Dive Brief:
- Cal State will debut its Los Angeles satellite campus this fall, expecting to enroll more than 300 students seeking affordable, accessible higher education options closer to work and home.
- Programs in social work, psychology, liberal arts and business administration will be offered in complement to the city’s growing and established industries.
- The satellite program, designed to be self-supporting through tuition, offers students course credits for about $425 per credit hour.
Dive Insight:
The satellite office remains a viable academic revenue option for students seeking affordable degree options that allow for in-person engagement and assistance. For larger institutions, and short of direct location with employment and startup networks, this works as an ideal support initiative to robust on-campus offerings and distance learning modules, but in theory should not be the primary learning alternative.
As massive open online courses and credentialing options grow in marketability and accessibility, colleges will forego the expense of renting and maintaining facilities to offer instruction. Making this transition will require campuses to increase their marketing efforts to working professionals and low-wage earning employees to promote access and mobility through education, and account for any gaps students may have in using distance learning technology.