Ashworth College Launches Military-Friendly Online General Studies Degree Programs

Distance Education Leader opens up new education opportunities for military personnel, military spouses and veterans

NORCROSS, Ga., Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ashworth College (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu/military/) announced today the addition of two new General Studies programs to its roster of online degrees. A leader in online learning, Ashworth is excited to offer new accredited programs at both the associate degree and bachelor's degree level. The new curriculum was developed to meet the education needs of military personnel, military spouses and veterans.

Commonly referred to as  "generalist degrees," Ashworth's Associate and Bachelor's programs in General Studies combine a core set of general education courses with elective courses from several career-related disciplines. These degrees are an ideal fit for students wanting to transfer previously earned college-level credits towards a Associate or Bachelor's Degree.

"One of the reasons why we developed the General Studies Associate Degree and Bachelor's Degree programs was to better accommodate our active duty, military spouse and veteran students," said Dr. Leslie Gargiulo, Vice President of Education for Ashworth College. "We have a long history of serving military students and know that many have already earned a significant number of transfer credits they would like to apply towards a degree. These new programs are designed to be flexible by accepting more transfer credits that can be applied as electives."

For example, while developing the General Studies programs, Dr. Gargiulo found that it was possible for an associate degree student to receive between 125% and 400% more transfer credits compared to more career-focused associate degree programs. "Particularly for our active duty students looking to earn promotion points in order to move up the ranks, this can help them reach their end goal much faster."

For military spouses and veterans, a general studies degree can be beneficial to working adults who seek to break into new careers or want to advance their current careers – it would give them an added advantage in interviewing for promotions or in moving to more challenging positions when competing with others who may not have a degree.

Ashworth's General Studies program provides students with a solid academic foundation while giving them the flexibility to customize the degree to match their interests and goals. Further, this degree is appreciated by employers needing to fill positions that require a well rounded education, rather than specialized knowledge.  Employees cultivate critical thinking and analysis, writing and communication skills through their college program and are able to offer employers a good educational background, self-discipline and the commitment to work.

Ashworth's Associate Degree program is comprised of a total of 20 courses spread equally across four semesters, while the Bachelor's Degree comprises 40 courses spread over eight semesters. Both programs require a High School Diploma or GED as a prerequisite for enrollment. General education requirements and electives are chosen from a broad range of behavioral and social sciences, humanities, fine arts, math, science and computer science courses. In addition, students can select a combination of courses from different disciplines such as business administration, criminal justice, early childhood education, marketing, psychology, etc. to customize the program to meet their unique professional and personal goals.

Military-friendly degrees from a military-friendly school

Not only does Ashworth College develop new programs, like general studies, that will accommodate the academic needs of military personnel, military spouses and veterans, the school strives to create a complete and fulfilling learning experience for its students.

Flexible study, online programs, dedicated military education advisors, and an online military community are just some of the ways Ashworth provides for its military students.

"This is a huge win for military personnel, veterans and dependants," said Rodney Butler, First Sergeant, Retired and Ashworth's Military Education Coordinator. "Beginning with a thorough knowledge of eligible tuition assistance programs, Ashworth offers a complete education package that meets the needs of the military."

Ashworth College is a Servicemember Opportunity Colleges Consortium (SOC) member school, accepts ACE credits and is approved for a range of other military benefits including Post 9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, GoArmyEd, and MyCAA.

Ashworth has been recognized as a military friendly school by both G.I. Jobs and Military Advanced Education magazines. The online school also supports a campus chapter of the Student Veteran's Association and is a sponsor of Military Spouse magazine's 2011 Military Spouse of the Year Award.

About Ashworth College

As leading online school, Ashworth College has built a tradition of excellence spanning 25 years, offering students worldwide more than 115 online college degrees, online certificate programs and online high school diploma options that are affordable and fit the busy schedules of working adults. Ashworth offers military education as well as specialized programs for corporate partners and homeschoolers.

Headquartered in Norcross, GA, Ashworth is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The Accrediting Commission of the DETC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. James Madison High School is further accredited regionally by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). SACS CASI is an accreditation division of AdvancED. For more information, visit http://www.ashworthcollege.edu.

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Dr. Leslie Gargiulo, Ph.D. - http://www.profnetconnect.com/dr.-leslie-gargiulo-ph.d.

SOURCE Ashworth College