A growing demand for online programs calls upon universities to be agile in developing and delivering online courses that address students’ needs in a just-in-time manner. Students look to online programs to build and augment skills for life and work in a fast-changing world.
The Office of Collaborative Academic Programs (OCAP) and Office of Online Education (OOE) have adopted an updated process for developing and approving academic programs. The process significantly shortens the time to approval. Under the new process, programs can be approved within a year, instead of the former span of two to three years.
The major change comes at the stage where faculty select the curriculum for a program. Now, rather than working for an extended period of time via video and email, faculty spend one or two days collaborating face to face. This more succinct process is especially helpful in collaborative program development that involves multiple campuses. The new process continues to guarantee that online programs are as rigorous as those delivered face to face.
This process has many advantages. A quicker approval process means OOE can get more programs up and running, providing students with more options. More agile development means timelier courses that keep pace with evolving student demand. As students discover more options, online enrollment numbers will rise. And Indiana University will continue to advance its reputation as a leader in online education.