PSU summer enrollment up in 2013

  Wednesday, July 31, 2013 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

Pittsburg State University enjoyed a substantial increase in summer session enrollment counts this year, both on and off campus.

 

More than 2,600 students enrolled in on-campus summer courses this year, an increase of seven percent over last year. That count includes 1,622 undergraduate students and 981 graduate students. Total credit hours earned from on-campus programs jumped to 12,499, a five percent increase over 2012 totals.

 

“We were very pleased with our enrollment numbers this summer,” said Dr. Bill Ivy, associate vice president of enrollment management and student success. “We offer a wide variety of summer course options, and it’s exciting to see so many students taking advantage of those opportunities here at Pitt State.”

 

The university saw an even larger increase in the number of students who enrolled in off-campus programs, particularly online courses. More than 1,325 students took an off-campus course this year, the highest number ever at Pitt State and a 31 percent increase over 2012 numbers. Total credit hours earned from off-campus courses this summer was up 38 percent to 5,855.

 

Ivy said that increase can be attributed to a variety of factors, but the main reason for the increase is the number of online courses offered this summer. Other off-campus options include Pitt State programs in Greenbush, Salina and at the Kansas City Metro Center.

 

“First and foremost, we offered the students what they wanted and needed,” Ivy said. “There are many of our students who return to their hometowns during the summer. Many of them wanted to take online courses and they wanted to take them from PSU. We increased our online offerings this year, and our numbers show that students appreciated and took advantage of the online courses we put in place. We take great pride in being able to offer students what they need, regardless of where they spend their summers."

 

With online courses becoming increasingly popular nationwide, Pitt State continues to add to its offering each year.

 

“Our online program grows every year, and it’s quickly become one of the most popular summer options for our students,” Dr. Lynette Olson, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said. “We have a lot of students who go back home for the summer to work, and our online offerings allow them to take PSU courses from familiar PSU faculty.”

 

The Fall 2013 semester at Pittsburg State begins Monday, Aug. 19.