News University of Northern Colorado

UNC’s Online Graduate Education Program Ranked Among the Nation’s Best

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

U.S. News and World Report has ranked the University of Northern Colorado's online master of education degree program among the best of its kind in the nation in the magazine's annual evaluation of online degree programs.

UNC's program ranked ninth among the 208 evaluated and was the top-ranked program in Colorado.

The magazine evaluated programs' student engagement, faculty credentials and training, student services and technology, and admissions selectivity in making the rankings. UNC's highest scores were in student engagement, which evaluated student satisfaction and instructor responsiveness, and faculty credentials and training.

"UNC has roots as a teacher preparation university and has a long-standing and strong reputation as a leader in preparing teachers and other education personnel," said Eugene Sheehan, dean of the UNC College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. "Recognition by U.S. News and World Report is a testament to the quality of education and service provided by our faculty and staff and our Extended Studies division."

UNC offers online advanced degrees in Special Education with multiple teaching specializations, Special Education Administration, Curriculum Studies and Educational Psychology with a Teaching Applications emphasis.

Online education has become an essential part of higher education with the number of schools offering fully online degree programs nearly doubling in the past 10 years, according to a study by the Babson Survey Research Group.

The complete list of rankings with school's scores in the categories evaluated is available at
http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings.

From Veteran to Graduate

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In March 2009, Chief Master Sgt. Stefney Dunson was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. In May, Air Force veteran Dunson walked across UNC's commencement stage to accept his diploma for a master's degree in Clinical Counseling.

"I chose the clinical counseling program because during my 28 years of service, counseling was something I was required to do daily," said Dunson, who did his coursework at UNC's center in Colorado Springs. "Whether it was at home station or deployed in a combat area, people needed someone to talk to about their issues, concerns and problems. Choosing this program was a natural fit for me."

After joining the military in 1982, Dunson was stationed in locations all over the world, including Italy, Alaska, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Afghanistan, where he led an embedded training team and added the Bronze Star to his more than 20 medals recognizing his service.

"An embedded training team is assigned to work directly with Afghan security forces [to prepare them to conduct independent anti-terrorism operations]. I had 250 Air Force, Navy and Army personnel assigned to me," Dunson said. "We also had assignments to mentor Afghan senior government, military and police officials. As the chief of the team, my responsibilities included assigning and developing teams, coordinating missions, overseeing security, training and safety."

Dunson currently works as the site director for Troy University in Colorado Springs, where he recruits and provides support to students. He's also completing an internship for his degree at the Rockies Counseling Center, the student clinic attached to the University of the Rockies, a graduate school also in Colorado Springs. Dunson is one of only a few students from outside schools allowed to complete their internships at the clinic.

"It had such a positive impact on my life because at the time I was retiring from the military, I was knee deep in my studies and I had a great group of people surrounding me," Dunson said.

Dunson hopes to become a licensed professional counselor and pursue his doctoral degree. His 18- year-old daughter plans to follow in his footsteps and transfer to UNC from Columbia College in Chicago to pursue her Clinical Counseling degree.

"It was an honor and privilege serving my country and though we take this one day to stop and recognize those who have served us, let's not forget the thousands of young men and women who are serving today," Dunson said. "Especially those who are serving in harm's way. May they all return home safe to their friends, family and loved ones."

UNC offers graduate programs in school counseling, clinical counseling and couples and family therapy at the Greeley campus and in its Denver and Colorado Springs locations. For more information, visit the programs' website.

- Elizabeth Same, Journalism Major

Veterans Day at UNC
Operation Thank a Vet, sponsored by UNC's Veteran Services office, gave out more than 100 T-shirts to students, faculty and staff who have served in a branch of the United States military. Veterans are encouraged to wear the yellow shirts with a UNC Bear logo on the front and ‘veteran' on the back on Veterans Day so that they can be identified by other members of the university community who want to thank them or give them a pat on the back in recognition of their service.

A group of UNC students will attend Greeley's Veterans Day ceremony at Bittersweet Park and invite two veterans to join them after the ceremony for complimentary lunch at Holmes Dining Hall.

Registration for UNC’s Summer Sessions Now Underway

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Registration for the hundreds of courses available during the University of Northern Colorado's 2011 summer sessions is now underway.

