Pursuing a Degree Delayed

By Kathy Schlaeger Cincinnati Woman Magazine

Many young women attend college immediately after their high school yearbooks are signed. Without spouses, children, or careers to think about, coursework can easily occupy the top of the priority list.

Not every woman follows this path. For some, that priority list is filled with a family, spouse, job and other responsibilities, requiring them to complete their studies with more flexible options. Several local colleges and universities offer just what women need. Perhaps 2008 is the year for you to go back to school!

Northern Kentucky University (NKU) NKU offers several undergraduate and graduate programs to its students. Many classes meet in the evenings or on Saturday mornings. The Master of Arts in Teaching allows someone who holds a bachelor’s degree in a content area, such as math or English, to become a teacher. Many students who want a broader degree investigate the Master of Public Administration program. Two master’s programs offered online include the Master of Arts in Education (for current teachers) and the Master of Science in Nursing.

Another popular program at NKU is PACE, which offers working adults the chance to earn an associate degree in two years or a bachelor’s degree in four years. Students attend classes two nights a week on the Covington campus, for eight-week sessions year round. PACE also offers students the flexibility to complete assignments and even some courses online. Students can earn their associate degrees in Liberal Studies and/or complete additional general education and elective hours toward a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Technology, Liberal Studies, and Organizational Leadership available at the Grant County Center in Williamstown, KY. Students can begin the PACE program during any eight-week session and work on a full or part-time basis.

Union Institute and University (UI &U) For over 40 years, UI & U has provided distance education to a diverse population of learners. The University has six campuses in the U.S. with one location in Cincinnati. The university offers personalized undergraduate, masters’ and doctoral degree programs designed for the lifelong learner. In addition to online program options, UI&U offers undergrad and graduate level centerbased learning in Cincinnati.

Allyson Benson graduated in October 2007 with a degree in business administration and took a job with Fifth Third Bank. She used a combination of online and traditional courses taught locally.

Benson said, “I enjoyed the untraditional environment and the flexibility offered at UI & U. “UI & U worked with me individually. When I needed to take calculus, I worked with an adjunct professor who met with me every week to help me complete my math studies,” Benson said.

Xavier University XU also works with students to help them accomplish their goals. Xavier offers students a weekend degree program which gives students the chance to earn a four-year degree in a traditional four year time frame. This accelerated degree option offers both a liberal arts degree and a management degree with classes scheduled on Saturdays. Courses are scheduled on Saturday mornings and afternoons in five, eight-week terms. The terms start every August, October, January, March and May. Students may join the Weekend Degree Program at the start of any of the five, eight-week terms. For many working adults or those with availability during the evening, the Evening Programs option is ideal. Students can complete a Bachelor of Liberal Arts or Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at night. Also, most associate degrees may be completed entirely through evening study.

Denise Tracy completed her liberal arts degree at Xavier. She is a woman who began college, but left for a business opportunity. Along came marriage and a family, but a return to school had always been in the back of her mind.

“It meant a lot to me to be a role model to my daughter. I wanted her to know that education is empowerment,” said Tracy. Tracy enjoyed the structure of her programeight- week courses throughout the year.