College degrees have long been available by correspondence but with the growth of the internet, students can now pursue college degrees online. There are hundreds of schools offering online programs for everything from Masters Degrees in Business Administration to advanced degrees in the fine arts. Because of the large number of schools offering online programs, it can be difficult to know what to look for in a quality program.

There are two basic types of institutions offering online degrees: Colleges and universities with physical campuses and online-only institutions. Online-only institutions do offer single courses, but tend to focus on degree programs. Colleges and universities with physical campuses offer both complete degree programs and single courses, which are often taken by on-campus students as well as online-only students.

Many of the same questions students ask when investigating regular colleges also apply to online degree programs. For example, a prospective student might ask how many courses are taught by graduate assistants rather than professors. In assessing an online degree, it is equally as important to determine how many of the courses are taught by full professors and how much experience those professors have with teaching online courses.

However, there are questions that are specific to online degree programs. One of the most important, particularly for graduate-level degrees, is how much contact you will have with other students. There are two basic types of online degree programs, those where you work at your own pace and those where you are admitted with a cohort, or group of peers, and proceed through the degree program with them. One is not necessarily better than the other. The learning style of the individual student will determine which type of program fits their needs best.

Accreditation is also an important thing to look for. All colleges and universities are required to be accredited by a regional governing body in order for the degrees they issue to be considered valid. If an online degree program doesn’t give accreditation information, prospective students should move on to the next program.

After determining the credentials and structure of an online degree program, prospective students should research the details. How can books be purchased? What equipment, software and hardware is required to access the courses? How much time should a student expect to spend per course? Is financial aid available? Typically these questions are addressed on the degree program’s website.

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What cannot be disputed is that online degree programs are gaining popularity with students. However, with this drastic change in the education system come many concerns. The most obvious one is how online degree programs compare with those offered at physical locations. Students are concerned as to how they will be rated compared with those gained at a traditional college campus.

The single most important issue is to ensure that the school you are going to work with has received proper accreditation. Avoid schools that are handing out diplomas with no accreditation attached; they are purely in it for the money and should be avoided at all costs. Generally speaking you only get what you pay for.

Look for colleges that offer the same degree programs online as they do at their traditional campuses. Some will require class attendance for certain projects and labs, whilst others will allow you to take the entire course online. Employers would be reassured to know that you had gained experience of working with others whilst still studying online. Some would even consider an online degree as a bonus in the more technical fields as this would suggest greater familiarity with computers and technology.

Frequently online schools require their teachers to have a Masters Degree or Doctorate in the subject they are teaching. This is good news for you because more highly trained teachers mean a better education, so look for lecturers with several years of experience in online training.

A common but misinformed view is that taking courses online requires less effort and commitment than an on-campus school. Certainly the student has greater flexibility in managing the workload, but usually they have to put in the same amount of study time and effort. And of course they only have themselves to rely upon for motivation, commitment and focus.

Another commonly held view is that students online do not get the experience of interacting with other students. However, colleges vary and some require attendance for labs and group projects, whilst others encourage study groups either in person or via email and chat rooms. And there are even specific websites for connecting distance-learning students to each other, which will then give you the possibility of meeting students world-wide.

When being interviewed for jobs you need to be aware that whilst employers may be familiar with online schools, they may only have a limited understanding of how they work and little knowledge of the quality of education you received. Be prepared and ready for questions and able to defend your schooling choice.

There are no guarantees in life, and so it is with an online degree; it will not automatically pave the way for a job. Some employers will consider it an asset, whilst others will still view it unfavourably compared with a traditional degree. Sound out business people in your desired career field to get their views and listen carefully to what they have to say. Finally, this is your choice and your decision, and having weighed up all the options only you can decide.

Many adults eager to improve their careers have embraced the idea of distance learning and online degrees. Flexible class schedules and the ability to earn an entire degree online without ever setting foot in an actual classroom make the online learning experience very attractive for students. But are employers willing to accept the online degrees that students are so eager to earn?

The answer to this question is driven in part by the realities of the education marketplace. In one sense, employers have little choice in the matter because of the sheer popularity of distance learning. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), for example, more than 54% of the country’s post-secondary institutions now offer online courses or degrees. The NCES estimates online enrollment could climb to six million in 2006, up from 3 million just a few years earlier. Data from 2004 – the latest available at the time of this writing – put enrollment at the University of Phoenix Online, the nation’s leading online university, at more than 115,000 students.

