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December 4, 2003

School of Technology offers graduate courses in Indianapolis

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue University School of Technology will offer the first two graduate courses, applicable toward Purdue's master's of technology degree, at its Indianapolis location as a way to make graduate education more accessible for working adults unable to attend classes at the West Lafayette campus.

"Indiana's economy is changing to become more high-tech," said Dennis R. Depew, dean of the School of Technology. "As the skill sets workers need change with the economy, the School of Technology is glad to be able to provide Indiana citizens with ways to improve their skills and advance their careers."

The courses are TECH 581R, in which students learn about negotiation analysis, and TECH 573, which examines strategies various industries use to assess the risk of organizational accidents and to develop safety management programs.

Depew said the classes will serve as a pilot program next semester, and he hopes to see more classes added in Indianapolis and the other School of Technology locations around the state.

Students who take the courses also will be able to work with faculty members to construct a plan of study for their graduate program, which could involve a combination of classes in West Lafayette, correspondence classes and graduate courses that may be offered at Indianapolis in the future.

"If we see the demand that we expect for the courses, we anticipate adding more in the near future so that students would be able to complete an entire master's degree at our Indianapolis location," Depew said.

Raymond E. Thompson, an associate professor of aviation technology and director of the Indianapolis location, said the classes will serve as a starting point for mid-level managers and other professionals looking to advance their careers.

"By building and enhancing important knowledge and skills, we can give people an opportunity to move up the career ladder," Thompson said. "Our master's degree programs are increasing in popularity at the West Lafayette campus, and offering classes at our Indianapolis location will open those classes up to talented, qualified people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue a Purdue graduate degree."

Thompson said that although the School of Technology's Indianapolis location is at the Indianapolis International Airport and all of its undergraduate classes are offered in aviation technology, the graduate courses are appropriate for people in all fields of business.

In addition to offerings at the main West Lafayette campus, the School of Technology enables Indiana students to earn a variety of associate and bachelor's degrees at locations throughout the state. The school operates seven other locations: Anderson/Muncie, Columbus /Southeast Indiana, Indianapolis, Kokomo/Lafayette, New Albany, Richmond and South Bend/Elkhart.

The majority of students at these locations are working adults.

Anyone interested in learning more about graduate courses at the Purdue School of Technology in Indianapolis should contact the school at (317) 484-1824.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Sources: Dennis R. Depew, (765) 494-2552, ddrdepew@tech.purdue.edu

Raymond E. Thompson, (317) 381-6074, (765) 494-9965, ret@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu


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