Studies of student persistence at the undergraduate level are numerous and well known to those in the field, but at the graduate level, they are far more limited. The latter generally focus on doctoral candidates or those enrolled in professional programs. Master's-degree candidates, especially those who pursue a degree on a part-time basis at a…

The Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) of the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) enrolls approximately 2,700 part-time graduate students across three physical locations. It is a complex organization whose target audience is a sophisticated consumer of higher education. With the support of Eduventures, AAP…

The success of the US economy has always been its ability to innovate, create, invent, and commercialize groundbreaking discoveries. Today, Americans seem to be losing their edge and have begun to suffer an "innovation deficit." The authors say re-engineering the entire US educational system in order to foster and enhance necessary creativity and…

Since 2001, the Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) at The George Washington University (GW) has managed a cooperative education program with a network of nine respected universities in South America. This "governance and political management" program serves working professionals in the civil service, political party offices, advocacy…

A survey of continuing education providers showed the need for greater investment in marketing, cultivation of outsourcing relationships, staff development in marketing techniques, and new ways of communicating the message to potential customers. (SK)

Reports the results of a survey that identified 2,500 certificate programs at more than 400 universities. Discusses findings related to quality, nomenclature, governance, management, curriculum, faculty, students, and finance. (SK)

A survey of 816 continuing education registrants indicated that the school could switch from a print to website course calendar without affecting registration, provided a print calendar option was retained. The school should also work to motivate more people to register online. (SK)

Compares U.S. and British approaches to transferable skills. Describes a Scottish project, Developing Employment-based Access to Learning, a work-based learning model that focuses on three types of skills: personal effectiveness and critical reflection; collection and organization of materials; and analysis, synthesis, and review. (SK)

Interviews with 10 faculty participating in a collaborative bachelors' degree program involving 5 nursing schools identified elements of the program's success: initial agreement, faculty control, initial curriculum focus, management of ambiguity, iterative process, objective facilitation, institutional autonomy, and assertive conflict management.…

Responses from 60% of 1,280 graduates of an extended degree program (1977, 1980, and 1983) revealed the following effects of the program: 85% increased pay, 80% increased job responsibilities, 80% improved job satisfaction, 88% improved job skills, 81% experienced increased status or respect, and over one-third changed careers (especially the 1977…

The Teaching Goals Inventory was completed by 336 of 484 part-time faculty from a research university, public college, college serving working adults, and community college. Teaching goals varied by type of institution, discipline, gender, quantitative/qualitative nature of the course, and course level. Differences also appeared in comparison to…

Adults who did not enroll after beginning a community college admissions process (n=93) were compared with 198 who did. "Disengagers" cited cost, lack of financial aid, and uncertain goals as disincentives. Those who disengaged later in the process cited difficulty concentrating and the perception that the college did not care about their success.…

Data from 270 University of Maryland University College students, 1,452 stopouts, and 687 nonreturning students were used to examine differences in maturity and educational goals. Age was a significant variable in determining attendance and academic performance. Adults over 30 had higher grade point averages and considered stopping out normal. (SK)

A survey of 23 faculty active in the Adult Liberal Studies program examined faculty attitudes about older students in higher education. Faculty generally felt that adults have better skills and more cognitive skills than traditional students. Faculty also were pleased with the structure of the adult program. (CH)

The study collected data from 807 college presidents and chief academic officers regarding the importance of faculty involvement in various forms of continuing education in decisions related to tenure, promotion, and salary. Results indicate that such involvement does count in the faculty reward structure and its influence should increase. (CH)