Structure
Meets One Day a Week
Example: Fridays 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
2-year program, 4 semesters, summers off
Students complete 33 credit hours. This includes a three credit hour capstone project that emphasizes the integration and application of theory, concepts and procedures in several areas including, but not limited to, engineering economy, systems, inventory and production control, operations research, and manufacturing processes. The student’s ability to apply this material will be of fundamental importance to succeed in this program.
History
Today’s busy lifestyles have made it almost impossible for non-traditional students to go back to school in part due to work demands and family obligations. Stress levels have sharply increased and work life balance has become more of a juggling act. The rise in demands for an advanced degree not based on want but need to stay competitive in a tuff job market has also created a need for onsite extended degreed programs. A recent study indicates that participation in adult education has grown steadily over the past three decades (Kim and Creighton 2000; Creighton and Hudson 2002).
The onsite cohort program began in 2011 responding to the unique needs of the non-traditional student. The program is structured to serve the non-traditional student while creating value to their organization. For companies it makes sense that employees excel in a field they are already working in by utilizing the project-based assignments to show immediate ROI on the educational investment of the employer to employee. The organization benefits almost immediately because the project based learning structure has a direct value cost saving metric attached to it.
Success Matters
With traditional graduate education, success rate is at approximately 40% our blended learning format has a graduation success rate of 98%. In addition to the graduation success rate of our program participating companies have seen a substantial return on investment due to project based learning that establishes innovative concepts that save in obsolescence cost avoidance while developing their workforce with real world problem solving capabilities.
Unlike traditional programs, all participants have completed the program in 2 years. To date, 11 cohorts have participated, with more than 200 graduates. Of those graduates, many have been promoted within their organizations. The 12th and 13th cohorts are now underway, with 53 participants. For more information regarding this program, please contact:
Carla Arbogast
E-mail: carboga1@utk.edu
865-974-9965