Archive for the ‘Online College’ Category

It is a well known fact that anyone who is considering an online degree program should only go for an accredited one. However, there are nationally accredited programs and regionally accredited programs. What is the difference and which is the best?

Unaccredited Online Degrees

Most employers, colleges, and universities consider diplomas and credentials from unaccredited online degree courses as a deception. It is not only an issue of selecting an accredited online degree program; you must also choose the proper accreditation for an online degree program. These days this is becoming more and more complicated. Which category of accreditation is best and what is the difference? Should you choose?

• National accreditation?
• Regional accreditation?
• Specialized accreditation?

What Does Accreditation Means?

The first thing to understand is the meaning of accreditation. It means that an accrediting group has gone to the school’s campus, checked its programs for quality standards, and has approved the online degree program’s courses. Regional and national accreditation are two different kinds of accreditation for an online degree. Both are voluntary and are not imposed by any governing body.

Regional Accreditation Groups

Regional accreditation groups cover particular parts of the United States. Each section has a regional accreditation agency. The U.S. is divided into 6 regions for this purpose. The six regional accreditation agencies are:

• Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
• Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools (Commission on Higher Education)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (The Higher Learning Commission)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (Commission on Colleges)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (Commission on Technical and Career Institutions and Commission on Institutions of Higher Education)

United States Department of Education recognizes all of these accreditation agencies. An accredited distance learning degree program will have regional accreditation by one of the above six agencies. The U.S. Department of Education does not recognize all national accreditation programs.

Additional Factors

Cost is also an important factor. In general, regionally accredited online degrees are more expensive than nationally accredited programs. The low tuition of nationally accredited programs is a big enticement, if one will not be transferring credits and is aware of the fact that many employers will accept degrees that are nationally accredited one may want to consider programs that have this type of accreditation. All factors must be considered when making this decision.

Be aware of the accreditation of any online program that you are considering before enrolling ensuring that this program will meet your needs.

Online degree programs are growing faster than any other educational segment these days. The quantity of online degree programs in the market currently is staggering; however, there are a few online degrees that are more popular than others. Online degree levels can be pursued from the associate’s level to the bachelor’s and master’s level, all the way up to the doctoral level.

You can also earn professional certificate programs at online degree institutions. These institutions offer certificates in a variety of fields and vocations. With such a huge variety to choose from, what are the top degrees that can be earned online? What are the online degree programs that top the list of degrees that employers want? Let’s take a look.

Top Online Degrees

Hard working adults are looking for the top online degrees that can enhance their skills and add value to their employment prospects. According to fresh polls, here are the top online degrees that can be earned online:

• Online Language Degrees
• Online Nursing Degrees
• Online Technology Degrees
• Online Business Degrees

Other Top Online Degrees Students Are Studying

Note that these online degree programs are just averages, each individual may find other online degree programs that will specifically enhance their selected career goals. Search engines have made it very easy to find online schools and colleges that offer the top degrees that can be earned online. These are the degrees that employers look for and the ones that give their bearers an edge career wise.

How to Find the Top Online Degree Programs?

There is no problem finding these online degree programs. The internet can provide working adults with lists of top degrees that can be earned online, and online colleges and universities help prospective students find suitable and quality online degree programs nationwide.

Many web pages help working parents and career students along with those with full time jobs find the top online degrees. Many popular online degree programs listed on the internet have excellent online programs and lessons.

Now is the right time to begin online degree programs that can launch or improve your career.

The number of those attending online college courses continued to climb in 2011. Almost 7 million students registered in at least one completely online degree class, which is a 10% boost above the last year. Capital Communiqué Research reported this and the numbers compiled by Marvel Survey Education Advocates Groups (MSEAG) seems to back up these statistics.

Increase in Online Degree Students

With this increase, the online degree students now account for almost a 35 percent of all college students. The growth, to over 5 million learners studying in online degree programs, symbolizes an increase of more than half a million pupils.

Growth in Online Degree Course Registration

“The tempo of expansion in online registration is 100% more than of the growth in all college students,” says Sue Lieber, vice-president of the MSEAG. In all categories of college education registration grew by almost 3% from 2009 to 2010.

Rush To Benefit From the Convenience of Online Education

The rush forward to take advantage of online degree programs stands as an essential movement in the methods students are using to get schooling. This trend is motivated equally by the expediency and flexibility that attracts many to distance learning in general and the web environment specifically.

Momentum of Online Degree Enrollment

Whereas the increase in online degree program attendance increased faster than campus based education, the surgeat the end of the last decade was lower than previously recorded climb but the sheer volume was unmatched. This proves that the shift to online degree programs is no fluke, and it should maintain momentum well into the next decade.

