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Engineering Offers On-line Master’s
Degrees in Civil Engineering
By Irene Burgo
Starting this fall, students can earn on-line master’s degrees in
two areas of civil engineering. Through distance learning via the Internet
or video teleconferencing systems, students in Colorado or Center City
Philadelphia may enroll in an on-line degree program in either civil engineering
or in the field of water resources and environmental engineering. Students
also have the option of enrolling in an on-line certificate program by
taking selected graduate courses to meet their career goals without pursuing
the full degree.
The on-line courses are taught in real time and projected
live, according to Dr. Robert Traver, associate professor of civil and
environmental engineering. “Students who choose the distance learning
option can view the class at the same time that it is being taught at
Villanova. If the live class doesn’t fit into their schedule, they
can view it at their convenience, at a later time as a streaming video,”
said Traver. Distance learning education is an advantage for working professionals
who cannot commute to campus for class because it offers them the benefit
of interaction with the instructor as well as other students. “The
real benefit of distance education is that interaction is possible when
students want to call in to the live class session,” explained Traver.
“If viewing the class live, students can email or phone in to the
class to ask questions or make comments. There may be a slight delay until
the call comes through, but even if the professor has gone forward in
the lecture, that is not a problem.
“The education students receive while earning
their distance learning degree is equal to the in-class degree,”
he noted. “The types of problems covered in the courses are those
students will encounter in the workplace in this area. We will explore
engineering issues that we expect to see five years from now.” Students
working on-line will submit homework and projects through email or fax.
Tests will be posted on the web and must be returned by fax or email within
a limited timeframe.
Working professionals with busy schedules should find
the on-line courses especially convenient. “Distance learning goes
hand in hand with our educational mission,” added Traver. “Previously,
lots of people in many areas of Pennsylvania had no access to graduate
programs.” As students work toward their degrees on-line, the robust
distance learning technology developed by the College of Engineering allows
24-hour access to all the notes and lectures for the courses. The length
of the on-line class is the same as regular class, including breaks, and
the cost of on-line credits is the same as in-class credits.
For more information, visit the civil engineering web
site at http://engineering.villanova.edu/ce, or contact the department
at ext. 94960. For further assistance or for technical information, call
Sean O’Donnell, distance education coordinator for Engineering,
at ext. 95054.
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