Online Degree Programs
Henry Steele Commager once claimed that education is essential to change. It is only natural that change has finally caught up to education. Elementary schools students elect to take computer courses. High schools are outfitted with interactive white boards and digital projectors. Colleges create virtual campuses that bring class into the homes of its students. Through technology, education is now being completely reevaluated and designed. Online degree programs are simply one of the many ways in which these changes are improving the quality and availability of education.
Online degree programs offered by online colleges and branches of on-campus colleges have brought higher education not only to a larger range of traditional students but also to working adults, who have been widely underserved by colleges and universities. Flexible schedules that can be arranged around a full workday and classes that can be taken from any location make online colleges the first choice for many students.
Some online colleges began as distance education programs that facilitated students in earning certificates through correspondence courses. Others began as the Internet became more popular and widely used. Regardless of their origins, many online degree programs are now developed to meet the same requirements as on-campus programs. Organized uniquely for the Internet to allow the maximum level of interaction and flexibility, online degree programs create a balance between delivering strong education and catering to the needs of distance learners. Major online colleges include the University of Phoenix, technically the largest private university in North America, and Kaplan University.
With vary levels of accreditation, online colleges must be carefully researched by prospective students. Online colleges should meet the same standards as traditional colleges and university. Six regional accreditation associations meet federal standards. These include the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, the New England Association of Colleges and Schools, the Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Western Association of colleges and schools. Online colleges accredited by one of the above association meet the same standards of brick-and-mortar colleges, and a degree from such a school should be met with the same respect as an on-campus college. Some colleges are nationally accredited though not regionally accredited. Students may consider these colleges but should make confirm that employers and other universities accept such colleges as legitimate institutions of higher education.