Georgia Southwestern State University is now an affiliate institution of the University System of Georgia’s eCore Collaborative Program (USG eCore). By affiliating with the state-wide program, GSW will be able to offer students greater online class availability beginning fall 2015.

USG eCore, which began in 2000, allows students to take the first two years of their college curriculum online and offers general education courses in English, mathematics, science, history and the social sciences. The program supports the state’s Complete College Georgia and Go Back Move Ahead initiatives by increasing access to quality higher education across Georgia. Course credit earned in USG eCore is transferable to any USG institution. eCore offers both 8-week and 16-week options, which will give students the flexibility they need to stay on track in their degree plan.

“eCore courses are of the high quality that is expected of institutions within the USG and are offered at a very competitive cost,” said Jessica Blakemore, eCore’s associate director of marketing. “In a time when many students are seeing rising tuition costs, eCore was proud to offer a tuition decrease of over 10 percent in Fall 2014 to just $169 per credit hour. Additionally, over half of the 26 courses offered through eCore utilize Open Educational Resources, which are free digital textbooks embedded inside the course.”

“eCore provides students with accessibility, affordability and flexibility, while providing instructor feedback and student support services rarely found in online education options,” added Bryan Davis, the eCore advisor for Georgia Southwestern.

USG eCore will be the second collaborative program adopted at Georgia Southwestern, having been a partner of Georgia’s WebBSIT consortium for several years. Additionally, the school recently announced plans to join Georgia’s eMajor collaborative program, offering an online Bachelor of Science in criminal justice in the fall.