| IU,
PURDUE TEAM UP TO OFFER DISTANCE MASTER'S DEGREES TO GM
EDITORS: This is a joint release between Indiana
and Purdue universities. You may receive a similar announcement
from Purdue University. More background materials are
available from our Web sites, http://newsinfo.iu.edu
and http://news.uns.purdue.edu/
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- While they may compete hard in athletics,
Indiana’s two leading public research universities --
Purdue and Indiana universities -- are teaming up to provide
graduate education to future management at General Motors
Corp., using the latest in information technology.
The two universities today (April 23) announced that IU's
Kelley School of Business and Purdue's Engineering Professional Education program will join four universities in offering
a special one-two educational punch -- a master's of engineering
paired with a master's of business adminstration (MBA).
The offerings will be available via distance education
directly to GM professionals. GM is Indiana's largest
private-sector employer.
The new double degree program will enable employees to
earn the master’s degrees from their home or office, using
the Web and various other media. After earning master's
degrees in engineering from Purdue and other universities,
GM engineers then would be eligible to apply to the Kelley
Direct Online MBA program.
With the combination of degrees, GM employees are expected
to better meet industry standards for management roles.
"We at the Kelley School of Business are delighted
with our partnership with General Motors, Purdue University's
School of Engineering and these other fine universities,"
said IU Kelley School Dean Dan Dalton. "It is said
that you are known by the company you keep; this is, indeed,
terrific company. Most importantly, however, it is the
students who will benefit from the concerted efforts and
resources of this consortium."
Ray Eberts, director of Purdue's Engineering Professional Education department, said, "Engineers learn how
to use mathematical equations and technology to solve
engineering problems while managers emphasize financial
strategies and people skills. Those completing this double
degree program will learn the human side of technology
and combine engineering problem solving with financial
strategizing."
The degree programs will include material tailored to
GM and the automotive industry. The partnership comes
at a time when more and more engineers are leaving the
profession and distance education is becoming more viable
through advanced computer and telecommunications technology.
IU and Purdue are among the first research universities
nationally to provide specialized graduate programs in
this manner.
This combination of technical and managerial expertise
is increasingly central to helping corporations remain
competitive in a high-tech global economy.
GM's Technical Education Program currently offers engineers
continuing education with a number of other universities.
The new program will broaden the company's educational
offerings by adding the Kelley Direct Online MBA, a master's
degree in engineering from Purdue, a master's degree in
engineering management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
and graduate degrees from other universities involved.
The other universities offering master's degrees in engineering
through the GM program are Carnegie Mellon University,
Kettering University and the University of Michigan. Michigan
Technological University will offer a bachelors degree
in engineering.
The GM double degree program will start next January.
There are more than 1,400 GM engineers who have completed
master's degrees in engineering, and who are eligible
to apply.
IU's Kelley School, which offered the first fully online
MBA among nationally ranked top 20 business schools, will
deliver all coursework for its Kelley Direct MBA via the
Web. Purdue offers master's degrees in engineering that
can be customized to the needs of the client, based on
employees' job responsibilities.
The schools will deliver the advanced engineering education
via the Internet and videotapes of campus-based classes
to more than a dozen TEP sites across the country, in
Canada and Mexico.
#
|
