CSU-Global Selected by the Department of Education for Two New Experimental Sites on Alternative Credit Options
Greenwood Village, Colo. (PRWEB) January 09, 2015 -- Colorado State University-Global Campus is proud to announce that it has been selected as a participant in two new Department of Education Experimental Site programs. Both Experimental Site programs will allow the university to offer federal financial aid for alternative credit programs in support of the university’s mission of increasing student success by reducing the cost and time-to-completion to earn a bachelor’s degree.
“Under the leadership of Senator Michael Bennet and Representative Jared Polis, and with the support of Senator Gardner and Representatives DeGette, Perlmutter, and Tipton, CSU-Global will continue to be at the forefront of higher education innovation,” stated Dr. Becky Takeda-Tinker, Colorado State University-Global Campus President. “We are grateful for their support and that of the Department of Education for allowing us to explore new methods in helping our students through our Experimental Site participation."
The university’s acceptance to participate in the Department of Education’s Experimental Sites will allow it to operate under modified federal financial aid regulations that better align with nontraditional credit opportunities.
"CSU-Global's selection to participate in the Department of Education's Experimental Sites Initiative will help working Coloradans continue to pursue their college degrees," Senator Michael Bennet said. "CSU-Global provides adult students with the flexibility to earn competency based credit in addition to credit for standard courses. Allowing students to use financial aid to support both types of courses has the potential to enhance rates of completion, reduce program costs, and lower debt levels at graduation. These types of education initiatives are important for innovation in higher education."
Representative Jared Polis stated, "The Department of Education has made a tremendous choice in selecting CSU-Global as one of their first experimental sites for flexible credit programs. Offering students the opportunity to apply skills that they have gained throughout their professional careers or non-collegiate learning towards college degrees will decrease the costs of higher education and help adult learners return to school to remain competitive in a 21st century economy. There is no better place than Colorado, one of the top states for innovation in the country, to rollout this exciting new program."
CSU-Global’s Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) program provides students an opportunity to earn college credit through demonstration of previous knowledge and experience through portfolio projects that match specific learning outcomes of its courses. When a student is ready to submit projects for credit evaluation, the student pays $150 for a 3-credit portfolio project review. Under the Competency-based Exam (CBE) program, students are provided cost-free access to CSU-Global’s self-paced learning environment where they can interact with learning materials. When students are ready to take an assessment, they pay a $250 fee for a 3-credit exam (or $150 for a 1-credit exam), and then sit for the proctored assessment.
Visit CSUGlobal.edu to learn more about CSU-Global’s online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and its alternative credit opportunities. Prospective students may also contact an Enrollment Counselor by calling 1-800-920-6723 or emailing Admissions(at)CSUGlobal(dot)edu.
About Colorado State University-Global Campus
Colorado State University-Global Campus (CSU-Global) was created by the Colorado State University System Board of Governors in 2007 as the first 100 percent online state university in the United States. CSU-Global is focused on facilitating adult success in a global marketplace through career-relevant education including bachelor’s degree completion and master’s degree programs. Embracing the land grant heritage as part of the Colorado State University System, CSU-Global sets the standard for quality and innovation in higher education through its expert faculty trained in working with adults in an online learning environment, and through its dedication to student retention, graduation and workplace success. Visit CSUGlobal.edu or call 1-800-920-6723 for more information.
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Lauren Anuskewicz, Colorado State University-Global Campus, http://CSUGlobal.edu, +1 720-897-8364, [email protected]
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