Individualized attention is the hallmark of service provided at IUN. Karen Whitehead, from the Division of Continuing Studies at IUN, counsels prospective student Charles Hardy about the options available to him at IUN.Individualized attention is the hallmark of service provided at IUN. Karen Whitehead, from the Division of Continuing Studies at IUN, counsels prospective student Charles Hardy about the options available to him at IUN.
The Master of Social Work program (MSW) was designed specifically with the needs of working professionals in mind. It is an outgrowth of expressed interest on the part of residents in the area for a two-year MSW program which could be completed on a part-time basis. Faculty work with students to plan the schedule of classes for each upcoming semester, making it as convenient as possible for them to attend.
Prior to starting the MSW program at IUN, the only alternatives available to students were to attend schools out-of-state (Illinois) or travel to Indianapolis where the IUPUI School of Social Work is located.
The Education Division has also developed a program to help working professionals enhance their backgrounds. Eight new workshops have been developed with the educator in mind who wants to pursue a Master's degree in education or fulfill professional development credits. Offered during Summer sessions at an accelerated pace, teachers take concentrated classes and earn full credit towards their goals. The short length of each workshop makes attending them more attractive to educators who don't want to spend their whole summer in a classroom.
Nursing students are also spending fewer days on campus. The nursing faculty streamlined the delivery of its courses to help students who want to go from RN to BSN in an accelerated manner -- in as little as 12 months. Known as the "Fast Track", students can complete all but two nursing courses by enrolling in two groups or "pods" of courses offered in two 10-week summer sessions. These "pods" meet just once a week from 8 am to 8 pm. Working RNs have praised the scheduling and commended the faculty for meeting their needs.
The Continuing Education division also shares in the commitment to the educational needs of adult learners. Its goal is to meet the needs of the community and promote the accessibility of the resources of the university.
One way this accessibility is achieved is through IUN's offsite locations. The newly opened Portage Instructional Site features the "Smart Start" program which allows students to complete their first year of general education requirements off-campus. Other credit and non-credit programs are offered at locations throughout Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties in a variety of learning formats.
Another unique way IUN makes education convenient to a large segment of the local population, steelworkers, is through the Swingshift College. Through this program, a Labor Studies certificate is available by taking courses offered on the main campus, near Gary worksites and through televised courses. Each class, with the same teacher and materials, is offered at two different times of day to make it easily accessible for workers on any shift.
Other certificate programs offered throughout the university address the needs of those students looking for either job-related or post-graduate programs to enhance their credentials, develop advanced skills for a current position, or who wish to embark on a new career.
Because of programs like these, students who attend IUN, whether they are traditional high school graduates or working professionals, can feel confident that they will receive every available opportunity to complete their studies in a manner compatible with their lifestyles.
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