Soldiers at Fort Bragg will soon be able to receive a master’s degree from Northeastern University’s Charlotte campus. It won’t require many trips off the base.
At least twenty soldiers will begin pursuing Masters in Project Management through Northeastern in January. The program includes courses both offered online and on the base where students can meet potential employers.
CEO of Northeastern’s Charlotte campus Cheryl Richards says it’s a fast-track program designed specifically for soldiers who want to transition out of the military.
“The tailoring we’ve done locally to the project management program is compressed it into 12-18 months to parallel their transition out of the military,” says Richards.
Fort Bragg soldiers already have the choice of eight colleges and universities on the base.
Fort Bragg’s Maj. Gen. Jefforey Smith likes the extent to which Northeastern’s program is tailored to soldiers’ needs.
“It’s unique when we get an institution that’s willing to come onto our base, willing to partner with us in ways that we think is more value-added to the soldier, but also good opportunity for the institution as well,” says Smith.
Managing and overseeing large projects is a skill heavily used in the military, including in engineering work. Smith expects even soldiers who plan to stay with the military to enroll.
Tuition for the Masters of Project Management program will cost about $24,000. The GI bill may cover some or all of the price. Northeastern is considering offering other masters programs at the base.
