Friendly poker games and college have long gone hand and hand, but a new program at Drexel University is bringing gambling from the dorm room to the classroom. The university recently announced plans to offer a certificate in Gaming and Casino Operations at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The certificate will be offered through the school’s online university in tandem with Drexel’s Goodwin College of Professional Studies. According to a statement from the university, the undergraduate certificate will focus on ” the technical and managerial aspects of gaming and casino operations. The program is designed for individuals who wish to operate or manage the dynamics of gaming enterprises.” It is an 18-credit program and the online coursework associated with the certificate can be applied towards a Drexel bachelor’s degree program.
The graduate certificate promises a similar focus on preparing students for a career in the casino resort industry. The six-course graduate program is designed to cater to part-time students and can be completed in either one or two years. Coursework for the graduate certificate can be applied to a Masters of Science in Hospitality Management.
The curriculum for the undergraduate certificate in Gaming and Casino Operations includes introductory hospitality management courses as well as coursework focused on legislative matters related to the gaming industry, training in gaming information systems, and current issues in gaming. The graduate certificate curriculum features similar course offerings in addition to classes in casino marketing and financial analysis.
While these two new programs are being offered exclusively via Drexel’s online university, the school insists that the educational quality of the programs is on par with those conducted in classrooms on campus. “We’re very proud to offer our students the outstanding Drexel curriculum within this convenient online format,” said Dr. Kenneth Hartman, Academic Director for Drexel University Online. “All of our online programs, including our online Graduate Certificate in Gaming and Casino Operations, are taught by the same world-renowned faculty as our on-campus courses.”
Drexel University has a longstanding reputation as an educational institution with an interest in new technology. In the 1980s, Drexel was one of the first schools that required all of its students to own microcomputers and, in 2000, it became the first major university to implement campus-wide wireless internet. Its online university has been in operation since 1996 and the two Gaming and Casino Operations certificates are only a handful of the new programs being added to the curriculum. The university also announced that Creativity Studies, Emergency Management, and Homeland Security Management would be added to the online course offerings for the 2009-2010 academic year.
Drexel University Online is not the first online institution to offer a Casino Operations certificate. Similar computer-based programs are in place at National University, UMass Online, and Sullivan University.
Drexel is currently accepting applicants in the new programs for the Fall 2009 term, which begins on September 21st. The deadline for applications is September 4th. Additional information about the application process and the new programs can be found at the school’s official website, Drexel.com.