Web-based courses help you learn at your convenience. (Education 2002).

The year 2001 was a dramatic year for our country and for the world. The events of September 11th changed many things, perhaps even your educational goals and plans. University College and Extension Services (UCES) at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) believes that you should have as many options as possible to help you achieve those goals in our rapidly changing world. That is why UCES offers courses and programs in a variety of formats, both traditional and online, as well as self-paced and instructor-led.

If you haven't yet tried the world of online education, this may the time to do so. It's never been easier, more cost-effective, and there is so much flexibility and variety that many people are enthusiastically adding the web to their educational media choices. Online courses offer you the opportunity to learn anytime, anywhere. If you are a working professional, you can obtain the knowledge you need to further your career at your convenience -- at home, at work, days, nights, or weekends.

UCES, for example, offers many professional development (noncredit) certificate programs completely on the World Wide Web. These web-based courses cover business-related and soft-skill topics that can be applied to virtually any industry, with some being applicable to specific fields such as Medical Billing.

The wide range of courses available at your fingertips via the Internet is truly staggering. For example, UCES' programs include:

* Business Finance and Budgeting for Managers

* Advanced Business Finance

* High-Impact Business Writing

* Project Management

* Strategic Marketing

* Web-based Instructional Design and Training Methods

* E-Business Foundations

* Sexual Harassment 

* Medical Coding Training and Certification Preparation

* And others.

The online courses benefit working adults by offering an alternative to traditional campus courses which may be difficult to attend due to parking limitations, transportation issues, or time constraints. Some of our students have included a pregnant mother who was confined to bed rest, an overseas logistics professional, an out-of-state computer programmer who was recently laid-off, and a human resources manager who telecommutes.

These web-based courses - some self-paced and some instructor-led - can also be a viable supplement to your traditional classroom education and training, adding a technology element to your group classroom experience. In addition to the online noncredit (professional development) certificate programs, UCES offers instructor-led courses that carry university credit, and can be applied to a degree. The on-line courses are developed and delivered by the "IDEAS" division of UCES, which stands for "Integrated Distance Education for Adult Students."

Although some of the courses are relatively new, IDEAS is not new to the world of on-line education. IDEAS' parent organization, University College and Extension Services (UCES) has been offering dynamic and effective technology-based learning opportunities for more than ten years. UCES was also a pioneer in the use of the Internet and the World Wide Web. "Above all else, this experience has taught us that service to you, our students and customers, must be at the center of everything we do," states Mat Kaplan, Director of Technology and Distance Learning at UCES.

Many clients from business and government look to UCES to meet their distance learning and technology needs. The long list includes McGraw-Hill Publishing, Ingram Micro, Symantec, and the federal Department of Justice.

Kaplan explains, "The 'I' in IDEAS stands for "Integrated." What it means is that we recognize the importance of the big picture. A great online course is worthless without many other components, including:

* A reliable, high speed infrastructure for delivering your course to you, or your company, wherever you are.

* The best faculty, and instructional design professionals who support them at every step.

* Help when you need it, especially if you're new to on-line learning.

Now it the time to make 2002 your year to try something new - online education. For companies and organizations looking to train staff members, corporate discounts are available to make the most of your training budgets.

This article was submitted by University College and Extension Services (UCES) at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB).