Texas A&M University- Kingsville (TAMUK) was ranked the fourth most affordable online master’s in adult education by College Choice.
College Choice is an online resource dedicated to providing information about cost, programs and other resources colleges offer to individuals interested in attending college.
The reasoning behind College Choice’s ranking was based on the institution’s reputation, graduation rates, selectivity, faculty resources and the price of attending the university while in the Adult Education Master’s program.
According to College Choice, “Online students pay tuition based on their residency status (with most students paying less than $9,000 per year for tuition and fees), and several scholarships are available to eligible students.”
College Choice also noted that by having the Master’s in Adult Education program integrated with the community, the importance of developing community partnerships for adult higher learning is expressed to students.
For over a decade, TAMUK has been offering the Masters of Adult Education degree online. Anyone who meets the general graduate admission requirements set by the university is able to enroll in the program. By taking two courses each semester, students can graduate with their Master’s in Adult Education in two years.
The program focuses on “prepar[ing] individuals to work with the unique problems and learning styles of adult learners,” TAMUK’s Adult Education Program website said. It also focuses on teaching students about all areas of adult education. From working in community colleges to working with those in higher education, the program tries to expose students to all areas of adult education, so they can establish in which areas they are interested.
While the program is fully online, professors work to create an environment in which students feel connected by mentoring students and leading them toward a path of success.
Through completing the program students can gain better understanding of how to communicate with adults interested in continuing their education. With this knowledge, students can be successful in various fields such as education, business, healthcare, agriculture, military and nonprofit careers.
For Dr. Lori Kupczynski, an associate professor and adult and higher education coordinator, getting recognized by College Choice means much more for the program than being affordable.
“It means that we get a little bit of notice from people who may not have realized that we’re here and they can say ‘Oh, they’re affordable. I wonder what the program is?’ So, it allows us perhaps to bring more attention to our program in hopes that people who might be interested can then look at the quality of our program,” Kupczynski said.