WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Beginning this fall, students at Missouri State University-West Plains will be able to complete all of the credit hours required for the Associate of Arts in General Studies degree completely online.
Dr. Dennis Lancaster, dean of academic affairs, said university officials received approval last fall from its accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission in Chicago, Illinois, to offer the degree online, and all of the components are now in place to give students who find it more convenient to take online classes the opportunity to earn a complete degree without having to make several trips to campus each week.
“Most of our courses that lead to the Associate of Arts in General Studies degree are already online, some for several years now. Given that and the interest in online education from around the country, the next logical step was to make the entire degree available online,” he said.
Currently, 70 classes are part of the online curriculum, and several have multiple sections of the class available. There also is enough variety in the course offerings that students could specialize in certain areas. “You should be able to specialize in business, child and family development, agriculture and perhaps others as courses continue to be added in the online format,” he said.
Students also will be able to complete classes such as biology and chemistry, some of which even have laboratory components, online, as well. “Some labs are now available online through special software and course activities,” Lancaster said. “Some require the student to complete less complicated assignments at home, while others are facilitated virtually.”
For students like Willow Springs resident Michelle Bryan, a stay-at-home mom with two active sons, news of the online degree program is definitely welcome. No stranger to online education having completed an associate’s degree through another institution several years ago, she said she was pleased to learn she could take several of the general education classes she needed for a social work degree from Missouri State University in Springfield online through Missouri State-West Plains.
“I considered driving to West Plains to take courses, but the online classes were so convenient,” she explained. “My kids are so active, so being able to work around their schedules was great.”
Bryan, who began taking online courses through Missouri State-West Plains in spring 2014, said she completed her assignments while five-year-old Logan and seven-year-old Tucker were in school or taking naps.
She admits it has been difficult at times. “You really have to make a plan and stick to it. The classes still require a lot of work, so you have to make yourself do it. You have to manage your time, and that’s what I struggled with the most. I printed out everything and got a planner, wrote down when everything was due, and set aside time to make sure I got assignments done,” she said.
Bryan set aside at least an hour each day to work on her assignments. “I always tried to stay at least a week ahead in case one of the kids got sick or something came up,” she said. “I never wanted to be working on an assignment the night before it was due.”
She also received a lot of support from her husband, Steven, as well as her mother and mother-in-law, who were always willing to step in and help with the children if she needed extra time to focus on her schoolwork.
Lancaster said it’s that kind of support and dedication that makes a successful online student. “There is a lot of self-direction and independent study required of these online courses, and if you’re a procrastinator, you will definitely be challenged by the clear, but strict, regimen of the online course format,” he said.
Still, for students like Bryan the benefits far outweigh the struggles. “If I can do online classes while my sons are at home, I can complete my degree and find a career after they enter school. I really believe this way works out better for me,” she said.
Lancaster said students who want to complete the degree online also should consider the technology components they must have to be successful. “This is critical, as the delivery of the course content and the student’s ability to communicate with the instructor are contingent on the technology available to the student,” he stressed.
“An up-to-date computer, typically a PC-platform with an operating system similar to Windows 7 or higher, is required. High-speed Internet is definitely recommended, although some things can be done with slower speeds and narrower bandwidths. To ensure the best experience possible online, students should contact the Missouri State-West Plains Help Desk at 417-255-7995 for specific recommendations or to assess whether or not their current technology will work as will be expected by instructors,” he added.
A complete list of online classes scheduled for the 2015 summer session and fall semester can be found at grizzlyden.missouristate.edu/Schedule.htm. Printed copies also are available by calling 417-255-7955.
Regular registration for 2015 fall semester classes is now underway. For more information about admissions and registration procedures, call the admissions office at 417-255-7955 or toll free at 1-888-466-7897 or visit the university’s website, www.wp.missouristate.edu.