Berkeley College of New York and New Jersey Celebrates Growth in Berkeley College Online® Degree Programs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2007                                  

Contact:  Ilene Lumpkin
Director of Media Relations
201-291-1111, ext. 5122 
igl@BerkeleyCollege.edu    

Note to Editors: This is the first of two releases from Berkeley College celebrating National Distance Learning Week (Nov. 12 – 17) sponsored by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) to promote distance learning.  

BERKELEY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY CELEBRATES GROWTH IN BERKELEY COLLEGE ONLINE^® DEGREE PROGRAMS

Berkeley College Online started out slowly, fine tuning each degree program, and today offers a total of 15 online degrees. The attention to detail paid off, and over the past three years enrollment in Berkeley College Online has grown at an average rate of 50 percent.  

“The online program at Berkeley College is second to none,” says Berkeley College Coordinator of Online Faculty Support, Dr. Mary Jane Clerkin. “It has a very comprehensive program for both student and faculty support. What is more, our online faculty members make their courses more personal by using Camtasia, Wimba, and Video Communicator tools to welcome their students, and many professors use this technology to enhance their lectures and messages, as well as to provide for the different learning styles of their students.”

Because Berkeley College online faculty believes that students need to play an active role in their education, professors participate in discussion boards encouraging and inspiring students to contribute. In addition, most of the online faculty is easily accessible via instant messaging.  

“What’s unique about Berkeley College Online is that most of our professors have been with the college a long time and also teach onsite classes. The fact that many are also Department Chairs speaks volumes for the integrity of our program,” says Dr. Clerkin. 

Dr. Clerkin is the recipient of the 2007 USDLA Best Practices Gold Award for Distance Learning Teaching Online in the category of Online – Higher Education. The award recognizes outstanding individuals whose programs demonstrate extraordinary achievement in scholarly research and writing, leadership, and service.

Recognizing the important part that USDLA plays in advancing online education, Dr. Clerkin looks forward to the USDLA 2008 National Conference where she will serve as Program Committee Chair.

“Berkeley College has built a national reputation in the field of online learning,” says Berkeley College Online Dean Dr. Susan Biro. “Our online students have nearly round-the-clock access to the faculty, the library and librarians, as well as their advisors in student development, advisement, and career services. They also have access to lifetime career assistance.”

What is the profile of a Berkeley College online degree student? 

Online Campus Operating Officer Sharon Goldstein says, “Most of our online students are returning to complete their Bachelor’s degrees. Along with the flexibility of online learning, which helps these students juggle their busy lives, the ‘high touch’ learning environment seems very well suited to their needs.”

Berkeley College recently received approval to offer the highly popular Fashion Marketing and Management degree online. This fully-integrated degree program is the 14th among its other online degree programs. Those include Business Administration; Financial Services; General Business; Health Services Management; Health Services Administration; Health Services Administration – Medical Insurance, Billing, and Coding; Information Systems Management; International Business; Justice Studies – Criminal Justice; Management; Management – Entrepreneurship; Management - Human Resources; and Marketing.

Berkeley College Online is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

A leader in business education for more than 75 years, Berkeley College currently maintains an enrollment of more than 6,000 students, with nearly 600 international students in its Baccalaureate and Associate degree programs. The College maintains two New York campuses in Midtown Manhattan and White Plains, an Extension Center in Lower Manhattan in the Wall Street area, and four New Jersey campuses located in West Paterson, Paramus, Woodbridge, and Newark. In addition, Berkeley College Online offers a Corporate Learning Partnership program. The College’s website address is www.BerkeleyCollege.edu. 

             
Photo Caption: Berkeley College celebrates Coordinator of Online Faculty Support Dr. Mary Jane Clerkin, recipient of the 2007 USDLA Best Practices Gold Award for Distance Learning Teaching Online in the category of Online – Higher Education, during National Distance Learning Week (Nov. 12 -16). 

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