The Online Degree Dorm Room

online degree programs psychology | High Gas Prices Could Mean More Online Degrees

Posted by bposton on June 9th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hey there my little dorm room buddy…

Don’t know about you, but gas prices are driving me CRAZY!!

In today’s ecomony, high gas prices are actually having a good news / bad news affect on the online degree industry.

On the one hand, high gas prices are forcing educators and students alike to take a much harder look at online degree programs.

For example, the Tennessee Board of Regents has called for a statewide effort to cut down on students’ drive time, asking schools under their jurisdiction to condense class schedules and reach out to students with their online education programs. As a result, enrollment in the Regents Online Degree Program is up 29 percent over last year, and 72 percent of those who have enrolled say gasoline prices are the reason they are pursing online courses.

So that’s the good news - an online degree can save a ton of money in gas.

So what’s the bad news??

Well, because gas prices are so high, and the ecomony is in such bad shape, a lot of folks that could use a degree are finding it much harder to shell out the money to oay for one.

Usually, Universities and two-year institutions benefit to some degree from economic downturns because struggling individuals looking for higher-paying jobs turn to education.

But with today’s gas prices pinching businesses and individuals’ purse strings, fewer are willing to budget for the cost of that education. 

When you think about the fact that in today’s poor ecomony, the hardest pressed group is an adult part-time student who is already juggling a family and a job or two. Often times they just can’t justify the cost of more education.

Sort of a double edged sword. so to speak…

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online degree programs psychology | Something new…

Posted by bposton on May 6th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hello my dorm room buddy

Hope all is well and your exams didn’t blow your mind…

I came across this story this other day and thought it was quite interesting.

Most universites know how to reach out new students, Tiffin University is doing something no other school has tried:

They create an online college just to get students to its school.

Ivy Bridge College is an online-only school developed and run by Tiffin University
offering associate degrees which can open up doors to a four-year degree at Tiffin
and other schools.

Just what is Tiffin?

Well, they are an independent, coeducational institution that has been educating
students since 1888, and they’ve achieved national recognition for its accredited
on-campus and online courses.

Tiffin’s Ivy Bridge program is designed particularly to help students who need extra
academic assistance to succeed and will team students with coaches who will monitor
their progress.

Specifically, Ivy Bridge College offers:

Log On Anytime. Students can log on to take classes at any time, setting their own
schedule, and completing the program in as little as 20 months.

Connection with teachers and students. The school is encouraging email contact with
teachers, news group discussions, online chats, and office hours. Students will be
able to connect with each other as well.

A planned path. Ivy Bridge has agreements in place with Tiffin University and dozens
of other colleges and universities throughout the United States. These agreements
make it easier for students to be accepted into and to transfer credits to four-year
institutions once they have completed their Ivy Bridge degree.

Earn a highly prized degree. Ivy Bridge students will earn a Tiffin University degree,
which is authorized by the Ohio Board of Regents and accredited by the North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools Commission (NCA) and by the Association of
Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Applications for new students is currently under way, so if you’re still just thinking about starting with an online course - stop thinking and start doing!

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online degree programs psychology | New Arts Management Degree at Drexel

Posted by bposton on February 12th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hey dorm room buddy…

Do you enjoy the “Arts”?

I suppose I do too, but I have alot of trouble staying inside the lines with my crayons

Anyway, you might want to know that Drexel University Online, has just announced that they are adding a new online degree - a Master of Science in Arts Administration. This is a very broad and deep degree program that combines a multidisciplinary approach to arts management that incorporates commerce, research and technology in the arts.
THis M.S. in Arts Administration degree is one of the only arts management degrees in the U.S. offered completely online, and (as usual with Drexel) you can be assured of the same high-quality instruction as with the on-campus program.

So what can you do with this degree?

Well, you can get a high-level management positions within most of the country’s arts and cultural organizations.

That’s because as a student in this program you learn management theory and practice, as well as policy development, marketing, and fundraising for non-profit organizations.

If you’re interested in getting the skills you need succeed in the growing profession of arts and culture administration, then you should seriously consider this MS degree.

And as usual with online degree programs, you can complete the coursework in two years while holding on to your day job. You can also customize the program of study through electives based on your individual career goals.

In case you didn’t know, Drexel University’s Arts Administration program is highly regarded in the industry, and is a part of the Association of Arts Administration Educators and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

Applications for Drexel’s online Master’s in Arts Administration are now being accepted for the fall term. For more information about this online program, e-mail info @ drexel.com or call (877) 215-0009.

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online degree programs psychology | Penn State Online Degree Update

Posted by bposton on February 8th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hey there dorm room buddy,

If you’ve been reading my posts for a while then you may remember that I told you in November about how Penn State had become the first College in the USA to offer online psychology degree programs.

