NYU Launches Its First Online Bachelor's Degree Programs for Adult Students in Fall 2005

NYU Launches Its First Online Bachelor's Degree Programs for Adult Students in Fall 2005

NEW YORK, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU SCPS) is launching the University's first wholly online undergraduate degrees for adult students. The new program -- called NYU Online -- will begin accepting applications this spring, with classes to start in September 2005.

"For the first time, through NYU Online, adult learners across the country and internationally have access, from a distance, to the high-quality faculty and education that only a top-tier university like NYU can offer," says NYU SCPS Dean David F. Finney.

Students can enroll in one of three degree programs: B.S. in Leadership and Management Studies; B.S. in Information Systems Management; and a B.A. in Social Sciences, which encompasses six academic concentrations: Economics, International Studies, Organizational Behavior and Communication, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology. These programs are online adaptations of curriculum developed and currently offered by NYU SCPS on its New York City campuses. For over 70 years, thousands of students have earned undergraduate degrees from NYU through these well-regarded programs specially geared for working adults.

The new online undergraduate degree programs were developed to meet the same high standards as the University's in-class offerings. NYU Online meets this goal in part, explains Dr. Finney, by offering courses taught by NYU faculty and using a complete set of audio and text communication technology to enhance student-to-faculty and student-to-student interaction.

"More importantly," Finney continues, "NYU Online uniquely presents a full blend of educational techniques that create the best possible learning environment for adult students, whether in class or online. Based on 70 years of teaching adults and over 10 years in online education, we know having such things as highly interactive class sessions and supplemental team projects, research papers and peer-to-peer learning are key to an excellent online education."

PIONEER IN DISTANCE LEARNING

In 1992, NYU SCPS launched The Virtual College(TM), which offers online classes in such subject areas as management, foreign language translation, creative writing and IT. Since 1998, Virtual College has had over 10,000 enrollments across the country and internationally in its online programs.

Additionally, the School has offered graduate programs online for 12 years, including the M.S. in Management and Systems and M.S. in Instructional Design. The educational methodologies successfully tested and used in these programs, including the synchronous and asynchronous elements and audio and text communication tools, serve as the model for the new NYU Online programs.

Robert Manuel, assistant dean of NYU SCPS, explains that the structure of the programs includes regularly scheduled synchronous ("real time") lectures, using Centra(TM) technology, in which all students attend and participate. Further, there are assignments given and graded by professors, and required "in-class" participation and peer interaction.

ONLINE COMMUNITY

"We learned that community-building is a major factor in successful online education and is a key component in NYU Online," says Manuel. "Students are encouraged to cultivate interpersonal relationships to support the online community, and the NYU Online tools allow that."

Dan Aptor, a recent alum from NYU's online program and director of Financial Systems at NBC Universal, felt that the distance learning was a good option because of his West Coast location and busy schedule. Having experience with both traditional classroom and online learning, Aptor says, "(The NYU) program is not for somebody who wants to 'check the boxes' or get a degree for the sake of getting a degree. An online education requires a person with a lot of discipline. Basically, like anything else, you get what you put into it."

Kalaundra Carreathers, who has her Master's in Management and Systems, found the technology user-friendly and accessible at all times of the day. Based in Texas, she adds, "The online community was essential for group work. In a majority of the cases, it was the crux of the program. In fact, it's the way the real world operates. I found it fundamental to the structure."

Allen Rhodes, Los Angeles-based owner of Rhombus Creative, comments, "You get people who think differently with economic differences. You get a global perspective with the curriculum." He received his online masters degree from NYU SCPS.

With her online degree from NYU, Cindy Clark agrees, "I met and worked with people virtually from all over the US and even outside the States. It was especially fun to come to New York for the graduation and meet people involved in the program." She is the Director Wireless Solutions for an international development company outside of Kansas City.

New York University is one of America's leading research universities and the largest private university in the U.S. NYU is accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education. All NYU Online instructors are NYU faculty members and are thoroughly trained and evaluated in online instruction.

For complete information regarding NYU Online admission requirements, applications, degree and course descriptions, please visit the NYU Online website at http://www.scps.nyu.edu/nyuonline.

The School of Continuing and Professional Studies at New York University (http://www.scps.nyu.edu/) has been a recognized leader in the education of adult learners for 70 years, offering a broad array of professional and industry-oriented degree and nondegree academic programs. NYU SCPS educates more than 50,000 students annually, offering over 1,500 courses, seminars and conferences each semester that span more than 125 fields. The School offers busy professionals the choice of 13 Master's, 21 Bachelor's, six Associate's degree programs and over 160 professional certificate program, preparing them for leadership positions in New York City's key business sectors, ranging from real estate, healthcare, management and hospitality to marketing, finance, law, film entertainment and publishing.


Source: New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies

CONTACT: Ellen Evaristo, +1-212-992-9103, ellen.evaristo@nyu.edu, or Ken
Brown, +1-212-998-9119, ken.brown@nyu.edu, both of New York University's
School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Web site: http://www.nyu.edu/
http://www.scps.nyu.edu/nyuonline
http://www.scps.nyu.edu/


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