Peru State College Listed Fourth in the Nation for College “Best Buy”
                                           PSC’s Graduate Program Lauded Among 25 Most Affordable Nationwide

(PERU, NE) Peru State College, already making history for a near 20 percent enrollment increase this Fall, has been named fourth in the nation for affordable accredited distance-learning graduate degrees.

“GetEducated.com recently completed our biannual survey of 101 accredited distance-learning grad degrees in education and education allied fields in the USA,” said Vicky Phillips, CEO and Founder of GetEducated.com, LLC. “Peru State College’s distance masters program has been awarded a “Best Buy” designation by our independent editorial team based on a review of competing options available nationwide.”

In a letter to Peru State officials, Phillips said “A Best Buy designation indicates that Peru State’s program has been found to offer a high quality, accredited, distance degree at a cost well below the national average. In an age when college costs are skyrocketing you should be proud of your program’s success at making higher education more accessible to working adults through the double merits of distance learning and affordable pricing,” she said.

“We are proud to get this kind of national recognition,” said Dr. Ben Johnson, president of Peru State College. “We know that besides offering an excellent accredited program with a flexible schedule, tuition cost is a major factor to our students. I think this is one strong reason why students are turning to Peru State in record numbers.”

Peru State posted a record 19.6 percent increase in enrollment this year.

Peru State was listed fourth place in the survey, ahead of all other Nebraska colleges and universities, including the University of Nebraska—Kearney (ranked 5th) and the University of Nebraska—Lincoln (ranked 9th).

Peru State College’s online tuition for resident and non-resident students is $114.00* per credit hour for undergraduate students, $143.00* per credit hour for graduate students. GetEducated.com was cited in the April 2005 Newsweek as the “source for weeding out phony degrees.” The organization only includes accredited colleges and universities in its listings. Peru State College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and has continuing accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. Peru State is Nebraska’s leader in online degree programs, featuring the online masters degree in education and six bachelors degrees, as well as online certificates of achievement.

“We are known for our commitment to removing obstacles to a quality education, and this is another example of this philosophy,” added Dr. Johnson. “We strive to find ways to best serve Nebraskans and the world with the finest education services delivered face-to-face or online.”

Peru State’s School of Education and Graduate Studies offers innovative choices for the prospective graduate student, including the Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction. Students may enroll in one of two options in this 36-credit hour program, Teaching and Learning and Instructional Technology. Both programs are aimed at classroom teachers seeking to improve their skills.

Many students have expressed interest in the Higher Education and Organizational Development (HEOD) track that exists within the Teaching and Learning option. The HEOD track is aimed at those who work with adults in other learning situations outside the P-12 school environment.

“Faculty from the School of Education and School of Professional Studies have worked collaboratively to enhance our existing program to reach a broader audience,” said Dr. Johnson. “For example, people working in the area of corporate training, college admissions, student services or student advising can now benefit from this option as it combines the best of the existing program with the addition of courses aimed at the adult learner.”

Besides the masters degree, Peru State offers six online bachelors degrees. Classes for most of the degree programs are offered in an accelerated eight week format. These online degrees include School of Professional Studies disciplines such as Bachelor of Applied Science in Management--a degree geared towards persons who have previously earned technical associates degrees or the equivalent; Bachelor of Science in Management; Bachelor of Science in Marketing; Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.

“Online degree programs make sense,” Dr. Johnson said. “People want to get a better job or to advance at their present job—that takes education. Getting a college education can be challenging, especially if you are working full time or have other time or geographic constraints. Online degrees are proven to be more flexible and affordable. These degrees really help people get a quality education that better meets the needs of their schedules.”

Peru State’s School of Arts and Sciences offers the online Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts degree, which features concentrations in psychology/sociology/anthropology, history/political science and English/journalism. This degree can open numerous career opportunities in a wide variety of professions.

The School of Education and Graduate Studies expanded its outreach this Fall by offering both options in the Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction in an accelerated cohort format. A cohort is a group of students who stay together as one class throughout the required courses leading to a degree. Students gain from the networking and bonding with colleagues in the class and have a chance to focus on the real school issues from a practical as well as a theoretical point of view.

For more detailed information on and an application to Peru State College’s Graduate Programs, visit www.peru.edu  and click on the “Graduate Studies Masters Degree” button. Graduate program and application materials are also available by calling 402-595-1866. Undergraduate program and application materials are available by calling the Office of Admissions at 800-742-4412 or 402-872-2221. The application for undergraduate programs is available online under the "Apply for Admission" button on the homepage located at www.peru.edu  .

A complete list of the Top 25 Best Buys in Online Education Degrees can be viewed at: http://www.geteducated.com/rankings/best_edu.asp  .

Peru State College, Nebraska’s first and fastest growing college is nestled in historic Southeastern Nebraska. Peru State offers online and traditional Bachelor’s degree programs in arts and sciences, pre-professional fields, professional studies and teaching. The School of Education and Graduate Studies offers an online and traditional Master of Science in Education degree with a major in curriculum and instruction. Peru State is a member institution of the Nebraska State College System. For more information, visit Peru State on the web at www.peru.edu  or call 1-800-742-4412.

* Denotes the tuition rate for the 2005-06 academic year.  To see the current rates, please visit the Business Office at this location http://www.peru.edu/businessoffice/tuitionfees2006_07.htm

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