Military Student Success Center

Posted on by Carmien Penny

Sign saying 'Home of the free because of the brave" above door
On December 16, 2016, UA Little Rock opened the Military Student Success Center. The center was made possible through the generosity of a grant from the Student Veterans of America and Home Depot along with the support from campus leaders, veterans, students, and Veterans Villages of America.

Previously, UA Little Rock housed the Offices of Veteran Affairs, the Military Academic Advisor, and the Military Ombudsman. The center combines these offices to streamline the enrollment, retention, and processing of VA documents. Military and veteran students of both the main and online campuses can visit the center to socialize, study, and get information about available resources.

The facility has a 1,634-square-foot lounge, study area with computers, conference room, and kitchen. According to the center’s website, they serve “over 700 Active Duty, Reservists, National Guardsmen, Veterans, and their family members.” Continue reading “Military Student Success Center” →

BAS Degree Promotes Skills for Career Advancement

Posted on by Carmien Penny
Louis Scivally, B.A.S. Advisor
Louis Scivally, B.A.S. Advisor

Designed with the working adult in mind, the Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) is an online completion program designed for students hoping to transition from their technical fields to a bachelor’s degree.

According to the B.A.S. website, “This interdisciplinary program is for students who desire to enhance their knowledge, analytical abilities and critical thinking skills for upward mobility in their field.” Students in the B.A.S. degree program will complete 18 hours of required organizational leadership courses and 18 hours of professional course electives. Required courses include Principles of Management, Writing for the Workplace, and Professional Communication. Options for the professional course electives include Data Analysis/Visualization, Organizational Psychology, and Persuasive Presentations.

To qualify for admission, prospective students must have an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree from a regionally-accredited college or university, or at least 40 hours of technical military credits. These credits will be applied to the 120 credit hours required for the B.A.S. degree. Continue reading “BAS Degree Promotes Skills for Career Advancement” →

Course Spotlight: Information Visualization

Posted on by Carmien Penny

“Every day, we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data. To put that into perspective, 90 percent of the data in the world today has been created in the past two years alone…”

– via study published by International Business Machines Corp.

 

Dr. Dirk Reiners has been an associate professor at UA Little Rock since 2014. Information Visualization is one of four courses that he teaches with the Department of Information Science in the College of Engineering and Information Technology. Continue reading “Course Spotlight: Information Visualization” →

Industry-backed programs prepare future leaders in data quality

Posted on by Carmien Penny
Dr. John Talburt
Dr. John Talburt | IQ Graduate Coordinator, Professor and Advisor

The Information Quality (IQ) graduate programs at UA Little Rock are designed to prepare students for the rapidly growing field of information quality by providing a comprehensive education of theory alongside industry-standard training. Students may choose from a graduate certificate in IQ, Master of Science in IQ, or a Doctor of Philosophy in computer and information sciences. 

According to the IQ program page, the programs are “designed to prepare students to pursue a variety of IQ careers such as Chief Data Officer, Information Quality Manager, Director of Data Governance, Data Steward, Information Quality Analyst, and Data Scientist, or to pursue doctoral-level graduate studies in preparation for information quality research and instructional roles.”

Dr. John Talburt, coordinator and advisor for the IQ graduate programs, is a leading researcher in his field and an award-winning faculty member. He is known for helping students not only on their academic paths, but also with establishing thriving careers. Continue reading “Industry-backed programs prepare future leaders in data quality” →

Course Spotlight: Business Communications

Posted on by Carmien Penny

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right?
This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”
― Jerry Seinfeld

In 2005, Sarah Clements graduated from UA Little Rock with a masters degree in interpersonal & organizational communication (now called applied communications) and started teaching within the College of Business. Her course, business communications, helps students with what many cite as a major fear: public speaking.  Continue reading “Course Spotlight: Business Communications” →

Doors open for students with business management degrees

Posted on by Carmien Penny


Maybe you’re already in a career field you love, but you’re looking for a way to expand your options in the workplace. Perhaps you haven’t chosen a career just yet, and you’re interested in a degree that’s as open and versatile as you are.

If gaining transferable skills and advancing your career are at the top of your wants list, you may be interested in seeking a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in management.

Business administration covers a broad field of study, from marketing and information systems to management and human resources. Business students gain knowledge in all areas of modern business and across all industries. Students also reap the benefits of learning communication skills, team-building abilities, and critical thinking skills, preparing them to be effective leaders in a variety of workplace settings.

The College of Business at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock offers the Bachelor of Business Administration in management in multiple formats, including completely online. Students can choose whether they want to focus on human resources management or general business management.

Dr. Susie Cox, professor and chair of the Department of Management, speaks to the variety of options for management degree holders, even for those who are unsure of where they are headed in their careers. Continue reading “Doors open for students with business management degrees” →

The future of college textbooks is open

Posted on by Carmien Penny

Stack of books and laptop on wooden tableFor many students and parents, the cost of college textbooks may come as a surprise. A study published by the General Accountability Office in 2013 revealed that textbook costs rose 82 percent between 2002 and 2012. The National Association of College Stores (NACS) says the average college student will spend $655 on textbooks each year. The frustration that comes with these rising costs has motivated educators to provide more affordable and accessible academic resources for their students.

What are Open Educational Resources?

Open Educational Resources (OER) are defined by the Hewlett Foundation as “teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use and repurposing by others. OER include full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge.” Continue reading “The future of college textbooks is open” →

eLearning librarian tackles challenges facing online students

Posted on by Carmien Penny

Author’s Note: If you (like Cori) are an auditory learner, please check out our short recording of the interview where Cori discusses ILL and OER, along with some advice she’s learned while on her path as an online student and librarian.

Cori Schmidtbauer knows firsthand the difficulties that online students face. Born and raised in California, she earned her Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree online through San Jose State University. Since October 2016, she has been the eLearning Librarian in Ottenheimer Library at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she is also earning her Master of Education in Learning Systems Technology degree online.

As the eLearning Librarian, Cori is interested in making the lives of online students easier. With collaboration from a colleague, she conducted a survey in Fall 2016 to assess online students’ awareness of library services and resources that are available to them. It turns out that many students were not aware of certain services, such as Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Continue reading “eLearning librarian tackles challenges facing online students” →