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Colorado Technical University Online Launches Professional Certificate Program

Posted on: Thursday, 7 July 2005, 15:00 CDT

Career Education's Online Education Group strengthens online education opportunities with innovative program that meets student needs

Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ:CECO) today announced that Colorado Technical University Online (Colorado Tech Online) began marketing a new Professional Certificate Program as a stand-alone education opportunity. The program provides students an opportunity to earn an individual Professional Certificate in 26 areas of business, criminal justice and information technology.

For more than 40 years, Colorado Technical University has been dedicated to helping students achieve their professional dreams by preparing them for successful careers in business and high-technology industries. Colorado Tech Online was launched in October 2003 to bring some of the most innovative, career-relevant degrees exclusively online, so that students could achieve flexible learning anywhere, anytime, through one of the industry's best web-based e-learning platforms.

"We see the online education market growing as evidenced by the several million annual inquiries that we receive from prospective students showing interest in our two online universities; American InterContinental University Online and Colorado Technical University Online," said Steve Fireng, president of Career Education's Online Education Group. "The Professional Certificate Program was created to appeal to the student who is interested in earning a professional certificate in a particular area of interest rather than a full bachelor's or master's degree. The program allows the student the flexibility to apply those credits earned toward a full degree program at Colorado Tech Online at a later point in time."

The Professional Certificate Program features small class sizes and experienced professors who have advanced degrees and real-life experiences relevant to their coursework. These courses incorporate the latest technology that creates a rich, interactive classroom:

-- Each session features extensive multimedia presentations and question-and-answer segments.

-- Course instructors host real-time discussions twice a week through a technological learning vehicle called CommonGround(TM) which features streaming video and audio, and whiteboard technology. The tool is used for synchronous learning to create a community for students and the sessions are archived for students to review at their convenience.

-- Online discussion boards are used to create interactive course discussions between individual students and/or classmates/instructors. These sessions are also archived for the students to later review.

-- Students who are enrolled in the Professional Certificate Program will earn the same individual certificates that are part of the bachelor's or master's degree programs from Colorado Tech Online. Colorado Tech Online's degree programs incorporate multiple professional certificates enabling students to progressively build-in additional certificates while earning their bachelor's or master's degree.

"We anticipate that this program will meet the needs of prospective students from a wide range of backgrounds, including working professionals, active military and busy parents," said Fireng. "This new program is consistent with our overall mission to identify new market opportunities and programs that meet the needs of online learners."

Colorado Tech Online is preparing for the program's first classes on October 2, 2005. A catalog and additional information about Colorado Tech Online's Professional Certificate Program is available at www.ctuonline.edu/certificates or by calling 888-4CTU-CERT.

About Colorado Technical University Online

Colorado Technical University was founded in Colorado Springs in 1965, helping students achieve their professional dreams by preparing them for successful careers in business and high-technology industries. In October 2003, Colorado Tech Online (www.ctuonline.edu) brought some of the most innovative, career-relevant degrees completely online, so that students could learn anywhere, anytime via a computer with Internet-access. Colorado Tech Online offers bachelor's degrees in the career-oriented disciplines of accounting, business, criminal justice, and information technology and master's degrees in management and business. Colorado Technical University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

About Career Education Corporation

Career Education Corporation (www.careered.com) is the one of the world's largest on-campus and on-line providers of private, for-profit postsecondary education. CEC's Colleges, Schools and Universities Group operates over 80 campuses in the U.S., Canada, France, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates and offers doctoral degree, master's degree, bachelor's degree, associate degree and diploma programs in the career-oriented disciplines of visual communication and design technologies, information technology, business studies, culinary arts and health education. The Online Education Group operates American InterContinental University Online and Colorado Technical University Online and offers a variety of degrees in business, information technology, visual communication, criminal justice and education. CEC's total student population on April 30, 2005 was approximately 96,700 students.

Except for the historical and present factual information contained herein, the matters set forth in this release, including statements identified by words such as "anticipates,""expects,""projects,""plans,""will," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on information currently available to us and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual growth, results, performance and business prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by these statements. These risks and uncertainties, the outcome of which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and operations, include, but are not limited to: risks related to our ability to comply with, and the impact of changes in, legislation and regulations that affect our ability to participate in student financial aid programs, including those described herein; costs, risks and effects of legal and administrative proceedings and investigations and governmental regulations, including the pending Securities and Exchange Commission and Justice Department investigations and, class action, derivative and other lawsuits; and risks related to our ability to comply with accrediting agency requirements or obtain accrediting agency approvals; costs and difficulties related to the integration of acquired businesses; future financial and operational results; competition; general economic conditions; risks related to our ability to manage and continue growth; and other risk factors relating to our industry and business, as detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, and from time to time in our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We disclaim any responsibility to update or revise these forward-looking statements.

Source: Business Wire

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