Overview
Online education is rapidly becoming a predominant form of post-secondary education in the United States. Today’s online colleges take advantage of advances in technology to create interactive and multi-media classrooms on the Internet, offering students greater flexibility and convenience in advancing their careers.
What types of degrees can you get from online colleges?
Online degrees range from a certificate all the way to a doctorate in a wide variety of programs.
Certificate
Online certificate programs are ideal for students looking to start their careers or individuals who already have a higher degree, but need additional training. Many certificate programs only require a high school education for enrollment. They typically offer a concentrated area of study rather than general education courses. Online certificates in the medical field, technology and business are popular choices for high school graduates who are interested in a career but don’t want to commit to a four-year program. Professionals in many different fields may find they need additional certification to advance their career and can utilize an online program to complete the training while working full-time.
Associate
An associate degree is an undergraduate degree that can typically be completed in two years. It usually includes general education and electives along with program-specific courses. There are many associate degree programs offered online. Popular options include programs that address technology, business administration and medical training. Some associate degree programs are designed to advance on to a bachelor’s degree; students can complete an associate degree and then choose to continue taking courses towards a bachelor’s.
Bachelor’s Degree
A bachelor’s degree is the conventional degree given by undergraduate colleges and universities in the United States and is a requirement for the majority of professional positions. Just five years ago there were only a select few bachelor’s programs available online. Today there are fully accredited four-year programs available in business, design, technology, justice, healthcare and many other fields. As competition in the job market increases, so does the value of a bachelor’s degree.
Master’s Degree
A master's degree is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating mastery of a specific field or area of professional practice. The most common master’s degrees are the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Science (M.S.). All of these are available in a number of accredited online universities. Students advance from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s program, many of which take two to three years to complete. Some online master’s degree courses will require face-to-face meetings or presentations with the degree advisors.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the highest postgraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities in the United States. Online education has advanced far enough to offer some web-based PhD programs. A PhD can take anywhere from four to eight years to complete after earning a bachelor’s degree. Typical programs require one to three years of coursework, comprehensive examinations, teaching undergraduate courses and a written dissertation, which must be defended in front of an expert panel. Online PhD courses are just as rigorous as traditional programs, but may provide greater flexibility. Like an online master’s program, some offline interaction may be involved. Many PhD candidates are expected to teach courses and have personal interaction with the department chair and dissertation director. Some online PhD courses currently offered include psychology, pharmacy studies, public policy, information systems and human services.
How does attending online college work?
The only requirements for taking an online course are a computer and reliable internet connection.
In most online colleges, students attend virtual classes via the internet. Some programs contain blended on-campus and online classes. Almost all online classes utilize a learning management system (LMS) which allows instructors to post course outlines, assignments and messages. These sites are also designed to encourage student-to-instructor and student-to-student interaction. Discussion boards, chat rooms and email servers provide platforms that encourage conversation.
Learning materials vary between programs, but most online courses require textbooks. Courses are administered by video demonstrations, Microsoft PowerPoint® slides and interactive lessons. Articles and other resources are often available for download from the LMS. Online library content is available from many university libraries to assist with research projects. Many online programs put a heavy focus on reading, writing and research.
Assignments may include writing papers, participating in virtual class discussions, completing group projects and taking quizzes. There are usually deadlines for submitting class work, just like in an offline program, but online courses offer much more schedule flexibility. Some courses require students to check in daily, or at certain milestones.
Students can interact with professors in a variety of ways. Instead of holding office hours, professors may communicate through email, discussion forums, phone calls and chat sessions. In the end, online courses are not that different from traditional courses. Students complete assignments such as research papers, quizzes and tests with direction from professors and participate in class discussions of the material.
Choosing a program
Online education has advanced to the point that online degrees are the equivalent of traditional degrees. Employers no longer look at online degrees as inferior education. On the contrary, earning an online degree is proof the potential employee is a motivated self-starter. However, this does not mean all online degree programs are created equal. Choosing a legitimate program that teaches real-world skills with an engaging curriculum is the key to a positive educational investment. Below are some important points to research when deciding on an online college or university.
In general, online degrees from a well-known college or university with an established campus are a safe bet. The faculty members have developed their course curriculum over many years before applying the objectives to an online learning experience. Researching these faculty members also provides insight into the overall quality of the program. Professors with high-level degrees, extensive experience in their field of study and published works will provide quality courses.
Is the online college accredited?
