DeVry University

From Researching Virtual Initiatives in Education

DeVry University (DeVry) offers flexible, career-oriented degrees, both face-to-face and online. It presently offers associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees, and considers itself a leading global provider of career-oriented educational services.

Headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, US, DeVry has 5,400 employees. Students are offered flexible scheduling and the option of taking courses either exclusively online or via one of DeVry's 80 locations across the US (and in Alberta, Canada). Of these sites only 23 are considered major campuses. In 2008, there were a total of 57,000 students enrolled across DeVry.

Courses are delivered via the eCollege system. Course content may include CD-ROMs, study notes or lecture text, email, threaded discussion boards, and books. Courses are primarily asynchronous, though instructors may introduce a 'live chat' option if they like.

Postgraduate education is pursued through DeVry's Keller Graduate School of Management, where postgraduate faculty members are practicing professionals hired on a course-by-course basis. More than 98% of postgraduate students are full-time working professionals themselves.

DeVry Inc. is the holding company for DeVry University, Ross University, Chamberlain College of Nursing, Becker Professional Review and Advanced Academics, Inc. It is one of the largest publicly held higher education companies in North America.

The DeVry University Web site is at http://www.devry.edu/

More details

In 1931, Dr. Herman DeVry established a small school in Chicago to prepare students for technical work in electronics (e.g. motion pictures and radio). This school evolved into the DeVry Institute, and then finally the DeVry University of today.

DeVry Inc. was created in 1987 through a merger of the DeVry Institute and the Keller Graduate School of Management (which together now comprise DeVry University). The company completed its initial public offering in June 1991. Several smaller institutions have since been acquired by the company, e.g. Becker CPA Review (1996); Ross University (2003); and Deaconess College of Nursing (2005).

Since 1975, 230,000 undergraduates have completed DeVry degrees.

Reports

For more information about DeVry see http://www.ibhe.org/PerformanceIndicators/PerfReport/2006/pdf/Devry.pdf (Illinois Board of Education, 2006)

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