GATEWAY, Your Guide to the Greater Kaiserslautern Military Community

Kaiserslautern Area

Area Installations

Higher Education

Members of the military community in Europe, whether active duty, family members or civilians, want higher education. They know that an associate, bachelor or postgraduate degree can mean promotions and better paying jobs, whether in or out of the service.

That is why the command here has established an elaborate program of university-level instruction. Five colleges and universities presently have contracts to provide this instruction: University of Maryland University College-Europe, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, The University of Oklahoma, Central Texas College and the University of Phoenix.

You may earn your degree while you are overseas, even if deployed, or you may transfer credits to a stateside college or university. It's possible to attend classes evenings and weekends, to get college credit without study for things already known, or to take advantage of the exciting new "virtual classrooms" of the cyber age. So the excuse of "no time" is rarely valid here. Nor is the "can't afford it" excuse. An array of financial assistance is also available to deserving students.

DISTANCE EDUCATION

The cyber age has made possible a vast improvement over the old fashioned, mail-order correspondence course. Video/audio, CD-ROM, computer-based instruction, e-mail, internet and even satellite techniques provide a whole new dimension.

The "virtual classroom," which simulates the traditional classroom in many ways, arrived in the last decade and is here to stay, with a possibly revolutionary impact on the whole education system. Its presence is strongly felt in Europe. People here who can benefit from it are not only ones located in remote areas, but also people who do a lot of traveling (your "classroom" is anywhere you can find a networked computer) and persons whose work or personal situation demands that they be at a certain location during the time that classes are usually offered.

Much of this new kind of education differs markedly from the pencil-and-paper correspondence courses of yesteryear. A large portion of the distance learning taken within the military today is either video-based or web-based. The web-based courses have an instructor and last for a semester just like the traditional courses. The widely-dispersed students are expected to check in several times a week, read what the instructor has to say, ask questions, do their homework, write term papers and take an examination at the end of the semester. Most final exams are online but some are taken at an education center under proctored conditions.

A big advantage of distance education is that the student isn't required to be at a certain place at a certain time. Communication between members of the class and the instructor is generally asynchronous, meaning "not at the same time." Classes aren't chat rooms. Things are left posted until the student or instructor accesses them.

CREDIT FOR WHAT YOU KNOW

At the end of World War II, the Army realized that it had in fact interrupted the high school education of hundreds of thousands of young American men by drafting them to active duty. Likewise, the Army realized that a large majority of those soldier/veterans had acquired knowledge and skills because of their Army training and experience. Out of this realization came the original tests of General Education Development or the GED, tests originally owned by the United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI).

Civilian educators rapidly realized the applicability of these GED tests to the general population and soon the civilian GED Institute was created to make these tests available to non-veterans as well. These tests were the forerunners of today's College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Likewise, the USAFI was the forerunner of today's Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES).

The servicemember doesn't always have to be examined on what he or she knows. The American Council on Education (ACE) has recommended the number of credit hours that civilian schools may wish to award based on a servicvemember's military training and experience. All five colleges and universities presently under contract to EUCOM accept these recommendations.

DANTES also certifies distance education courses other than the ones offered by the contracting universities. There are thousands of such courses covering an incredible range of subject matter. And it is possible, in some cases, to get tuition assistance for taking these courses. But don't undertake one without first consulting an advisor at your nearest education center.

TUITION ASSISTANCE

A wide variety of financial aid opportunities are offered to members of the military community in the form of scholarships, student loans, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Loans, Veterans' Educational Benefits, the G.I. Bill, and more.

Financial aid advisors are available to answer questions and guide students through the financial aid process. Financial aid can be used concurrently with VA educational benefits, scholarships, military tuition assistance, and military spouse tuition assistance.

The Army has established a centralized tuition assistance management system called GoArmyEd. It's a one-stop location for managing a college education and using tuition assistance benefits, providing access to many regionally accredited colleges and universities and more than 1,000 available degree plans.

ONLINE UNIVERSITY

Army enlisted men and women worldwide have a special distant learning tool: the Electronic Army University (eArmyU). Through a consortium of leading hardware and software companies, and 22 accredited institutions of higher education, they will be able to work for certificates, associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees and even master's degrees in some 145 programs while continuing to serve.

And it will cost them little. Once enrolled, they will get tuition and books, a personal laptop computer, a printer, Internet access and an email account. (They'll be expected to return the computer if they don't complete the course.) Interested Army personnel should keep checking with their Education Centers and watching the website at www.earmyu.com.

WHAT YOU CAN STUDY IN EUROPE

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has been providing post secondary education programs overseas for nearly three decades. More than five thousand of our students, stationed in eight European countries and the Middle East have earned undergraduate and graduate degrees, and have gone on to pursue successful careers in the military and in industry.

Embry-Riddle tailors its programs and classes to fit the needs of adult students, offering certificate programs and associates, bachelors and masters degrees. Whether the format is traditional classroom, condensed weekend or distance learning, Embry-Riddle can accommodate the busy schedules of working adults anywhere, anytime. Our faculty members are highly regarded in their field of expertise and bring creativity, experience and integrity to the "classroom". Embry-Riddle combines quality academic preparation, professional education and management training with the prestige of a world renowned university.

