Full Sail University Announces Show Production Bachelor of Science Degree

Full Sail University (fullsail.edu), an award-winning entertainment media institution near Orlando, FL, is proud to announce the expansion of their Show Production Associate's Program into a redesigned Show Production Bachelor of Science Degree Program in July 2009.

The new 21-month Show Production Bachelor's Degree offers students the real world education that has defined Full Sail for the past 30 years as an educational leader in the entertainment industry. The Bachelor's Degree is built on the foundation of the Associate's Degree and offers students a redesigned and more comprehensive curriculum that addresses the educational needs of future production professionals, as well as prepares students for a career in the evolving entertainment industry.

The new courses in the Show Production Degree Program further offers students an increased focus on the live event, live audio technology and concert media design industry, and will help to develop the creativity of the students when designing audio and lighting rigs, as well as expand on the knowledge of concert visual media servers and concert video production.

"Students of the new degree will master the complete live experience, from the latest in moving light technologies, audio systems, digital audio recording, HD video, and lighting technology," said Dana Roun, Full Sail University Director of Audio Programs. "Being able to develop such an immersive program that uses both audio and visual design technology will prepare students for this dynamic industry."

About Full Sail University:

Since 1979, Full Sail University, located outside of Orlando, FL, has been an innovative educational leader for those pursuing careers in the entertainment industry. With over 32,000 alumni, graduate credits include work on OSCAR®, Emmy® and GRAMMY®-winning projects, best-selling video games, and the #1 grossing U.S. concert tours. Full Sail's 190-acre campus and online education platform proudly welcomes over 7,000 students from 50 states and 65 countries.

Full Sail currently offers a total of 23 degree programs including: Associate of Science Degree in Graphic Design; Bachelor of Science Degrees offered in Computer Animation, Digital Arts & Design, Entertainment Business, Film, Game Art, Game Development, Graphic Design, Internet Marketing, Music Business, Recording Arts, Show Production and Web Design & Development; and Master of Science Degrees in Education Media Design & Technology, Game Design, Entertainment Business, and Internet Marketing; and a Master of Fine Art in Media Design.

Full Sail was most recently named the 2008 "School/College of the Year" by the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges. The university has also been previously named: The Harvard of Game Schools by Tips & Tricks Magazine; one of the top three New Media Schools by Shift Magazine (alongside the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and New York University); one of the Top Five Game Degree Programs in the world by Electronic Gaming Monthly; one of the Best Music Programs in the country by Rolling Stone Magazine; one of the Best Music Business Departments in the Schools That Rock: The Rolling Stone College Guide; and one of the Best Film Programs in the country by UNleashed Magazine.

Experience Necessary: Online Degree Program Internships

You are or want to be an online student working towards your degree and want to know type of internships online universities have to offer. There are some options, but they are a little different than traditional degree program internships.

Let’s use Western International University (WIU) as an example. According to one of WIU’s campus advisors; WIU no longer offers internships directly through the college directly. Since students are not located in one general area, it is difficult to setup an internship program where students work for specific companies. With online universities, students can be spread out across the globe making it hard to pinpoint certain companies that would be accessible to their many students. WIU has stopped offering internships just recently; In the past, however, internships were mostly done by international students.

This isn’t the end of the road for online degree students seeking internships however, universities, including WIU, will still help students find an internship. While, most accredited online programs have advisors that aid students in finding an internship, online students generally need to go directly through the company in which they wish to intern. Many traditional college students use this method as well. This isn’t hard to do, simply find a desirable company, in the field of your study, and ask them if they offer any internships.

When it comes to internship programs, every university is different. Once you know what degree you are working towards, simply find a company in that field that offers internships and send in an application. Also contact your online university advisor and talk about your options. Remember, an internship is the best way to get noticed before you graduate!

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Virtual student takes real steps to get degree

For many Fort Hays State University graduates, getting to the commencement ceremony on Saturday was as easy as driving or walking a few blocks to Gross Memorial Coliseum. For many students, however, a trip to Hays spans a much greater distance.

The FHSU Virtual College, which allows students anywhere in the country to take advantage of the school's courses from anywhere there's a working Internet connection, accounts for roughly half of the total student population.

On Saturday, FHSU saw a record number of students cross the stage, handing out 2,385 associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees. Nearly 1,200 of those were from the Virtual College.

One of those among the mob of black gowns and colorful tassels was Jason Green, a chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy.

Green made the cross-country journey with his wife from King George, Va., in order to attend the commencement ceremony in person, not that Mother Nature didn't do her best to keep that from happening.

