ECU to provide distance learning classes to Fort Bragg
East Carolina University will begin providing university coursework in August to military personnel and dependents at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville.
The university is one of 10 schools selected to offer courses at Fort Bragg.
“Fort Bragg houses North Carolina’s largest concentration of military neighbors,” said Steve Duncan, director of military programs at ECU. “More than 70 percent of the base’s military population is deployed and distance education is one of the major ways these service members can continue their educational pursuits.”
Duncan noted that while the service members of World War II and Korea went off to serve and then returned to college, today they are involved in continuous learning.
“This requires finding quality distance learning higher education offerings and ECU is perfect for the job,” he said. East Carolina’s enrollment in distance education has outpaced sister institutions in the University of North Carolina system in the past years. Of $14 million in allocation increases by the UNC system to state institutions for distance education in 2004, ECU received $11 million for the university’s 4,000 distance education students. ECU offers 27 degree and eight graduate certificate programs on-line.
“ECU’s bid provided quality of education, breadth of program and a good value for the soldiers,” said Brenda Taylor-Brooks, education services officer of Fort Bragg.
Fort Bragg renewed contracts for education with Fayetteville State University and Fayetteville Technical Community College. Other providers selected are: UNC-Pembroke, Campbell University, Methodist College, Central Texas College, Liberty University, Troy State University and Webster University.
Tuition rates for military personnel and their dependents are in-state rates. Courses that ECU will offer will also be open to citizens from the community surrounding Fort Bragg.
Courses and programs available in distance education are from a variety of disciplines such as the College of Education, the School of Nursing, the College of Technology and Computer Science, Allied Health Sciences and the College of Business.