Shopping for a graduate school? Want to know who offers a master's degree in physical therapy and how much it costs? Thinking you might like to study French in France this summer? The extensive collection of Peterson's Guides to undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs can answer these questions. And they've all been brought together for easy electronic access at one site-the Peterson's Education Center on the World Wide Web.

Peterson's Education Center is a searchable database of information about educational opportunities at all levels in the U.S. and abroad. Through the Center you can access profiles of thousands of colleges and universities containing information on undergraduate and graduate degree programs as well as opportunities for continuing education, distance learning, and study abroad. You can request information directly from the school, department, or program you're interested in, link to their home pages, and, for many programs, apply online.

"Undergraduate Study" contains information on over 3,300 accredited institutions offering undergraduate programs in the U.S. and Canada. Entries provide basic information about the institution; many include extensive descriptions as well as online application forms. You can search the file alphabetically by institution or geographically by state, province or country, or by major, degree, or religious affiliation.

"Graduate and Professional Study" profiles over 1,500 U.S. accredited institutions offering graduate and professional programs in the U.S. and abroad. The file can be searched alphabetically or geographically and by academic area and keyword. It has information on more than 31,000 degree-granting programs in 300 fields of graduate study. Individual entries include information about program requirements, faculty and their research, research facilities, and financial aid.

Other features being developed by Peterson's Education Center: campus news, online campus tours, and an employment registry. There are plans to provide directories of professional associations, information from accrediting agencies, career offices, and financial aid sources.

To access the Peterson's Education Center, type wings at your UB e-mail system prompt, then enter the URL http://www.petersons.com/ at the "Go" command. For assistance accessing the World Wide Web, contact the CIT Help Desk at 645-3542.

-Loss Pequeno Glazier and Nancy Schiller, University Libraries