The College of Graduate & Online Studies

Providing An Authentic Experience From Enrollment To Commencement

BY GRAHAM DUNCAN

The demand for online educational opportunities is on the rise.

Research indicates that over 30,000 residents in South Carolina are enrolled in online programs at out-of-state colleges. Lander’s newly formed College of Graduate and Online Studies aims to provide those residents who are looking to further their education with convenient, high-caliber online graduate and undergraduate programs at an affordable, in-state price.

“We want those people to know they have an in-state option that gives them the quality, flexibility and majors they want,” said Dr. Lloyd Willis, dean of the College of Graduate and Online Studies.

While Lander already has an established track record of providing that level of education face-to-face, housing and classroom capacities have put a limit on the growth of traditional enrollment— which has seen all-time highs in recent years. Now, with many graduate and undergraduate programs being offered online, “there’s no limit to who can be a Bearcat,” Willis said.

The recruitment efforts of Lander’s newest academic college have passed key milestones since its establishment, with new programs being added to meet the career interests of prospective students and the demands of the workforce.

In the fall of 2022, Lander enrolled over 250 online undergraduate students and more than 600 graduate students—both numbers a sharp increase from the year prior. Graduate enrollment, in particular, has skyrocketed over 600% since just 2019. While some of those students are in-person, depending on their program, the majority are online.

And with the College’s focus on nurturing growth in these programs, Willis expects this number to continue climbing as more people learn of the opportunities to advance their education with a degree from Lander University ... in South Carolina and far beyond.

“We have students enrolling from 23 states, and from as far away as California, Washington, Texas, Illinois and Delaware,” Willis said.

Part of what attracts these students to Lander are the relationships being built with community partners that allow some students to earn their degrees at a discounted rate. For example, the College of Graduate and Online Studies has established a series of agreements with local school districts that pave the way for teachers to enroll in one of Lander’s M.Ed. programs at little or no cost to them. The districts use