2U, Inc. and its University Partners Surpass 20,000-Placement Milestone in Providing Field-Based Learning Experiences for Students
-- Students in education, social work and nursing programs have completed more than 4.5 million hours of fieldwork in more than 10,000 schools, hospitals, clinics and community-based settings --
LANDOVER, Md., Sept. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- 2U, Inc. (NASDAQ: TWOU), a leading provider of cloud-based software-as-a-service solutions for nonprofit colleges and universities to deliver high-quality education to qualified students anywhere, today announced that 2U and its university partners have now facilitated more than 20,000 field-based learning experiences for education, social work and nursing students with more than 10,000 schools, hospitals, clinics and community-based organizations in all 50 U.S. states and more than 61 countries around the world.
Hands-on training, mentorship and supervision experiences are a central component of the curriculum at 2U-partner programs in education, social work and nursing, including USC Rossier Online, MSW@USC, Nursing@Georgetown, Nursing@Simmons and SocialWork@Simmons. This practical fieldwork exposes students to critical real-world job scenarios and experiences that prepare them to enter the workforce as truly skilled practitioners immediately upon graduation.
"Passing the 20,000-placement milestone is a testament to the commitment of our university partners to work tirelessly on behalf of aspiring teachers, social workers and nurses to find the highest-quality local opportunities that enable them to gain critical hands-on experience in their chosen field, no matter where they live," said Chip Paucek, CEO and co-founder of 2U. "These placement services are a major differentiator for 2U's university partners and their programs, and a big part of the reason that I challenge anyone to find a better educational experience, whether online or on campus."
"One-on-one clinical placements with an expert clinician approved by Simmons College faculty is essential when preparing nurses to enter the workforce as skilled and knowledgeable nurse practitioners," said Judy A. Beal, Dean School of Nursing and Health Sciences and Professor of Nursing. "2U's ability to facilitate high-quality placement experiences in each student's local community is one of the keys that makes it possible for Simmons College to serve online students around the country without compromising the rigor and quality of our program."
Through 2U's cloud-based software-as-a-service platform, students attend live, small seminar-style classes and study groups and consume high-quality, self-paced content. Students also participate in practical real-world learning experiences, attend campus graduation ceremonies and receive degrees identical to those of their on-campus peers.
Approximately one-third of a student's program credits in 2U-enabled programs in education, social work and nursing are earned through courses associated with a field-based experience. To-date, students in 2U's university partner programs have completed more than 4.5 million cumulative hours of fieldwork with approximately 7,700 instructors, guiding teachers and preceptors. These experiences have resulted in nearly 20% of students later being employed in their field of study by their placement organization or agency.
2U works with each of its university partners to identify and match students with high-quality fieldwork opportunities located in each student's local geographic area. In addition to education, social work and nursing programs, 2U and its university partners also deliver academically relevant in-person immersive experiences for students in other disciplines. Examples include:
- MBA@UNC – where MBA students have the opportunity to meet four times a year for in-person collaborative learning experiences and networking in locations around the world.
- datascience@berkeley – where data science students gathered in May 2014 at UC Berkeley's California campus for three days of intensive workshops, networking and team building.
- @WashULaw – where Master of Laws students spent two weeks in 2014 exploring the legal centers of St. Louis, Washington, DC, and New York City.
About 2U, Inc. (NASDAQ: TWOU)
Founded in 2008 by a team of education and technology veterans, 2U enables leading colleges and universities to deliver their high-quality education to qualified students anywhere. Our cloud-based software-as-a-service platform provides schools with the comprehensive operating infrastructure they need to attract, enroll, educate, support and graduate their students. Our mission is to enable the education our clients provide to reach its highest potential so students can reach theirs. To learn more, go to 2U.com.
Media Contacts:
Shirley Chow, 2U Inc.
[email protected]
858-336-0358
SOURCE 2U, Inc.
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