▁public ▁research ▁university ▁at ▁H agen ▁dedicated ▁to ▁distance ▁teaching . ▁Under ▁the ▁NR W - Foundation ▁Law ▁of ▁ 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁the ▁" p ione ers " ▁from ▁academ ia ▁and ▁administration ▁had ▁only ▁ten ▁months ▁for ▁prepar ing ▁the ▁new ▁university , ▁so ▁that ▁ 1 , 3 0 0 ▁students ▁could ▁emb ark ▁on ▁their ▁studies ▁from ▁winter ▁academic ▁term ▁ 1 9 7 5 / 7 6 . ▁The ▁two ▁academic ▁depart ments ▁of ▁econom ics ▁and ▁mathematics ▁were ▁soon ▁joined ▁by ▁business ▁administration , ▁education , ▁cultural ▁sciences , ▁social ▁sciences ▁and ▁human ities , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁elect rical ▁engineering , ▁information ▁technology , ▁law ▁and ▁computer ▁science . ▁After ▁some ▁rest ruct uring ▁these ▁subject ▁areas ▁are ▁organ ised ▁in ▁four ▁fac ult ies ▁today . ▁Sim ult ane ously ▁with ▁the ▁Fern Univers ität , ▁the ▁first ▁study ▁cent res ▁in ▁North ▁Rh ine ▁- ▁West phal ia ▁started ▁operating . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Bolog na ▁Process ▁every ▁course ▁offered ▁by ▁the ▁university ▁has ▁been ▁transformed ▁to ▁b ach elor ' s ▁and ▁master ' s ▁degrees . ▁The ▁transformation ▁was ▁finished ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁transformation ▁a ▁sharp ▁rise ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁students ▁was ▁observable , ▁e . g . ▁ 3 , 4 0 0 ▁new ▁students ▁seeking ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁psych ology ▁en rolled ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁Organisation ▁and