JACKSON (AP) — Two new higher-education options may come to the Jackson area in 2010.

The Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation has approved plans for a Tulane University satellite campus in Madison and a Strayer University campus in Jackson.

Both programs will cater to adult learners, with classes primarily in the evenings and on weekends.

‘‘We appeal to a wide range of people — most of them are working people,’’ said Richard Marksbury, dean of Tulane University’s School of Continued Studies. ‘‘Our students range from 17 to 70.’’

At the for-profit Strayer University’s various campuses, about 90 percent of students attend part time, and about 85 percent are over the age of 25.

‘‘We feel like there’s an unmet need nationwide for working adults,’’ said Tracy Locklin, associate general counsel for Strayer.

Already, the metro area is home to a host of public and private universities and colleges as well as several for-profit schools.

Before granting authorization, commission members determined that Tulane and Strayer are not likely to have an adverse affect on the current market because of the focus on nontraditional students.

Strayer and Tulane have been given provisional authorization for a year, at which point the commission will reevaluate their programs and decide whether to grant full state approval.

The Madison location of Tulane, a New Orleans-based private university, will be a part of the School of Continuing Studies — much like the school operates on the Mississippi Gulf Coast but without gaming courses.

State Accreditation Commission Chairman Harold Fisher said Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler wrote a letter to members in support of the move.

‘‘Having a university in a city offers so much,’’ Butler said. ‘‘We know there will be a lot of tangible assets there.’’

Butler reached out to Tulane first.

‘‘The more I learned about Madison, the more intrigued I became,’’ Marksbury said.

Tulane is eyeing a summer 2010 opening, though the program must be approved formally by the university administration and a budget decided. The school likely will be open for three years, before the school evaluates the area’s demand.

Tulane likely will move into a section of the former Madison Station Elementary School on Main Street and U.S. 51 at the heart of Madison — at least temporarily, Marksbury said.

The city owns the property and in the past has discussed plans for creating a town center on the site. Construction could start this fall to retrofit the building for Tulane classes.

‘‘We fill confident that this will take on a life of its own and (Tulane) will build a new campus in Madison,’’ Butler said.

It costs about $900 per three-semester-hour course to attend classes though Tulane’s School of Continuing Studies.

Offerings in Madison likely will include general liberal arts courses, but Marksbury said he also hopes to be able to feature classes specific to the metro area.

‘‘I’d like to try to capture unique things that the area has to offer,’’ he said.

He said the proximity to the Natchez Trace and the Ross Barnett Reservoir and said sustainability and natural resources could be one focus.

Meanwhile, Strayer University would offer 29 programs ranging from certificates to master’s degrees.

The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools — the regional accrediting group for the area that includes the school’s headquarters in Virginia.

It has about 85 campuses across the country, including three in Alabama.

None of its campuses has housing, said Locklin. Programs generally focus on business, public administration, teaching, criminal justice and health care.

‘‘The first-time, full-time student is only about 1 percent of our student body,’’ he said.

He said the school does not see itself as competition for schools already open because of its focus on underserved adults. According to its Web site, the average age of its students is 34 and most are working full time.

‘‘In every state we’re in, we consider ourselves a partner with the community colleges,’’ he said.

The school already has received more than 1,000 inquiries from potential students in Mississippi, he said.

Strayer costs about $1,500 per quarter, per class to attend.

Locklin said the school is expected to open early 2010, though it has not finalized details on its location.

———

Information from: The Clarion-Ledger, http://www.clarionledger.com