Extended Offerings

The ranks of Baylor students who pursue their Baylor graduate degrees online are growing — and with them, Baylor’s reach is extending across the country through a burgeoning roster of degree programs offered in online and hybrid formats.

Nearly 3,000 students are currently part of this online community of scholars, learning remotely as they continue professional obligations all across the nation. With an average age of 34, they’re pursuing career advancement and impact in disciplines like education, business, physical therapy, nursing and more across six Baylor schools and colleges. As their ranks grow, administrators and faculty across campus are working to ensure Baylor’s caring community is experienced in the context of online education.

“I want to be careful how I say this — we want to make it easy to be a student,” Gary Carini, Ph.D., vice provost for institutional research and professional education and professor of entrepreneurship and corporate innovation, said. “Not that the coursework is easy — it’s rigorous. And our online and professional students have a lot on their plate. But we want to make it administratively easy to be a student, with faculty who meet them where they are and resources that give them a great Baylor University experience that is unmatched.”

For online and professional students, this means connections with and access to faculty members, a hallmark of the on-campus experience. Professors are intentional about linking with students who often take part in asynchronous courses. Additionally, online students have access to the Career Center, Writing Center and other resources to help them on their journey before and after their time at Baylor. Further, Baylor’s Graduate Student Association has elected a committee chairperson for the online community. This position represents their interests and articulates their needs to offer additional virtual opportunities for professional and personal connection.

“We build those student services like we have for decades,” Carini said, “but expressed in this particular context to meet the needs of online students so they can achieve the goals that God has laid upon their heart.”