There are two six-week sessions that run May 16-June 24 and June 27-Aug. 5, a 12-week session from May 16 to Aug. 5 and a special eight-week session June 6-July 29 that's designed to accommodate schedules of professionals, working students, K-12 school teachers, counselors and administrators.

A variety of undergraduate and graduate courses and workshops will be offered at UNC's Greeley campus, its satellite centers in Denver, Colorado Springs and Loveland, and online.

Class offerings include a variety of subject areas for K-12 educational professionals, undergraduate liberal arts core courses required for graduation by most colleges, liberal arts elective courses and graduate courses applicable to a variety of advanced degrees.

For additional information about UNC's summer sessions, including a searchable course database, tuition and fees, registration and support services, visit the summer session website or call 970-351-2231.

Long-Distance Learning

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Even though Saara Schmidt moved to Durango after earning a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from UNC, she’s close to finishing a UNC master’s degree without setting foot in Greeley.

The 2007 graduate with an unusually-spelled first name is able to achieve her goal of earning a master’s degree in Criminal Justice despite living almost 400 miles from the school’s Greeley campus, thanks to UNC Online.

In addition to a variety of individual courses, UNC Online, part of the university’s Extended Studies division, also includes bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. Some are offered completely online; others combine online curriculum with summer on-campus experiences.

Schmidt’s quest for her master’s in Criminal Justice was aided by the fact that UNC offers the only online program of its type in the region. The program was designed for people with full-time jobs, families or other obligations to juggle.

“It’s good for independent learners,” Schmidt said of her online educational experience.

Another reason she jumped at the opportunity to continue her education at UNC is the caliber of faculty.

“The Criminal Justice program is great and the professors are awesome,” she said.

Many of the same faculty who teach on campus deliver most UNC Online courses and programs. These are experts who keep up to date with the latest advances in their fields.

UNC’s online programs and faculty utilize national quality standard for the design and delivery of online courses to ensure that they are following high academic standards equivalent to face-to-face courses.

Through her online program, Schmidt has discovered her passion for working with at-risk youth and as part of her curriculum, she’s working with a juvenile center to evaluate its effectiveness.

"I want to help get them out of the system before they are adults because I believe it is harder for people to get out as adults,” she said.

Schmidt is in her second year of the two-year program and is scheduled to graduate in May 2011. Unlike some of her classmates in the program, she’s planning to attend the commencement ceremony.

Online classes can also be used to catch up on credits or get ahead. UNC’s interim session, which begins Dec. 13, is a good way to do either. A variety of online classes are offered in most departments to help students reach their academic goals.

UNC Online has a new website that compiles all the online coursework offered at UNC. For more information, visit http://unconline.edu.

- Brittany Sarconi

Of Note
The University of Northern Colorado has been offering quality distance education since 1902 and was an early adopter of the online education model, beginning with the offering of its first online program over a decade ago.

New Website Becomes Hub for Growing UNC Online Offerings

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

UNC Online, a new website offered through the University of Northern Colorado Office of Extended Studies, will serve as the new portal to online education.

The site, unconline.edu, consolidates in a central location information on UNC's online courses and programs and provides resources for current and future students. An audio and visual online course demonstration provides an overview of how the courses work.

This fall, in line with national trends, more than 20 percent of UNC undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in one of 235 online courses offered at UNC. In addition to its Greeley campus, UNC offers programs online and at its three established centers at Centerra in Loveland, Lowry in Denver and in Colorado Springs — along with other revolving sites around Colorado.

There are multiple undergraduate and graduate online programs combined. Within the past year, five graduate programs have been added and more online programs are planned to be offered by summer. Some programs are entirely online and some require occasional workshop or labs on campus.

"UNC continues to focus on increasing access to education for adult learners who otherwise would not be able to fulfill their educational goals," said Patricia Book, assistant vice president of Continuing Education and Academic Outreach. "UNC Online exemplifies our commitment to making college education convenient through flexible and accelerated formats to meet the needs of working adults."

For more information, visit unconline.edu

The Name of the Game

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Like technology, teaching techniques in the classroom undergo changes to adapt to students’ needs. At UNC, two classes from distinctly different disciplines are among those that incorporate gaming technology to engage students and provide a more interactive learning atmosphere.

In Second Life, a free online 3-D virtual world, possibilities are endless. For students taking professor Tod Sedbrook’s junior-level Computer Information Systems class, Second Life serves as a virtual classroom where students are able to create personal avatars and immerse themselves into a mystifying online world.

