Georgia Southern University online degree program

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - At it’s most recent graduation ceremony, more than 4,000 Georgia Southern students received diplomas for Associate, Baccalaureate, Masters and Doctoral studies, and some of those students were never on any of the university’s three campuses.

Distance learning received a lot of attention during the pandemic, but Georgia Southern’s Online Degree Program had already been an increasingly popular option offering students flexibility, convenience and career-advancement potential - wherever they are.

“Being a busy physician, taking care of pandemic patients, having three young children of my own,” said Dr. Tim Connelly, Memorial Health Internal Medicine Physician.

Dr. Tim Connelly had enough challenges to adding an MBA to his medical degree.

Getting to class didn’t have to be another one.

“I had flexibility to get the work done at my convenience. But I was able to get it done. The meetings were great and it worked really well.”

Connelly discovered virtual learning unintentionally - the way most people did during the COVID-19 crisis. He entered the Georgia Southern Online Degree Program in 2020 - and it was the only way Memorial Health’s Pandemic doctor would have been able to complete his studies in the middle of a pandemic.

“Sometimes my best work time was 6 a.m.”

The GSU online program made it possible for Annalee Ashley to complete her Masters when relocating for work required her to leave the in-person program she had started at another school.

“My professor would post a lecture that I could then watch and I could then engage with my professor, the would post office hours and I would engage with them on a 1 on 1 basis or with a group. But I was able to complete the bulk of my work load at a time that was convenient for me and that’s what students are looking for,” said Annalee Ashley, Chief of Staff, GSU President’s Office.

Convenience was a necessity when Katie Powell decided to return to school for a Masters of Arts in Teaching through the GSU online degree program.

“As a teacher and a mom with kids in high school, I don’t have time to go sit in a classroom from 9-4. I have other responsibilities. So, being able to do it online allows me to pursue those things and pursue further education myself. The flexibility as someone going back to school with other commitments and other responsibilities, it made it much more of any opportunity. It made it more doable,” said Katie Powell, Head of Special Education Dept., Island’s High School.

An estimated 92 million students worldwide are now studying online. The average age of those students is 32.

But Ashley sees traditional students using distance learning too.

The job she relocated for was to become the Chief of Staff in the Georgia Southern University President’s Office. And she says the school offering dozens of degree options online is a sign of a new time in higher education.

“The norm has completely changed on that and it’s just as valued as sitting in the classroom, it increases the value of my degree when we have these incredible students coming to Georgia Southern and I can recommend these programs to my friends who are in Atlanta, who are in South Georgia, who are outside of the state because they can pursue this program. And it’s really opened the doors for access for a bunch of students who didn’t have it otherwise.”

Like Dr. Connelly at the busiest time of his career.

“I gave 110% to my patients. But when I came home at the end of the day, I had just a little bit left I could give to those studies and finished that MBA, we had to take care of our community during this pandemic, we had to rise to the occasion. So, if I didn’t have the flexibility, if I didn’t have the assignments done every other week, if they were do every week, I wouldn’t possibly be able to accomplish this.”

“The virtual learning, for someone who can manage their time and make sure they get their tasks done, it works very well because you fit it into your life.”

And it increasingly fits into campus life - on-campus and off.

“It’s an absolute necessity and it adds to the complimentary programs we can offer here at Georgia Southern.”

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