A decade ago, online degrees were an exciting and somewhat risky experiment; now, ten years later, they are a solid option for millions of nontraditional students.
Established colleges and universities with longstanding conventional degree programs have expanded their offerings to include both online degrees and hybrid programs (programs that include both online and on-campus classes). An ever-widening curriculum makes earning an online degree possible in almost any discipline.
Some programs focus on practical learning geared toward developing skills for the workplace. Undergraduate certificate programs in subjects like accounting, human resource management, and software development meet perfectly the needs of busy employees who need to further their education in order to advance at their companies. Associate degrees take the learning a step further; these degrees in such subjects as business administration, information technology, accounting, and marketing provide more advanced knowledge and a broader range of skills. And bachelor's and master's degree students can experience, online, the equivalent of a four-year undergraduate experience or earn an advanced degree.
While many of the online offerings are aimed at practical knowledge applicable to the corporate work environment, they are not limited to business and industry. Degrees in such wide-ranging areas as psychology, communication, English language and literature, and social science are also available and increasingly popular.
So how to find the right online degree program? A Google search will net a number of websites that list and rate degree programs; eLearners.com gives listings for accredited online programs in a number of categories; GetEducated.com rates various programs and designates their favorites as "Best Buys," taking into account both the academic content and the cost of each program.
If an online degree program is accredited by the agency charged with overseeing colleges and universities in the state where the program originates, that is a good sign. An online program attached to a college or university with a well-established, accredited on-campus degree program is also a good bet. Not a good bet is an online program that promises fast results: "Earn your bachelor's degree in six months!" Serious students don't need a diploma mill; they need a solid program that will make them work hard and give them a solid education that will serve to further whatever professional and personal goals they have.
Online degree programs open up educational and professional opportunities to individuals that were unimaginable twenty years ago. Whether a student is a full-time employee who can't carve out time from work and family to attend a conventional college, or is living in an isolated rural area with limited post-secondary educational opportunities, online programs promise to open up a whole world of learning, just a few keystrokes away.
Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for local and regional newspapers and for a number of Internet websites, including Tips and Topics. She expresses her opinions periodically on her bog, http://beyondagendas.blogspot.com.