Universities merge to increase online degree options

Universities merge to increase online degree options

Nontraditional students may be unable to attend a traditional campus-based university. These learners may benefit from the convenience that online education has to offer. Web-based degree programs allow students with transportation challenges to complete their coursework from home, and those with day jobs to earn their degree at a time that is convenient for them.

In an effort to bring access to higher education to more people, the University of Florida (UF) has merged with Santa Fe College to offer dual online degrees in business and sports management. The Gainesville Sun reports that three more similar joint initiatives will be available next year.

Nearly one-third of approximately 10,000 Santa Fe students are currently taking at least one online course, according to the news source. About half of those students have never taken classes on campus, and now they can earn an online associate's degree from the school.

The classes are well-suited for students who have full-time jobs or families, Kim Kendall, an assistant vice president working with Santa Fe's online courses, told The Sun.

"It's providing access, there's a lot of time shifting," he told the media outlet. "It's serving a real need."

These courses may continue to grow in popularity, as more than 4.6 million students nationwide were enrolled in online courses during the 2008 academic year, according to a recent report by the Babson Survey Research Group and the Sloan Consortium.

By Mark Danson