Online Programs | UofL Feature Stories, News & Resources

UofL Online Storytelling Team Strikes Gold!

By admin | September 26, 2018

The story of Rachel McClain, first graduate of UofL’s Healthcare Leadership competency-based education (CBE) program, won first place in the national CBExchange Digital Storytelling contest. The video was produced by UofL Online marketing team led by Laura Dorman, marketing manager, in partnership with VideoBred Production, and with the contribution of Dr. Lee Bewley, BS OLL – Healthcare Leadership, CBE program director.

Watch the award-winning video now.

The Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) is a group formed of colleges and universities working together to address shared challenges to designing, developing and scaling competency-based degree programs across the United States. C-BEN brings together educators and staff who work in competency-based education and witness the transformative and innovative nature of CBE on a daily basis. Many have seen first-hand the ways CBE impacts students’ lives—enabling them to fulfill lifetime goals and pursue new opportunities.

To help others see the power of CBE, C-BEN issued a call to share these success stories. The CBExchange Digital Storytelling contest evaluated short digital stories combining video, photography, music, animation, etc., that focused on the impact of CBE on students’ journey and opportunity for higher achievements. Winning first place, Rachel’s story stood out as the most powerful and well-presented.

Her success story also launched the “What’s Your Why?” video testimonial series, created by the UofL Online marketing team. This series aims to share inspirational student and faculty stories with potential UofL Online students, the online learners community-at-large, employers and beyond.

Read more about Rachel’s journey at uofl.me/cbengold.

When passion meets profession – sports fans, we have a degree for you!

By Caitlin Horsley | August 31, 2018

To meet the education demand, the University of Louisville (UofL) launched two new online degree programs – a Bachelor and a Master of Science in Sport Administration.

Offered by the University’s College of Human Education and Development, these programs explore the business side of sports. Students can develop a comprehensive understanding of the sports industry through courses in administration, finance, economics, marketing, coaching and law (among many others).

“Graduates of the on-campus program are doing some amazing things with their degree and now we can extend those possibilities and opportunities to online learners. We’re excited that we can now offer the experience of UofL’s Sport Administration program and the expertise of their amazing faculty online,” said Kristen Brown, associate director of online learning.

“Graduates of the on-campus program are doing some amazing things with their degree and now we can extend those possibilities and opportunities to online learners. We’re excited that we can offer the experience of UofL’s Sport Administration programs and the expertise of their faculty online,” said Kristen Brown, associate director of online learning.

Our online students have 24/7 access to their classroom and course materials. Through our flexible learning environment students can reach their professional goals while balancing life’s demands.

In addition to a nationally-renowned faculty and a specialized accreditation by the Commission on Sport Management Association (COSMA), the Sport Administration program boasts 200+ affiliations with local, regional and national sport organizations which enables them to offer students a wide variety of collaborative and experiential learning opportunities. Recently, our students have had the opportunity to work with:

National Fast Pitch Coaches Association
S. Baseball Academy
Learfield Sports
Standard Parking/Kentucky Derby
Super Bowl Rush 2 Recycle
PGA Championship: Corporate Hospitality
Para Pan Am Games: Toronto, Ontario
World Games: Wroclaw Poland
European Athletics Championships: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Ice Hockey World Championships: Copenhagen, Denmark

A degree in Sport Administration opens a wide variety of career paths for students. This program has a large network of employers (450+) and our alumni have gone on to pursue careers in such fields as:

Athletic Director
Event Management
Corporate Sponsorship
Fitness & Wellness
Professional Athletics Scout
Sport Marketing
PR & Communications
Gaming Officials
Sport Writing & Broadcasting

Want to learn more? Contact us! Our enrollment counsellors are available to answer specific questions about the program, requirements, deadlines and more, at 800.871.8635 or online@louisville.edu.

Building a future in franchise management—newly launched online certificate

By Ashley Jefferson | August 30, 2018

Aiming to address a current education gap in business education, the University of Louisville’s College of Business recently launched the innovative Franchise Management Certificate—designed to prepare franchisees to own their future!

Targeted toward current and future franchise owners, this program delivers expertise in areas fundamental to franchisee success such as franchise team management, franchise law, human resources management, finance, strategic planning and more.

The University of Louisville is working closely with the International Franchising Association (IFA) to align the requirements for credits to apply toward the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) certification.

“Understanding where the gaps in knowledge remain within the industry was crucial to developing a truly student-centered certificate program. Through close partnership with industry experts and experienced franchise managers, the Franchise Management Certificate emphasizes ‘real world’ application to best prepare graduates for a successful future in franchising.”
Todd Mooradian, Dean, UofL College of Business

Notably, the program offers 5-week terms, meaning students can complete the 6-course program one class at-a-time in a just over half a year.

The Franchise Management Certificate is the first in a series of specialized online certificate programs designed to support growth in key industries unique to Louisville.

“Online learning is an extremely important area of growth for the University of Louisville. We continuously strive to offer programs that deliver education at the standard of quality the University is known for while also meeting the needs of today’s adult learners. The online Franchise Management Certificate is just one example of our commitment to bring innovation to higher education.”
Kristen Brown, Associate Director, UofL Online

Want to find out how you can build a stronger future in franchise management? Visit uofl.me/2ws39j2 today!

Higher Ed Administration Spotlight: Research by Dr. Meghan Pifer

By Ashley Jefferson | August 6, 2018

At its core, higher education is primarily focused on the growth and development of students. However, students are not the only ones to learn or to grow—nor should they be.

Continuous faculty development is an integral part of any successful institution. In fact, in today’s higher education environment, developing and enhancing learning and teaching methods is more important than ever. To that end, studies are conducted and distributed regularly to help foster more effective instructors.

Published in November 2017 and written in part by University of Louisville professor Dr. Meghan Pifer, “Developing Faculty in Liberal Arts Colleges: Aligning Individual Needs and Organizational Goals,” is a great example of such a study.

Dr. Pifer’s research covers everything from finding mentors to how entry-level faculty make the transition from sitting in the classroom to standing in front of the class. The study is based on faculty career development data across 13 institutions and the result is a compelling proposal for the faculty development in liberal arts colleges—both for the benefit of the professors and the institutions, and also the students they serve.

Who is Dr. Meghan Pifer?

Currently a professor with the University of Louisville’s School of Education and Human Development, Dr. Pifer has an extensive research background immersed in studying how individuality and work partnerships intersect and impact outcomes for each member of the team as well as the trajectory of an organization as a whole.

The publication of this book is a notable step in Dr. Pifer’s research career, and we look forward to seeing her continued positive impact on higher education.

Dr. Pifer’s ongoing contribution to the field of higher education makes her a valued member of the UofL team. Not only has she been a faculty member for the online Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration (MAHEA) program since 2016, Dr. Pifer also teaches for the traditional program and serves as the Senior Assistant Director for the Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development.

About the Online MAHEA Program

The online Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration program is largely oriented toward addressing challenges of leadership and administration within contemporary higher education, with concentrations in Administration, Teaching & Learning, Policy and Equity or Sports Administration.

The MAHEA program is part of a growing portfolio of Online Learning degrees and certificate opportunities. As a nationally-recognized, metropolitan research university, with a commitment to the intellectual, cultural and economic development of our diverse community of learners, the Online Learning programs deliver a long tradition of excellence—epitomizing the University of Louisville’s dedication to lifelong learning for both students and faculty.

Category: Feature Stories