Due to delays and nasty weather in the Wichita area, Green didn't arrive in Hays until 4:30 a.m. Saturday, rather than 11 a.m. Friday.

"We didn't even unpack," Green said of his arrival into town. "We just laid down on the bed."

But Green didn't travel more than 1,000 miles to sleep.

After just a few hours of much-needed rest, Green joined 65 other Virtual College graduates at a breakfast in the Robbins Center.

"So far today, it's been great," he said during the event. "It's definitely worth it."

The 37-year-old Green, a native of Kent, Ohio, said he looked into the distance program after being encouraged by a co-worker who was also an FHSU alumnus.

Four semesters later, he was able to finally see the fruits of his labor.

Green received a Bachelor of General Studies degree, with a concentration in electrical and mechanical technology. That degree, he said, will serve him well in his current job as a gunner's mate with the Navy, and later as a civilian -- he is retiring from active duty next month and plans to seek a career in safety engineering.

As a method of learning, online education is becoming increasingly more popular.

At FHSU, attendance in the Virtual College has been rising at a rate of nearly 10 percent per year, according to Director Dennis King.

"The Virtual College is always kind of growing and evolving," he said.

Online students are typically different from on-campus students. While there is an exception to every rule, King said those seeking their education from a distance are generally a little older, might already have a full-time job or otherwise aren't able to allow for regular visits to a campus.

Many of the students in the Virtual College, he said, live in other cities, states or countries or are in the military, like Green.

Students' ability to attend classes at their own pace through a computer, then, allows a great deal of flexibility.

It was that flexibility that most appealed to Green.

"It was perfect," he said. "I set my schedule. If I didn't feel like doing anything, if the kid had a basketball game to go to, I didn't have to do anything that night.

"It's a challenge, because you have to manage your own schedule. But if you can do that and you can allot enough time per week so you can stay on top of your studies, it's perfect."

Green said the typical classroom experience did not fit his learning style. For him, being able to go through the material by himself made the process much easier.

"It was very easy (to learn online)," he said. "I'm trying to think of an instance where it was a little more difficult for me, and I can't think of anything.

"The flexibility that you have with scheduling your classes, it means the world to me, because stuff comes up all the time."

Green plans to work towards a master's degree at some point in the future, and said FHSU's Virtual College could help him meet that goal as well.

For now, however, he's content to revel in the accomplishment that was so widely celebrated Saturday.

"We will always claim you," FHSU President Edward H. Hammond said during the commencement ceremony, "and we hope you feel the same way."

For Green, that sentiment was well received.

Bridgepoint Education's Ashford University Announces Two New Undergraduate Degrees

Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI), a leading provider of postsecondary education services, announced today that Ashford University will offer two new bachelor's degree programs -- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government and Bachelor of Arts in Business Information Systems -- beginning May 15, 2009.

Based in Clinton, Iowa, Ashford University provides online and on-campus undergraduate and graduate degree programs to students throughout the U.S. and around the globe.

"These programs, in addition to the other new programs we have introduced in 2009, demonstrate our continued commitment to providing high-quality, innovative, and easily accessible academic options for Ashford Universitystudents," said Jane McAuliffe, chief academic officer of Bridgepoint Education.

"Education is an asset; something that can enrich our lives on a personal and professional level. Bachelor's degree programs in such fields as Political Science and Government and Business Information Systems are relevant to the practices, theories and skill sets of today's workplace. We believe that by offering such programs to our students, we play an important part in their future success," McAuliffe added.

The Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government degree program was designed to academically prepare students for work in government, public policy and the social science arenas.

The Bachelor of Arts in Business Information Systems degree program was designed to enhance students' understanding of current technological processes and corresponding business information systems. Students who pursue their bachelor's degree in Business Information Systems will be academically prepared for careers in related fields.

Both new programs have been approved by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools as postsecondary academic degree programs. They do not include any additional professional licensures or certifications. Students seeking licensure or certification should consult the appropriate corresponding entities.

About Bridgepoint Education

Bridgepoint Education's postsecondary education services focus on offering associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in the disciplines of business, education, psychology, social sciences and health sciences. Bridgepoint Education's regionally accredited academic institutions - Ashford University and University of the Rockies - deliver their programs online as well as at traditional campuses located in Clinton, Iowa, and Colorado Springs, Colorado, respectively. For more information, please visit www.bridgepointeducation.com.

About Ashford University

Founded in 1918, Ashford University is a coeducational higher education institution regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, with programs in education, business, accounting, criminal and social justice, computer animation and graphic design, and other areas. The University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as a range of student activities and athletics, at itsClinton, Iowa, campus. Online degree programs are available in education, organizational management, business administration, and psychology. The University offers high quality yet highly affordable on-campus and online programs, with tuition fees among the lowest in the U.S. compared with other private institutions. Its tagline is: "Higher Education Made Affordable"(SM). For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu.