Emerging trends in the aviation industry require employers to recruit individuals with global aviation education and experience. Embry-Riddle students receive these necessary credentials. Combined with their career experience Embry-Riddle graduates empower organizations with the knowledge base and practical experience to handle the ever changing demands of the modern world. Organizations are looking for employees with an education foundation, practical experience and professional skills. Embry-Riddle offers everything students need to ensure success in their current and future careers.

Visit your local education office to find out what Embry-Riddle offers to boost your career!

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
CMR 429, APO AE 09054. (Europaallee 6, 67657 Kaiserslautern, Germany)
Tel: (DSN) 483-7811, (civilian) +49-(0)-631-303-27811
Web: www.embryriddle.edu/europe

University of Maryland University College

University of Maryland University College offers students more--more programs, services, flexibility, and convenience. As the 12th largest degree-granting university in the U.S., UMUC serves 90,000 students. By providing world class service and traditional academic values, UMUC Europe has established itself as an integral part of overseas military life.

Students can enroll in a full range of lower and upper level courses leading to certificates and associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees. UMUC Europe students may select from among 19 minors and 26 majors in bachelor's degree programs, as well as many additional programs online. The expansion of the award-winning Distance Education program extended the university's reach across the globe. Students may take UMUC classes that originate in Europe, Asia, or from the home campus in Adelphi, Maryland, all at the special European military tuition contract rate.

Since over a decade, UMUC Europe has partnered with Bowie State University to enable students in Europe to enhance their skills and develop their professional competencies. Master's degrees in counseling psychology, guidance and counseling, management information systems, and public administration offer students the opportunity to become innovative counselors, leaders, and managers responsive to the changing needs of the global marketplace. Also available on-site and online are UMUC graduate certificates and the master's degree in information technology. Designated as a National Center for Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the National Security Agency, this distinction reflects UMUC's ability to produce professionals with the skills needed to improve the protection of the national information infrastructure.

In addition to the array of academic programs offered, UMUC Europe also provides many student support services. Personalized, on-site academic advising, GoArmyEd assistance, registration centers, and computer labs are just some of the services offered in Europe. Financial aid options, including military tuition assistance, VA benefits, employer tuition remission, federal loans, grants and more, as well as UMUC scholarships are always available to help students finance their education. With UMUC, a high-quality, affordable education is always within reach.

To ensure that courses and programs are readily accessible, the university offers a wide array of on-site and online learning opportunities at over 70 sites throughout Europe and the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Djibouti, Kosovo, and Kuwait. Whether you go on temporary duty, relocate, or are deployed, you can continue your education without interruption. Moreover, to accelerate your progress toward a degree, UMUC Europe offers several innovative credit options for earning college credit through cooperative education and prior learning. Partnerships with Air University in the Associate-to-Baccalaureate Cooperative, U.S. Naval War College, National Defense University, and many other institutions allows students like you to earn a degree with ease.

Since 1949, active-duty servicemembers, reservists, veterans, civilians, and family members have achieved their academic and career goals through UMUC. Let us do the same for you. Contact us!

University of Maryland University College-Europe/Bowie State University
Tel: (DSN) 370-6762, (civilian) +49-(0)6221-3780
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.ed.umuc.edu

Central Texas College

Central Texas College has been operating in Europe on a continual basis since 1972. Since August 2003 the college has been offering vocational-technical programs leading to Associate of Applied Science Degrees in Applied Management, Military Science, Automotive Technology, Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement, Early Childhood Professions, Emergency Medical Technology, Food Service and Hospitality Management, Paralegal Studies and Fire Prevention Technology. Classes are taught in the classroom or suitable facilities, and at times and dates designed to accommodate the students' work schedules. Online courses in several of these vocational-technical programs are available to help students finish their degree.

The college's other educational programs include a Microsoft Certification Program for Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator, A+ and Network+, and an on-line High School Completion program. In addition, the college offers a large variety of education support functions. These include personnel to work in education centers as Administrative Assistants, Test Examiners, Learning Center Operators, Language Program Mangers, Facility Administrators, Automation Technicians and Counselor Aides.

Central Texas College provides foreign language instructors to teach Headstart and Refresher Maintenance and Interoperability courses as well as tutorial instruction. The college also provides academic instructors to teach NCO development courses and basic, remedial academic instruction. CTC Texas College sponsors the CLEP Test Center in Mannheim, Germany. The completely electronic test center, the first of its kind at a military installation in Europe, offers all 35 College Level Examination Preparation tests, including English, Math, Foreign Languages, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and History. At present Central Texas College operates at bases and posts throughout Europe, the Balkans, the Sinai, and in Southwest Asia in Kuwait, Bahrain, Afghanistan and Qatar and, most recently in Djibouti.

Central Texas College
Coleman Barracks, CMR 418, APO AE 09058
(Viernheimer Weg, Building 50, 68237 Mannheim, Germany)
Tel: (DSN) 382-4263, (Civ.) +49-(0)621-799-0506
Email: www.europe.ctcd.edu