Higher Education Toda: UD expands online degree offerings

A new group of students will enter the University of Dayton’s MBA program this fall. They’ll sit down for lectures with faculty. They’ll discuss materials with their peers. But they won’t have to leave home to attend class.

The new MBA@Dayton is an online master of business administration degree. It’s the first online degree to launch under the university’s partnership with 2U, one of the foremost education technology companies in the U.S. with a successful track record that includes prominent university partners such as the University of California Berkeley, Yale, Georgetown, Northwestern, Syracuse, Vanderbilt and the University of North Carolina.

The company’s highly interactive and mobile “online campus” offers the intimacy of an on-campus classroom with the online flexibility sought by today’s students.

“Students are excited to have access to the university’s MBA in a convenient format,” said Scott MacDonald, MBA program director. “The program offers the convenience of consuming the material at flexible times and the richness of classroom discussions without having to travel to campus.”

MBA@Dayton includes limited in-person immersion experiences on the Dayton campus as well as in cities around the country. There are two offerings – a general MBA and an Advanced Standing MBA for individuals with significant work experience.

The Advanced Standing MBA consists of a 30-credit curriculum in core business courses and electives, and allows students to complete their MBA in one year. The general MBA requires a maximum of 48 credits to graduate and includes foundational business courses designed for individuals with limited business background who wish to increase career options or sharpen critical business skills.

The university is also planning three new online graduate degrees in the School of Education and Health Sciences with 2U.

• Master of Science in Education Leadership (MSE) – Students will learn essential leadership tools to succeed in today’s educational climate. The online MSE will consist of a 30-credit curriculum that provides insight into the most pressing issues facing educators in diverse communities. Students will have the option to add on coursework required for principal licensure, with an additional 12-credit hours totaling 42 credits. Interested students should have evidence of teaching experience under a standard teaching certificate, and be particularly interested in leadership in K-12 settings. The MSE is expected to launch in May 2018.

• Doctor of Education in Education Leadership (Ed.D.) – This new degree has a leadership focus designed for educators, government officials and nonprofit administrators who wish to gain advanced educational leadership skills to develop practical solutions to today’s organizational challenges. The offering consists of 50 credit hours. This is a new degree for the university and will launch pending university and accreditor approvals.

• Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis (MS) – Students will obtain tools and credentials needed to effectively meet the diverse behavioral needs of students of all ages, through the implementation of behavioral and analytic interventions. The program includes the requisite practicum hours for real-time observation and application needed to gain eligibility for certification. Upon program completion, graduates are prepared to sit for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board certification exam. This is a new degree for the university and will launch pending university and accreditor approvals.

“Students will gain essential tools to succeed in today’s educational environments and serve effectively as K-12 school leaders,” said Paul H. Benson, University of Dayton provost. “Our new program will reach hundreds of education practitioners across the country, who are dedicated to the University of Dayton’s mission of building resilient learning communities based on inclusion, social justice and collaboration.”

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