Customer-focused graduate education in a real-time distance environment

In January 2001, at the request of Delphi Corporation, the University of Dayton initiated a program to deliver its Master of Science in Engineering Management curriculum live, via the Internet, to engineers at corporate sites throughout North America. Class materials are conveyed in real-time using the PlaceWare^® Web conferencing system as hosted by RWD Technologies, Inc., while audio is provided by a standard telephone conference call. This program was founded on the success of earlier onsite programs and was developed specifically to support and complement corporate initiatives in innovation and continuous improvement methodologies. Delphi employees who complete their degrees within this program are eligible to be certified as six-sigma black belts by the company. The major objective of this paper is to chronicle our experience regarding this unique relationship and discuss what has been learned about this mode of distance education.