College of Education Archives | UofL Online Programs

Accelerated Courses in Master’s in Higher Education Administration Online

By admin | December 1, 2016

In response to student interest, the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Louisville will be piloting an accelerated curriculum for the Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration online program. Students will have the opportunity to enroll in a select few graduate courses delivered in an 8-week accelerated format beginning in Spring 2017. This pilot program is available to all students interested in experimenting with this format, including active duty military.

The main benefit of the accelerated courses is that students will be able to focus on one course at the time. These courses will cover the same materials and have the same learning outcomes as the traditional 16-week courses and will be offered in two terms within the semester, January 9 – March 3 and March 6 – April 28.

Accelerated Courses Available:

Legal Issues in Postsecondary Education (ELFH 680-50)
Resource Management in Postsecondary Education (ELFH 684-50; ELFH 684-51; ELFH 684-52; ELFH 684-53)
Diversity in Higher Education (ELFH 694-50; ELFH 694-51; ELFH 694-52, ELFH 694-55)

For federal financial aid purposes, students must be enrolled in both terms, for the entire 16 weeks. Grades for the first accelerated term will not be officially posted on transcripts until the end of the regular academic semester (after May 2, 2017), but students may receive information about grades from the instructor following the conclusion of a first accelerated term/class.

Optional weekend meetings will be available for two of the courses, Resource Management and Diversity in Higher Education, to allow students to further accelerate their studies by completing much of the course content over one weekend. The weekend meetings will be offered via videoconference as well as in person at the University of Louisville Belknap Campus.

This semester-long pilot program will allow the Higher Education Administration online program team to evaluate the demand, student outcomes and effectiveness of the accelerated courses and formulate a strategy for opening this opportunity to more courses and online programs offered within the College of Education and Human Development at UofL.

For more information about deadlines and the synchronous weekend meetings, visit the College of Education and Human Development website. To learn more about the Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration online program, visit our website.

UofL Introduces Its First Competency-Based Education Program

By admin | June 20, 2016

Bachelor of Science for Organizational Leadership and Learning in Healthcare Leadership Rewards “On the Job” Knowledge—In a Flexible Online Format

The University of Louisville, the state-supported research university located in Kentucky’s largest metropolitan area, is proud to introduce a competency-based education (CBE) program for experienced, knowledgeable healthcare professionals seeking to complete a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management.

The Bachelor of Science for Organizational Leadership and Learning is focused on Healthcare Leadership and allows students of all ages to achieve their academic, professional and personal goals through a quality online education program. The program itself is designed to be as flexible and convenient as possible, including offering a wide variety of online courses, flexible start dates and coursework that can be completed based on the student’s work schedule.

Degree Recognizes Knowledge and Rewards Experience

Most significantly, the Bachelor of Science for Organizational Leadership and Learning in Healthcare Leadership is delivered through an innovative method of competency-based education (CBE), allowing healthcare professionals to capitalize on their existing knowledge and experience and earn a bachelor’s degree at their own pace.

“The program encourages adult learners to enhance their skills in leadership, organizational change, business planning, workplace development and performance,” says Dr. Lee Bewley, the program’s director. “Through this program, students can attain higher-level leadership positions in healthcare management in their own organization or within the industry at the clinic, service, or department level across all types of healthcare organizations and systems.”

“The program is ideal for professionals who are experienced in their healthcare field, but are missing the proper credentials that could help them secure promotions, increase their pay or accept new management and leadership roles,” he adds.

Structure and Delivery Tailored to Work/Life Balance

The program curriculum was designed to address the needs of healthcare professionals who are tapped to play a more complex role in the healthcare organizations of the future, as traditional roles in supervision, management and leadership are becoming larger and more strategic in scope. More than ever before, mid-level professionals are being asked to develop a broader set of leadership and technical skills and increase their understanding of healthcare delivery and support.

The bachelor’s degree was developed to balance career goals and lifestyle. The structure allows students to capitalize on their existing knowledge and experience, while earning a bachelor’s degree at their own pace—with eleven flexible start dates throughout the year.

