Arthur J. Acton, Ph.D., Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, Extended Programs, Clarion University of Pennsylvania joins us today to discuss distance education.

Tell us about the distance learning programs offered at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.

Clarion University offers eleven certificate, associate, bachelors and masters degrees fully on-line.  These include certificates in education; associate degrees in arts and sciences and early childhood; bachelors degrees in liberal studies and nursing (degree completion program); and masters degrees in Library Science, Nursing, Rehabilitative Sciences, Business Administration and Mass Media Arts and Journalism.

What is the typical duration of each of your programs?

The duration depends upon the degree level and whether the student goes full time or part time. The certificates take about a year, the associate degrees 2-4 years, bachelor’s degree 4-6 years and the masters degree 1-2 years.

How important would you say accreditation is when choosing an online college?

Accreditation by one of the federally approved regional accrediting agencies assures a standard of quality recognized throughout the academic world.  It is also recognized by prospective employers as a mark of academic integrity.  If the student needs to transfer coursework from an accredited college, it almost guarantees acceptance.

What would you say makes Clarion University of Pennsylvania programs different and better than other comparable online programs?

In addition to regional Middles States accreditation, Clarion University has 22 national accreditations for its various programs.  The on-line programs share these accreditations including accreditations by AACSB International–The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, The American Library Association (ALA), The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI), The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), The National Council for Social Studies (NCSS), The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and The National League of Nursing (NLN)

There is some debate as to whether or not online degrees are as worthwhile as traditional degrees. What steps does Clarion University of Pennsylvania take to ensure that online students are receiving the same education that they’d receive in a classroom?

The courses required to support these degrees meet the same curricular and instructional standards as classes delivered on campus and are taught by the same faculty currently teaching in the traditional classrooms.  As a result, the degrees earned online offer the same quality and accreditation as a degree earned through the university’s traditional on-campus programs.

What would you say are some of the benefits of earning a degree online rather than in a traditional classroom?

Online programs offer students scheduling flexibility to enable them to plan their educational program around work, family or other responsibilities.  They also enable students who are in geographically remote areas or place bound to obtain a college degree.

If a student enrolled in one of your programs was interested in finding an internship in their field in their area, do you have any means of assisting them in acquiring an internship position?

Students in the various programs have opportunities for internships or other applied practical experiences including nursing clinical and student teaching assignments.

Does Clarion University of Pennsylvania offer any job placement services to your students and graduates?

The University provides job placement services for all its students and distance education students are eligible for that service.

Is financial aid available to students in your programs?

As a state university, tuition rates at Clarion are very competitive. The university provides limited financial aid for online students, but tuition is discounted for non-Pennsylvania residents to 102% of the rate that Pennsylvania residents pay.  Students are eligible in most cases for state and federal aid and some specific programs, like nursing and early childhood, have external aid programs to assist students.

Do you have any advice for students enrolling in online classes for the first time?

Online learning is a different learning environment from a traditional on-campus experience, but students should understand that faculty have the same expectations of them as in their other classes.  Students need to allow as much study and preparation time for an on-line class as they would for an on-campus class. Even though they are not attending a class in person at a specific time and place where regular attendance is required, they still need to “attend” the online class and be active participants.  If you don’t participate, the instructor doesn’t know that you are there.  As a result, online students need to be more self-disciplined and motivated.

What do you enjoy most about your position at Clarion University of Pennsylvania?

I have enjoyed being on this new frontier of higher education.  Over the last 10 years in distance education I have seen a program with only one or two classes and a handful of students blossom into a broad program engaging a myriad of faculty and enrolling thousands of students. At the same time the pace of technological change and innovation in distance education has been almost mindboggling.  It has been an exciting challenge to work to be sure that Clarion University remains at the cutting edge of online education.

To request more information on distance learning programs at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, go here to visit them online. 

Thank you Arthur, for sharing and participating in this piece for Online Degrees 2.0

That concludes our interview!  

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The Certificate in Life Care Planning program is designed for people who have already completed their primary education and are currently working in their field, such as RNs, occupational therapists, physical therapists, rehabilitation counselors, nurse practitioners, and special education professionals. While studying for your Life Care Planning Certificate, you’ll learn how to develop life care plans as well as gaining an understanding of the medical, emotional, social, and economic concerns that impact people who are unable to care for themselves. 

When you’ve finished your Certificate program, you’ll be prepared accept jobs from government agencies, law firms, insurance companies, HMO’s, or any other organization that works closely with people who need life care. Furthermore, your additional education will make your even more marketable in your current job field. 

The Master of Science in Nursing program is designed for those nurses who want to pursue more advanced positions in today’s challenging health care environment. The program blends nursing theory and advanced practice concepts necessary to successful work within the structure, culture, and mission of any size health care organization or educational setting.

