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People who want higher education but who don't live near a
college or university offering courses they want used to be out
of luck. No more. Now it is possible to study almost any subject
online. It may require more self-discipline to pursue a degree
this way. However, students at online universities can attend
classes at their convenience, making it possible to earn a
living at the same time as earning a degree.
What to look for
There are now many online universities. Some online degree
programs are offered by traditional universities with campuses,
while others only exist in cyberspace. Selecting the right
school and being sure your degree will be recognized by
potential employers is the first step. How can you tell whether
a program is a real educational experience or a diploma mill?
Here are some things to find out before signing up.
Look for a university with accreditation from a recognized
accrediting organization. This is important because it means the
school meets established standards of quality. Well-known
universities like the University of Florida, Northwestern,
Purdue and Notre Dame are examples of accredited institutions.
The U.S. Department of Education recognizes universities
accredited by one of the six accrediting bodies. Students who
attend accredited universities are usually eligible for federal
student loans and the course credits they earn generally
transfer to other accredited institutions.
Picking a degree program
To determine if a degree program fits your professional and
personal interests, review the curriculum and course
descriptions in university web sites and course catalogs. Do
they offer courses in subjects of interest to you?
To learn more about whether a program might be good for you, ask
about the faculty's industry experience and the scope and focus
of their research. Do they have the appropriate advanced degrees
for what they teach? Find out where the professors got their
degrees. If all or most of them graduated from the same online
university you are considering, this is a red flag, suggesting
their academic credentials are weak. A real university will have
teachers who have graduated from many different schools.
How students apply what they learn to their fields of expertise
and to their communities are also strong indicators of a
program's value. Ask what employers, organizations and
professional associations partner with or support the
university. Talk to someone at the university and explain your
educational goals and career plans. Whether you wish to advance
your career, change careers, make a contribution to society or
become more expert in your field, be sure the program you choose
will get you there. One way to find out is to learn how the
university's alumni are doing. Alumni success or lack of it
reflects the quality of a university and its programs. Ask for
examples of how alumni are using the knowledge they gained in
their professional and personal lives.
If the university accepts everyone who applies and can afford
the cost, be suspicious. A real university will require each
student to meet appropriate admissions requirements.
Online teaching is different
Make sure any online universities you are considering know how
to deliver and support online courses and that you have the
technology you need to take them. Do the faculty members know
how to guide the classroom experience to ensure learning
objectives are achieved? Are your computer and Internet
connection up to the task? Assignments are typically posted
online and discussions take place as threaded postings. Most
online courses require students to log in and contribute to
discussions a certain number of times each week. Many courses
let you log in any time, anywhere as long as you meet the weekly
course requirements.
What type of student support services are available? How
responsive are instructors to student inquiries? What
opportunities are there to interact with fellow students? This
interaction enables students to gain knowledge and understanding
from others with a wide variety of geographic, cultural and
professional perspectives. The most effective courses,
especially for adult learners with years of work experience, are
those in which students gain the insights and perspectives of
everyone in the class.
Can you afford it?
Though attending an online university allows you to live where
you do currently so you won't pay anything extra for living
expenses while you study, there will be charges for books,
tuition and fees. Find out what other expenses there will be, if
any, to be sure you can afford your studies. Ask if financial
aid is available, as some schools offer it to online learners.
Note that tuition and fees at online universities are often
higher than what is charged at their campus-based counterparts.
However, these schools offer personalized support and a
convenient and flexible format geared for the adult learner. If
a university's tuition and fees are significantly less expensive
than other online schools, double check on its accreditation to
be sure it is legitimate.
About the author:
Jean Feingold is a copywriter for Catalogs.com. Catalogs.com is
the Internet's leading source for print and online catalog
shopping - and a growing hub of original content and "how to"
information at www.catalogs.com.
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