University of Wisconsin to offer online sustainable management degree

A new online degree in sustainable management will be offered next fall by several University of Wisconsin campuses, including UWS.

The bachelor’s degree program is the nation’s first of its kind and was developed by the University of Wisconsin-Extension. The other University of Wisconsin campuses involved are Parkside, River Falls and Stout. The UW Board of Regents approved the new degree Friday, and applications for next year will be accepted this week.

UWS spokesman Al Miller said the program was built in the time it takes to revise a degree program, because educators developed it with business leaders and the Department of Natural Resources.

The degree is useful for careers including those for facilities, plant and product management and human resource directors.

The 21-course, 63-credit degree program is the first online degree to combine the resources of four campuses. 

sustain.wisconsin.edu, complete courses offered by each of the four campuses and choose which campus they want to grant the degree. The subject areas taught at UWS for the program include accounting, chemistry, economics and transportation and logistics management.

University of Wisconsin to offer online sustainable management degree

A new online degree in sustainable management will be offered next fall by several University of Wisconsin campuses, including UWS.

The bachelor’s degree program is the nation’s first of its kind and was developed by the University of Wisconsin-Extension. The other University of Wisconsin campuses involved are Parkside, River Falls and Stout. The UW Board of Regents approved the new degree Friday, and applications for next year will be accepted this week.

UWS spokesman Al Miller said the program was built in the time it takes to revise a degree program, because educators developed it with business leaders and the Department of Natural Resources.

The degree is useful for careers including those for facilities, plant and product management and human resource directors.

The 21-course, 63-credit degree program is the first online degree to combine the resources of four campuses. Students enroll through http://

sustain.wisconsin.edu, complete courses offered by each of the four campuses and choose which campus they want to grant the degree. The subject areas taught at UWS for the program include accounting, chemistry, economics and transportation and logistics management.

Troy University to offer degrees online to two-year college grads

Troy University will offer 19 degrees over the internet to Alabama two-year college graduates, Gov. Bob Riley and college administrators announced.   

The program, called eConnections, will be financed almost entirely by tuition payments, and could expand to 70 degree offerings within a few years.

Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be offered.

The program is targeted at working Alabamians who couldn't otherwise pursue a higher education.

"Most of these people have families. They have to work for a living and don't have this opportunity," Riley said.

The program will be available for enrollment in the coming fall semester, said Jack Hawkins, Troy chancellor.

Not all University online degree programs are proponents of a hard sell

noticed an interesting press release (and I use this term loosely) distributed two weeks ago by a company that wanted to inform consumers that they shouldn’t become prey to hard selling admissions counselors at online universities. They discuss a number of things, none of which are newsworthy and deserving of a press release. It’s rather a commentary about an approach used by some online institutions. The press release loses credibility when they add their sales plug that working with their organization will help avoid the hard sell.
I believe that people feel they can take shots at online programs because in the past, the online education industry’s reputation wasn’t always so rosy. By disguising their rant about their competitors as a press release, it makes me wonder about the validity of press releases in general. In the old days, you used to have to use a traditional news wire service to distribute your ‘news’. An editor at the wire service would review the release and send back edits. Today, anyone can upload a document they deem to be a press release and promote it as fact and news on any wire service available on the Internet. The reality is the document distributed is purely commentary and a sales tactic.
It’s unfortunate that there isn’t any policing of press releases to ensure its truly newsworthy prior to its release. Particularly when there are many reputable and prestigious online institutions providing student-centric services that are beneficial to the degree seeker.
I am sure the accredited, reputable and distinguished brand names in the online university arena, would appreciate the opportunity to prove that their admissions counseling and approach are very much in the prospective student’s best interest. After all, public universities have a mission to first and foremost educate.
How should prospective students make the decision about which online college or university to attend? Start with brand names that you know, such as those within your state or region. You may know a number of alumni and you can ask them about their experiences at the institution and what the degree has done for their career. Spend time on the respective web sites to learn about the degree programs, and if they have the one you’re looking for. When you have narrowed your selection down to one or two institutions, give them a call and ask questions about the programs, enrollment, financial aid, tuition rates, etc. This will give you a far better understanding of who will provide you with the service you need every step of the way from day one to graduation and beyond. Doing your own research and homework is going to serve you quite well because you will know you made the best possible decision for your future. Who better than you to make the decision to invest in your future?