National University Grows to 42,000 Students in Merger, Plans Nationwide Online Expansion
National College announced Monday it will merge academic functions with its local affiliate, the on-line schooling pioneer Northcentral University, and extend educating nationwide.
The merger will develop a combined college with 42,000 learners and increase 24 doctoral degree systems when providing 90{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of training on the net.
Cunningham said the merger will permit the San Diego-based nonprofit university to supply a comprehensive suite of academic courses from the pre-college to doctoral amount with a target on “micro-credentials” and workforce education applications made with input from prime employers.
“The union of these two institutions will make it possible for us to give workforce-applicable, in-demand plans — practically fully in an asynchronously on the internet format — to adult learners in all fifty states,” mentioned Dr. Michael R. Cunningham, chancellor of the Countrywide University System
The merger has been accepted by the Western Association of Colleges and Colleges, the accrediting entity for equally community and personal institutions in the West, and Cunningham also launched a new emblem for the blended National University.
National University’s power has been in giving profession-applicable levels and credentials for grownup learners at the undergraduate amount, whilst Northcentral has perfectly-founded master’s and doctoral choices. Northcentral, which has 12,000 college students, turned portion of the Nationwide University Program in 2018.
“Bringing together the expertise, abilities and motivation to service of these two numerous tutorial communities will help us to deliver towards our shared mission with appreciably greater effects and access,” stated Dr. Eugene Wilkerson, co-president of Northcentral.
In remarks following the announcement, Cunningham stated the merger will maximize efficiency and aid Nationwide College continue being incredibly cost-effective, with tuition toward a diploma in the vary of $12,000 a 12 months.
“This is not a merger for attrition. This is a merger for excellent,” he said, with no personnel to eliminate careers.
He said a crucial goal in the merger is better obtain and affordability, and mentioned that on the web learning suits busy adult students mainly because it can consider spot “anytime, anyplace.”
National University was started in 1971 and has grown to grow to be San Diego’s major private nonprofit college with 190,000 alumni.