Earning an accredited college degree online, also known as distance learning, requires the same commitment and dedication you need when attending a traditional school. However, you can do your work and earn your accredited online degree at your convenience, and from anywhere you have access to the internet.
Accredited online college degrees offer students the flexibility to not only earn their degree to further their careers, but many online degree programs allow you to do so while still working full time. For this reason, many students opt to earn degrees online.
The coursework for an online degree will be roughly the same as an “on location” education but delivered to you in a different manner. Many distance learning institutions hold “class” via webcams, virtual meeting apps, and chat rooms, enabling students to listen to course lectures by instructors and interact with other students.
Many of these webcam and virtual meeting classes are also recorded so students can attend the class on their own time or go back and review the materials as many times as they need.
Simply put, many accredited online degree programs are incredibly adaptable to your needs.
Some accredited online college degree programs mandate that students post to a class message board, or check into a virtual meeting a certain number of times a week. Group work involving a number of students or groups is also built into the curriculum of some online degree programs, and students may be graded on their group projects and participation.
So even though you can work on your own schedule, there is a degree of community and collaboration involved in earning an accredited online college degree.
While some online college programs have “open enrollment,” many others have the same enrollment requirements as their brick-and-mortar counterparts. Some online college programs use the same curriculum and admissions standards whether a student is learning at a distance or is in the physical classroom.
But when issuing degrees or transcripts, those schools don’t specify whether the courses were taken online or on campus, because they are the same courses, and the value of the education and the degree is the same.
About accredited online colleges:
Legitimate schools offering online college degrees are accredited by one of the regional or national accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
The CHEA’s database will tell you if a school holds legitimate accreditation, or not. Schools that are accredited are expected to adhere to certain education standards. If classes or instructors are not up to par, the school risks being put on probation, or worse, losing its accreditation.
While online colleges have made great strides to deliver personalized, engaging lessons, it’s up to the student to stick to a study schedule, meet their course deadlines and requirements, and have the ability to work independently.
Some students find working toward an online degree a more comfortable fit for their lifestyle, while other students need the kind of structure a classroom provides. But whichever educational style fits you best, School Match Pro can connect you to the college or university that will best position you for success.
School Match Pro is an educational consumer information source connecting students with programs, we do not provide direct educational services. School Match Pro is not responsible for education program content or for third party referral sources directed to School Match Pro or related pages. Educational program options vary. Programs may not be accelerated, available in all locations, or available both online and at on-campus locations. Financial aid may be available to those who qualify including grants, scholarships, and other programs. Financial aid and grants are provided directly to educational programs, not to students, unless otherwise noted. To receive financial aid and grants students must submit applications and be accepted to educational programs for which aid will be used. Employment is not implied nor guaranteed, and each program length and curriculum will vary based on the institution you select. School Match Pro offers information, ratings, and recommendations of colleges and universities at no cost to the consumer. School Match Pro receives referral, promotional, and/or advertising revenue from some of the schools that we review.
