Rasmussen College Launches Flexible Degree Option To Help Students Save Money And Graduate Faster

Minneapolis (May 29, 2014)–To help meet the demands of today’s college students, Rasmussen College, a regionally accredited private college, today launched Flex Choice, a flexible degree option that combines faculty-led courses with competency-based, self-paced courses. The new innovative learning experience can save students up to $14,000 on the total cost of their degree and allow them to graduate up to six months sooner. Flex Choice is immediately available for qualified students enrolling in the Business Management Associate’s Degree program, with classes beginning July 2014.

“We understand there is no such thing as a traditional college student—our students often juggle work, families and other commitments. To better meet our students’ needs, we constantly look for ways to add flexibility to our degree programs while delivering the highest standard of education at an affordable cost,” said Kristi Waite, president, Rasmussen College. “With our new Flex Choice option, students complete the same quality faculty-led courses offered in our traditional Business Management Associate’s Degree program, but are also able to more quickly complete their general education requirements and prove competencies sought-after in today’s workforce through a library of online self-paced courses.”

Self-Paced Courses Add Flexibility, Decrease Time and Cost of Earning a Degree

In the innovative Flex Choice option, students enrolled in at least two faculty-led courses have the option to take up to 10 online self-paced courses at no cost. Faculty-led courses are reduced to six weeks, rather than the 11-week courses offered in the traditional degree program. The interactive, self-paced courses allow students to demonstrate valuable workforce skills most sought-after by today’s employers, such as customer service, conflict resolution and digital communication. In the game-based environment, students can move quickly through the courses and concepts they understand, or slow down and opt for support from academic coaches who are available to answer questions throughout their learning experience. Students receive credit for the course once they demonstrate they have mastered the skills and concepts.

“While most schools don’t offer this degree of flexibility in their associate’s degree programs, we are seeing positive results from our recent pilot of the self-paced courses,” said Trenda Boyum-Breen, chief academic officer at Rasmussen College. “Participants indicated the ability to complete their work when they want and at their own speed are critical factors in both enjoying and succeeding in their college experience. At the same time, we understand self-paced does not mean students should have to complete the work all on their own. That’s why we ensure students who participate in our online self-paced courses are fully supported with an academic coach and access to both technical and peer support.”

Rasmussen College is in the process of adding the Flex Choice option to additional degree programs. Earning an associate’s degree through the Flex Choice option will cost students less than $15,000. For more information, visit http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/flex-choice/ .