Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - Jeff Hathaway was working as a technical consultant when he realized he needed a change. The University of Wisconsin-Platteville master's in project management degree program, offered through distance education, seemed a perfect fit.

"Like many others, I was first exposed to project management not by choice, but by necessity. Working as a technical consultant, I worked on many projects that, for one reason or another, finished late, over-budget, or failed outright," said Hathaway, a Wauwatosa resident. "It wasn't long before I found myself responsible for managing the schedule, activities and budget for each project while simultaneously serving as the customer focal point."

Hathaway began study in project management two years ago through UWP distance education. He graduated this summer with a master's degree and is employed as a project manager for Xerox Global Services.

"I now work in a much more formal project management environment and I believe the skills and proof of knowledge that I gained from the project management degree played a significant role in my career progression," he said.

As a working adult, traditional education methods didn't fit into his schedule. UWP's project management program was exactly what he was looking for.

"I spent a great deal of time researching programs before enrolling at UWP. The flexibility of an online program was important since my occupation requires a fair amount of travel," he said. "There is no doubt that the asynchronous nature of online learning offers the maximum flexibility for the working adult. Everyone is different, but I completed much of my studies late at night and early in the morning so I could spend the rest of my time on work, family and everything else in between."

Hathaway said the best parts of project management at UWP are the people involved with the program and the curriculum. It was also convenient for him that he never had to travel to UWP; students enrolled in UWP distance education programs are not required to visit campus.

"For me, it was reassuring to know that I was within driving distance of the campus if needed, although this was never required in the two years I was enrolled," Hathaway said. "In fact, my first campus visit will be for the graduation ceremony."

UWP distance education offers a bachelor of science in business administration degree program as well as master's level degree programs in engineering, criminal justice and project management. More information about UWP distance education programs is available online (http://www.uwplatt.edu/disted/) or by calling 608-342-1468, or toll-free, 1-800-362-5460.