University of Utah Announces Major Expansion of Online Programs in Social Work and Public Health

In collaboration with iDesign, Utah's public flagship university announces new slate of online courses spanning multiple disciplines and fields including health care and social work

SALT LAKE CITY, April 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a significant expansion of its online educational offerings, the University of Utah, the state's premier public flagship university and its largest higher education institution, today announced the addition of fully online Master of Social Work (MSW) and Master of Public Health (MPH) programs. Developed in collaboration with the renowned instructional design firm iDesign, these online programs are designed to cater to the increasing demand for flexible, high-quality educational options in critical fields such as social work and public health. These offerings build on the foundation of extensive collaborative efforts with iDesign over the past three years, showcasing a continued commitment to expanding and enhancing the university's online education portfolio. 

"The expansion of our online programs, particularly in such pivotal areas as social work and public health, is a direct response to the growing need for flexible learning options," said Dr. Matt Mooney, Associate Dean, Technology and UOnline Development at the University of Utah. "This initiative underscores our commitment to enhancing faculty expertise and delivering concierge-quality instructional design support, thereby enabling the university to scale its offerings and meet the evolving demands of the job market."

The University of Utah has selected iDesign as its partner in this endeavor due to its proven track record of working with over 150 institutions to develop, support, and enhance online courses and programs. This partnership leverages iDesign's comprehensive instructional design services to meet the varied needs of faculty, who bring diverse levels of experience to online teaching across a spectrum of disciplines.

Over the past three years, a concerted effort by the University of Utah faculty and leadership, alongside iDesign's instructional design experts, has led to the preparation of more than 88 courses for online delivery. The extensive online curriculum now encompasses over 12 academic departments, includes 4 graduate degrees, undergraduate general education, non-credit continuing/professional education, and a K-12 summer math bridge program. These online courses maintain the university's high standards of academic rigor and quality, with offerings available in both accelerated and traditional semester formats.

Whitney Kilgore, co-founder and chief academic officer at iDesign, shared, "At the core of exceptional instructional design is a collaborative spirit with faculty, fostering an environment where educational visions are transformed into reality. Through our dynamic partnership with the University of Utah, we've been able to offer scalable solutions and expert support, tailored to the unique demands of online education. This approach has allowed us to continuously adapt and innovate, ensuring that students receive an engaging, rigorous, and flexible educational experience."

About the University of Utah: Founded in 1850, The University of Utah is the flagship institution of higher learning in Utah, and offers over 100 undergraduate and more than 90 graduate degree programs to over 30,000 students. As a preeminent research and teaching institution, the University cultivates an academic environment in which the highest standards of intellectual integrity and scholarship are practiced.

About University Connected Learning (UCL) at the University of Utah: Based in Salt Lake City and founded in 1906, UCL (formerly known as Continuing Education & Community Engagement) enrolls over 25,000 learners annually, from all over the world. UCL connects the local and global community to the University of Utah, allowing students to learn, return, and refresh throughout their careers, making the U a learning institution for life. With over 600 employees dedicated to serving and engaging learners of all ages, UCL connects faculty and students to the technology, services, and data that enhance learning and teaching. UCL hosts the University's Continuing Education, UOnline, and Digital Learning departments which offer flexible educational offerings for learners of all ages. To learn more, visit www.ucl.utah.edu.

About iDesign: iDesign partners with colleges and universities to build, grow and support online and blended programs. We are passionate about helping faculty harness the potential of emerging technologies to design courses and degrees that make an impact, whether they are fully online, flipped, blended, adaptive, or competency-based. Our unbundled, fee-for-service model is rooted in a commitment to flexibility and institutional autonomy, while our analytics platform supports continuous improvement through rigorous measurement of student engagement and course quality. From statewide university systems to private colleges, our custom solutions pair instructional design with technologies to enable great teaching. To learn more, please visit www.idesignedu.org.

SOURCE idesignedu.org