Dominican University of California Offers Long-distance Learning to Mendocino Residents

This spring, Dominican University of California begins a new degree completion program in cooperation with Ukiah’s Mendocino College. The program enables students who begin their studies at Mendocino College to continue with their education and earn a bachelor of arts in strategic management from Dominican. A unique twist to this program is that the students will never have to travel the 100 miles to Dominican’s Marin County campus—until graduation.

The strategic management courses are offered through Dominican’s Pathways (evening/weekend) degree program. The Pathways Program enables adults to earn an undergraduate degree while continuing to fulfill career and family responsibilities. Depending on the number of units transferred from Mendocino College, the strategic management program can be completed in five to six semesters. Classes will be held at either Dominican’s Ukiah Center or Mendocino College.

The degree completion program splits each semester into two eight-week sessions. Students attend face-to-face classes three times during each session for a total of 12 hours. Students also spend about four hours a week in between the face-to-face sessions participating in online coursework. The program is designed to give students the same level of instruction as in a traditional 16-week course but on a more accelerated time frame.

“This really is the best of both worlds,” says Terry Ratcliff, executive director of adult and extended education at Dominican University of California. “We offer the convenience of online instruction with the quality and benefits of face-to-face interaction and an accelerated schedule designed to appeal to the working adult.”

Students can participate in the online session at any time—another plus for the working student. The instructor periodically posts questions and student replies are added for all to view and discuss. “This format is similar to a discussion in a class room but just not as immediate as it is in a classroom,” says Ratcliff. “As an instructor I find that the discussions can get much more in-depth online than in a classroom because students can edit their comments before posting.” Part of the student’s grade is based on the quality of postings and amount of time the student spends participating in online sessions.

Strategic management courses are designed to provide students with a thorough grounding in classic business theory and knowledge, while incorporating challenges such as managing change in a dynamic economy or marketing in the age of the Internet. Students will gain knowledge of the primary functional areas within business—accounting, finance, human resources, information technology, and marketing— and will learn how these areas affect one another and how they help contribute to an organization’s strategic purpose.

“The strategic management major is designed for students who want to take their life and world experience to the next level by earning a university degree with a business major,” says Ratcliff.

The degree completion program is an outgrowth of an Articulation Agreement between Dominican University of California and Mendocino College.

Information sessions are scheduled throughout the year. The next session will be held on Tuesday, April 26 at Mendocino College. For more information, please call the Dominican University of California Ukiah Center at 707-463-4800.