Future Role of Online Degree Education

The educational representatives that were asked to report on student satisfaction during surveys by both agencies gave online education about the same reviews as classroom courses. Nearly 70% of those surveyed stated that online education would have some role in their long-term education approach.

Nattering Nabobs of Negativity and Online Education

Nevertheless, it continues to be noted that there are left over’s in the scholastic community in leadership positions that still cling to the notion that online study is inferior to classroom programs. Most are slated for retirement soon and will be remembered in the same breath as those who shun the internet for libraries and scoff at calculators and use their fingers.

Did you know that there are certain online degrees that employers don’t want? Keep this in mind when you enroll in an online degree program. Don’t make the mistake of pursuing an online degree that is not respected in the workforce. Here are the top 6 online degrees to avoid.

Choosing a Career Path with an Online Degree

Graduation is the most exciting time in a college student’s life. But that excitement can slowly fade away once these college grads realize that the online degree they hold is one that is not valued in the workplace. Employers are very particular when it comes to online degrees, so career seekers need to make sure that they do thorough research before choosing a career path if they plan to use distance learning programs to earn their degrees.

Distance Learning Programs

Graduating with an online degree from a reputable online school is a great accomplishment, but the job prospects may not be great if the degree is not valued by employers. This is where it gets to be a problem for career seekers that use e-learning programs.

Online Degrees That Are Not Valued In the Workplace

An increasing numbers of working professionals are taking advantage of online courses or completing their degrees online. These online programs are an attractive alternative as they help busy working adults balance work, family and school. As the demand for these online programs steadily increase, the number of online institutions providing these online degree programs also continues to rise.

However, while acceptability of online degrees is increasing among employers, there are still a few online degrees that employers don’t want.

The top two online degrees that employers don’t want are:

1. Diploma mill degrees
2. Unaccredited online degrees

The above degrees are unacceptable regardless of the subject in which they are pursued. The least popular online degrees, subject wise are:

1. Online degree in History
2. Online degree in Art
3. Online degree in Music
4. Online Degree in English

Should College Students Avoid Certain Online Degrees?

Most definitely! Those that are new to the workforce and are considering online colleges should stay away from the top 6 online degrees that employers don’t want. Find out which online degrees rank lowest in terms of employment prospects. Earning a fake degree through a diploma mill might sound tempting in the short term but in the long term it will only lead to trouble.

I would love to hear your opinions as well! Please leave your comments below.

If you are interested in revamping your career, you should look at the option of pursuing higher education through online degree programs. These online degrees can help change the way you look at your career path. A study conducted by Eduventures, a leading educational research firm, indicated that affordable online degrees in 2010 were in fields of business, nursing, technology, health care, and criminal justice.

Top Online Degree Programs for a Career Change

1. Bachelors in Business include the study of subjects like finance, economics, and commerce which can help you to develop a lucrative career in business. This is because the career outlook is very bright in this area. You can get a job as a marketing specialist and can bring about a change in the business of financials of the companies. Your potential average annual salary would be about $66,850, as indicated by the U.S. Department of Labor.

2. Bachelors in Nursing can be pursued by those who are interested in nursing or who want to get more career options. Owing to a large number of Registered Nurses (RNs) retiring in the near future, online degrees in this field has become tremendously popular. A host of online degree programs in this field are offered at various levels which can help you get a license to become a registered nurse. According to the Department of Labor, about 600,000 new registered nurses, with an average annual salary of $67,720 are likely to be hired in the decade from 2008-2018.

3. Bachelors in Computer and IT can enable you to change your career, especially if you have strong technical knowledge and prior experience. If you have knowledge of computer technology, you can opt for career options like computer systems analyst who has an average annual salary of $81,250. The career prospect is very bright and is likely to increase by 20 percent during the 10-year period from 2008-2018.

4. Bachelors in Healthcare is another flourishing career option with fast job growth as 3.2 million new workers are projected to be hired in the 10 years through 2018 based on the figures provided by the Department of Labor. One potential career change option is seen at positions like entry-level medical and health services manager with an average annual salary of $93,670.

5. Bachelors in Criminal Justice is ideal for those who want to develop a career in criminal justice. It can also enable you to develop careers in various challenging and rewarding professions. You can pursue career options like private detectives and investigators.

6. Online Degree in Management can enable you to develop a career in various areas related to management of a company and develop careers at managerial level or higher. You will be involved in analyzing and solving problems and critical thinking.

7. Online Degree in Fine Art can help you develop careers in various area of art like painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture. Based on the figures indicated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 60 percent of artists are freelancers and run their own businesses.

If you are already pursuing a career and aspire to switch to another field, you can opt from one of the popular online degrees mentioned above which can help you in developing a lucrative and well-paying career as well.