Master's Has Emphasis on Online Learning

Fairmont State University, a leader in the field of online learning and an institution with a long history of educating teachers, is becoming the first university in the state to offer a Master's Degree in Education with an emphasis in Online Learning.

"As more and more non-traditional students enter college, the need for online courses is going to continue to increase, as will the need for more faculty and teachers with online teaching skills," said Dr. Roxann Humbert, Associate Professor and Director of Learning Technologies for Fairmont State.

The degree offers an emphasis in online learning for those seeking a Master's Degree in Education and is also offered as a stand-alone certificate program. Graduate students may choose this 18 graduate credit emphasis as part of FSU's existing Master of Education degree.

Teachers, faculty and others interested in teaching online may acquire a certificate as a Master Online Instructor (MOI). The certificate, which is being issued jointly by Fairmont State University and the West Virginia Virtual Learning Network, can be earned through a one-year fast-track program. The coursework focuses on the best practices in online learning as identified by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), the American Higher Education Association (AHEA) and the SLOAN Foundation.

"The master's degree program will benefit K-12 teachers and community college faculty who want to teach virtual classes, and the certificate program will benefit faculty who have a terminal degree and employers who want to develop online teaching skills," Humbert said.

All faculty members teaching the courses in the program have at least five years of online teaching experience. Fairmont State now offers about 100 online course sections each semester through WebCT/Vista, one of the most widely used course management systems.

Those who wish to enroll in either the master's degree program or the certificate program must first be admitted to the FSU School of Graduate Studies. For an application and more information about the courses being offered, visit: http://www.fairmontstate.edu/graduatestudies.

For more information about the Online Learning program, contact Dr. Roxann A. Humbert, Graduate Associate Professor, at (304) 367-4160 or by e-mail at rhumbert@fairmontstate.edu.