The first major course, a Prior Learning Assessment, allows students to earn up to 48 credit hours by documenting their learning from work experiences, existing course credits or associate degrees and technical/specialized healthcare training. These 48 credit hours, the equivalent of 16 courses, are recognized at no additional cost to the student.

The entire degree program requires a minimum of 123 credit hours, which include the major concentration, general education required courses, elective courses and work specialization. Notably, it also offers an ideal launch platform for further education within a graduate healthcare management program as the curriculum is based on the National Center for Healthcare Leadership competency model which has also been adopted by many top-tier MHA programs in the country. Tuition and financial assistance may be available for students who qualify.

First Degree in UofL’s New OnTrack Program

This program is the first offered through UofL’s OnTrack program, the first of its kind in the state and region, with a curriculum based on the National Center for Healthcare Leadership’s (NCHL.org) competency model, one of the leading industry standard models for healthcare executive competencies development.

This program also represents a significant step for the university. As a member of Kentucky Commonwealth College, the University of Louisville joins other institutions in the Competency-Based Education Network, a national consortium of colleges and universities that collaborate in the design, development and scaling of competency-based degree programs. The network represents 34 institutions and public systems—82 campuses in all.

“UofL is honored to join our fellow institutions in delivering an education model like this, one that offers students more flexibility than traditional classes,” says Dr. Bewley. “This is a significant step for us, and a very beneficial program for adult learners looking to enhance their career development in the healthcare field by earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville, a high-quality, nationally-recognized educational institution.”

To learn more about the Healthcare Leadership track in the Bachelor of Science for Organizational Leadership and Learning, visit the UofL Online Learning website.

Guest Post: Perspective from a Masters in Higher Ed Student

By admin | May 26, 2016

As a first generation college student, going to college was never a “given.” When I graduated high school, I began working full-time, just as everyone else in my family did. After working for several years, I realized that my family’s path was not my path, and that I wanted to further my education. So at the age of 25, I enrolled in classes comprised mostly of 18-year-olds. While this experience was terrifying in many ways, it made me realize how important education was to me, and it ultimately motivated me to continue on to graduate school after completing my bachelor’s degree in English.

After finishing a master’s in English, I found myself in a job that I was not fully satisfied with. I wanted to advance my career, but I needed to continue to work full-time. The University of Louisville’s Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration (MAHEA) program was the perfect fit for both of my needs. All of the jobs that I wanted to apply for required this degree, and the ability to take it online allowed me to juggle graduate school with a full-time job. Since enrolling, I have moved into a position that better suits my interests, and I know that my career prospects will only continue to grow from here.

Having completed a “traditional” face-to-face master’s degree, I was curious about the differences that I would experience with the online format – would the classes be more challenging? Less challenging? Would I really be able to engage with my classmates and professors? Fortunately, all of my fears were dispelled during my first semester in UofL’s online MAHEA program. I have found the coursework to be rigorous, the professors to be responsive, and my classmates to be both diverse and inspiring.

One of my favorite aspects of the MAHEA program is that I can tailor the coursework to my goals and work environment and apply it to real-world scenarios. Each course has a culminating assignment, and for most of the classes, it is possible to focus this project on my specific area of interest. For example, I am interested in tutoring services, so for my final project for the Research Methodology course, I designed a writing-center-specific research study. Similarly, for the History of the American University’s final project, I researched an artifact I selected from the earliest American writing centers.

The quality of the courses is due in large part to the applied expertise and dedication of the professors who teach them. They are the same professors that teach on campus, and they put forth the extra effort to make sure the virtual environment feels as much like a community as a traditional classroom does. Many of the professors provide weekly feedback on discussion board posts, and they are all very happy to answer questions via email. While online classes are certainly more self-taught than traditional classes, I know there is always someone that I can reach out to for guidance and assistance if I need it.

Weekly discussion board posts also help me connect and stay engaged with my classmates, and making these connections has been the most surprising benefit of the online program. When I was considering enrolling, I only thought about the courses and the professors–not who would be learning in these courses with me. Yet, because the classes are so diverse–and include people of widely different professional and academic backgrounds from all over the country–the weekly conversations are rich and complex and aid significantly in my overall understanding of the material.

