Online university set to build academic center in West Virginia

Online university set to build academic center in West Virginia

American Public University System (APUS) has announced that construction work will soon start on its physical campus in Charles Town, West Virginia.

The Charleston Daily Mail reports that the groundbreaking ceremony, hosted by President Wallace Boston Jr., took place on Thursday.

The project marks a new step in the development of APUS, which runs American Military University and American Public University, both of which are online schools enrolling more than 50,000 students worldwide.

Last month, the organization announced the introduction of a master of arts in legal studies to broaden its program offerings to busy professionals, such as paralegals, law enforcement officers, issue advocates or practitioners in dispute resolution, according to Reuters.

"This program complements our associate degree in paralegal studies and our bachelors degree in legal studies and will help students continue their study of the law," said president Boston, quoted by the news agency.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for paralegals is expected to grow by 22 percent during the next several years, with the top 10 percent earning more than $67,540 a year.