College opens door for old post grads

(CNS): The International College of the Cayman Islands is making an effort to attract former post graduate students who have for one reason or another failed to complete their master’s degrees back to school. The college said there are number of students who have completed a significant amount of their courses but for one reason or another from Hurricane Ivan to job pressures have been sidetracked and never finished their degrees. Anthony Husemann, PhD, Director of Graduate Studies said the college is giving those students a chance to come back. The policy that states students must finish their post graduate degree within six years or they will need to start over is being suspended to allow former students to renew their graduate courses regardless of when they started.

“With the economy in an ongoing slump around the world, finishing up a masters degree could make a huge difference in people’s lives, by keeping them competitive in the job market and well as put them in line for promotions or new opportunities as they come up,” said Dr. Husemann. “So many things have happened in this country in the last six years I just felt the time was right to make an exception to our six-year policy for 2011.”

For the next three terms former students who re-enroll in graduate programmes at the International College, will have all their previous courses credited toward their masters degrees, added Dr. Husemann. “Even if they took a graduate course 25 years ago, we will count it toward their masters degree,” he said.

One graduate student, Kerry Salazar, said after a few years lapse in graduate school, she re-entered the masters programme for management education. Like many students pursuing masters degrees, Salazar never actually decided to quit the programme. There were just a number of things that came up including the chaos after Hurricane Ivan and family issues that demanded more attention.

“Juggling work responsibilities and graduate school has not been easy,” said Salazar. “But I only have four more courses to take and getting my masters degree is worth it.”

Students thinking about re-starting can drop in to see Dr Husemann at the Newlands campus., he said. “If you are a former graduate student and you have been thinking about whether this is the right time to get back into the programme and finish your masters degree, then this three-term reprieve may be the extra incentive you need,” Dr. Husemann added.

Classes for the winter term start back on 10 January with registration going on through 7 January and former ormer students can also register for courses online at www.myicci.com