Ultimately, the online Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration has helped me grow both professionally and personally. I have enjoyed the program so much, that I am planning on applying for the PhD in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development after I graduate in 2017. Although I am not yet sure what position I will end up in when I finish the PhD, I know that the MAHEA program has given me the foundation necessary to pursue a wide variety of career paths. If you are looking for a way to advance (or start) your career in higher ed, I can’t recommend this program strongly enough.

A prestigious award for Dr. Jacob Gross’ outstanding work!

By admin | September 1, 2015

Dr. Jacob Gross, assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Development, Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation, and Organizational Development (ELEOD) at the University of Louisville, has received the Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award and was recognized with this honor at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ (NASFAA) annual conference awards ceremony. This award is given annually to exceptional scholars for their significant contributions to literature on student financial aid.

Dr. Gross is the most junior faculty to receive this award joining top scholars, who have been previously honored by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), such as Will Doyle at Vanderbilt, Laura Perna at UofPenn, and Bridget Terry Long at Harvard.

Dr. Gross’ expertise and research areas include educational attainment of
underrepresented groups; postsecondary access and student success; policy analysis; financial aid; interplay between state and institutional postsecondary policy; and social theory.

Dr. Gross has served as the Editor for the Journal of Student Financial Aid (JSFA) since 2011, and as a JSFA Editorial Board member from 2008 to 2011. During his time as Editor, he worked to move JSFA to a new journal management system, built an Editorial Board comprised of both researchers and practitioners for a more balanced review process, and actively recruited research that is both practitioner-relevant and of the highest scholarship.

Dr. Gross has contributed greatly to the field of student financial aid with multiple research studies and articles focused on postsecondary access and student success; policy analysis; and financial aid published in other highly respected research journals including: Journal of Higher Education, Research in Higher Education, and NASFAA’s Journal of Student Financial Aid, as well as several book chapters focused on multiple aspects of student financial aid.

In his acceptance speech, Dr. Gross said “I am honored and humbled by this recognition. As a former Pell Grant recipient and someone who believes deeply that access to higher education is a human right, I want to thank NASFAA for serving as a tireless advocate for equity and access. As a researcher who has never worked in financial aid, I want to say thank you for being the kind of organization where I feel comfortable, at home, and where I never feel bad about asking questions.”

The Golden Quill Award is the most recent of Dr. Gross’ honors, which include similar recognitions from:

ASHE/Lumina Dissertation Fellowship, 2008-2009
Spencer Foundation/Indiana University Discipline-Based Scholarship in Education Associateship, August 2006 – May 2008
AIR/NCES Graduate Fellowship Recipient, 2007-2008
AIR/NCES/NSF National Summer Data Policy Institute Fellow, June 2005
Poynter Center/NSF Graduate Research Ethics Education in Social Sciences Fellow, June 2005

About this award: The Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award is typically presented each year to an individual or individuals chosen for their contributions to the field of higher education services and specifically the literature on student financial aid.

The award is named in honor of Bob Huff, former director of financial aid at Stanford University, an outstanding contributor to the scholarly literature on student aid. Bob received the first Golden Quill Award in 1984.

Nominees for the award are judged on the basis of published work which exemplifies the highest quality of research methodology, analysis, or topical writing on the subject of student financial aid or its administration.

About NASFAA: NASFAA’s mission is to provide professional development for financial aid administrators; advocates for public policies that increase student access and success; serves as a forum on student financial aid issues, and is committed to diversity throughout all activities.

NASFAA has nearly 20,000 members, student financial assistance professionals at approximately 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country. NASFAA member institutions serve nine out of every ten undergraduates in the U.S.

About CEHD: The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Louisville is focused on providing excellent service, resources and tools for success for all students, in the classroom and in their profession. CEHD offers a variety of programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels that have gained a strong national reputation for their high quality and rigorous curriculum. Programs are delivered face-to-face as well as fully online or through a combination of the two learning methods. To see the online programs offered at UofL, visit http://louisville.edu/online.

Tag: College of Education