Colorado State U Launches Roadblock-Free Online Pre-Req Program

Colorado State University System's online learning campus, CSU Global, has introduced a structure to woo hesitant returning students who don't want the hassle of designated term or semester start dates or having to submit transcripts before they're accepted. The new offering, CSU Global Direct, is intended to help students cover the prerequisites for transitioning to full-fledged undergraduate or graduate programs.

CSU Global Direct is scheduled to begin in March 2022, with a focus on classes for candidates wanting to enter healthcare fields. All courses will be online with no set times. Students will be able start their classes each month. There will be no application fees or admissions requirements. And enrollment includes access to the global division's student services, including IT support, career advising and tutoring and writing help.

The classes cost $350 per credit hour, with current courses designating either three or four credits; those for four credits include labs. Credits earned are transferable. However, federal financial aid, such as Pell grants or Grad Plus loans, isn't available in this program.

According to the university, next up will be a set eight-week business courses that will serve as pre-requisites for other kinds of degree programs.

"Our mission with this offering is to provide an accessible path for students to get to the career and life of their dreams," said Vice President of Digital Learning Andrea Butler, in a statement. "Many learners are faced with frustrating roadblocks that prevent them from attaining their master's or doctoral degree. CSU Global Direct courses address that gap, offering an affordable way to get prerequisite credits."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs AI Content Safeguards into Law

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed off on a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • close-up illustration of a hand signing a legislative document

    California Passes AI Safety Legislation, Awaits Governor's Signature

    California lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved a bill that would impose new restrictions on AI technologies, potentially setting a national precedent for regulating the rapidly evolving field. The legislation, known as S.B. 1047, now heads to Governor Gavin Newsom's desk. He has until the end of September to decide whether to sign it into law.

  • illustration of a VPN network with interconnected nodes and lines forming a minimalist network structure

    Report: Increasing Number of Vulnerabilities in OpenVPN

    OpenVPN, a popular open source virtual private network (VPN) system integrated into millions of routers, firmware, PCs, mobile devices and other smart devices, is leaving users open to a growing list of threats, according to a new report from Microsoft.

  • interconnected cubes and circles arranged in a grid-like structure

    Hugging Face Gradio 5 Offers AI-Powered App Creation and Enhanced Security

    Hugging Face has released version 5 of its Gradio open source platform for building machine learning (ML) applications. The update introduces a suite of features focused on expanding access to AI, including a novel AI-powered app creation tool, enhanced web development capabilities, and bolstered security measures.