Online Degrees

More than ever, the landscape of traditional education has changed forever. Teachers and Professors are no longer standing at the front of the room lecturing to a class full of engaged students. Instead, they are on Zoom, blindly teaching to numerous students who may or may not be paying attention. They are teaching in a hybrid of online and in the classroom, where some students are in-person while others are participating remotely.

They may even be on a schedule alternating days in the classroom and days online. Because of these changes that educators have been forced to make, the reality and appeal of online education are at an all-time high. Schools and programs have perfected their methods, their tools, and their resources to be able to deliver a high-quality education from anywhere. This gives staff and students a huge opportunity.

Online learning, online classes, and online degree programs have gained so much popularity in the realm of higher education. Most large public and private colleges and universities offer online courses and many have fully or partially online undergraduate and/or graduate programs. Smaller colleges and universities have also incorporated online learning options and are rapidly developing online courses and degree programs to extend their reach to non-traditional students, providing so many more convenient options. Whether you’re looking for online colleges for criminal justice, online colleges for psychology, online colleges for social work, or online colleges for business, it is available and no longer hard to find.

With technology such as Zoom, Google Meets, FaceTime, and others, there are constantly more and more ways to learn and for teachers and students alike to work collaboratively. While you won’t necessarily have regular face-to-face time with your teacher or fellow students, you will interact with many on a regular basis through email, posting, video, chats, and other messaging technologies. You should expect that some of the tasks for the class will be independent study, and some will be social in the form of question and answer, group projects, and more. Because of this, a lot of the learning may be done asynchronously, meaning there is no forced fixed schedule. That’s right, gone are the days of picking just the right classes to fit the right hours to fill up your schedule. Many classes can be done on your time, giving freedom and flexibility to 1. take the classes you want. 2. hold a Full or Part-Time job if you want or need and 3. prioritize yourself and any other responsibilities you may have.

An additional advantage to online learning is that you may be able to complete courses quicker. Colleges and universities offer shorter semesters which could mean you earn course credits in half the time. This quick class schedule makes for greater availability for the classes themselves. Many alternative academic calendars offer courses five, six, or more times per year during shorter terms that last four, five, six, or eight weeks. These programs may have more start dates and they typically allow students to take just one or two courses per term without significantly extending the time it takes to earn a degree. Though the overall time to completion is generally the same for programs that use traditional versus alternative academic calendars, the student experience can be different. 

50states.com is focused on providing students with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about online courses and online degree programs. Applying to and enrolling in an online undergraduate or graduate program involves making important decisions that can have short- and long-term implications financially, personally, and professionally. As you’ve read here, there are many factors to consider when deciding to pursue an online degree. 

As a reminder, the biggest variables and differentiating factors that are important to consider when choosing an online program are issues related to instructional methods, enrollment options, and program structure. Online education and online degrees are certainly a great way to set you up for success in the workplace and open an endless world of opportunities for growth. There is a growing number of colleges and universities offering classes, programs, and degrees online. Whether you are looking for a degree in a particular program such English Literature, Accounting, or Liberal Arts, or you are looking to take some special classes of interest or to help your career- we have the right education partners and great online learning resources to connect you.