The University of Illinois Springfield is considered a pioneer in online education. The online version of the school's computer science program has been so successful that online enrollment now exceeds on-campus enrollment.
Last year, 121 students were enrolled in the on-campus computer science bachelor's degree program, and 171 students were enrolled online. In the master's program, there were 129 students on campus, and 146 enrolled in the online version. About 70% of the online students are from out of state, including some from other countries, said Ted Mims, a professor and chair of the UIS computer science department.
Most online programs established by universities will attract students who live relatively close to a school's actual campus, said Elaine Allen, a professor of statistics and entrepreneurship at Babson College and co-director of the Babson Survey Research Group, which produces an annual report on online learning in the U.S. However, she said, UIS is an exception to that rule, because it started offering online classes much earlier than other institutions. "They were really thinking ahead," she said.
UIS online programs were featured in an April 19, 2012, article by Computer World.
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