Given the magnitude of these numbers, it’s difficult to imagine that employers can long overlook online grads as potentially valuable new employees. However, a frequently cited study by Vault.com, the online career information site, showed that not all degrees are created equal. Degrees requiring actual physical attendance at traditional brick-and-mortar universities were still preferred over online institutions by a substantial margin. When it comes time to hire, online graduates can expect to meet with at least some resistance from human resource managers looking for on-campus grads from a big name school.

But there’s more to a degree than name recognition and whether or not that degree was earned solely through an on-campus program. More recent studies – some commissioned by online universities themselves – show that job applicants holding a degree from an accredited online university now enjoy more or less equal footing with graduates from their brick-and-mortar competitors. Accreditation, a voluntary process in which colleges and universities are reviewed by a regional accrediting agency, seems to underlie the change in attitude. Successful accreditation ensures that an online college or university meets a uniform set of standards that applies to all institutions of higher learning – including traditional brick-and-mortar institutions as well as online universities. The Department of Education maintains a database of accredited colleges and universities at www.ed.gov.

There are situations in which employers appear more willing to accept the qualifications that go with an online degree. A case in point is the existing employee eager to improve his or her career qualifications. In a situation like this, many employers are eager to help existing employees become a better-educated and hence more valuable employee. At the University of Phoenix Online, for example, fifty-nine percent of students receive all or part of their online tuition from their employer.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, online learning is expected to grow faster than any other part of the education landscape in the years ahead. Assuming it’s a regionally accredited college or university that grants an online degree, distance learning grads can be confident that their diploma will find favor in the workplace.

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Masters degree or MBA degree offers many avenues for career growth or life improvement via the opportunity to change your career, move ahead in the career category you currently work which includes in most cases an increase in salary or perhaps you’re seeking to start your own business and the only thing stopping you is the lack of knowledge in that area of expertise which the Masters or MBA would provide.

Many working adults don’t have the luxury to go back to school in the traditional sense which is what makes the online alternative such an attractive option for earning your Masters or MBA. The future is now in terms of having the ability to earn a Masters or MBA without having to give up your current means of income because there now exists accredited online colleges that offer such degrees which are completely respected and accepted by nearly all employers and when necessary, government authorities. This includes gaining a Masters or MBA in very specialized areas of knowledge.

All that is required to earn a Masters or MBA online is to have a Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university which can be either from a traditional on campus education or you may have earned your Bachelors degree in the same method you now seek to earn your Masters or MBA: from an accredited online college.

Before continuing further with the benefits of gaining an online degree such as Masters or MBA it is important to touch on what is not beneficial. There exist some online colleges which are known as “diploma mills” which are online colleges that either have not achieved “accredited” status by any respected and recognized institution or the worst of the bunch which simply allow students to purchase their degrees.

Government authorities and most employers are not fooled by a degree attained through a “diploma mill” but unsuspecting students are sometimes not so aware. Always make certain the online college that you choose to earn your Masters or MBA has been accredited by a recognized institution so that you don’t waste your money and in many cases a more important issue: the time factor. Losing all that time spent on earning a degree that won’t be accepted adds great insult to injury because you also not only lose out on the time spent, but also on the income that could have been gained while you are forced to take courses from an accredited online college in order to achieve your goal.

Now armed with the knowledge that you must be aware of the need for getting your Masters or MBA from an accredited college, it is simply a matter of finding an online college which is accredited and offers your chosen category of higher education. The biggest benefit for attaining your degree online is the time factor.

It is easily possible to get your Masters or MBA in much less time than earning it at a traditional on-campus school because the courses are all taken at your chosen pace which can be an extended length of time or an accelerated one.

Online courses are completely flexible and made to conform around your schedule regardless of what that may be. There is no need to travel because all your classes are taken from the comfort of your home. Considering there is little excuse for not seeking a higher education, get started soon and it will be that much quicker that you are enjoying a higher paying and more challenging career resulting in a better life style.

Enrollment is rising for online college degree programs, and working adults with some prior college experience are the demographic responsible for much of the growth, according to a recent report by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Investing in an online education is far from inexpensive, but many available distance learning programs are substantially less costly than comparative campus based offerings. This, in combination with the flexibility inherent in online learning, has made it a popular choice among those who work full time.

