Brief Timeline of Events Related to Distance Education & Online Diplomas

The following is a brief timeline of events related to distance education & online diplomas.

• 1840 – Isaac Pitman begins teaching shorthand by correspondence in the UK.
• 1858 – The University of London creates its External Program.
• 1883 – New York State authorizes the Chautauqua Institute to award degrees earned via correspondence.
• 1891 – The Colliery Engineer School of Mines renames itself International Correspondence Schools.
• 1892 – The University of Chicago starts administering the first university courses by mail.
• 1906 – The Calvert School of Baltimore becomes the first primary school in the United States to offer correspondence courses.
• 1916 – The National University Continuing Education Association is created in the United States.
• 1921 – Pennsylvania State College begins broadcasting courses on the radio.
• 1933 – The University of Iowa begins broadcasting courses on television.
• 1950 – The Ford Foundation begins offering grants to create and develop educational programs for television broadcasting.
• 1967 – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is created.
• 1970 – Walden University is established.
• 1974 – California State University offers a Masters degree via correspondence.
• 1982 – The National University Teleconferencing Network is established.
• 1984 – The personal computer is named "man of the year" by Time Magazine.