Accredited online universities have become a common and accepted method of obtaining a higher education for adult learners. For those with professional and personal obligations, the opportunity to participate in distance education online makes a college degree possible when it otherwise might have seemed insurmountable. Online degree programs focus on the methods of teaching that are most appropriate for adults with a great deal of attention paid to technology. The teaching methods are designed to deliver an education to students who are not at an actual campus, but rather in their homes, offices and anywhere in the world.

Attending one of these accredited online universities may not require attending courses in person, but teachers and students still typically communicate at times of their own choosing or at designated times. Students complete their distance education online with electronic media from the institution, as well as printed coursework purchased by the student. There are also various technologies that allow teachers and students to connect with one another in real time. Many online degree programs allow students to participate in study groups via online, or they might offer the option of video conferencing with teachers.

Some accredited online universities require students to take examinations or complete certain labs and other activities on an actual campus or designated location, even though the bulk of the coursework and communications are completed remotely. These accredited online universities are considered to be a sort of hybrid or blended course of study. Many online degree programs also require some sort of internship that students can complete at a location in their local area, which may or may not be affiliated with the school.

With the opportunity to get a distance education online, many students are completing their bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctorates and Ph.D.s who may have been intimidated by the constrictive schedules and locations of traditional brick-and-mortar universities otherwise. These programs are putting more college degrees in the hands of qualified adult learners.