This Masters Degree program consists of three major areas: the core, the major, and the cognate. The core incorporates the theory of nursing influence, influence of nursing research, and the advanced practice of nursing. The major includes advanced course work in nursing: management of families and aggregates, administration, and education. The cognate focuses on the content related to finance, economics, policy, quality improvement, marketing, and strategic planning. In addition, students complete course work in concepts related to public health, long term care and health care informatics.

With convenient online courses the University of Phoenix Online allows you to earn your degree on a schedule that fits your life. Check out Online Degrees Today.com for more information on online universities & colleges such as University of Phoenix.

With a Bachelor of Science in Holistic Nutrition from Clayton College of Natural Health, you’ll learn to teach people how to discover the impact of lifestyle on health, and you’ll learn how to maximize wellness through healthy living. This unique program focuses on the current trends within natural approaches to healthy eating and living. 

While studying for your Bachelor’s Degree in Holistic Nutrition, you’ll take classes like fundamentals of nutrition, natural health and traditional naturopathy, holistic health and lifestyles, herbology, holistic nutrition, food preparation for holistic nutrition, dietary influences on disease, nutrition and disease prevention, and nutritional therapies. Furthermore, you can use the credits you earn while studying for your Bachelor’s Degree to pursue a Master of Science in Natural Health through Clayton College of Natural Health. 

While studying for a Certificate in Iridology Studies at Clayton College, you will learn Comprehensive Iridology, the official style of the International Iridology Practitioners Association (IIPA). Comprehensive Iridology draws on the most up-to-date research in both the American and European models of practice. Students will have the opportunity to use several different iridology tools and acquire hands-on practice during the process of completing their courses. 

Because IIPA has accredited the Clayton College iridology certificate program, students who have earned a certificate through Clayton College of Natural Health may take the IIPA certification examination immediately upon completion of the iridology program. The International Iridology Practitioners Association administers this exam separately from the Clayton College of Natural Health program.  

Nurses have always worked with victims and perpetrators of violent crime, but it wasn’t until the early1990s that the term “forensic nursing” became a widespread description of this work.  Kaplan University offers an online self-study program that can be completed in twelve months.  Students in this program will learn skills in the legal, scientific, and psychosocial aspects of forensic nursing. Students also learn to identify injuries and/or death and their causes, collect evidence and document findings.  They also learn to work with victims and refer then to the proper follow-up care.

With the Forensic Nursing Certificate, you can confidently pursue a wide array of exciting career opportunities.   The job is fast-paced and exciting, with real issues at stake. Kaplan University’s online Forensic Nursing Certificate program provides a unique education opportunity to students who want a flexible learning option.

Nursing education provides the basic building blocks of medical, scientific, and nursing knowledge, but competence in the nursing profession requires an ongoing process of continuing education. Continuing education for nurses is necessary for the nurse to remain up to date with the latest practice issues and it is necessary for patient’s safety as well. Some states have made continuing education for nurses mandatory and require a certain number of course credit hours be attained before license renewal, or require certain mandatory course subjects, while other states leave it to the nursing professional themselves to accept a personal responsibility for their own continued learning.

Nurses need to continue their education over their careers to stay current. There are many online and campus programs available to nursing professionals that offer flexible schedules to fit in to your busy life.

The health care profession overall is in short-range and long-range jeopardy” of not being able to find enough qualified employees, said Nancy Foster, corporate director of human resources for Lake Hospital System.

There are about 6,200 allied health professional jobs in Northeast Ohio, according to a study released in July by the Center for Health Affairs’ Northeast Ohio Nursing Initiative. That figure is expected to grow as new health care equipment demands special training for those who run the machines, said Ron Dziedzicki, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at University Hospitals.

For example, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the number of physician assistant positions nationwide to climb 55% by 2014 from the 53,000 at present. Likewise, the number of lab technicians is expected to rise nearly 23% by 2014, according to the BLS, which estimates the current number at 257,000.

Anyone looking to change careers or enter the healthcare industry can almost be guaranteed job security. There will be a serious demand for qualified healthcare workers – now and in the future. Salary will most likely rise in healthcare, as there will be a great need to attract workers to fill available positions.

Nursing programs at the state’s colleges and universities turned away 2,357 acceptable applications last year, partly because of inadequate faculty, according to the report by the Maryland Board of Nursing and the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Nurse educators need a master’s degree to teach nursing at the state’s many community colleges. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the preferred degree for faculty at a four-year college is a Doctor of Science in Nursing or a Nursing Ph.D.

In the last five years, enrollments in baccalaureate and associate nursing degree programs have risen 38 percent and 55 percent respectively, but there has been a decline in master’s and doctoral nursing program enrollments, said Judy Hendrickson, director of career and workforce education for the Higher Education Commission.

This shortage in nursing faculty looks to be a long-term problem. Not only do registered nurses make more money than nursing faculty, but also programs specifically geared towards nursing education are limited. Many experts suggest that higher faculty salaries and retention bonuses may help attract more nursing education staff.