Online Offerings
Academic Challenge
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he Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools has given approval to the University of Arkansas at Monticello to expand its distance education offerings. UAM’s School of Education will now offer four master’s degrees completely online. The degrees are (1) the master of education degree (M.Ed.) in teacher leadership or with an emphasis in special education, (2) the master of education degree in physical education and coaching (M.P.E.C.), (3) the master of arts in teaching degree (M.A.T.), and (4) the master of education degree (M.Ed.) in educational leadership. The first three degrees all lead to teacher licensure. The M.Ed. in educational leadership is designed for persons wishing to become building-level administrators. “This is great news for UAM,” said Dr. Jimmie Yeiser, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Our faculty have long recognized the quality of our existing online programs and the need for additional online programs. The Higher Learning Commission has confirmed our confidence in our online programs and given us authority to offer online up to 20 percent of our total degree programs. This means some of our graduate programs that have been on hold waiting for action by the Higher Learning Commission can now move forward.” In addition to the four master’s degrees offered by the School of Education, UAM also offers completely online the master of fine arts degree in creative writing. Dr. Peggy Doss, dean of the UAM School of Education, called the Higher Learning Commission’s decision “essential to our continuing commitment to meeting the needs of our constituencies. So many students, particularly non-traditional students, want to pursue a graduate degree but simply don’t have the time to come to campus for traditional instruction. By placing these programs totally online, we are allowing them to attain a graduate degree that would probably be unavailable to them in a traditional setting.” Doss said the online programs will be designed to include interaction with
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instructors through discussion boards and will emphasize personalized instruction. “At UAM, one of our core values is that we have a personal relationship with every student, whether in a traditional classroom setting or online,” said Doss. “We have designed these online programs to be responsive to student needs while maintaining quality instruction. Everything we do is with one goal in mind – the ultimate success of each student.”
AM is providing a $500 scholarship for the fall semester as a supplement to the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, according to Mary Whiting, director of admissions. The $500 scholarship will be available to each incoming freshman who has graduated from an Arkansas high school in 2013 and is a recipient of the Academic Challenge scholarship. The student must be enrolled in a four-year academic program and the scholarship must be used for tuition, mandatory fees, room, board or books purchased in the campus bookstore and is not refundable. The scholarship may be renewed for an additional $500 for the spring semester by passing a minimum of 12 academic hours with a 3.00 grade point average in the fall term. This is a one-time scholarship opportunity for the 2013-14 academic year. For information, contact the Office of Admissions at (800) 844-1826.
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Weevils For Christ Weevils for Christ, a campus student religious organization sponsored by the Church of Christ, broke ground recently on a new building at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. The 3,484-square-foot structure will house the organization’s campus ministry. Pictured from left are Frank Wilson of Rison, Joe Moore of Monticello, Dr. Jimmie Yeiser, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at UAM, Mollie Karnes, a senior forestry major at UAM and student member of Weevils for Christ, June Carter and Steve Carter, both of Bentonville.
Fall 2013
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