Online Education: What’s Different?

Over the past decade, we all got used to ordering, buying, and receiving goods and services online. You can order food, watch your favorite TV show or even date someone straight from home while sitting in front of your computer, or anywhere else using your smartphone. But what about more valuable things, like your education? Online universities offer a huge variety of programs for people of all ages and professions. No need to be tied to your location or spend your precious time on campus. Here are some tips that you need to know before enrollment.

Why is it worth trying?

Online education allows you to get a degree without putting your life on pause. You are flexible to take the course whenever it is convenient for you. You choose the pace and speed that fits you most, taking your time for harder lessons or moving through familiar subjects quicker. You can choose between dozens of online education programs and pick the one that will help you become professional in the area that you prefer.

Today universities and schools offer specialized courses for high-demand fields, such as business online degree or healthcare online degree. These programs are also suitable for those who already have some work experience and want to upgrade their skills and knowledge. Another great opportunity is that today you can find some specific online courses, such as online ministerial degree or fine arts program — and enroll in couple of clicks.

Which levels of education are available online?

Today you can find various courses, starting from high school, associates degrees or and all the way up to . There are a lot of online school programs for children, who are willing to pick the sphere that interests them most, and be more flexible. Certified teachers give them core knowledge and help gain practical skills via comprehensive lessons. You can check out sample lessons which most schools provide to help you take the right decision.

Some of online schools offer an opportunity for children’s social development just like classical schools do due to the availability of connection between peers. In the end of the program, students receive high school diplomas or certificates. Most colleges, universities and employers recognize them as an equivalent to traditional high school diplomas.

In case online schooling is a suitable and effective way of studies for you or your child, you can continue with one of various undergraduate colleges online. Today there are a lot of community colleges which provide the access to a campus for online students. This allows them to work on projects together and use campus services and facilities along with their online college classes. At the same time, you can monitor your progress and study independently.

There is a decent amount of affordable online degrees offered by well-respected universities. Most programs are designed for competency-based studies, which means that students learn how to apply their skills into real projects. That can potentially make you more valuable for your future or current employerÑŽ allowing you to gain more practical skills in your area.

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What are the most popular online degrees in 2019?

Master of Business Administration Degree

Business education is becoming more and more popular, especially among older people who want to advance their careers and skills. This has led to an increase of the number of online MBA programs available. They are also extremely helpful for those who decide to switch their career direction after graduation. Online MBA courses might be a good choice if you want to start your own business, or, for example, receive a marketing degree online, without sacrificing your current work or changing your everyday schedule significantly.

Online MBA programs usually cost less than classical on-campus ones and give a great opportunity for networking, which is very important in a job market today. Top ranked accredited universities offering online MBA degrees:

  • University of Florida
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • University of Virginia
  • Liberty University

Master of Social Work Degree

Despite social work is a profession that requires a lot of live communication between people, MSW online programs are becoming more and more popular. Modern technologies provide a decent level of real-time interpersonal interaction. However, there are still only a few entirely online programs. Program structure and methods depend on the university, but almost all online MSW programs require students to work at local health services agencies. Top accredited institutions with online MSW programs:

  • Arizona State University
  • Boise State University
  • Boston University
  • California State University
  • Columbia University

Master of Science in Nursing

Online MSN programs are a good idea if you decide to accelerate your nursing career. This is your step towards more advanced positions, such as nurse anesthetists or nurse midwives, which are generally requiring a graduate degree. MSN online degree might also help you switch to administrative healthcare work. There are programs, which are designed even for students with non-nursing bachelor's degree, who decide to get a new profession and try online healthcare classes. Top rated universities offering online MSN programs:

  • Johns Hopkins University
  • Georgetown University
  • Duke University
  • University of Southern California
  • Vanderbilt University

Master in Public Health

MPH online degrees are bringing new career opportunities for students all over the world. They aim at improving overall community wellness, promote healthy lifestyle and provide access to health education. MPH programs are mostly focused on biostatistics, epidemiology and public health data analysis. Top accredited universities with full graduate MPH programs:

  • Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center
  • American Public University
  • Northeast Ohio Medical University
  • Concordia University-Nebraska
  • New Mexico State University

Important Tip

Even if you are looking for the most affordable online schools, never forget to check their accreditation and state approval status, as these are the indicators of quality and reliability. Online accredited school programs must be approved in the state from which the diploma will be issued. Programs with accreditation from agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and state approval are 100% legitimate and safe for students.