Value of College Online Degrees

The first question people ask when confronted with the idea of applying for an online degree is usually about its credibility compared to traditional degree routes. People are often worried that an online degree will be viewed by employers as a lesser qualification and that job candidates from campus universities will be favoured over candidates who have obtained online qualifications.



In an age where everything from newspapers and television to shopping centres and auction houses going online the progression of online adult education onto an internet platform is not that surprising. Moving away from the traditional to something new is almost always viewed with suspicion and the stigma that some un-reputable �online university degree� programmes (pay and receive) have given online qualifications has not been forgotten.

Online education has seriously advanced over the past few years and more and more employees are realising that in some cases, an online degree can be of more value than a �traditionally� received qualification. Online courses allow students to hold down jobs and create their own learning timetables which mean that many job candidates with online degrees will be able to offer good work experience alongside academic accreditation.

Of course you need to make sure that the online university course you choose is reputable and not from one of the �free degree� e-mails that appear in your junk mail inbox. You should also take the time to research student testimonials, the �facilities� that your online university will offer and the support you can expect to receive through your learning.

Online UK universities such as Kaplan who work with the University of Essex offer the opportunity of Foundation Degrees to working adults. These kind of online degrees are a great example of what online university courses now offer adult education.

Multi-media and audio applications have given online degrees depth and variation that progress with the expansion of the internet and the new technology that it offers. Even the process of accessing lectures and interacting with fellow online students and lecturers is a learning process.

The range of courses on offer is extensive with degrees in internet marketing, criminal justice, business and management, literature and creative writing and many, many more. It is worth remembering that if you are not dedicated or capable enough to complete assignments to a good standard then the degree you are awarded will reflect this just as it would in any university. To successfully apply accredited online universities will require you to have some form of higher education such as a GNVQ or an A-level and at least a C grade in GCSE maths and English. Work experience is often considered also. A quality resource is Kaplan Distance Learning.

With the rising standard of online degrees and the increasing cost of �traditionally� gained degrees then there is no reason why accredited forms of either should be favoured or discriminated against by employers. The choice should be made only be weighing up which type of learning offers the best opportunities for you, the individual.