Since its opening, SMU has offered continuing education to adult learners in the community. In September 1915 the Department of English offered the first two “extension” courses – one on Shakespeare and the other on the Essay and the Novel. Almost 100 years later, in July 2009, SMU Lifelong Learning grew into SMU Continuing and Professional Education (CAPE). Then in response to the report by SMU’s Task Force on Continuing Education, CAPE became Global and Online (GO) in 2018. Today, GO is comprised of two distinct units, Lifelong Learning and Professional and Online (PRO). GO is a critical resource for the university to achieve its strategic vision. GO provides academic units the means to launch high quality graduate-level online degrees, and offers a diverse, growing non-credit catalog to the DFW community and beyond.
Since being appointed Associate Provost for Continuing Education ad interim in August 2019, a consistent message to my team has been one of continuous improvement. I believe that such a mindset is the path toward sustained excellence. As such, GO has made impressive strides in the last two months. We have developed new internal business processes to make the unit more efficient and effective. We have reimagined and reset how we work with faculty developing online courses so that the experience meets their needs and expectations first and foremost. We have met with academic leadership across campus to discuss how GO and academic units can partner in developing new programs that help SMU continue the ascent. This includes 10 prospective online degree programs currently under review for development, as well as four non-credit certificates under review for development. We are also launching a new summer academic bridge program for veterans next year, and restarting in-house enrollment outreach to SMU employees in the coming weeks.
Moving forward, GO is working with the academic units and Provost’s Office to update the Framework for Continuing Education introduced last year, as well as drafting GO’s first ever 10-year internal strategic plan. At the center of such efforts is a simple belief that underpins all that we do at SMU GO – we are here to help you succeed. For the prospective student, we deliver a wide range of offerings from personal enrichment to online graduate degrees from our academic unit partners. And for the academic unit, we have the infrastructure and know-how to help you realize your goals in the online and professional education space. For 104 years and counting, helping others succeed has been the call of continuing education at SMU. SMU GO is here to help. We are committed to your success.
Associate Provost for Continuing Education, ad interim