UNC owns a 640-acre "island" on Second Life. The bear paw-shaped island houses virtual UNC buildings including Monfort College of Business and the UNC Technology Club, as well as several conference rooms and lecture halls located in the sky, on the ground and under the ocean. Guest speakers, professors and students from around the world are able to communicate with each other.

Sedbrook’s students also are able to experiment with 3-D business processes. By setting up, restructuring and fine-tuning virtual businesses, students gain real- life experience from the interactive simulation found on Second Life.

Gaming technology can even be incorporated into a classroom without computers. Mark Reinholz, a lecturer in Philosophy, has adapted the World of Warcraft’s system into his Introduction to Philosophy course to motivate students into philosophical discussions.

Students begin by choosing one of three rewards programs and each program has 10 levels with various abilities required at each level.

Reinholz thinks that since implementing and perfecting elements of the Warcraft system into the course, his classes have become more engaging and interactive, creating a more enjoyable classroom atmosphere and fostering a positive learning environment for open conversation.

"The system has really enhanced my class," Reinholz said. "It’s invaluable when students encourage their quieter peers to share their opinions or their more outspoken ones to argue a position contrary to their usual one."

Both instructors said that through using gaming technologies such as Second Life and World of Warcraft, their students are now more motivated to participate and engage in the classroom, creating for a better atmosphere, and truly bringing education to life.

- Fiza Johari

Thumbs Up for UNC Center on Interpreter Training

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A University of Northern Colorado center continues to gain global attention for its prominent programs and role as a leading authority in the field of American Sign Language-English interpreter training and practices.

Earlier this year, the DO IT (Distance Opportunities for Interpreter Training) Center was one of three U.S. sites and the only public university visited by representatives from Japanese universities looking to implement and improve interpreter training programs in their country.

According to center director Leilani Johnson, the center recently granted permission to the group to translate and use selected center materials in Japan.

"We’re always glad to share our experience and expertise with others," said Johnson, noting that the center is one-of-a-kind in that it offers degree and professional development programs in ASL-English Interpretation through a combination of online learning and intensive summer onsite training.

The center has also carved a niche in the legal field.

Assistant director Anna Witter-Merithew led a team of educators from six universities in a three-year, federally funded national effort to define the competencies and best practices of ASL-English interpreters working in legal settings. The resulting publication has been widely acclaimed, not only by ASL-English interpreters and organizations, but also by other legal and spoken language interpreter organizations.

The publication is included on the websites of two professional organizations - the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators and the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers. The National Center of State Courts has asked the team to convert the publication into one-page information sheets that will be supplied to state court administrators around the country.

The best practices also will be shared with administrators representing 74 of the nation’s 94 federal courts at an upcoming meeting in Washington, D.C.

"We’re seen as leaders in the field of legal interpreting," Witter-Merithew said. "We’re the only university in the country with a bachelor’s degree program in ASL-English interpreting in the legal system."

In addition to a bachelor’s degree program that includes an emphasis in legal interpreting, the center offers a four-semester professional certificate program and specialized advanced training in legal interpreting.

As part of that specialized training, Witter-Merithew will lead a two-week course July 19-30 in ASL consecutive interpreting in legal settings. In consecutive interpreting, the interpreter translates after the person being interpreted has finished speaking, rather than simultaneously. Students will hone their skills during mock cases held in Greeley court rooms.

Students in the legal interpreting degree and certificate programs will also receive practical training this month as part of their annual on-site learning experience, before working with mentors during real and mock cases in court rooms in Denver and Aurora.

- Gary Dutmers

The DO IT Center
Located at UNC’s campus in the Lowry neighborhood in east Denver, the center’s programs are offered through the Division of Continuing Education’s Office of Extended Studies. In addition to the legal interpreting emphasis, the bachelor’s program offers emphases in educational interpreting and community interpreting. The four-year degree prepares students for certification as an ASL-English interpreter. In addition to the Legal Interpreter Training certification program, the center also offers a certification program in educational interpreting for working professionals and a certificate program in interpreting leadership and supervision.

For additional information, visit the center’s website.

Registration for UNC’s Summer Sessions Underway

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Classes Offered in Denver, Colorado Springs, Loveland and Online

Registration for the hundreds of courses available during the University of Northern Colorado's 2010 summer sessions is now underway.

