Elms College recently announced that it will offer a master's degree program in business administration beginning next fall, The Republican reports.
Officials told the news source that the program will be delivered in an hybrid format, which will consist of a professor conducting lectures in-person one week and requiring enrollees to finish online assignments the second week.
Students in the program can specialize in accounting or healthcare, which require them to finish 30 and 36 hours, respectively. Officials added that a third curriculum that focuses on management is also being introduced.
In each program, students will take the same five core classes such as managerial finance and leadership as well as current events and their impact on the economy. Furthermore, learners will complete classes related to their specialization(comma) such as budgeting in healthcare.
Officials added that the cost will be $650 for each credit, which is average among colleges in western Massachusetts.
According to a Reuters report, the online education industry grew by 17 percent in 2009. Furthermore, nearly 25 percent of U.S. students currently take at least some web-based courses.
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Officials from the Indiana State University recently announced the launch of a masters degree in physician assistant studies, according to the school's website.
The program will join other healthcare-related offerings that comprise the school's catalogue of online learning offerings. Officials told the website that this course of study aims to address the demand for more professionals in this field who are needed throughout the state.
"By 2014, 30 million more people are going to access healthcare that previously did not," Randy Stevens, medical director for the school, quoted on the website. "That is going to pose a real dilemma for the medical community because the providers, particularly physicians, are in short supply."
Officials noted that the program will educate students using real-world experiences and focus on practices with enrollees and providers from other disciplines.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for physician assistants are expected to increase by 39 percent by 2018. This number translates to nearly 29,200 more jobs.
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Officials from Walden University, which is an online school, recently announced that it will begin offering a scholarship to National Education Association (NEA) members.
The university will award 40 annual scholarships of $2,500 each to individuals who have provided leadership in public school education within an NEA-affiliated school. Officials said that the program was created to help recognize the importance of leadership and social change in public schools.
"Walden is proud to offer NEA members scholarships toward two of our online masters degree programs that can help provide them with strategies to be more effective in the classroom and to enhance their students' learning and success." said Kate Steffens, dean of Walden's Riley College of Education and Leadership.
Officials noted that students must be NEA members and be currently enrolled in Walden's masters in education or instructional design and technology programs, or plan to enroll for the May or June 2011 start dates. Furthermore, students must submit an essay of 1,000 words and a letter of recommendation.
According to the 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning, nearly 30 percent of all college and university students now take at least one web-based course.
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