution with an initial focus on massage therapy education. The institution received its Proprietary School License from the State of Louisiana in June 1989 and was granted accreditation by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) in 1998.
In August 1999, Education Management, Inc. (EMI) acquired the institution, supporting its expansion to additional locations. Over time, campuses were established in Louisiana and Mississippi, including Gulfport, Mississippi, which received ACCSC accreditation in 2000. The institution continued to expand its operations and educational offerings in the early 2000s through the addition of new campuses and programs.
In April 2008, Quad Partners acquired ownership of the institution. In February 2013, the institution introduced online delivery methods for select associate degree programs. On April 26, 2022, Brent L. Mills, Inc. acquired the institution, initiating a period of operational and academic enhancement.
Effective September 2026, Blue Cliff College was renamed Gulf Coast College. The name change reflects the institution’s geographic service area and evolving program offerings while maintaining continuity of ownership, mission, accreditation, and educational objectives.
Today, Gulf Coast College operates campuses in Metairie, Louisiana, and Gulfport, Mississippi, offering residential and distance education programs designed to provide accessible, career-focused training.
Accreditation
Approvals, Licenses, and/or Affiliations
GULFPORT, MS:
Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy (License number 9803), Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering*, Mississippi Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration**, and Mississippi Board of Nursing (MSBON)***.
- Gulf Coast College operates the Cosmetology Program based on a Module Completion Program. Hours missed in excess of 24 hours for each module will be a failure of that module. Students will be allowed to make up 12 of the 24 hours missed. Gulf Coast College will report hours in both Module and Clock Hours as required by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. When you have reached the 1500 Cosmetology Clock Hour requirement, you are eligible to test for your Cosmetology license. However, in order to receive your completion certificate of the Cosmetology Program for Gulf Coast College, you will need to complete all modules.
** Licensed by the Mississippi Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration. Certificate No. C-736. Licensure indicates only that minimum standards have been met; it is not an endorsement or guarantee of quality. Licensure is not equivalent to or synonymous with accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
*** The Practical Nursing (PN) program in Gulfport, MS has received initial accreditation approval by the Mississippi Board of Nursing (MSBON) with full accreditation eligibility after the first year. The PN program is only approved for the Gulfport location.
METAIRIE, LA:
Louisiana State Board of Massage Therapy, Louisiana Board of Regents, Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology, and Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners and Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE)*.
- The Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) Program in Metairie, LA has been placed on provisional accreditation status by the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE). The LPN program is only approved for the Metairie Campus.
*To obtain a cosmetology license in Louisiana, you must complete 1,500 training hours at an approved school, pass the state board exams, and meet age and educational prerequisites.
**Licensed by the Mississippi Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration, Certificate No. 736. Licensure indicates only that minimum standards have been met; it is not an endorsement or guarantee of quality. Licensure is not equivalent to or synonymous with accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
NOTE:
Documents relating to accreditation, licensure or affiliations can be reviewed by contacting the Campus Director.
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