Partnering with an Online Program Management Provider to Implement an Online MBA Program
Author | : Scott Springer |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 139 |
Release | : 2016 |
ISBN-10 | : OCLC:1002634596 |
ISBN-13 | : |
Rating | : 4/5 (96 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: Colleges and universities continue to add online programs. One method a higher education institution may launch an online program is through a partnership with an online program management (OPM) provider, a third-party company that provides services such as market/lead generation, enrollment management, student services, and course development. This qualitative case study explored how a private university in the Western United States partnered with an OPM provider to launch an online MBA program. Data was collected through interviews with eight individuals from the university who had direct experience of the partnership with the OPM provider. Additional data was collected from documents pertaining to the online MBA program and to the OPM provider. The data revealed four themes pertaining to the partnership: (a) Decision Making, (b) Aligning Expectations (between the university and the OPM provider), (c), Collaboration (among university faculty and instructional designers from the OPM provider), and (d) Accountability. This research is significant because it sheds light on the nature of OPM provider/university partnerships in the development and administration of online programs. The knowledge gained from this study is expected to inform college and university administrators who plan to launch one or more online programs at their respective institutions. Several recommendations for practice are provided.