Supercharge Your Career Credentials

By Kathy Schlaeger Cincinnati Woman Magazine

Do you want to take your career to the next level? Would you rather find a job in a different field? Enhancing your credentials or developing new skills may require a return to learning.

Local colleges and universities offer several programs to help adult learners accomplish their academic goals. Many programs are offered on the weekends, so students are able to work while they complete their studies. Others offer online programs which help save money on gas and car maintenance.

Union Institute and University (UI &U) UI & U offers personalized undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs designed for the lifelong learner. In addition to online program options, UI&U offers undergrad and graduate level center-based learning in Cincinnati.

They also offer a full-service career counseling program called ReadyMinds. Counselors help students by phone or email to decide on a program, create a resume, and work on interviewing and other business related skills.

Recently, UI & U announced their MLK Specialization for their doctoral learners in interdisciplinary studies. They have worked with the King Center located in Atlanta along with the King family to make this available. Learners dedicate about 30 percent of their course work and study to continuing the legacy of Martin Luther King’s work. The school also offers a BA degree in Maternal Child Health/Lactation Consulting. Graduates of the program are qualified to counsel expectant mothers and mothers of young infants who are concerned about the feeding of their children. They can give instruction in hospitals and work in a variety of settings.

Xavier University Xavier offers a weekend degree program which gives students the chance to earn a 4- year degree in only four years. 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 these 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 a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at night. Also, most associate degrees may be completed entirely through evening study.

Northern Kentucky University (NKU) NKU offers several undergraduate and graduate programs to its students. Many classes meet in the evenings or on Saturday mornings.

NKU has a total of seventeen master’s degree programs and over 30 graduate certificates. Content areas include business, education, technology, nursing, counseling, communication, and public administration. 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. The Master of Public Administration includes a concentration in Homeland Security and Emergency Management the only one of its kind in the area. The Master of Business Administration is well regarded as NKU is ranked among the top 10% of business schools in the nation. And the Secure Software Engineering certificate in the Computer Science graduate program is one of only a handful in the nation. Many students who want a broader degree investigate the Master of Public Administration program.

There are several master’s programs offered online, including the Master of Arts in Education and a Master of Education in Instructional Leadership (for current teachers), a Master of Arts in Integrative Studies, and the Master of Science in Nursing. In addition, the School of Nursing has an extensive list of Post-Master’s Certification programs available to students who seek specialized knowledge and skills as a nurse practitioner or nurse administrator. All nursing courses will be offered as both web enhanced (regular class meetings with web content) and web based (no class meetings). Several new degrees will begin in the fall 2008 semester. A Doctor of Education has been added to the graduate program list, as well as a Master of Arts in English.

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 an associate degree in Liberal Studies and/or complete additional general education and elective hours toward a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Technology, Liberal Studies, or 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.