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Semester Online Taps Wake Forest to Consortium
[September 17, 2013]

Semester Online Taps Wake Forest to Consortium


Sep 17, 2013 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- Semester Online, a program to offer for-credit undergraduate courses through a consortium of top-tier universities, announced that Wake Forest University is joining the consortium and will offer its first course in 2014.



According to a release, in a partnership with 2U, Inc., Semester Online offers rigorous, small, online, for-credit courses in real time, to qualified college students from anywhere in the world. Wake Forest joins the Semester Online growing roster of colleges and universities including Boston College, Brandeis University, Emory University, Northwestern University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Notre Dame, and Washington University in St. Louis.

In Spring 2014, Wake Forest will offer its first Semester Online course, Introduction to Bioethics, which will be taught by professor of biology Carole Browne. The course will examine contemporary issues in bioethics, including responsible conduct in research, implications of technological advances in biology, environmental issues, and controversies in health care and medical practices.


"Wake Forest's time-tested model of education, defined by a highly personal approach and a focus on educating the whole person, is characterized by small classes and a tight-knit community," said Rogan Kersh, Wake Forest University provost. "We have engaged in an ongoing campus-wide dialogue about how Wake Forest might best utilize online tools and other technological innovations to effectively enhance our high-touch, face-to-face educational experience. Semester Online is the first online program that is able to offer this level of engagement to our students and faculty." "We are excited to be partnering with Wake Forest University to continue offering the best and most engaging online education for students and faculty," said Andrew Hermalyn, executive vice president and general manager of Semester Online at 2U, Inc.

"At the heart of our liberal arts commitment is helping our students to develop the abilities to think critically, communicate effectively, and create original work- which leads to lives of passion and purpose," said Jacque Fetrow, dean of Wake Forest College. "We are exploring how technology can be used as a valuable supplement to this commitment. The Semester Online partnership will allow our students to continue taking classes towards a degree while studying abroad, taking advantage of an internship opportunity or fulfilling family obligations that might otherwise mean putting their studies on hold." More information: www.wfu.edu semesteronline.org ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected]))

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