FlexCourse, a teaching and learning platform offering self-paced online degree programs, comes from a combination of acclaimed technological assets and programs of UniversityNow, which were acquired by NUS, and enhancements and customization by NUS developers; NUS affiliate John F. Kennedy University is the first to integrate FlexCourse, with classes starting in September
San Diego, Calif. – Expanding on its mission to offer a quality, affordable online education for lifelong learners, the private nonprofit National University System (NUS), which includes three affiliate universities and serves more than 35,000 students, announces its latest investment in the future of higher education through the introduction of FlexCourse℠, a teaching and learning platform that offers faculty-supported, self-paced online degree programs at an affordable price point of $8,500 annual tuition. FlexCourse comes from a combination of highly-acclaimed technological assets and programs of UniversityNow, which were recently acquired by NUS, and enhancements and customization by NUS developers. John F. Kennedy University is the first NUS affiliate to integrate FlexCourse through the launch of JFKu Online Powered by FlexCourse, welcoming external enrollments with classes starting in September.
Originally designed by top engineers and technologists from Silicon Valley working with the social impact organization UniversityNow, the platform’s Best-in-Class technologies support four degree programs that are being integrated through John F. Kennedy University: an MBA, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Bachelor’s degree in Management; and an Associate of Arts in General Studies. To learn more about the available programs and platform, please click here.
The online programs align with John F. Kennedy University’s offerings and represent a significant expansion in the online space for the private, nonprofit University, which is based out of the East Bay in the San Francisco region and is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The acquisition, which was finalized in April, also aligns with the National University System’s goal of integrating Best-in-Class technologies and approaches to online and personalized learning to better serve the needs of adult and lifelong learners.
“Our nation’s economy and future success will be driven by how well higher education can provide greater access to an affordable, quality education for an increasingly diverse student population,” said Dr. Michael R. Cunningham, Chancellor of the National University System. “Through FlexCourse, the National University System is uniquely positioned to expand access to highly personalized online programs that offer students a ‘high tech, high touch and high choice’ academic experience while addressing the notion of teaching and learning at any time, any place and any pace, starting at our affiliate John F. Kennedy University.”
FlexCourse’s data-driven teaching and learning features allow faculty to quickly identify students who need help, and provides students with recommended and relevant activities and learning resources. The platform’s broad capabilities, which will be extended through the National University System, include stackable degree curriculums, a fully asynchronous delivery model, integration of e-textbooks, and an interactive learning environment to increase engagement.
“John F. Kennedy University is pleased to be the first National University System affiliate to integrate this advanced platform, and we look forward to the many great opportunities it presents students and the communities we serve to further their educational goals,” said Debra Bean, President of John F. Kennedy University.
The National University System, which serves more than 35,000 students, includes pre-college programs and three affiliate university institutions: National University, John F. Kennedy University, and CityUniversity of Seattle. The System also leads the national expansion of the three Sanford Programs: Sanford Harmony; Sanford Inspire; and the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy.
Each of the three National University System higher education institutions are hubs of innovation aligned with the shared mission of advancing the latest online technologies and personalized learning approaches to enhance the student experience. In addition to the current platform integration with John F. Kennedy University, which is based in Pleasant Hill, research and development is taking place at: City University of Seattle, which was among the inaugural members of the Competency-Based Education network and emphasizes master’s and doctoral degrees both online and onsite; and the San Diego-based National University, which offers online and on site programs, is advancing and researching personalized learning approaches and technologies through its Precision Education initiative.
About the National University System
The National University System is a network of accredited nonprofit education institutions serving higher education and K-12 students that includes National University, John F. Kennedy University, City University of Seattle, and the Division of Pre-College Programs. Established in 2001 to meet the emerging challenges and demands of education in the 21st Century, the network’s complementary universities offer pathways for students to attain professional and terminal degrees through quality and innovative programs delivered in a format that is flexible to the needs of adult learners. https://www.nusystem.org/