The Online Master of Arts in Communication successfully launched in January. The cohort of 14 students is already halfway through its first class. Students can enter the program six different times a year due to the program’s six-week parts of term. More students are set to begin the program March 26 when the second part of term begins.

The Online Master of Science in Education: Effective Teaching, Reading Specialist Endorsement and the English as a Second Language Endorsement are scheduled to launch at the end of March, with the Gifted and Talented Endorsement following shortly thereafter.

Finally, the MPA and MBA are on track to launch their online programs this fall.

The implementation and launch of these programs could not have been done without the hard work and support of the colleges and schools.

In addition to the launch of these programs, several faculty and staff members are preparing to teach online. Nine faculty and staff have completed the Quality Matters Online Teaching Certificate with three more scheduled to complete their training this semester. Sixteen more staff and faculty have completed, or are in the process of completing, the two required modules for teaching online. By May, almost 30 faculty and staff will have prepared to teach and assist in online learning. This marks another great step forward in ensuring our online programs meet the same quality as our face-to-face offerings.

If you have questions or are interested in discussing online education, contact Christina Trombley at christina.trombley@drake.edu.

— Christina Trombley, Online Programming