There are many different types of online master's degree programs that you can enroll in continue your education without interrupting your current career or keep you from fulfilling your personal responsibilities. An M.S. degree program in nursing, for example, can enhance your career in the nursing field and allow you to take more of a leadership role in your hospital or organization. A Master of Public Administration, on the other hand, will provide you with the skills to jump into a growing number of upper level jobs that are becoming available in federal, state and local government. Completing the M.S. degree program in nursing helps to provide the knowledge, skills and influence to positively affect patients? lives and make a bigger difference in your healthcare organization. During the course of the M.S. degree program in nursing, you will be able to work with other nurses from around the nation within the flexible online environment, and you will also have access to DVDs that expert faculty and scholars have contributed to. This online master's degree will focus on personalized technical and academic support to give you the tools you need to lead in this caring profession. Although a Master of Public Administration can be a time-intensive program, completing this degree online will enable you to advance your career and meet the increasing demand for public service professionals without sacrificing your current job and personal life. This online master's degree enables you to turn public policies into effective the national, state or local programs by giving you the organizational capability to administer and oversee diverse and complex public agencies. The Master of Public Administration program will combine extensive research to advance democratic processes and promote social change, as well as practical coursework provided by scholar-practitioners with academic expertise and professional experience. With an online master's degree such as these two programs, you will have the tools to become a leader in your organization and the perspective to see how to affect change at a national or international level.
If you're thinking of studying toward a master's degree while continuing to work full time, and you've decided to look into earning your degree through an online learning program, there are a few things you'll want to look into first. Not all distance learning programs are worthwhile; some truly could be a waste of your time and your money.
This article answer two questions you should be asking:
-What career choices and moves will benefit from an online education?
-How important is an adult education program's accreditation status ? or lack therof?
I Want to Earn a Master's Degree Online? Will This Really Help Further My Career?
The answer, frankly, is ?It depends.? It depends on your career goals. It depends on where you are in your career ? are you just starting out or are you in ?mid-career??
We all read about how a masters degree can cause a career ? and a salary ? to skyrocket. But be careful. If you're in your twenties, taking time off for the traditional on-campus, full-time program can be very beneficial. But taking that time when you're in your thirties or later? Possibly not so much. There will be costs to you that are higher than tuition ? you'll miss two, three, or four years of salary. That's $60,000-$300,000 worth of income (or more) missing from your bank account. In addition, if you're single, or if your spouse doesn't work, you also might have to take out loans for living expenses. Can your long-term finances handle that? Many of us are married by our thirties ? you need to make sure your spouse and children are fully aware and supportive of the consequences of this move.
An online degree program, however, will allow you to continue working ? no loss of salary for years, no need to take out loans for living expenses. (And no need to be paying those loans back.)
What's All This About an Online Degree Program's Accreditation?
Accreditation schmeditation, right?
Not at all! Accreditation is very important. Unless your chosen distance learning program is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization ? such as the Middle State Commission on Higher Education ? employers who offer tuition assistance won't reimburse you. Study unaccredited online degree programs and you're ineligible for a government student assistance program. Finally, and worst of all, attending an accredited online learning program means you can be sure the program will be around for many years. There's no chance you'll log on one evening to find your school no longer exists ? and it has taken your money. Think it can't happen? Think again!
Overall, pursuing an online education ? whether it be an adult education program; an accelerated learning program for a bachelor's degree, or a distance learning master's degree ? will improve your career tremendously. Your life will expand both professionally and personally. Ours is a business world where continuous education is essential. But pursuing additional training needn't be all-disruptive. An accredited, online learning program could be your link to a more satisfying and rich life, literally and figuratively.
Both Grojan Fabiola & Duane Franklin are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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