CHICAGO—The Board of Trustees today approved a financing plan and set tuition and fee rates for Global Campus, the major new online University of Illinois initiative to make largely Internet-based degree, certificate and professional-development programs available on a large scale.

In January 2008, Global Campus will roll out its first programs:

• a bachelor of science completion program in nursing.
• a master's degree in education with a concentration in online learning.
• a graduate certificate in foundations of online learning.
• a graduate certificate in technologies for online learning. 

President B. Joseph White said the Global Campus nursing and education classes will be the first of a broad range of offerings that will extend the educational reach and prestige of the U. of I.

"Our Global Campus is working in partnership with the University of Illinois faculty at Chicago's College of Nursing and the Urbana campus' College of Education to develop and offer high-quality, high-demand academic programs fully worthy of the University of Illinois name," White said.

"These programs are just the beginning of a dynamic, long-term effort that will make University of Illinois courses and degrees in many areas of study available to non-traditional students and to those whose work and family situations make it difficult or impossible for them to join us on campus in person."

Chester Gardner, special assistant to the president who has led the Global Campus from its inception through the start-up phase, said all the parts are in place for a successful launch.

"We've done our due diligence studying the market and the competition and then putting into place solid business and educational plans that are essential for success," Gardner said. "We are ready to start marketing the programs and registering students in the fall, and delivering the first online classes in January 2008.

"We'll employ state-of-the-art online teaching methods and high-technology resources coupled with solid course content created by U. of I. faculty who also establish the program standards and provide ongoing oversight. U. of I. faculty and other trained instructors, working under the supervision of U. of I. faculty, will teach the classes which will employ online discussions, group work, virtual labs, Web conferences and podcasting."

Gardner said the first U. of I. degrees offered through the Global Campus will be conferred 64 weeks after the first class of bachelor's degree nursing students begins taking classes in January. These students, who must already have the RN degree and meet other prerequisites to be admitted to this baccalaureate completion program, will take eight courses (30 credit hours) to complete the requirements for their degrees.

Global Campus marketing research shows there is high demand for the bachelor's degree in nursing because of a nationwide nursing shortage. Registered nurses often need the B.S. degrees to move into more highly paid nursing management positions. In many cases, the nurses' employers will help pay the tuition, and the nurses can keep their jobs while furthering their education.

There also is considerable demand from educators and corporate trainers for advanced degrees and certifications in the design, management, technology and evaluation of online education due to its strong growth. Colleges and universities also are beginning to require that instructors have training and certification in online teaching methods and technology.

The University of Illinois at Springfield will provide library and career counseling for Global Campus' first classes of students. Parkland College in Champaign is the preferred educational partner for undergraduate prerequisite course work.

Board of Trustees Chairman Lawrence C. Eppley said that the trustees required development of a creditable business plan and evidence Global Campus had the opportunity to become a financially self-supporting unit of the University before approving this next phase of Global Campus or the line of credit. The $6.4 million financing plan calls for repayment over a 10-year period beginning in 2011.

"Among the fundamental missions of a public, land-grant university are education and public service. Global Campus expands our opportunity to fulfill these missions in a modern, affordable and accessible way," Eppley said. "We also expect Global Campus to function on the basis of sound business principles and to burnish the reputation of the University of Illinois."

The tuition and fees approved by the Board of Trustees are:

• Illinois residents will pay a $40 Global Campus application fee. Domestic non-residents will pay a $50 application fee, and international applicants will pay a $75 application fee.
• Tuition for Illinois registered nurses completing bachelor of science degree in nursing will be $616.50 per credit hour for 30 credit hours (eight eight-week courses) for a total of $18,495. Non-residents will pay $685 per credit hour for a total of $20,550. (The trustees stipulated that Illinois residents receive a 10 percent tuition discount on all Global Campus programs.)
• Tuition for Illinois residents completing a master's degree in education with a concentration in online learning will be $382.50 per credit hour for 36 credit hours (nine courses) for a total of $13,770. Non-residents will pay $425 per credit hour for a total of $15,300.
• Illinois residents taking either of the two graduate certificate programs in foundations and technologies of online learning will pay $382.50 per credit hour for 12 credit hours (three courses) for a total of $4,590. Non-residents will pay $425 per credit hour for a total of $5,100 to complete each certificate. The certificate coursework can be applied to a master’s degree in education.

Gardner said Global Campus is developing 11 more degree and certificate programs in a variety of fields and disciplines — engineering, labor studies, business and in the health-care area — in partnership with nine different colleges and service units on the U. of I.'s three campuses. Most of those additional offerings will be rolled out in June and September of 2008.

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