Distance Learning Closes Gap Between Students And Universities (NAPSA)—Twenty years ago, a 35-year-old father of four who neededa college-level course to complete his graduate degree would enroll in the local community college or nearby university as a parttime student. He likely gave up valuable family time commuting to class and arranged family, work and travel plans around the school’s rigid academic calendar,all in an effort to get ahead while preserving his job and his home. Today, his 30-year-old daughter is earning a master’s degree from a school 650 miles from her residence, and she’s doing it at home while operating a home-based business and raising two children. She is one of thousands of students around the world who are taking advantageof online education programs to earn high school diplomas and undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Oklahoma OUTREACH. Online or distance learning is moving students out of traditional classroomsand into nontraditional settings, making them part ofa global learning community connected by computers and modems. Often self-paced, online education programs enable people to choose from an array of programs and learning styles. Distance is no longer a consideration as students select educational institutions virtually anywherein the world, enrolling in competitively-priced programs taught by university faculty. University of Oklahoma OUTREACH programsspan from high school and collegiate independent study courses to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. Teenagers and adults alike can earn a fully accredited high school diploma through the university’s Independent Learning High School, which offers more than 100 courses Thanksto distancelearning, students can earn high school and college degrees from home. developed and taught by experienced university faculty. OUTREACH also offers a numberof convenient degree options for undergraduate and graduate students, including degrees that can be completed online. In addition to traditional degree programs, OUTREACH offers programs that provide customized training and services to public and private corporations, nonprofits, state and federal agencies, tribal affiliations, governmententities, schools and individuals invigorating their marketability in a global and knowledge-based economy. To learn more about this program and the more than 50 specialized divisions offering a variety of credit and noncredit courses as part of University of Oklahoma OUTREACH, call 1-800-522-0772, ext. 1984, or visit the Web site at www.out reach.ou.edu.