There are two six-week sessions that run May 17-June 25 and June 28-Aug. 6, a 12-week session from May 17 to Aug. 6 and a special eight-week session June 7-July 30 that's designed to accommodate schedules of K-12 school teachers, counselors and administrators.

A variety of undergraduate and graduate courses and workshops will be offered at UNC's Greeley campus, its satellite campuses in Denver, Colorado Springs and Loveland, and online.

Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/uncomedia

Building Cultural Bridges

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

UNC student Adriane Zachary once viewed the Middle East through the limited and at times harsh U.S. lens of what followed 9/11.

That was before the junior took a UNC class as part of a national project that brings together college students from the United States and Middle East, among others, through a series of online videoconferences. UNC is one of a select group of colleges and universities, and the only one in the state, participating.

"It has really challenged my world view," said Zachary, who's majoring in Audiology and Speech-Language Sciences and was nominated to moderate this year's session after participating last year. "Isn't that why you go to college, to challenge what you think?"

Her past two years with Soliya's Connect Program, headquartered in New York and offered through UNC's Life of Mind program, have taught her that American students have much in common with their Middle Eastern peers.

"We're more alike than we are different," Zachary said. "We all have compassion."

Added first-time participant Ryan Felton, a senior Geography major: "We're all college kids trying to get our education. They're just like us in that they want to live in peace."

Students from U.S. schools and abroad are divided into small groups and use webcams during the semester to link up. Facilitators, like Zachary, guide the discussion with scripted topics. Students are free to stray from the script and often veer from what's presented. Zachary recalls that her group skimped on the planned immigration discussion to address homeland and international media portrayal of Arabs and Americans.

Talk can turn to customs, religion, military conflict, laws and their pre-conceived notions - for example, reality television is not an accurate portrayal of real Americans, as Zachary and others have reminded their new friends when asked. Felton was asked during a session this semester what the cup from which he was drinking contained - technology allows the students to log-in from home using a webcam and Internet connection. When told it was water, the international students seemed surprised it wasn't alcohol, Felton said.

UNC students are required to produce videos of the experience, write reflective essays, make classroom and public presentations about their work and participate in regular, and often, very early videoconferences. Zachary says that she must log on at 5 a.m. ("I'd do it at 4 a.m.," she says) for each scheduled session.

"The class makes me want to go over there and see their culture," Felton added.

Of Note
UNC's Soliya students will be part of a statewide conference on distance learning in Vail. They are scheduled to talk about their experiences on Thursday, April 16, at the eLearning Consortium of Colorado event.

More about UNC's Soliya Connect Program
The Soliya Connect Program is part of the Life of Mind 292 class. The elective is open to all students through UNC's Center for Honors, Scholars and Leadership. "The Center for Honors, Scholars and Leadership is developing a cross-campus civic engagement initiative that offers international as well as place-based engaged learning opportunities to UNC students," says Michael Kimball, HSL director and the instructor of Mind 292. "The Soliya Connect Program illustrates this initiative's aspirations because it actually connects the local (the personal experience of UNC students) with the global (US-Middle East relations)." For more information about Life of Mind, visit http://www.unco.edu/hsl/mind.

- Nate Haas

Expanding Horizons

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Set against the backdrop of the foothills in a convenient location at the crossroads of U.S. 34 and Interstate 25, the University of Northern Colorado's new Center at Centerra keeps the working professional in mind.

Offered primarily on nights and weekends, classes in degree, professional development and non-credit certificate programs in a variety of disciplines promise to appeal to a range of interests.

The first classes started there this week. Initially, two programs are being offered at Centerra: a post-baccalaureate education program for college graduates who hold degrees in other disciplines and want to become elementary teachers, and a K-12 endorsement program in linguistically diverse education.

From March through July, workshops in Teaching with Primary Sources, funded through a Library of Congress grant, will be offered.

And this summer, a graduate program in Reading will begin at Centerra. Degree and certificate program in various disciplines are being developed and when ready will be offered at Centerra.

"We want to look at where we can provide resources that aren't currently being provided," said Jeanie York, director of UNC's Extended Studies.

To find out more about Extended Studies classes offered at Centerra and elsewhere, visit http://www.unco.edu/extendedstudies/.

Open House
The public is invited to an open house, 3-6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at UNC's Center at Centerra, located on the first floor of Rangeview Three, 2915 Rocky Mountain Ave. in Loveland.