A UMaine System public policy degree will target adult learners

Photo / Courtesy of University of Maine at Presque Isle The University of Maine at Presque Isle, shown here, is teaming with the University of Maine at Farmington to launch an online degree in public policy for adult learners.

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By Renee Cordes

Two Maine universities are joining forces to launch an online public policy degree program aimed at helping adult learners complete their education and help employers meet workforce needs.

Touted as a first-of-its-kind for adult learners, the degree will be offered by the University of Maine at Farmington and delivered through the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s existing online program called YourPace. Applications are due by Aug. 1 for the program, which begins Sept. 2.

Established in 2017, UMPI's YourPace program allows adult learners to earn their bachelor's degree completely online and at their own pace with no set class meeting times or deadlines, in as few as 12 months, for less than $11,000.

Students are changed a flat tuition rate of $1,800 per session, with no textbook and material costs, with six eight-week sessions offered per year. As part of the new partnership, the University of Maine at Farmington faculty developed the coursework for the public policy degree within UMPI's learning platform.

Just like UMPI's YourPace courses, the UMF courses will include a series of course modules aligned with a list of competencies, and students will advance to the net module once they demonstrate their mastery of the content. To mark the collaboration, all materials connected with the program will note that the UMF degree is powered by YourPace at UMPI.

YourPace is helping to meet the needs of busy working adults, and we’re pleased to expand upon this work by collaborating with the University of Maine at Farmington on this first-ever YourPace partnership program, providing those seeking meaningful careers in public policy with an entirely online pathway to affordable degree completion,” said Ray Rice, president of University of Maine at Presque Isle,

“This partnership is incredibly innovative in its approach,” he added.

Joseph McDonnell, president of the University of Maine at Farmington, said, “We look forward to working in concert with UMPI to develop programs that will meet the educational needs of adult learners and provide them with the personalized learning and support that will help them achieve their career goals.”

As part of the collaboration, UMF faculty developed the coursework for this degree within UMPI’s learning platform.

Both schools are part of the University of Maine System, which is led by Chancellor Dannel Malloy.