How do online degrees work

Better yet, take one online class to see how you fare. Hybrid classes are also quite popular — take some classes online and others face-to-face. See what you like by getting a feel for both formats. A commonly overlooked fact is that grads of online degree programs earn the exact same degree as face-to-face students. Unless you volunteered this information during an interview, the prospective employer would rarely know the difference.

What employers are more often looking for when weighing your qualifications is the reputation of the institution. Employers may be suspicious of a degree from one of those large, for-profit diploma mills and sometimes rightly so , but most are not at odds with online degrees in general. There are plenty of ways to interact with professors, including phone calls, texting, email, instant messaging, group work and chat.

Before choosing a program, ask how the school facilitates the working relationship between professor and student and between student and classmates. Some questions to ask include:. This is a common misperception. And one exacerbated, in part, by the prevalence of search engines and the help they potentially provide. There is just as much oversight in the virtual classroom as in the regular one. Also, with accredited online degree program s, the coursework is equally challenging regardless of whether classes are taken online or offline, as both modalities are held to the exact same educational standards.

Steer clear of these diploma mills, and opt instead to pursue your online degree through an accredited institution. To become accredited, a university or college must be evaluated and validated by a reputable third-party accrediting agency as having met established education standards. According to the U. If the school is accredited, it can be found in that government database.

So - given the above, what do you think? If you're thinking an online college degree program is something you're interested in, or think you might be interested in, click the banner below and get in touch with one of our online specialists. They'll answer all your questions, and you'll get good insight into whether or not an online degree is right for you. Franklin University S Grant Ave. Columbus , OH Local: Toll Free: admissions franklin. According to the results, which were released in February , 77 percent of respondents believe that an online degree earned at an accredited institution like Duke or Stanford is more credible than one earned at an Internet-only institution.

Some of the comments and recommendations the respondents made might help online degree holders land a job even if the interviewer is hesitant about the value of the degree. Some of the those recommendations included:. Other sources, such as Thomas L. Russell of North Carolina State University, did studies that revealed that there is little if any difference in the quality of education received through online distance learning versus traditional classrooms.

He analyzed graduation rates, time to graduation, and knowledge, as well as other elements. He found the students performed as well or better in online courses. But how do you make employers aware of these studies and the quality of online education? How do you convince someone evaluating your credentials that your master's degree, earned late nights in front of your computer or sitting in airports , was as rigorous and thorough as one earned the old-fashioned way?

As more and more people get online degrees and use them in the workforce, HR managers and hiring managers will begin to feel more secure about the quality of education these people have. If the studies that were done by Thomas L. Russell and John Losak -- showing the quality of online education to be as good as or better than that of traditional education -- hold up on a larger scale, then the future of getting jobs and advancements based on online degrees will be bright.

Until then, choose schools carefully, and check for accreditation and strong programs. When you've completed the degree, go to job interviews armed with information to counter any questions about the quality or validity of your degree. Make sure the interviewer knows how you achieved the degree, how you worked it into a busy schedule, how you overcame any obstacles. It will show a self-motivation and discipline that may be just the qualities the company is looking for.

With a computer , an Internet connection and a little self-discipline, you can earn a degree from home, work, or anywhere else for that matter. Online degree programs follow much the same routines as traditional learning, with a few twists. There are lectures, but they won't be in person. There are assignments, but you won't hand them to your instructor. There are exams, but you won't be able to look at your neighbor's paper. There may be a set time that "class" begins, but you don't have to be there then.

In most situations, you are free to "go to class" when it fits your schedule. If you get a phone call during class, you don't have to miss anything. If you get sick, you don't have to ask for someone's notes, you just visit the lecture later.

You'll communicate with your instructor by e-mail , chat rooms, bulletin boards, and instant messaging. Your classroom will live in a special software program that uses text chat and bulletin boards, as well as streaming audio or recorded lectures. You may be put into a virtual workgroup with other students and be required to solve a problem. You may have to work through interactive puzzles and quizzes.

Contrary to popular belief, you will have contact with other students and the instructor. Its Web site states that this is because of the hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week nature of Internet-mediated learning. It states that the faculty hold weekly real-time office hours, as well as monitor class and team bulletin board discussions and respond to e-mail on a regular basis. On average, faculty will respond to questions from students within 24 to 48 hours. Depending on the program and institution, distance learning may consist of synchronous live sessions or asynchronous non-live sessions.