(if you don’t remember, that’s OK - I know you’ve slept since then )

Anyway, since word got about about this, a lot of prospective students have contacted Penn State about the programs. 

According to Rich Carlson, professor and director of undergraduate studies in the College of Liberal Arts, there has been a ”huge response”.

In fact their ad on Google has gotten more than 18,000 hits, and as I speak there are more than 1,800 requests for more info on the online degree program. 

Just to recap the specifics…

They will offer both four-year Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Sciences degrees in psychology to online degree students this summer.

The Bachelor of Arts degree has a foreign language requirement and has more of a focus on liberal arts. The Bachelor of Science degree has a business option, so students can take 15 credits of business courses. But in general the core of psychology courses in each degree will be the same.

Another interesting part about this is that the online degree courses will be provided on a rollout basis. There will be a batch of introductory courses available from the beginning of summer 2008, and then they will continue to develop and make courses available as developers work to finish the program curriculum. This means that the first online psychology degrees could be awarded as early as fall 2010 for students coming into the program with credits already earned.

So it’s great news for Penn State, who decided to be a pioneer in online education.

And it’s great news for all those interested in online degree programs in psychology who are tied to their location because of work or children and can’t attend a local college in the traditional way. 

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online degree programs psychology | Penn State Online Degree Update

Posted by bposton on February 8th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hey there dorm room buddy,

If you’ve been reading my posts for a while then you may remember that I told you in November about how Penn State had become the first College in the USA to offer online psychology degree programs.

(if you don’t remember, that’s OK - I know you’ve slept since then )

Anyway, since word got about about this, a lot of prospective students have contacted Penn State about the programs. 

According to Rich Carlson, professor and director of undergraduate studies in the College of Liberal Arts, there has been a ”huge response”.

In fact their ad on Google has gotten more than 18,000 hits, and as I speak there are more than 1,800 requests for more info on the online degree program. 

Just to recap the specifics…

They will offer both four-year Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Sciences degrees in psychology to online degree students this summer.

The Bachelor of Arts degree has a foreign language requirement and has more of a focus on liberal arts. The Bachelor of Science degree has a business option, so students can take 15 credits of business courses. But in general the core of psychology courses in each degree will be the same.

Another interesting part about this is that the online degree courses will be provided on a rollout basis. There will be a batch of introductory courses available from the beginning of summer 2008, and then they will continue to develop and make courses available as developers work to finish the program curriculum. This means that the first online psychology degrees could be awarded as early as fall 2010 for students coming into the program with credits already earned.

So it’s great news for Penn State, who decided to be a pioneer in online education.

And it’s great news for all those interested in online degree programs in psychology who are tied to their location because of work or children and can’t attend a local college in the traditional way. 

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online degree programs psychology | military spouse discount tuition at Kaplan

Posted by bposton on January 29th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

If your spouse is in the military, then first of all you have my deepest thanks for all that you do for them and our country.

In a very small way, I’d like to post this as a way of giving back to those who have given so much.

I recently learned that Kaplan University is giving a 10 percent tuition discount for military spouses. And also that President Bush has asked Congress to allow service members to transfer unused G.I. Bill education benefits to their spouses and children.

So if you have a dream of earning or finishing your degree, then here is an opportunity to do so.

Just so you know, Kaplan is a leading provider of online higher education. They offer more than 100 academic programs that can be completed from anywhere in the world. So now, no matter where the military tells you to go, you have the flexibility of earning a degree online that could help you move to a new career or improve your current career.

By the way, Kaplan also offers a 15 percent tuition discount to all active military personnel, which they’ve been doing for a while now. They even have a dedicated military admissions team that understands the issues that active duty military personnel and their families face every day. 

The military spouse tuition discount will be available starting Wednesday, Jan. 30. If you’d like more information just call them at 866-889-4582.

And again, thanks so much for your sacrifice for our country!

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online degree programs psychology | financial aid to get your degree online

Posted by bposton on January 14th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

So, you want to start the New Year by going back to school and getting or finishing your degree online, right?

Alot of folks have this same goal, but they often put it on hole when holiday bills start rolling in.

Did you know that the average American household has about $10,000 in credit card debt? And a lot of that is left over from holiday spending. So this is can be a major hurdle stopping you from fullfilling your New Year’s resolution to get your degree. 

But there is hope…

eLearners.com, a resource of EducationDynamics that connects students to online education, has introduced one of the most robust financial aid resources on the web, the eLearners Student Loans and Financial Aid Center.

This center provides prospective students like you with an up-to-date database of more than 2.4 million scholarships
totaling $15 billion in financial aid.

