New York City
January 25, 2008
Bowling
Green, Ky. - The Division of Extended Learning and Outreach and academic colleges at Western
Kentucky University partner with business, industry and community groups to develop customized courses and degree programs that meet their specific needs.
Customized programs can be designed for a specific number of students (a cohort) who move through the program coursework together from beginning to end. These Cohort Programs are not only available locally.
On Jan. 17, WKU representatives traveled to New York City to celebrate the graduation of 30 students who received their master’s degree in communication disorders. The ceremony was held at the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) building in Manhattan.
“This is our only graduation ceremony that takes place off the university’s campus,” WKU Provost Barbara Burch told graduates and their loved ones.
This is a testament to the importance of WKU’s partnership with the United Federation of Teachers in New York City. Around the turn of the century, the UFT began searching for an accredited, online degree program for its members. After narrowing the search to two schools, UFT representatives visited the campus, reviewed the curriculum and interviewed the faculty before choosing WKU as its partner university.
The collaborative program between the Department of Communication Disorders in the College of Health and Human Services at WKU and the United Federation of Teachers in New York City enables full-time teachers to complete a master’s degree in speech language pathology as part-time students.
The students maintain their current teaching positions and complete course work online and on weekends. WKU, through the Division of Extended Learning and Outreach, has tailored the courses offered in New York to fit the needs of the UFT. In 2006 the program received regional and national recognition for distance education from the Association for Continuing Higher Education.
According to Dr. Don Swoboda, dean of the Division of Extended Learning and Outreach, programs like this help WKU reach an important goal. “Distance Learning is a perfect example of how WKU is becoming a leading American university with international reach,” he said. “We were able to meet the needs of the students in New York which enhances Western’s image as a national provider of higher education services.”
This new crop of WKU alumni is the third cohort of UFT graduates to receive their degrees from WKU through this customized Distance Learning program. A fourth group is progressing through the program and a fifth group is set to begin this spring. The first cohort of 30 students began their coursework in August 2002, and over the past five and a half years, more than 140 students have been admitted to the program.
“We are truly weaving a tapestry that symbolizes strands of wool woven into something of great beauty and color,” said Dr. John Bonaguro, dean of the College of Health & Human Services. “The strands are our partners, DELO, UFT, WKU faculty and staff, NYC field supervisors, NY Board of Education, and of course, supportive families and friends. Together the pattern tells a story and has a spirit, the Spirit of Western!”
For information regarding the Master of Science in Communication Disorders, contact Dr. Barbara Brindle, Interim Department Head, at (270) 745-4299. To learn more about Cohort Programs, contact Laura Ricke at (270) 745-2481. Cohort Programs is a unit of the Division of Extended Learning and Outreach (DELO).
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 information, contact Stacey Biggs at (270) 745-1926.
-WKU-
"A leading American university with international reach"
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