September 11, 2005 —
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The home page of the Viterbi School's Distance Education Network, http://den.usc.edu/, is a familiar sight on student computer screens across the United States and now, around the world.
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Enrollments for the fall semester are now on the books, and the figures
show that the University of Southern California's innovative graduate
distance education program is continuing its rapid growth and expanding
its geographical reach.
The USC Viterbi School of Engineering Distance Education Network (DEN)
recorded a 34 percent overall increase over Fall enrollments last year,
with triple digit gains in many degree programs. Enrollments more than
quadrupled in Civil & Environmental Engineering and Systems
Architecture & Engineering; and more than doubled in Petroleum
Engineering.
This fall, DEN enrolled its first international students - individuals
who will be taking graduate engineering courses at USC without leaving
their homes abroad. Two students from South Korea, as part of an
international education agreement just signed with Korean Air.
The bottom line:1272 students, from virtually all states and abroad
signed up for more than 1649 graduate engineering courses at USC.
"The response from students continues to be exceptional," said DEN
executive director Kelly Goulis. "DEN enables engineers to advance
their education and strives to serve the needs of our busy students.
DEN, which has emerged as the leading institution in graduate
engineering distance education, now offers 28 different Master of
Science degrees and five Graduate Certificates online. In addition to
those mentioned, disciplines include astronautical engineering,
biomedical engineering, computer science, engineering management,
electrical engineering and aerospace & mechanical engineering.
Most DEN students are full time engineers working at companies such as
Boeing, Chevron, QUALCOMM, or Raytheon, but increasing numbers are
individuals working on their own. All students must meet the standard
admission requirements of the graduate programs of the Viterbi School,
currently ranked seventh in the nation, third among private
universities, by U.S. News and World Report.
Goulis said DEN additionally intends to generate awareness of DEN
programs at major engineering conferences this fall. At each one, a
senior Viterbi School faculty member will be on hand. The conferences
include:
