American InterContinental University Online Announces a New Online Bachelor's Degree Program in Design

Business Wire, Oct 8, 2002

Business Editors/Education Writers

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2002

Curriculum Equips Students With Latest Design Software

and the Knowledge to Put It to Work

American InterContinental University Online (AIU Online), the online division of Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ: CECO), today announced the launch of a new online degree program: the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Visual Communication with a concentration in digital design. The program is the first available completely online to integrate rich multimedia and interactive learning tools throughout the curriculum.

"Now aspiring design students can complete their Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts entirely online," said Nick Fluge, chief operating officer of AIU Online and executive vice president of Career Education Corporation. "Students will learn the fundamentals of design while learning how to use the latest, most popular design software professionals use today." The program can help prepare students for positions as animators, web designers, graphic designers and computer-based training developers.

"Each student will receive and then do their coursework on the latest releases of PageMaker(R), Indesign(R), Flash(TM), Director(R), Illustrator(R), Photoshop(R) and Dreamweaver(R)," said Dr. Robin Throne, Provost for AIU. "When you think about the growth of the Internet and how reliant designers are on technology, what better way to prepare for a career than through online design education," she said.

Like other AIU Online degree programs, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is an accelerated program. The 20-course program can be completed in 13 months, assuming the student has successfully completed two years of college. "We've found our students are highly motivated and career-oriented," said Paul Gleason, Director of Development for AIU Online. "They are eager to learn, and eager to launch professional careers," he added. Courses include Principles of Design, Color Theory, Lettering & Typography, Computer Graphics, Photoshop, Computer Illustration, Multimedia, Web Design and others. The classes themselves will use advanced multimedia techniques to teach the material.

Students earn their degree by completing a large-scale design project of their own choosing. This final portfolio allows students to build upon their acquired skills and provides a means of demonstrating their qualifications to prospective employers. "By learning with the same software tools used on the job, the student gets a head start on his career," said Nick Fluge. "A review of recent job boards will attest to the demand for designers with software proficiencies, the same design programs our students will be learning."

Applications for admission to AIU Online's new Visual Communication degree program are now being taken. Classes begin January 6, 2003. Additional information is available at: www.aiuonline.edu, or by calling 877-701-3800 toll free.

About AIU Online

AIU Online is a regionally accredited university accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools(a). AIU Online also offers Associate's, Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in Information Technology and Business Administration, all delivered via the Internet. Instruction began in April 2001. Today, as one of the fastest growing universities in America, over 1,000 students are enrolled in those programs. The American InterContinental University System has six residential campuses worldwide and has offered degrees in design for over 30 years at their campuses in Atlanta, Los Angeles and London.

About Career Education Corporation

Career Education Corporation is one of the world's largest providers of private, for-profit postsecondary education in the career-oriented disciplines of visual communication and design technologies, information technology, business studies, healthcare and culinary arts. CEC operates 43 campuses throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates, and offers a full online program through American InterContinental University Online, its E-learning division. Total student population as of July 31, 2002 was approximately 41,000 students.

CEC colleges enjoy long operating histories and offer a wide variety of master's degree, bachelor's degree, associate's degree and diploma programs. The CEC family includes American InterContinental University (six campuses), the International Academy of Design & Technology (eight campuses), the Katharine Gibbs Schools (nine campuses), Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Program North America (10 campuses), American InterContinental University Online and other well-known educational institutions in the College Division (10 campuses).

The forward-looking statements contained in this release are based upon various assumptions, and certain risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated. Factors that could cause such differences include costs and difficulties associated with opening new campuses and in integrating acquisitions, costs associated with the E-learning Division, changes in the regulatory environment and those matters disclosed in Career Education Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Career Education Corporation assumes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements.