Summer enrollment record set

Thu, August 6, 2009 |

Driven by a greater variety of online courses made available to students, Valparaiso University has set a new record in its summer enrollment.

A total of 1,883 students enrolled in Valpo's two summer sessions, an increase of more than 15 percent from last year's summer enrollment of 1,635 students. Valpo's 2009 summer session enrollment bests the previous high mark for the institution, set in the summer of 1995, when 1,714 students enrolled in summer courses.

The growth in Valpo's summer enrollment stems in large part from a larger selection of online courses offered to students. The University offered 60 online courses this summer, the most in its history and an increase from the 50 online courses offered during its 2008 summer sessions.

Associate Provost Dr. Renu Juneja said online courses have proven popular among both students and faculty.

"Our experience over the past several years suggests that online courses offered during the summer are very attractive to our students," Dr. Juneja said. "Online courses offer students the flexibility of staying at home and working at a job while also taking a Valpo course. We also have worked with faculty to develop a greater range of online courses that deliver the high quality educational experience that students know they will receive at Valpo."

Enrollment in Valpo's online courses has grown steadily over the past decade. Online courses were taken by 986 students this summer, compared to 751 students who took online courses during the summer of 2008. In 2000, there were 55 students enrolled in six online courses offered during the summer.

Included in this summer's total were 1,085 undergraduate students, an increase of more than 16 percent from last summer, and 574 graduate students, also an increase of more than 16 percent from last summer. Enrollment in summer courses offered by the School of Law increased more than 7 percent to 224.

During the 2008-2009 academic year, Valpo also set a new record in its graduate student enrollment, which has doubled during the past five years to more than 500 students.