Kaplan University has been doing some expansion. They will offer three new master's degree options as well as several undergraduate degree programs in fields that are experiencing rapid job growth. Among the new programs are a Master of Science in Management, Master of Science in Higher Education, and a Masters of Science in Nursing. As someone who has kept up with the degree offerings of Kaplan for the last four years, I think these degrees are a natural progression in terms of growth. Overall, they are going to offer over a dozen new degree and certificate programs!
As someone who has (almost) earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Kaplan University, I can imagine that the Masters in Management will be a really comprehensive program that builds upon the foundation I have worked on for the last four years. I can’t speak to the other programs, but I’m sure they will do the same for their respective fields.
Another aspect of growth at Kaplan somewhat threw me for a loop. Last week, Kaplan announced the launch of Kaplan University High School, a national online high school option. The new entity, called Kaplan Virtual Education will provide high school students with high-quality, online programming. The new virtual school will offer innovative and flexible programming for traditional and nontraditional-aged students. Students of all ages will have the opportunity to earn their high school diploma and improve their work opportunities or even go on to college.
I am going to throw out an opinion here that some may or may not agree with. My opinion may also be a little off-base due to the lack of research I’ve done on virtual high schools. But here it goes.
I think that if a school (Kaplan or any other college) wants to offer online high school for adult learners who had failed to get their high school diploma when they were younger, that’s a great idea. I think the adult learner will benefit a lot more from that than getting a G.E.D. Also, as a veteran of Kaplan, I know that they will ensure the programs are rigorous.
What I don’t agree with at all is letting someone who is of high school age (16-18) attend online high school full-time. I am not even sure this is going to be allowed, but it’s something I’ve thought about for a while. With distance learning growing like crazy, it was just a matter of time before this happened.
Students at that age need the exposure and experience that high school provides. Adult learners are traditionally more responsible than teens, and fit into the mold a little better. But you all knew that. I just hope that this endeavor doesn’t compromise the learning experience of our young people.
With that, I commend Kaplan for their foresight and continued growth.