King’s Online to include high schoolers and second-year studies
Financial District, NEW YORK--The King’s College is working to expand online education opportunities to include both second year course offerings and high school dual enrollment programs. According to President Andy Mills, this change is geared toward “reflect[ing] the rapidly changing educational landscape.”
President Mills, when asked about the changes to online education at the College, noted, “The move to online is to be able to reach more students with the education and perspective that King’s brings. The works of higher education is changing very quickly and students (and their parents) are looking for broader offerings.”
President Mills denied rumors that an enrollment cap of 600 would be instituted next fall. The move to increase online education opportunities is not related to enrollment numbers but rather is a comment on the necessity for King’s to pursue new opportunities in academia.
King’s Online has already offered first year classes, making King’s education more readily available for a number of students who studied online their first year and moved to New York for their second.
Cooper Crouch (’15) took King’s classes online last year.
“It prepared me for the level of work that King's expects of its students, and it forced me to study on my own and take really thorough notes because I didn't have a ‘class’ to rely on,” Crouch said.
Perhaps the dual enrollment opportunities for high school students are the most visible change.
According to content on the King’s website, “High School Juniors and Seniors can take up to 2 classes each sixteen week semester and one class each eight week semester to get a jump start on college.” These credits will transfer to King’s as well as other institutions of higher education. The classes cost $800 per 3-credit course, and include College Writing 1 and 2, Western Civ 2, Quantitative Reasoning, Foundations of Politics and Introduction to Old Testament.
Offering second year courses and partnering with high schools will undoubtedly expand the number of prospective students.
“Adding a second year would help the program because half of the courses offered (at this point) are considered second year courses on campus,” Crouch said. “I would like to see some dual classes offered too because it would give high school students a little bit of insight into King's setup and work load."
More options to study with King’s Online will increase both the affordability and the availability of a King’s education. This change will not only keep the College competitive with the changing educational landscape as President Mills pointed out, but it will further the mission of the school in such a way that more students can obtain a TKC education.