November 18, 2011
By Larry Parnell, Program Director, Strategic Public Relations
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Right now, thousands of students are taking online courses to finish their undergraduate programs, obtain an advance degree or enhance their knowledge in a new category.
In its most recent report, the Condition of Education 2011, the United States Department of Education (DOE) notes that in the academic year 2007-2008, about 4.3 million undergraduate students — or 20 percent of all undergraduates — took at least one distance (online) education course.
For grad students, the percentage is higher: 800,000 (or 22 percent) of all graduate students took at least one online course during the 2007-2008 school year. And 9 percent of all graduate students completed their entire program through distance or online education programs in the same year, according to the DOE report.
As for the fields of study, the most common — by far — is business/management (MBA); followed by health and humanities, or the liberal arts. The DOE report does not separate public relations/communications as a subject of study, but anecdotal evidence suggests that this is one of the fastest-growing sectors pursued by online learners.
For those of us who are accustomed to the traditional standards of a professor interacting with students in a classroom, this might come as a shock — and we might even question the efficacy and value of this virtual approach. If so, then we would be behind the times.
“The double-digit growth of online enrollments signals a sea change in higher education,” said Dr. Gloria Pickar, group president and chief academic officer, Embanet-Compass Knowledge Group, an online learning company. “What is most surprising and encouraging is the mounting evidence that online learning is not merely convenient, but transformative.”
Many respected academic institutions with communications programs — including my own school, The George Washington University (GWU) — have built online programs that attract a diverse group of students.
For highly motivated adult learners, an online program opens up significant opportunities to enhance their professional training and academic foundation — without changing jobs, taking time off or uprooting their families.
At GWU, our Master of Science in Strategic Public Relations program is entering its fifth year. The online enrollments have grown from 30 students in our first year to nearly 200 students for the Fall 2011 semester.
Kent State University, the University of Nebraska and West Virginia University are some of the schools that have started online programs.
Online advantage
So is this model working?
Gary Klasen, vice president of communications at Cleveland-based Eaton Corporation, is a 2011 graduate of the GWU online master’s program. He notes that one of the unexpected benefits of taking an online program is the range of experience and cultural backgrounds among his fellow students.
“In my online classes, I was surprised at the level of interaction with both the instructors and my classmates, some of whom were based as far off as South Korea, the Middle East and South Africa,” he said. “Such a collection of like-minded professionals is only possible in an online environment.”
For other students, like Lilianna Chacon-Menay, a mother and military spouse and a 2009 graduate of the program, the online environment held some surprises beyond convenience and time flexibility.
“I had assumed I would miss out on the camaraderie with fellow students and the immediacy of classroom discussions,” she said. “But I was wrong. Over the course of two years, my cohort and I built an expansive professional network that I still tap into to this day.”
Both Chacon-Menay and Klasen emphasized that online learning has its issues. The biggest challenge for online students, they stressed, is time management.
“To succeed, online students must be disciplined about their study time,” Chacon-Menay said. “Because almost all of your classroom interactions are graded, students have to stay on top of their reading and be purposeful in their writing.”
While online courses won’t replace the traditional face-to-face approach to learning, they’re creating a new generation of leaders that will benefit the PR profession well into the future.
7 things you should know about online education before applying
- Read entry requirements and plan accordingly. Admission is competitive. There is an increasing demand for virtual learning, so admissions departments can — and will — be more selective.
- Be motivated. Instructors will expect a lot from you as an online student in terms of time management, participation and assignments.
- Network, make connections and learn outside the classroom. Although classes are online, there are still opportunities for you to interact with your peers.
- Think of your essay as an opportunity to display writing skills, creativity and drive — not as a throw-in essay with the transcript and recommendations letters.
- Ask questions. Reach out to graduates of various programs —
all schools have alumni lists and should be happy to provide this info. - Know what the school has to offer. Look into the available resources: student services, advisors, career advice, writing centers/workshops, etc.
- Visit the campus of the school that you choose even though you will be a virtual student. — L.P.
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written by Charles Arthur, February 20, 2012
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