One of the most unique features of eLearners.com is The Debt-Free College Guide which can give students over 500 debt-free financing options, including:

Grants
Tax incentives
Scholarships
And the most comprehensive list of loan forgiveness programs on the Internet

eLearners.com’s Student Loans and Financial Aid Center helps prospective and current students identify
and understand financing options for higher education. In addition to detailed information about financial aid,
loan consolidation and employer tuition assistance programs, visitors can also find a loan-buying guide that eLearners.com built in collaboration with The Greentree Gazette. The site allows prospective students to compare more than 300 student loans by loan vendor, type, up-front fees and interest rate.

So check out eLearners.com’s Student Loans and Financial Aid Center. It could very well be the what you’re looking for to get going with your online degree this year.

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online degree programs psychology | get your degree and save the world

Posted by bposton on January 10th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

OK, so here’s another reason why a goal of acheiving your degree online is a good one.

…It can help save the planet

No, it’s TRUE!

It turns out that choosing an online degree program is an incredibly easy way for
students to make an environmental impact.

That’s according to a new article from WorldWideLearn.com, the world’s premier online
education directory.

The article titled “Nine Ways to Save the World with Your College Degree” reveals
the environmental benefits associated with online education.

While there has not been much research done on this in the U.S. a number of
European organizations have already released studies that show the potential of the Internet
and other e-learning methods to radically reduce energy consumption and emissions.

At least that what the article says…

For example:

The Stockholm Environmental Institute and the UK’s Open University Design Innovation Group
found that, compared to traditional campus college courses, distance learning courses:
-   Consumed nearly 90% less energy
-   Produced 85% fewer CO2 emissions

These energy reductions included:
-   A 92% reduction in travel-related environmental impact
-   A nearly 50% reduction in paper and print consumption

So there you have it - get your degree online and help save the world!

If you want to get the article, just go to WorldWideLearn.com

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online degree programs psychology | 64 Year Old earns BA online

Posted by bposton on December 16th, 2007 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hello my dorm room buddy.

This story was so sweet I couldn’t resist

64-year-old Billie Norczyk of Florida recently received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida (UCF) after completing the requirements entirely online.

Her goal was to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida to expand her job options in health care but she didn’t want to trek to the main campus in Orlando to do it. So she entered their online program.

Now equipped with a bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration, the former registered nurse can pursue business-side administrative jobs in hospitals and nursing homes with more confidence. She plans to take her time weighing options.

Students such as Norczyk — working adults looking for a boost on the career ladder — are a driving force behind the growth in online education.

And more and more employers in the health-care industry and other fields say they favor making the bachelor’s degree a minimum requirement in some professional jobs because the extra years of instruction enable workers to handle more complex work with less on-the-job training.

Job prospects in the health-care industry are good in part because people are living longer, which raises demand for services.

Norczyk’s husband, John, was the one who challenged her to return to school after she lamented being turned down for a job that required a bachelor’s degree. She became a nurse before schools were offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in the profession.

She was beaming as she emerged from the first commencement ceremony to take place at UCF’s new arena, where more than 3,000 degrees will be handed out by the end of the final ceremony. She accepted hugs and kisses from friends and family who stood in a knot amid the crowd of hundreds.

Her daughter, who lives in Pennsylvania, and her son, who is stationed by the military in Afghanistan, had both been planning to watch the live webcast of the ceremony.

Now, wasn’t that a great story? 

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online degree programs psychology | Drexel and Johnson Controls announce educational partnership

Posted by bposton on December 22nd, 2006 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Another corporate educational parternship was announced yesterday by Drexel University.

This time it’s with Johnson Controls, a global leader in automotive technology, building efficiency and power solutions.

As part of this partnership arrangement, Johnson Controls employees will have the opportunity to complete an online degree or certificate program through Drexel and receive special tuition rates.

Very cool

These employees will have a pretty wide choice of degrees and certificates as well. Employees will be able to choose from a range of bachelor’s, master’s, and certificate programs that Drexel offers online in areas such as nursing and health professions, clinical research, public health, information science, business, computer science, communications, and computing technology.

Just some facts about Drexel. They are a winner of the 2006 21st Century Best Practice Award for Distance Learning from the U.S. Distance Learning Association, and ranked among the Best National Universities in “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report for 2007. And, of course, they are accredited by the Middle States Association for Colleges and Secondary Schools.

Not only that, but its curricula hold the highest accreditations from their respective accrediting bodies such as AACSB (Business), NLN and CCNE (Nursing), and ALA (Information Science).

Drexel University Online has been expanding its partner network for the past four years. Through a partnership with Drexel, participating corporations, health systems, and professional associations across the U.S. can offer their employees and members special tuition rates and career development opportunities, as well as the chance to earn a degree - all with the flexibility working professionals need. Drexel’s online programs are specifically designed to provide adult learners with the convenience they need to advance their skills on their own schedule.

So, good news if you’re an employee of Johnson Controls, and hats off (again!) to Drexel.

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