Offering a graduate degree from a respected institution for under $22,500 in 15 months while potentially dressed in your jammies has proven to be a successful proposition for Southern NH University.
The growth of Southern NH University's online program is nothing short of exponential. Between 2009 and 2011, the program has grown from 8 graduate and 60 undergraduate programs to 60 graduate programs and 120 undergraduate programs. This year SNHU online will recruit about 4,725 new students, and the total number of students enrolled is expected to top 8,000 by the end of this year, more than three times the Manchester campus population.
Our product portfolio has been a big driver in our growth, says Steve Hodownes, senior vice president of the marketing and student recruiting division for SNHU's online programs. Also, diplomas just state Southern NH University on them-with no reference to online-a fact Hodownes says differentiates the program from for-profit online education programs. SNHU online has also invested in staff. There are 155 staff members working for SNHU online in the Manchester Millyard, including separate staff for student services, financial aid and student advisors for online students; and seven faculty deans exclusively for the online program. Add to that a pool of more than 1,000 faculty members, some of whom also teach on campus.
The investment has paid off. SNHU online has generated $58 million to date. Next year that number is expected to reach $80 million. Hodownes expects the online programs to keep growing and anticipates having a staff of 200 by the end of the year. For more information, visit www.snhu.edu.
Current Issue - May 2024