The most important part of choosing an online degree program is ensuring the college or university is accredited and licensed. Accrediting and state licensure agencies help make sure educational institutes provide a quality education and students receive fair services for their tuition payment.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, accreditation is a good basic indicator of quality, although not every school chooses to be accredited. If a school is accredited by a nationally recognized agency such as the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), it means it has met certain quality standards established by the accrediting agency. Certain other standards may apply to regionally accredited agencies.To find out if a school is accredited by a regionally or nationally recognized agency, check to see if the accrediting agency is included in the U.S. Department of Education's List of Regionally and Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies.
What are the requirements for admission?
Each online college or university will have its own set of admission requirements. However, most require a high school diploma or GED to enroll. The more competitive the program and prestigious the college, the harder it will be to get accepted. Most admissions representatives look for high grade-point averages, extracurricular involvement and work experience in a related field. Some programs may require letters of recommendation and transcripts from past degree programs. A placement or assessment test may be part of the admission process as well.
Will your coursework transfer to another school?
When looking for an online degree program, it is important to research if credits from the program will transfer to other colleges. Courses taken in one college do not automatically transfer to another college, and no college can guarantee the transferability of its credits to any other institution unless there is a written articulation agreement with that institution. Transferability of credit is always determined by the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether an institution will accept credits from another institution. To find out whether coursework will transfer to another school, call the admissions or registrar's office and ask if the institution will accept credits from the school in consideration.
What are some other things to consider?
Another excellent way to research a program is to talk with current students. Here are some questions to ask to gain first-hand knowledge about the college or university:
Do the instructors seem knowledgeable?
Do students like the program?
Are they learning what they need to know to get a job?
What is their opinion of the instructors?
Have they had any problems with the school, the instructors, or the classes?
What do they like most and least about the school or program?
Ultimately, it is smart to approach choosing an online degree program the same way as any major investment. Look at a variety of options and compare the factors that are the most important. Consider accreditation, admission requirements, cost, course listings, job placement rates, financial aid availability and transferability of credits. Attending college is an investment in the future, so choose wisely.
What are the advantages and drawbacks to online college vs. traditional college?
As with all major educational and career decisions, there are pros and cons to both online and traditional degree programs.
Advantages of online programs vs. traditional college
The major advantage to online programs is schedule flexibility. Instead of having set class times, most online courses allow students to complete coursework on their own schedule. Some courses require assignments to be submitted by a certain time once or a few times a week, but this still provides much more freedom than a set class schedule. This does not mean students spend less time learning, just that they can choose when to focus on schoolwork. This is ideal for working professionals who want to advance their career while bringing home a paycheck, or individuals with dependants who need care at varying hours of the day.
Another advantage is that students may be able to take more courses at once, provided they put in the extra work to fulfill course requirements. For example, some associate degree programs can be completed online in 18 months rather than the typical two years. On the other hand, students can also take one course at a time, slowly building towards a degree while fulfilling other responsibilities.
Attending a traditional campus requires students to attend class in person each day, which means finding housing close to campus. Both on-campus and campus-adjacent housing in a college town can be more expensive than the surrounding area. Even if a student chooses to live farther away from campus to save money, additional transportation costs will hurt a small budget. Online courses do not require these additional investments.
Online courses give students the ability to study at a college across the country, or even across the world. An American English teacher in Japan can take additional certification courses from a university based in the United States. A mother of two in Utah can take extension courses while her children are in school. Online courses offer freedom not just of time, but also freedom of location.
Disadvantages of online programs vs. traditional college
The success of an online education experience is entirely up to the student. Some individuals may find the flexibility actually makes it harder to keep up with reading and assignments. People who benefit from more structure may be more successful in a traditional environment.
Another thing online students may miss is the social interaction provided by a campus environment. A communal environment provides easy opportunities to meet friends and study partners while developing the group work skills required in most work environments.
A traditional learning experience also provides the opportunity to interact directly with professors, asking questions face-to-face and seeking extra help in real time. There may also be field trips and hands-on learning opportunities in a traditional setting that cannot be replicated in an online program.
While technology makes online learning possible, it also creates a barrier to completing coursework if it fails. A broken computer or lost internet connection can derail a semester that is otherwise going well.
Attending an online college can start or advance a career. Schedule and location flexibility are the main benefits of choosing an online degree program over a traditional college. More and more students are choosing to earn their degree online and benefitting from the ability to invest in their future while meeting immediate employment needs.
Resources
The Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs: Each of the postsecondary educational institutions and programs contained within the database is, or was, accredited by an accrediting agency or state approval agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a “reliable authority as to the quality of postsecondary education.”
FAFSA: Although this tool does not offer any means to research schools, it is a tool to gain financing help. And, when you complete the application, you are asked to supply the schools that you want to receive your information. In this process, you can learn whether your online school is listed in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid’s database.