HIGHER EDUCATION – ARMY & AIR FORCE
Members of the military community in Europe, whether active duty, family members or civilians, want higher education. They know that an associate, bachelor or postgraduate degree can mean promotions and better paying jobs, whether in or out of the service.
That is why the command here has established an elaborate program of university-level instruction. Five colleges and universities presently have contracts to provide this instruction: University of Maryland University College-Europe, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, The University of Oklahoma, Central Texas College and the University of Phoenix.
You may earn your degree while you are overseas, even if deployed, or you may transfer credits to a stateside college or university. It’s possible to attend classes evenings and weekends, to get college credit without study for things already known, or to take advantage of the exciting new “virtual classrooms” of the cyber age.
So the excuse of “no time” is rarely valid here. Nor is the “can’t afford it” excuse. An array of financial assistance is also available to deserving students.
DISTANCE EDUCATION
The cyber age has made possible a vast improvement over the old fashioned, mail-order correspondence course. Video/audio, CD-ROM, computer-based instruction, e-mail, internet and even satellite techniques provide a whole new dimension.
The “virtual classroom,” which simulates the traditional classroom in many ways, arrived in the last decade and is here to stay, with a possibly revolutionary impact on the whole education system. Its presence is strongly felt in Europe. People here who can benefit from it are not only ones located in remote areas, but also people who do a lot of traveling (your “classroom” is anywhere you can find a networked computer) and persons whose work or personal situation demands that they be at a certain location during the time that classes are usually offered.
Much of this new kind of education differs markedly from the pencil-and-paper correspondence courses of yesteryear. A large portion of the distance learning taken within the military today is either video-based or web-based. The web-based courses have an instructor and last for a semester just like the traditional courses. The widely-dispersed students are expected to check in several times a week, read what the instructor has to say, ask questions, do their homework, write term papers and take an examination at the end of the semester. Most final exams are online but some are taken at an education center under proctored conditions.
A big advantage of distance education is that the student isn’t required to be at a certain place at a certain time. Communication between members of the class and the instructor is generally asynchronous, meaning “not at the same time.” Classes aren’t chat rooms. Things are left posted until the student or instructor accesses them.
CREDIT FOR WHAT YOU KNOW
At the end of World War II, the Army realized that it had in fact interrupted the high school education of hundreds of thousands of young American men by drafting them to active duty. Likewise, the Army realized that a large majority of those soldier/veterans had acquired knowledge and skills because of their Army training and experience. Out of this realization came the original tests of General Education Development or the GED, tests originally owned by the United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI).
Civilian educators rapidly realized the applicability of these GED tests to the general population and soon the civilian GED Institute was created to make these tests available to non-veterans as well. These tests were the forerunners of today’s College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Likewise, the USAFI was the forerunner of today’s Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES).
The servicemember doesn’t always have to be examined on what he or she knows. The American Council on Education (ACE) has recommended the number of credit hours that civilian schools may wish to award based on a servicvemember’s military training and experience. All five colleges and universities presently under contract to EUCOM accept these recommendations.
DANTES also certifies distance education courses other than the ones offered by the contracting universities. There are thousands of such courses covering an incredible range of subject matter. And it is possible, in some cases, to get tuition assistance for taking these courses. But don’t undertake one without first consulting an advisor at your nearest education center.
TUITION ASSISTANCE
A wide variety of financial aid opportunities are offered to members of the military community in the form of scholarships, student loans, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Loans, Veterans’ Educational Benefits, the G.I. Bill, and more.
DANTES also offers tuition assistance in some cases, and financial aid advisors are available to answer questions and guide students through the financial aid process. Such aid can be used concurrently with VA educational benefits, scholarships, military tuition assistance, and military spouse tuition assistance.
The Army has established a centralized tuition assistance management system, GoArmyEd, to make tuition assistance available to soldiers anywhere. It’s a dynamic online portal that automates many of the paper-based processes soldiers historically conducted with their Army education counselor.
ONLINE UNIVERSITY
The Electronic Army University (eArmyU) is an innovative e-learning program within the GoArmyEd portal. It provides soldiers worldwide access to more than one hundred degree plans at regionally-accredited colleges and universities. Through it they have the opportunity to earn a certificate or an associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree from a home college while taking courses from multiple colleges.
Once enrolled, soldiers receive up to 100% funding for tuition, course-related fees and books (up to the established semester hour cap and tuition ceiling). Army personnel interested in GoArmyEd or eArmyU should check with their Education Centers or the website at www.earmyu.com.
WHAT YOU CAN STUDY IN EUROPE
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has been providing post secondary education programs overseas for nearly three decades. More than five thousand of our students, stationed in eight European countries and the Middle East have earned undergraduate and graduate degrees, and have gone on to pursue successful careers in the military and in industry.
Embry-Riddle tailors its programs and classes to fit the needs of adult students, offering certificate programs and associates, bachelors and masters degrees. Whether the format is traditional classroom, condensed weekend or distance learning, Embry-Riddle can accommodate the busy schedules of working adults anywhere, anytime. Its faculty members are highly regarded in their field of expertise and bring creativity, experience and integrity to the “classroom”. Embry-Riddle combines quality academic preparation, professional education and management training with the prestige of a world renowned university.
Emerging trends in the aviation industry require employers to recruit individuals with global aviation education and experience. Embry-Riddle students receive these necessary credentials. Combined with their career experience Embry-Riddle graduates empower organizations with the knowledge base and practical experience to handle the ever changing demands of the modern world. Organizations are looking for employees with an education foundation, practical experience and professional skills. Embry-Riddle offers everything students need to ensure success in their current and future careers.
Visit your local education office to find out what Embry-Riddle offers to boost your career!
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
CMR 429, APO AE 09054. (Europaallee 6, 67657 Kaiserslautern, Germany)
Tel: (DSN) 483-7811, (civilian) +49 (0) 631-303-27811
Web: www.erau.edu/europe
University of Maryland University College