Bowling Green, Ky. - As a working mother of three, Joni Sims of Owensboro often finds it difficult to fit her personal and work schedules with her class schedule. That's why she's excited about a fully online MBA program being offered by Western Kentucky University in the spring of 2005.

Sims, the nursing director of medical/surgical services at Owensboro Medical Health System, participated in online pilot courses offered by Western's Gordon Ford College of Business. "Being able to take online courses has enabled me to be a better mom," she said. "I am able to attend class when it is convenient for me so I am less apt to miss my daughter's sporting events and other important functions."

The eMBA will offer online courses in eight-week blocks. Students pursing the master's of business administration degree will take one class at a time, allowing them to focus on a single topic, but will be able to complete the program in as little as 24 months, said Jeff Butterfield, chair of Computer Information Systems sequence at WKU.

"We will offer on-demand streaming lectures," Dr. Butterfield said. "Students can watch the lectures at their convenience and replay them if they have a question or when they study for tests."

That was an attractive feature for Koyeli Mitra of Bowling Green. " The best thing is that I can listen to lectures online and participate in discussion boards at my own convenience," she said. "The online lectures can be saved for later revisits and I can compare my notes by playing the lecture again."

The program is designed for people with prior professional, managerial or administrative experience, Dr. Butterfield said. He added the online discussion boards often lead to greater sharing of "real-world" experiences relevant to the class.

"Attending MBA courses online through WKU has given me an opportunity to converse more with the students in my class than a traditional setting would," Lelia Matthews of Bowling Green said. "As discussions ensue online about a particular subject, I am able to understand and comment on how other MBA students see various situations as they relate to their own work experiences."

Matthews, marketing vice president for Service One Credit Union, said she is unable to take traditional classes during the day. "Having the opportunity to pursue an MBA through Western's online program has given me the flexibility to shape my learning experience around my lifestyle," she said. "I find that the courses are still challenging, yet I am able to learn more comfortably when it's centered around the time I reserve to do so."

Dr. Butterfield said students will form virtual teams and work with other professionals on class projects. Courses will be offered in the major areas of business, including accounting, economics, finance, information systems, management and marketing.

"This program will have a wide audience, from soccer moms to people in the military," Dr. Butterfield said.

Robert Jefferson, dean of the Gordon Ford College of Business, said the eMBA is not just a correspondence course on the Internet. "This is a fully online, interactive program, not replacing first-class mail with the Web," he said. He added that WKU's MBA program, which has been in existence for eight years, is fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

"This innovative program offers aspiring managers and executives the opportunity to continuously improve their knowledge base and skills needed for executive leadership," Dr. Jefferson said. "The value and return on investment for the eMBA is superb when compared with high profile MBA programs. It is particularly valuable for companies since employees add value to their company as they complete the online program."

The first classes begin Jan. 10.

More information on the eMBA is available on the Web at www.wku.edu/emba and from the WKU extended campuses in Elizabethtown (270-769-1614), Owensboro (270-684-9797) and Glasgow (270-659-6900) or the Gordon Ford College of Business (270-745-6311, mba@wku.edu).

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For more information, contact Jipaum Askew-Gibson (270-745-3290) or Jeff Butterfield (270-745-5408)