News

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Office of the Provost has announced that SIUE will offer four fully online degree completion programs in fall 2020 that will complement existing undergraduate programs. 

Following the successful growth of the University’s quality online programs, including the MBA, the RN to BS and the new master’s in criminal justice, online degree completion offerings present the next steps in the University’s strategic planning efforts to expand its reach and meet the educational needs of the 400,000-plus adults in the St. Louis metropolitan statistical area who have some college and no degree. The programs will be led by the outstanding faculty in existing programs with student support provided by the new Office of Online Services, part of the Office of Educational Outreach.

Online degree completion programs were selected by utilizing market research, labor market data, and based upon each unit’s readiness and capacity for serving a student demographic that includes those with some college, but no degree. These programs will be ideal for students with an associates of arts or associates of science degree. Students from any state may participate and receive transfer evaluations.

Programs scheduled to begin fall 2020 include:

• Applied Communication Studies – Public Relations Track
• Business Administration
• Criminal Justice Studies
• Integrative Studies – Emphasis on Leadership in Organizations

“We are excited to see this project successfully launch and sincerely appreciate the hard work, dedication and commitment of our faculty who have created high-quality pathways to a baccalaureate degree that may enhance careers and professional development for a new group of potential students in our community,” said Denise Cobb, PhD, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Higher education changes lives for the better, and I am so pleased that we can offer quality educational degrees to adults who hope to reach their long-standing goals. SIUE is committed to shaping a changing world, and this launch marks another important step in our evolution.”

The Office of Online Student Services will provide support for academic units that have undergone strategic preparation to expand accessibility to their programs. Assistant Director Stephanie Simpson will lead the unit which will collaborate across SIUE to support growth, quality improvements and compliance efforts.

“Online bachelor’s degree completion programs allow SIUE to serve a growing number of students who have some college experience, but no degree, in accordance with our mission to develop leaders who will shape a changing world,” said Mary Ettling, Office of Educational Outreach interim director. “The Office of Online Student Services will provide leadership and support for these programs and future offerings as they transition to the online format, while supporting efforts to deliver compliant, exemplary student services.”

The St. Louis Regional Chamber has indicated that 400,000 working adults in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area have some college, but no degree. SIUE followed by identifying the educational needs of working adults in the area.

The development of the online degree completion program is a collaborative effort supported by the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of the Chancellor, and developed with academic and service units across campus. A cross-functional team has been planning for more than a year to launch SIUE online degree completion programs.

Ettling indicated Instructional Design and Learning Technologies (IDLT) provided course design support, while assisting faculty in re-designing existing courses to ensure that the student experience is consistent across each program and still meeting compliance standards. The Office of Student Affairs and IDLT are partnering with Online Student Services to create an orientation, and student affairs is working to ensure that online students receive equitable services across numerous student-facing areas, including Textbook Service. 

This launch reflects the hard work and commitment of faculty and staff throughout SIUE and our ongoing commitment to meet the needs of the region.

To learn more, visit siue.edu/degree-completion.

Photo: Mary Ettling, Office of Educational Outreach interim director.