Jared Reed, a married father of two working on an online master’s of business administration while employed full time as an IT consultant, sees online degree programs as the logical evolution of academia. “For me, it’s impossible to be away from home for ten hours a day while working and then be available for campus classes at night. Earning my degree online allows me to spend time with my family in the early evenings and take care of assignments and coursework once my kids are in bed. None of the colleges in close proximity to me offer the classes I need with a schedule that fits my life. When you can’t make sacrifices to attend college because it’s simply not possible, you look for alternatives.”

While not all online colleges and universities offer lower tuition rates than campus based counterparts, many are able to reduce student expenses by eliminating superfluous costs, such as athletic fees charged to all students at almost all colleges regardless of whether they participate in athletics or not. The savings may seem relatively small on a per credit basis, but added up over the course of a four year degree program, it can make a reall difference. This is especially true for those who are borrowing to get an education.

Ultimately, though, it’s the end that justifies the means, which is where online degree programs have gained the most ground. Compared to just a few years ago, it is much more widely accepted that e-learning can provide the same quality of education available at campus based educational institutions. Continues Reed, “Knowing that my education will afford me the same opportunities I would have if I had been able to attend a traditional college is important to me. No matter where you go to school, you want to know that the time and effort you put in will help you reach your goals when you graduate.”

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Associate degrees are commonly referred to as undergraduate degrees. Duration of studies is counted as units or semester credit hours. Each semester has 15 credit hours hence an Associate degree is earned once a student reaches the minimum 4 semesters, equivalent to 60 units or semester credit hours. Associate degrees are generally 2-year degrees, like those conferred at community colleges. Now, associate degrees are available online, allowing you to study whenever or wherever you want.

An associate degree is defined as, “An academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges and some bachelor’s degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years.”

The program consists of three parts: general education requirements, major requirements, and electives. Online associate degrees are the same as on-campus or in-classroom associate degrees, but the degree can be taken entirely through the Internet or by distance education.

An online associate degree in business, liberal arts, and other disciplines, is widely accepted for transfer into bachelor’s degree programs throughout the country.

Types of Associate Degree Programs:
A.A. – “Associate of Arts” degree
This degree is designed to transfer to a four-year college or university.

A.A.S. – “Associate of Applied Science” degree
Designed to prepare graduates for career entry or job advancement after 2 years of college study. AAS degrees may transfer in whole or in part to 4 year colleges. A.A.S degrees may also be known by occupational specific titles such as Associate in Engineering Technology, Associate in Business, etc.

A.S. – “Associate of Science” degree
Designed to transfer to a 4 year college or university.

Occupational Degree
Also referred to as “applied” degree programs, an occupational degree program at a two-year college is designed to prepare students to enter the workforce immediately following graduation. The primary function is career preparation, however some courses and/or programs may transfer to 4 year colleges.

Online Associate Degrees
Associated degrees available nationwide include disciplines such as accounting, arts and humanities, business and management, marketing, design, graphic design, early childhood development, education, engineering, fire science, health sciences, hospitality management, human resources management, law and paralegal, criminal justice, social sciences telecommunications and technology.

Taking a degree in-classroom, online or by distance learning makes no difference except for the cost, time and place. Other than these aspects, education and programs are common to all of them, although there is less emphasis on an industry-specific competency. An Associate degree is more focused on learning the basic academic discipline, than in specialization.

All associated degrees are available through the Internet, but accelerated online programs make it easier to earn a certificate in less time. Earning an Associate degree also enables students to enter interesting professions, with minimal additional training in the field of electronics, health care and other faster growing occupations.

When you earn Associate degree online, you will not be singled out because yours was distance learning. A certificate for an Associate’s degree looks the same, regardless of whether it was earned online or on a campus. When you learn online, you will find that you can schedule work, family obligations and fun as well as learning into your busy life. Lectures can be downloaded and listened to at any time. Documents can also be read on the website, and you can turn in your homework assignments by e-mail or fax. Those who want to earn associate degree online but who are not sure how to get started should browse through various programs and locate one that is right. This requires a lot of research, but ultimately it pays off in the form of greater confidence, qualifications, and pay.