HEAD OF THE CLASS

Poor housing market, declining sales, record unemployment, and salary cuts are all symptoms of the economic recession that are all too familiar in society today. One effect of hard financial times that may not be as well known is the increase in working professionals seeking to bolster their resumes with additional degrees.

Many people are unaware that they have the option to acquire an additional degree online without disrupting their personal or professional lives. In times of recession, many universities witness an increase in enrollment as professionals work to increase their marketability. There are many regionally accredited universities that now offer online master’s programs with the same rigorous curriculum and competitive admission standards as their on-campus counterparts.

There are many benefits to attaining an additional degree online. Online programs eliminate travel expenses and allow working professionals to obtain degrees on their own schedules, without sacrificing their careers. This learning environment has advanced in many ways in recent years, eliminating any qualitative differences it may have had with ground campus programs.

On a local level, Benedictine University now offers several masters programs online; MBA – Entrepreneurship, Master of Science in Management and Organizational Behavior and a Master of Science in Nursing program.

St. Xavier University has just launched a new Web site to highlight its online master’s programs Eager learners may enroll for a Master of Arts and Curriculum and Instruction, MBA in Service Management or Master of Science in Nursing – Clinical Nurse Leader Track.

These programs have the potential to give professionals a leg up on their competition and master their area of expertise. They also provide a window for growth into unique areas of growing industries.

Professionals should take advantage of the economic slump and strengthen their qualifications with online master’s degree programs.

Susan Schreiber
Senior Publicist