FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY

The Virtu@l Campus ™
Columbus, Ohio

Distance Learning Program

Franklin University has a total distance education enrollment of 4,209, an Online M.B.A. Program enrollment of 219, and an eArmyU enrollment of 666.

Delivery Media

Students in Franklin's Virtu@l Campus^™ access courses, programs, and student services via the Internet. All of Franklin's Virtu@l Campus^™ classes are designed to incorporate electronic communication tools that include chat rooms, bulletin boards, whiteboards, e-mail, and a grade book that can be accessed by students and faculty members online.

The Balanced Learning Format (BLF) course design and delivery format provides students with a wide range of offerings to meet their learning needs and busy schedules. With three-, six-, twelve-, and fifteen-week course lengths, new classes start every few weeks. The BLF allows students to anticipate consistent time commitments from week to week and from class to class. Franklin University uses a team of instructional designers, faculty members, and developers to create courses. This guarantees students consistent course outcomes, experiential learning, and consistent grading criteria.

Programs of Study

Franklin serves degree-seeking candidates, students who want to continue their education, and those who are interested in experiencing online learning. Franklin's Virtu@l Campus^™ offers ten undergraduate programs and one graduate degree program, the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.). The Online M.B.A. Program, which includes eight focus areas, is a seventeen-month program consisting of six-week courses and 2 three-day, high-intensity learning residencies. Admitted students can enter the M.B.A. program at multiple points along the academic calendar. The online graduate program enables students to continue their careers, balance family and social commitments, and still reach their educational goals.

Ten bachelor's degree completion majors are offered online: accounting, applied management, business administration, computer science, digital communication, health-care management, information technology, management, management information sciences (MIS), and public safety management. Two additional majors, human resources management and marketing are planned to be available online beginning fall 2005.

Franklin University continually updates its programs and schedules to stay current with industry trends and the ever-changing job market.

Student Services

Through Franklin University's student-centered approach, each student is matched with a Student Services Associate (SSA) who, along with the course faculty members, becomes an important contact at the University. SSAs serve as both an initial and long-term resource, working from initial application through graduation.

The Community College Alliance (CCA) program is an educational alliance with more than 217 two-year colleges in thirty-one states. The CCA enables community college graduates, or those with equivalent credit, to earn a bachelor's degree from Franklin without leaving their community. Students complete their degrees through a combination of on-site courses at the community college and online courses through Franklin. For more information, students may visit the program's Web site at http://www.alliance.franklin.edu.

Franklin University's primary objective is to provide services and programs for students who work full- or part-time. Franklin is focused on providing students with a supportive environment that allows achievement of goals and provides a practical education with immediate application in the workplace. Students learn from professionals who practice what they teach, are accessible, have a wealth of experience, and exhibit a true commitment to teaching and learning. Franklin University is an independent, nonprofit institution that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2002. It has offered online courses since 1996 and currently offers ten undergraduate majors as well as an Online M.B.A. Program through its Virtu@l Campus™. In 1998, the University unveiled the Community College Alliance (CCA) Program, which encourages community college graduates to obtain a bachelor's degree by combining on-site classes at their community colleges with online classes through Franklin. In addition, Franklin was chosen as one of the initial institutions partnerning with the U.S. Army to offer online learning opportunities for soldiers through the eArmyU Program and has served more than 1,300 students to date through the Virtu@l Campus™.

Credit Options

Franklin University has a credit transfer policy that is more student-friendly than those at most other institutions. More than 75 percent of Franklin students have transferred credit from other colleges and universities. Students also can earn credit outside the classroom through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), Franklin University Proficiency Exams (FUPE), and Prior Learning Portfolios.

Faculty

Franklin faculty members enrich the virtual classroom with special talents and abilities drawn from successful careers in business, industry, government, and social service. Franklin University faculty members are working professionals who provide both excellence in teaching and real-world experience.

Admission

Admission to the Franklin M.B.A. program is based on the following selection criteria: a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, a minimum of four years of full-time work experience, a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale (GMAT scores are considered if the GPA is below 2.75), and a score of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) or better on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

To apply transfer credits from an other institution, all official transcripts should be directly forwarded to Franklin University from the previous institution(s); however, a student can begin a distance learning course before the transcripts have been received.

Tuition and Fees

For the 2004–05 academic year, tuition for undergraduate online courses from Franklin University is $233 per credit hour for standard courses and $292 per credit hour for computer science, MIS, and information technology courses. For Online M.B.A. Program courses, tuition is $386 per credit hour.

Financial Aid

Franklin offers a variety of financial aid options, including a deferred-payment plan for students whose employers offer a tuition reimbursement program. More than 75 percent of Franklin students receive some type of financial assistance through grants, scholarships, loans, employer tuition reimbursement, and student employment. Franklin University awards approximately 250 scholarships every year to new and current students.

CONTACT

Franklin University Virtu@l Campus^™
201 South Grant Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 877-341-6300 (toll-free)
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.franklin.edu

Applying

Anyone who is a graduate of an accredited high school or has passed the GED test is eligible for admission as a degree-seeking undergraduate student. Those seeking a bachelor's degree must complete an admission application and forward an official high school transcript or an official GED test score report to Franklin.