Back to school, back to work: colleges and universities help workers update their skills in classrooms and online.

• Author: Caley, Nora
• Position: EDUCATION ROUNDUP

Adults expect to change employers, and even change careers, throughout their working lives. Colorado colleges and universities are eager to help. They are expanding their programs and adding courses that can help professionals get ahead, move to a different job, or even start a new career. Adult students are enrolling in everything from weekend classes to years-long graduate degree programs.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Here is a roundup of new or expanded programs from institutions of higher learning around the state.

AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

American Public University System's Bachelor of Science degree program in Nursing has been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. APUS launched the nursing program in January 2011 to meet the professional development needs of nurses who hold an associate degree in nursing and an active Registered Nurse (RN) license, but do not have a B.S. degree. The program is offered by APUS's two online universities, American Public University and American Military University. The focus is on three primary nursing roles: practitioner, scientist and leader, and students are required to complete a capstone seminar course. The degree is designed to help nurses move into management, education, public and community health.

For more information, visit www.apu.apus.edu.

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Colorado State University launched two online Master of Engineering degrees.

The Master of Engineering with an Electrical and Computer Engineering specialization features areas of focus including Computer Engineering, Power and Energy Engineering, and Systems Engineering. The degree is for engineers who hope to increase their salary, want to work on higher-level projects, or simply need to keep up with the pace of innovation to make themselves more marketable.

The Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering with an Engineering Management specialization features a curriculum that blends engineering processes with business elements to give students a combination of management concepts and technical focus. The course-work includes engineering classes as well as business classes such as Quantitative Business Analysis and Organizational Communication.

Hunt Lambert, associate provost, Colorado State University OnlinePlus, says CSU developed the two online master's degree programs to respond to industry needs. "We talked to CEOs of all the major engineering companies, and they said 50 percent of their engineers will be gone in the next 10 years because they are hitting age 65," Lambert says. "Our basic engineering infrastructure is aged, and the companies are desperate to replace these engineers."

Separately, CSU OnlinePlus will introduce an online version of the new Master of Tourism Management degree that began this fall. The online version will be available fall 2013.

Also from CSU, the Warner College of Natural Resources will launch a Bachelor of Science in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability in spring 2013. Courses include Foundations of Ecosystem Science, Natural Resources Ecology and Management, and Sustainability and Ecosystem Science.

For more information, visit www.online.colostate.edu.

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER

The University of Colorado at Boulder moved its bachelor's degree in environmental design to the Boulder campus. The environmental design program was launched in 1970 and became a part of the College of Architecture and Planning at CU Denver in 1992. Now the Boulder campus is...