Contact: Robbie Ward
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State is adding new online graduate degree programs in two engineering fields to help more working professionals and others expand their education through the latest in distance learning technology.
The university's Bagley College of Engineering began this fall providing both master of science and doctoral degrees in computer engineering and electrical engineering.
The college's computer-delivered degree programs initially included a master's in engineering and in industrial engineering, as well as a doctorate with a concentration in industrial engineering.
Rita Burrell, Bagley's manager of graduate and distance education, said the online programs provide students with options beyond--literally and figuratively--traditional campus classroom settings.
Currently, about 70 students--mostly from throughout Mississippi, but also in Maine, Texas and Canada--are enrolled in online MSU graduate engineering courses.
Dean Sarah Rajala said career success in the field often depends on continued professional development. For that reason and others, she said the college expects to see an increasing demand for online degree access.
"Engineers employed fulltime often do not have the flexibility, either because of work schedules or location, to enroll in on-campus courses or degree programs," Rajala said.
"Providing opportunities for professionals to continue their education in a flexible manner is advantageous to employees, employers and the university," she added.
Earlier this year, Bagley established a relationship with San Jose State University's Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering to enable students at the West Coast school to earn an online engineering doctorate from MSU. This partnership also allows MSU engineering majors to earn an SJSU master's degree, as well as engage in research with faculty at the Silicon Valley institution.
Burrell said the Bagley College also plans to expand online graduate programs next year to include a master's in civil engineering and a doctorate with a civil engineering concentration.
MSU's engineering graduate programs are nationally ranked. This year, they are among the top 100 in the U.S. News and World Report's "Best Graduate Schools" listing.
Also, the online master's of engineering program is ranked 11th among "best-buy online degrees in engineering" on the Web site www.geteducated.com.
For more information, contact Burrell at 662-325-5923 or rburrell@bagley.msstate.edu.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.