Rasmussen College Expands Affordable, Accelerated Business Program Offerings To Help Meet Market Demand

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (February 28, 2012) – Rasmussen College today announced the launch of two new programs in its online AcceleratED^SM Bachelor’s Degree Completion Program portfolio – International Business and Business Systems Analysis. Designed specifically to help adult students quickly and affordably complete their Bachelor’s degree in order to advance their career, these proprietary programs offer a seamless credit transfer process, including credit for prior learning experience, and accelerated course completion that enables students to finish their degree in as little as 18 months.

Tuition for both programs is affordably priced at just $260 per credit.

“We are excited at this opportunity to expand our AcceleratED Bachelor Degree Completion programs into new areas in order to meet the growing need we are seeing in the market,” said Kristi Waite, Rasmussen College President. “We have specifically tailored these programs for adult learners who are highly motivated to complete the degree they once started and do it quickly at an affordable cost. This program helps students advance in their careers by providing a strong educational foundation in an expedited period of time while maintaining a work-life balance.”

In his State of the Union address, President Obama emphasized the important responsibility shared by the federal government, states, colleges and universities to promote access and affordability in higher education. According to his “Blueprint for Keeping College Affordable and Within Reach for All Americans,” this can be achieved by reigning in college costs, providing value for American families, and preparing students with a solid education to succeed in their careers. The AcceleratED Bachelor’s Completion Program at Rasmussen College directly aligns with this mission to change the state of higher education through competitive tuition pricing and an accelerated curriculum to aid in career advancement.

“It is our responsibility as an institute of higher education to develop affordable programs that address the needs and concerns of our students, the job market, and the American public,” said Rasmussen College Chief Executive Officer Tom Slagle. “At Rasmussen College, we are developing innovative solutions that focus on speed-to-degree completion and overall college affordability – it is our shared responsibility with Congress as a College to make sure we are working towards higher educational attainment for all students.”

Rasmussen College launched the first two AcceleratED Bachelor’s Degree Completion programs in October 2011 leading with specializations in Marketing and Human Resources/Organizational Leadership. Enrollment for the International Business and Business Systems Analysis degree programs are now open for classes beginning in April.

“Our AcceleratED students benefit from Rasmussen College’s proven instructional methodologies, top-notch faculty and demonstrated success in serving the adult learner, all within an accelerated program that offers a rapid time to completion,” Waite said. “Plus, the affordable tuition allows students to compete their degree under market costs and makes it ideal for our students with other obligations."

Recent studies have shown that demand for college-educated workers will grow as much as 16 percent over the next seven years, while demand for other workers will remain flat. By 2018, it’s estimated that nearly two-thirds of the nation’s jobs will require some postsecondary education or training, which makes increasing the number of college graduates critical for reaching key national economic goals.

In 2010, about 56 million people in the U.S. had completed some college coursework or attained an Associate’s degree. The Rasmussen College AcceleratED Bachelor Completer Program aims to help these aspiring college graduates obtain a Bachelor’s degree to enhance their opportunities for career growth and advancement.

Slagle concluded, “This is just one step in our commitment to address the education needs of the markets we serve. By providing students with an affordable and accelerated option to complete their Bachelor’s degree, we are confident that this will help increase students’ skills so that they can become marketable, advance in their careers, and in turn provide a better workforce for our communities.”

For more information, or to apply for Rasmussen College’s AcceleratED Bachelor’s Degree Completion program, visit www.Rasmussen.edu/AcceleratED .