University set to expand online education

University set to expand online education

The University of Maine's board of trustees has signed off on a plan that they hope will double the number of students enrolled in online programs. An emphasis will be placed on creating more online masters degree courses, especially in the healthcare field.

In order to meet state needs, the university will look to increase the number of graduates in its healthcare program by approximately 20 percent.

"We are making a rapid conversion to online," said chancellor Richard Pattenaude, quoted by the Associated Press. "The key is putting degrees online and not just courses."

The university's director of public affairs John Diamond added that the online degree option "would provide [remote students] with additional opportunities to pursue a college education," reported the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for nurses is expected to grow by a dynamic 23 percent over the next seven years. The top salaries in the field already exceed $83,000 per year.

Labor Department analysts predict that by 2012, a total of 1 million nurses will be needed to care for the aging population, and some 587,000 new nursing jobs will be created nationwide.