Purdue News
Purdue News
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June 2001 IU, Purdue team up to offer distance master's degrees to GMWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – While they may compete hard in athletics, Indiana's two leading public research universities – Purdue and Indiana – are teaming up to provide graduate education to future management at General Motors Corp. using the latest in information technology. IU's Kelley School of Business and Purdue's Continuing Engineering Education program will join four universities in offering a special one-two educational punch – a master's of engineering paired with a master's of business administration. The offerings will be available via distance education directly to GM professionals. GM is Indiana's largest private-sector employer. The new double degree program will enable employees to earn the master's degrees from their home or office, using the Web and various other media. After earning master's degrees in engineering from Purdue and other universities, GM engineers then would be eligible to apply to the Kelley Direct Online MBA program. With the combination of degrees, GM employees are expected to better meet industry standards for management roles. "We at the Kelley School of Business are delighted with our partnership with General Motors, Purdue University's School of Engineering and these other fine universities," said IU Kelley School Dean Dan Dalton. "It is said that you are known by the company you keep; this is, indeed, terrific company. Most importantly, however, it is the students who will benefit from the concerted efforts and resources of this consortium." Ray Eberts, director of Purdue's Continuing Engineering Education Department, said, "Engineers learn how to use mathematical equations and technology to solve engineering problems while managers emphasize financial strategies and people skills. Those completing this double degree program will learn the human side of technology and combine engineering problem solving with financial strategizing." Joe Joseph, director of GM Knowledge Center and dean of GMU Engineering College, said: "Our strong relationship with our partner universities has helped us to lead the way in offering our employees the means to maintain our innovative edge, and to meet the challenge of quickly changing technology. "TEP's program is unique in that it offers employees two competitive graduate degrees in the areas that are important for the employees' and GM's success. The program's modern distance learning technologies offer employees flexible, convenient education at work or at home." The degree programs will include material tailored to GM and the automotive industry. The partnership comes at a time when more and more engineers are leaving the profession, and distance education is becoming more viable through advanced computer and telecommunications technology. IU and Purdue are among the first research universities nationally to provide specialized graduate programs in this manner. GM's Technical Education Program currently offers engineers continuing education with a number of other universities. The new program will broaden the company's educational offerings by adding the Kelley Direct Online MBA, a master's degree in engineering from Purdue, a master's degree in engineering management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and graduate degrees from other universities involved. The other universities offering master's degrees in engineering through the GM program are Carnegie Mellon University, Kettering University and the University of Michigan. Michigan Technological University will offer a bachelor's degree in engineering. The GM double degree program will start next January. There are more than 1,400 GM engineers who have completed master's degrees in engineering and who are eligible to apply. Sources: Ray E. Eberts, (765) 494-0212, eberts@ecn.purdue.edu Dan R. Dalton, (812) 855-8489, dalton@indiana.edu Writers: J. Michael Lillich, (765) 494-2077, mlillich@purdue.edu George Vlahakis, IU Office of Communications and Marketing, (812) 855-3911, gvlahaki@indiana.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu Other sources: Rich Magjuka, chair of the Kelley School distance education, (317) 274-0874 Related Web site:
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