July 21, 2008
Bowling
Green, Ky. - As part of Western Kentucky University’s effort to reach non-traditional students and improve access to education, the University is offering an ever-increasing number of online programs at the associate, baccalaureate and master’s levels.
During the 2007-08 academic year WKU had 16,591 enrollments for online courses; a 58 percent increase since 2003. This growth is largely due to the flexibility of online education, as well as the increased number of degree programs that can be completed online.
Online programs available at WKU range from Business Technology and Interdisciplinary Studies to Math, Education and Biology. Most recently, the Master of Arts in History and Master of Arts in Elementary Education were added to the list of 11 online graduate programs. WKU also offers five online baccalaureate programs and four online associate programs, as well as courses to fulfill general education requirements.
As online learning is becoming more mainstream, students find that the convenience of online classes makes it possible for them to juggle work, family and educational responsibilities that they might not otherwise be able to do.
“My decision to come back was not based on the availability of online classes,” said Shawn Holland, principal at Rich Pond Elementary School. “However, since returning, I have found this type of delivery system to be very beneficial to me. Being able to work late at night or for 10 minutes here and there is a blessing. At this point in my life it would have been very difficult for me to attend classes in the traditional method. I am glad to have had this alternative.”
For information about online courses and programs available at WKU, contact Cindy Troutman, Distance Learning Program Specialist, at (270) 745-5173 or visit www.wku.edu/online. Distance Learning is a unit of WKU’s Division of Extended Learning & Outreach.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Stacey Biggs at (270) 745-1926.
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