Transcripts and notes from lectures are archived, so you can always go back if you missed something. If there are live sessions with discussions among students, you can go back to those as well. Assignments may even be returned with audio clips so your instructors can convey their tone of voice along with their comments. Printed documents may be sent to you through the mail, or you may have the options of printing them yourself or reading them online. Some schools require an initial " boot camp " held at the campus if there is one , where you will meet the other students, instructors and support personnel.

You'll learn how to use the technology, learn about the library and reference systems, and begin your coursework.

There are many different presentation and management techniques for online learning. Instructors team with Web developers and instructional designers to put together their courses. The result is hopefully a high-tech, interactive and very effective learning experience. For more information about the psychology of online learning, and more in-depth information about what makes it effective, check out How E-learning Works.

There are some schools out there that do not meet these requirements. In fact, there are several levels of fraud found in some educational programs and "schools. These "diploma mills" have been around for decades. Online programs like Degrees-R-Us promise a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in about 10 days. There is a higher tuition fee if you want to graduate with honors!

Now, however, there are some states Oregon, Iowa, and South Dakota that are cracking down on schools within their borders that grant degrees without any type of approval and legitimate accreditation. There are also some states Wyoming, Montana, and Hawaii that allow unaccredited universities to do business as long as they have a physical presence in the state.

The problem is that when a state does pass legislation that requires accreditation, those schools simply change addresses when you don't have a campus, it's not that difficult to move. The Doctor of Philosophy PhD and Doctor of Education EdD are among the most commonly awarded degrees from accredited graduate institutions and take from 3 to 7 years to complete, depending on the school, discipline, and individual student.

The PhD is offered in most academic fields and is comprised of between 36 and 72 credit hours, depending on the school. A PhD is suited for students who want to advance to research and university teaching positions, serve as top administrators in the profession, or become consultants. Some fields require doctorates in order to practice.

Online EdD programs are suited for educators seeking advancement to positions in educational administration, policy and curriculum development, teacher education, or school consulting. Much like time-to-completion, graduation requirements vary — programs may require a practical internship, academic thesis, or capstone research project.

Colleges and universities offering online degrees and certifications do a lot of heavy lifting to maintain the quality of their programs. Most course requirements are completed entirely online, such as class lectures, discussion groups, and collaborative projects. Although students are often required to attend in-person workshops, internships and science labs, online schools make it easy for distance learners by partnering with the local community to create nearby opportunities.

There are other benefits to earning a degree online, some of which may not be evident at first glance:. The use of technology to support higher education is not new and is a vital tool, even at brick and mortar schools. For example, researchers at the University of the Potomac found that 67 percent of college instructors whether teaching on campus or remotely routinely employ blogs, videos, and podcasts as part of their teaching repertoire.

In general terms, online students enjoy the benefits of digital communications technology, but they also can benefit from cost savings, scheduling flexibility, convenience of location, and a self-paced education. Campus-based students, on the other hand, benefit from frequent face-to-face interactions with teachers and peers, participate in extracurricular activities, and receive immediate answers to class questions.

But the distinctions run deeper than that:. Prospective students may apply to hundreds of degree programs electronically using tools like the Common Application or Common Black College Application, which allows instant submission for required test scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation and writing samples.

Student applications are received throughout the year and students are admitted whenever a new class opens. Processing is swift. Many online schools accept transfer credits in general education courses from other accredited institutions and add credit for professional experience, adding up to as much as 50 percent of the degree.

Online degree programs may help students save at registration time by offering a fee schedule that charges a set rate per class or per semester, often with lower minimum class requirements than those set for campus programs.

Prospective students may also apply digitally using the Common Application, if the school accepts it. Students must apply well ahead of time before the new school semester. Brick and mortar schools accept a certain percentage of total credits from previous courses at recognized colleges. However, it is more cumbersome for students to transfer from school to school. Traditional colleges typically charge a standard tuition based upon an expected "typical credit load.

Online students do not pay for relocation, boarding or travel, except for commuting to required campus seminars or internships within their community. Online professors and instructors commonly provide digital versions of class texts, supplemental materials, and multimedia resources online, all of which are included in the cost of tuition. Some online programs offer laptops.

Campus students must cover the costs of dormitories and parking, but they can receive the benefits of student healthcare, campus recreational facilities and special college events. Students arrange their own schedules to attend online classes, review materials and communicate with instructors and peers. Accelerated degree programs allow students to complete degrees in less time. Some online degree programs minimize credits required outside the major. Classes may be offered throughout the year in shorter time frames.

There is no self-pacing. All students must travel to campus and attend classes at scheduled meeting times. Failure to attend can mean grade penalties. Students graduate at formal semester or quarter terms. Because of scheduling, some students may linger on campus waiting for a class, or may divide their days running errands and returning to campus.