In the last couple of years, the concept of distance education has become more and more popular due to the advancement of the Internet technology. Today, you can sit comfortably at home, in front of your computer and earn your online degree from reputable colleges. Compared to the traditional study methods, there are many advantages of studying online and most of them come from the flexibility of online degrees programs.
If you are new at the whole online study business, then you should know that the Internet contains plenty of relevant information on the subject. You can find lists of the subjects offered by various universities, along with carefully-made reviews and other valuable details. Rather than attending regular courses, a lot of people prefer to earn their online degree and work, taking care of the family at the same time. Thus being the case, we can only refer to the online education industry as prosperous and incredibly attractive.
The goal of online degrees is to provide the student with the possibility of earning associate's, bachelor's or master's degree without having to attend regular classes. The student must learn to be motivated and participate in online study sessions, not to mention learn downloadable lessons. The most important thing one should consider when it comes to earning an online degree is the accreditation part. Do not choose an online college if you know it is not recognized and take your time in browsing the Internet for fully accredited colleges. Fortunately for you, there are certain websites online that not only present you with a wide number of colleges, but they also tell you if the university you plan on choosing is licensed or not.
The trouble with fake online degrees is that they are not recognized by potential employers and in the end it's your time wasted. Reputable online colleges are verified and accredited by accreditation boards, thus ensuring that the online education you receive is only of the highest quality. If you are going for an online degree, no matter the subject (economics, communications, accounting, computer engineering or criminal justice), just make sure that you got all the information straightened out before applying at any college. Read all the reviews you can find online and check the statistics. For example, did you know that a 2006 study showed that over 3 million students were taking online courses?
Online education and online degrees appeal for a variety of reasons but mostly for the comfort of studying at home. The information provided is the same and you get all the help you need. With the help of the Internet, you can get in touch with counselors or instructors, not to mention your own colleagues. By using discussion forums, you can exchange ideas and communicate, participating in the online degree education program in an efficient and smart manner. After you decide on the kind of program you want to apply for, you may ask for further information about virtual classes, lessons, requirements and financial costs. Also, you might be interested to find out that earning an online degree requires you to spend a fair amount of time on the Internet, using word processing programs and writing email.
There are many online universities that provide you the option of earning an online degree and all of them try to present their advantages. The subjects offered vary from general arts, business administration, information technology, health management, public safety to agriculture, economics and journalism. As many accredited colleges offer such online degrees you should have no problem picking one out. Consider what field you are interested in, check some of the reviews presented by those who have already completed an online degree, then apply. You have the advantage of studying at your own pace, under a flexible schedule and obtaining the same level of education as those who attend regular classes.
Earning an online degree is not an easy choice to make and the people who decide to go for it usually have other responsibilities as well. They have to work or provide for their family, some are too far to attend the regular courses provided by university and some just love the convenient learning programs. In fact, how cool is to sit and attend classes right in front of your computer? Online degrees are not for everyone and the students who earn them are motivated to attain their goals, form their own study customs and prove that higher education can be obtained using the advanced technology of the Internet.
Universities With Online Degrees
Certain professions, such as entry-level MBAs, still consider online graduates as second-tier to traditional classroom graduates because the ones doing the hiring all obtained their degrees from traditional schools and have questions and concerns about the quality of online degrees.
Graduates from the first Internet law school, Concord Law School, will likely have fewer options to practice law because the American Bar Association will not accredit the university. As a result, those graduates will only be able to practice law in those states that don't require lawyers to earn degrees from an ABA-approved law school.
There are some professions, like information technology fields, that tend to value online degrees more highly because of the nature of the work itself.
However, a career network website, did a survey of 239 human resources professionals and found that they tend to put more value on degrees from established universities like Duke or Stanford than from virtual universities like the University of Phoenix.
Their study also revealed that 26% believed that online bachelor's degrees were as credible as traditionally earned bachelor's degrees, while 37% believed that online graduate degrees were as credible as traditionally earned graduate degrees. The reason behind this is believed to be that people seeking graduate degrees are doing it online because it's their best or only option due to current job demands. These people may be seen as more driven and self-motivated.
The biggest drawbacks regarding online education cited by those surveyed were the lack of social interaction with peers (61%,) lack of data about the effectiveness or quality of the education (53%,) and loss of real-time teacher/student exchange (39%.)
The industries most likely to embrace online degrees were the following -
Internet/New Media (70%) Technology (46%) High Tech (44%) Media & Marketing (29%)
Telecommunications (29%) Consulting (22%)
The industries least likely to embrace online degrees were the following -
Medicine (68%) Law (56%) Health Care/Bio Tech (52%) Academia (44%) Government (22%) Finance (18%)
The following was recommended by respondents to help online degree holders land a position even when the interviewer has doubts about the value of the degree:
- Tell employers and potential employers that your degree was earned online. - Bring along transcripts, course study examples, and letters of recommendation or authenticity about the program and its accreditation. - Have industry experience to back the degree. - For those with limited work history, having taken courses like public speaking, debate, public forum, and group dynamics could help show that you have people skills, which could help ease the hesitation over the lack of social interaction with your peers when taking online courses.
As more and more online degree holders get interviewed and hired, the number of companies that will be more open to hiring people with online degrees will increase.
Slowly, but surely, the employment world is realizing that talented individuals don't have to come from the traditional classroom to provide value to a company. Companies are also realizing that individuals who would have never been available before due to work commitments, family obligations, and time constraints preventing them from attending traditional classroom degree programs, are now becoming options for these businesses to consider adding to their employee talent pool.
Both Clint Jhonson & Bryan Wong 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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