Conventional wisdom holds that when the economy sags enrollments for night classes at universities and colleges swell as professionals either look to bolster a resume or to switch careers altogether.
But even with the business world limping along, many local schools have not seen an influx of students in continuing education classes – not yet, anyway.
At Providence College, Madeleine Metzler, associate dean of the School of Continuing Education, said about 1,000 students registered for the fall semester, nearly the same as a year ago.
Metzler figured some are finding that money is too tight to take classes right now. Others, however, are determined to find a way to make it work.
“It is harder for students to find the money to go back to school, but they are also recognizing that it’s an important investment to make,” she said. “In a time when people are cutting back on expenses, there are many still willing to invest in their ongoing professional training.”
Roger Williams University in Bristol has also seen enrollment in continuing education programs remain relatively flat. John Stout, dean of the School of Continuing Studies, said about 600 people registered for part-time offerings at the school this fall.
That said, Stout said the negative effects of a down economy may start trickling down soon, nudging more people with experience into the classroom. “We’re beginning to feel it,” he said, noting that interest in his programs is picking up.
The fact enrollments haven’t changed markedly at most local schools can also be viewed as a positive sign for those who rely on professional-development reimbursement programs to pay for continuing education.
Joanne McQuesten, Johnson & Wales University’s director of continuing education admissions, said participation in the school’s night classes – both degree programs and certificate programs – had increased slightly this fall to about 800 students.
At the same time, she said it appears that about the same percentage of students are receiving reimbursements from their employers.
Things are a bit different at the University of Rhode Island and the state’s other public colleges.
With the state’s unemployment rate reaching 8.5 percent in August, John O’Leary, director of special programs at URI’s Providence campus, said a greater number of people are taking advantage of the state’s tuition waiver offered to those receiving unemployment benefits.
Many of those people are appearing in non-credit, professional-development courses.
“You’re seeing more folks going to school looking for a new direction,” he said.
Local universities and colleges continue to sharpen the focus of their continuing education programs, which has led to a number of course changes for the fall semester.
Bryant University’s Executive Development Center added two new certificate programs in response to demand: business continuity and business strategies for the nonprofit enterprise.
Professionals can take one of a dozen management and leadership certificate programs at the center. Tuition for those programs ranges from $3,500 to $4,000. The center also offers weeklong “boot camps,” on certain topics such as project management and business analysis, and it provides customized onsite corporate programs.
“A lot of our students are people who have gotten a promotion or a new job because of their technical skills, and now they need help with the management skills,” explained Annette Cerilli, the center director.
Providence College created a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership, a program targeting people already in the work force who need training in business and leadership skills.
“It’s a combination of traditional business with some forward-thinking approaches,” said Metzler.
At Roger Williams University’s School of Continuing Studies, administrators have phased out the certificate courses, wanting instead to focus on degree programs.
“[The non-credit programs were] sort of out in right field,” Stout said. “They didn’t have much of a connection to the university.”
Meanwhile, RWU’s continuing ed program has increased its focus on “distance learning” through online academic classes, which are also offered at other local schools.
Stout said Roger Williams offers seven degree programs that students can take completely online, if they so choose. There are other “hybrid” courses that have a reduced classroom component.
“It’s the fastest-growing form of education” at RWU, Stout said. “People who are used to going to a classroom are realizing that they can do the same course online. In some cases, these are people who work one or two jobs, and this saves time and money. They don’t have to commute to a campus.”
Stout said about dozens of National Guard members and other soldiers have taken the criminal justice course – even after being deployed to Afghanistan and Iraqi – through RWU’s online program. Time differences don’t matter because lectures, slide presentations and notes can be viewed at anytime, Stout said.
Unlike RWU, Johnson & Wales has bolstered its certificate offerings this fall, McQuesten said. The school added human-resource management, financial-service management, operation management in the College of Business, and a travel agency certificate in the College of Hospitality.
Those additions illustrate how vital the continuing education program is to Johnson & Wales.
“It is very important because it’s the local community” that registers for these courses, McQuesten said. “We’re helping them better themselves.” •
