Addison Watson
Staff Writer
Levi Brandenburg
Contributing Writer
Murray State will launch online graduate programs in five areas of study in fall 2020.
The University has come to an agreement with Academic Partnerships, an online program management company based in Dallas, Texas, that builds and markets online graduate programs for higher education institutions.
Five of Murray State’s online programs being marketed by Academic Partnerships will allow graduate students to enroll from well outside the University’s service region.
Of the five programs, four are based in the Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business, and one is in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. The programs are public relations, business analytics, cybersecurity, information systems and public administration.
The graduate program for cybersecurity will replace the current program for telecommunications management.
All five programs will allow students to earn a master’s degree on either an 18-month track or a two-year track, depending on how the degree tracks are created.
The University agreed to a seven-year contract with Academic Partnerships, with the option to end the contract at any time the University wishes.
Melony Shemberger, faculty regent and associate professor of journalism and mass communication, said she believes that in conjunction with Academic Partnerships, the University will be more competitive and have another steady revenue stream.
Shemberger, who teaches in the public relations graduate program, also said Academic Partnerships is working with campus offices to integrate its services with the University to advance the graduate student enrollment. Prospective students will not see the face of Academic Partnerships, but rather the face of the University.
The programs will feature eight-week course terms and have multiple entry points throughout the academic year, allowing graduate students to pursue their degrees at nearly any time they choose.
Robert Pervine, associate provost, is spearheading this effort head-on with optimism that the program will be beneficial to the University in the long run.
“We view the money that will be paid to Academic Partnerships as an investment in marketing, recruitment, enrollment and student support services that Academic Partnerships will provide to us,” Pervine said.
The negotiation with Academic Partnerships resulted in a revenue-share agreement for the University.
“For the new students that Academic Partnerships brings to Murray State, they will receive 50 percent of the students’ tuition revenue and we will retain the other 50 percent,” Pervine said.
The graduate programs will be taught by current faculty, but as more students enroll and progress through their academic timelines, new faculty could be hired to teach the programs. Pervine said the faculty with increased workloads will be compensated in pay accordingly.
