Extended Studies

[Peter Risse, Associate Dean of Extended Studies] Our mission in extended studies is to extend educational access beyond traditional borders. And to provide the ability for people to access lifelong learning opportunities anytime and anywhere that they are.

We provide services and educational access to students everywhere from the high school student who’s participating in a Concurrent Enrollment experience to adult students that are returning to school after some time away. We provide access for folks that are transferring to the institution.

We have an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute that provides ongoing lifelong learning opportunities for folks that are 50-plus. And we have a professional development program for those folks that are in the mid-career area that need not necessarily another degree but additional currency related to their desire to advance within the organization or to improve their ability to work.

Within the last decade, the use of online has opened up doors and access that we never had available before. We have the ability to service the military audience for instance, worldwide, regardless of their deployment schedule and travel. We have the ability to provide anytime, anywhere access and so that’s given students choice that they didn’t have before when we were solely fixed on providing face-to-face programs at remote locations.