Press Release

UMassOnline Grows Again

Shrewsbury, MA – August 30, 2006 - UMassOnline, the University of Massachusetts' online education division, today announced that online education program revenue grew by 32 percent and  enrollment increased by 23 percent, in academic year 2006 (Sept 2005 – August 2006). Revenue from online programs was $22.9 million, up from $17.4 million in academic year 2005. Enrollments reached 21,682 up from 18,464 in academic year 2005.  

“We continue to see impressive growth in online enrollments, largely due to the quality and diversity of our academic programming,” said David Gray, UMassOnline CEO. “Students come to UMassOnline because we have a reputation for excellence and our faculty and staff are committed to fostering an innovative and rich learning environment.”

UMassOnline also attributes its growth to program expansion. In 2005-2006, 28 new programs were launched to meet consumer demand or serve niche markets. Programs included: two graduate level counseling programs, a Masters in Gerontology, a Bachelor of Arts Degree Completion program, a Behavioral Intervention in Autism certificate program, a Plastics Engineering certificate program and a Forensic Criminology certificate program.

“We are particularly pleased that Plastics Engineering is now available entirely online,” said Gray. “The program is one of a kind in the United States; offering it online enables us to serve a niche market, but one with global reach.”

Degree completion is another area where UMassOnline is serving an unmet need. According to the Census Bureau, more than 60 million U.S. Citizens aged 25+ have attained only a high school degree. With 9 degree completion programs to choose from, UMassOnline hopes to help this population achieve their dream of a college education – no matter where they are located.

To learn more about UMassOnline’s courses and degree programs, visit UMassOnline at www.UMassOnline.net  or call 508-856-1030.