The Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (Great Plains IDEA)
The Great Plains IDEA is a partnership of 20 public university members providing access to the best educational opportunities by collaboratively developing and delivering high-quality, online academic programs. Great Plains IDEA is an academic alliance that offers fully-online graduate and undergraduate coursework and program options in high demand professional fields.
- Are you a professional who would like to advance your career to the next level?
- Are you a recent graduate who need to work while earning a graduate degree or certificate?
- Are you a military service member, veteran, or dependent planning for future civilian employment?
- Are you a university faculty member who is looking for connections with colleagues across the nation?
- Are you a university administrator who wants to offer high-quality academic programs that are cost-effective?
Since 2001, Great Plains IDEA has helped students of all ages and backgrounds learn from the best professors in their fields and earn degrees from some of the nation's finest universities. Learn more about the unique opportunities offered by the Great Plains IDEA.
Since the first gathering of its founders in 1994, the Great Plains IDEA has evolved into a premier post-baccalaureate distance education alliance that sponsors inter-institutional academic programs and develops policy and practice models for inter-institutional distance education programs.
Academic programs are the core of the Alliance.
- Member institutions participate in programs that fit their interests and expertise.
- Each member institution awards academic credit and degrees for programs in which they participate.
- Curricula are developed by inter-institutional faculty teams.
- The same core curriculum is offered at each member institution in the program with that institution's course title and number.
- All courses and curricula receive a full institutional review and meet the academic standards of the participating institutions.
- Students choose their "home" institution, where they apply for admission, enroll in courses, pay tuition, and graduate.
- Courses are taught by faculty from each of the partner institutions on a schedule determined by the faculty team.
- Students pay the Great Plains IDEA "Common Price" per credit hour regardless of the home or teaching institution.
- The student's transcript is developed and the diploma is awarded at the home institution, so there is no credit transfer between institutions.
- Revenue is distributed among the home institution, teaching institution and central alliance management to ensure sustainable programs and a sustainable alliance.
