University degree provider plugs into on-line masters

An on-line university degree provider is offering a Web-based environmental law masters course next year, and said it intends to open the way for undergraduate law degrees to be available on the Internet.

UK eUniversities Worldwide (UkeU) - a government-backed company enabling universities to offer their degrees on-line - has announced that its new LLM in environmental law from the University of Central Lancashire, will be available from February 2004.

It is the first law course offered by UkeU.

The course will be available to students and businesses outside the UK, and will teach how environmental legal provisions operate within national and international law, and the influence of politics, philosophy and economics on the law.

John Beaumont, UkeU's chief executive officer, said: 'UkeU is focused on delivering a portfolio of on-line courses that students world-wide are demanding, and our market intelligence has demonstrated that law is an important subject area.'

UkeU's marketing director, Tracey Lambert, added that the company was looking to expand its portfolio of law courses and that this could encompass undergraduate degrees on-line.

She said: 'I would expect that we will look to arrange courses at different levels including undergraduate.'

Professor Patrick McGhee, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire, said: 'This innovative programme will bring students together virtually, and ultimately support greater global understanding of the environment and its protection as students learn together.'

UkeU was launched in 2001 with 55 million of government money.

LINKS: www.ukeu.com; www.uclanonline.com

Jeremy Fleming