Beginning next month Bermudians will be able to work towards obtaining a Masters of Education degree by simply turning on their computers.

Academic Paradigms Online (APO), an educational company based in the US, will bring the Fitchburg State College degree to adults who wish to obtain a degree, but do not have the time to attend night classes or go abroad.

Through this system students will be able to finish work in their own time while having one-on-one contact with a teacher via their personal computers or a computer at APO's lab site at Bermuda Institute in Southampton.

"You can do the programme at your own pace,'' APO's secretary and technology director Robert Malin said. "You don't even have to be on line at the same time as your instructor.'' Mr. Malin explained that the computer provided the advantage of doing course work without the "confinement of time and place of a normal classroom.'' The APO decided to bring the Masters programme to Bermuda after Mr. Malin talked to Bermudian educators who indicated there was a need for degree programmes.

In addition to the Masters programme, APO also offers bachelor's degrees from Columbia Union College, and Home Study International's Griggs University in Business Administration, general studies, psychology, religion, and theology.

Mr. Malin said all the institutions used in the programmes were fully accredited.

By using the on-line degree system it is possible for those enrolled in APO to finish a bachelor's degree programme in less then the normal four-year period, Mr. Malin said. He explained that this was because the course load is the same as is found on college campuses, but students can receive credit for work experience.

Mr. Malin said the software used for the programmes was Microsoft office and Lotus notes.

"The Lotus notes allows us to provide security in the network between student and teacher,'' he added. "This is an non-Internet system.'' Mr. Malin said there were also plans to have an MBA programme on-line within the next six months.

And he said the company hoped to eventually create a virtual university by taking good programmes from different small schools.

Mr. Malin explained that APO is run out of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, and was started in January by six educators who felt that the needs of students could not be met by one institution.

Of these six people, three have doctorates in education and four are former college administrators.