Get Involved

How can a department or group of faculty members get involved in online education?

Due to the expense and staff commitment,ODE supports full degree programs but is not able to support individual courses,. In order to create a new online degree, ODE and a marketing partner work with the School or Program, its faculty members and Dean to ensure that the demand and marketplace potential is favorable for the proposed new program. In order to meet BU guidelines, after an initial period with steady enrollment increase, programs are expected to have 300 students enrolled. BU’s marketing partner will validate the online viability of the degree and help to decide whether the cost-benefit analysis is positive.

Academic departments interested in exploring an online degree should contact the Director of Distance Education.

Once a new online degree program is approved, what are the first steps in creating the courses for that program?

Once the decision is made to move forward, ODE provides an assigned instructional designer to work with faculty members, as well as offering training and support to those involved. The instructional designer partners with each faculty member to make his/her content online-friendly. The faculty member's content is supported through the use of outside materials, including photos, videos, Flash graphics and other interactive content. Each time a course runs, it is typically reviewed to ensure it is current and relevant. New content is added as needed.