Distance Education at Iowa's Public Universities
The Board of Regents will receive the 2023-24 Distance Education Report at its February meeting. The report shows sustained growth of the Regents distance education offerings and demonstrates a dramatically expanded reach for Iowa’s public universities.
Through a mix of online classes, extension and outreach programs and Regents resource centers, Iowa’s Regent universities can serve Iowans where they live and offer students flexibility in their educational journey. The expansion of distance education includes more programs, more course sections and more students enrolled than ever before.
Over the last five years, the Regent universities have added dozens of programs, nearly 500 new course sections and boast a duplicated student enrollment total of more than 137,000. New distance education programs in 2023-24 include Bachelor’s programs in Accounting and Criminology and Criminal Justice at UNI and Master’s-level programs in Accounting Analytics and Business Administration at Iowa State, among others. These programs support high-demand workforce needs and help Iowa businesses hire and retain local employees.
Growth has not been limited to credit courses and programs. Non-credit enrollment has doubled from 2019-20, with much of the growth reflected in 4-H Youth Development and Agriculture and Natural Resources programs. These programs are especially impactful in rural Iowa and help farmers and future farmers gain the skills and knowledge needed to advance the state’s agricultural tradition in the 21st century.
Further, the Western Iowa Regents Resource Center (WIRRC) operates in partnership with four Iowa community colleges, serving western and southern Iowa. WIRRC promotes distance education in western Iowa through personalized interaction with potential students and coordinated educational, cultural and economic development outreach. WIRRC is a vital part of the Regents’ distance education effort and helps Iowa’s public universities reach Iowans who live in the western half of the state.
Robust Distance education platforms are vital to the future of Iowa’s public universities. The continued growth of online learning, extension and outreach services and off-campus resource centers demonstrates the Board’s commitment to meeting the state’s workforce needs and serving Iowa students and families no matter where they live.
See university websites for lists of programs that are fully or partially available via distance education:
