This fall, Indiana University enrolled a record 9,362 students in online programs. Enrollees include students living in all 92 Indiana counties, all 50 states, and more than 50 countries. This year’s figure represents a 10 percent increase over last year’s record number, and is a testament to the power of a strong partnership between IU Online, Educational Design Services (eDs), University Communications and Marketing (UCM), University Enrollment Services (UES), Student Success (VPSS), and the campus community.
IU Online’s nearly 200 programs are created and taught by faculty at IU’s nine campuses. “The powerful partnership between IU Online and our campuses accounts for this year’s record number of students,” said Vice President for Regional Campuses and Online Education Ken Iwama. “Without the campuses’ broad support—and the synergy it creates—this growth wouldn’t be possible.”
Regional records, diverse populations
Overall, 11 percent of the university’s more than 90,000 students are enrolled in IU Online programs. This year, enrollments at the regional campuses topped 4,000 students for the first time; and each regional campus enrolled at least 400 students.
IU Online programs saw a 20 percent increase in both African-American and Hispanic/Latino populations and a more than 25 percent increase in the number of undergraduate 21st-Century Scholars.
Hot programs
The Kelley School of Business Master of Business Administration remained the largest online program with 1,554 students. The Master of Library and Information Science, offered through the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering at IU Indianapolis also saw strong enrollments (490 students), as did IUI’s Master of Social Work (486 students).
Many programs experienced strong growth. The Chancellors’ BS in Business Administration, offered through IU’s regional campuses, grew to 795 students. The BS in Psychology and BS in Mathematics, both offered through IU East, enrolled 521 and 262 students respectively. The RN to BSN program, offered through a consortium of all IU campuses, grew to 317 students. New programs, like the Chancellors’ BS in Accounting and the BS in Computer Science, both attracted strong enrollments (250 and 130 students respectively).
Ahead: Serving more Hoosiers, adding more programs
Looking to the future, Associate Vice President Chris Foley said that IU Online will continue to expand opportunities for students across Indiana. “We’re pleased with the growth,” he said, “and we’re looking forward to serving even more of Indiana, especially in counties that aren’t near an IU campus. If students can’t come to IU, online education will bring IU to them.”
IU Online is working with IU Bloomington leadership and faculty to relaunch some suspended programs and to launch new programs in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering; the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs; and the School of Education.
At IUI, new programs in the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the School of Education, and the Fairbanks School of Public Health are also being supported.
Finally, IU Online is working with education faculty at the regionals and IUI to develop a new master’s degree in the science of reading. The degree will support Indiana educators throughout Indiana in meeting new standards from the Indiana Department of Education.