Beaming the classroom to the workplace

All across the country, some corporate employees are getting more out of their time at work than others. They’re fulfilling their job responsibilities while working toward completing their graduate education at Lehigh.
The Office of Distance Education offers 11 different master’s-level degrees and multiple graduate certificate programs to working professionals by bringing the classroom right into the workplace via live satellite broadcasts through the Lehigh Educational Satellite Network (LESN) and over the Web through the LESN-Online program.
In addition, as part of the university’s commitment to life-long learning, the distance education office is offering Lehigh alumni the opportunity to take one non-credit online or satellite course offered through LESN or LESN-Online per semester at no charge.
“This offer is available to all alumni, however some courses are exempt and the list of eligible courses plus registration form will be posted on the distance ed Web site every semester,” Moughan says.
This fall, two new degrees in mechanical engineering were launched (M.S. and M.Eng.). In spring 2005, a master’s in information and systems engineering as well as a graduate certificate in regulatory affairs will be offered. A complete online MBA with concentrations in either project management or supply chain management will be available in fall 2005.
“LESN is convenient, flexible and interactive—it’s the closest thing to being in a classroom setting because you are watching the actual real-time lecture and can participate in live classroom interactions,” says Lisa J. Moughan, marketing coordinator for distance education. “If you have a question for the instructor, all students—including those receiving the course at company sites such as Merck and General Motors—will benefit from it as well.”
Since it was launched in 1992, the distance education program has established partnerships with close to 50 corporate sites across the country, including Air Products and Chemicals, GlaxoSmithKline, GM, Honeywell, Ingersoll Rand, and Merck.
“We’re moving in step with industry and developing new programs that are in demand, flexible and convenient,” Moughan says. “We’re growing and our emphasis is on making Lehigh’s superior quality educational programs more widely accessible.”
For more information on distance education at Lehigh, check out their Web site.
--Elizabeth Shimer