Do employers accept online degrees as readily as they do traditional ones? That’s become a more important question as a growing number of students obtain their degrees through online universities.
Unfortunately, like most important questions, there are no easy answers. In fact, students need to consider several factors when determining whether they should work toward an online or traditional degree.
First, there are many pros that come with earning an online degree. Not surprisingly, price tops the list. Online degrees are usually far less expensive than are those that students earn at traditional four-year universities or colleges. Secondly, online degrees provide amazing flexibility. Students can work according to their own schedules. They can take tests at 2 a.m. or write papers on their lunch breaks at work. Online classes allow students to work around their job hours, even if they work odd shifts.
Students don’t have to worry about paying for a daily commute to campus to take classes when they pursue an online degree. And because most communication takes place with written e-mail messages, shyer students can participate just as effectively as can those who are more outgoing. Online classes also give students the chance to interact with fellow students from all over the world.
Of course, there are some negatives involved with online degrees, too. The big one is that many employers might not value these degrees as highly as they do those that students obtained by attending traditional four-year colleges. There are two reasons for this: One, many employers struggle to determine which online universities offer rigorous, thought-provoking classes and which give students an opportunity to nab a quick degree with little effort. Secondly, it’s easier for students to cheat while earning an online degree. This might lessen the value of such a degree in some employers’ minds.
Students, too, face some downsides. First, they won’t enjoy much interaction with their professors or fellow students. Secondly, they’ll miss out on the experience of attending classes in a traditional college setting, including all the various student activities in which they could have participated.
As the economy continues to worsen, it’s little surprise that enrollment in online college programs has increased. In 2002, for instance, only about 10 percent of students earned their degrees by attending online classes. In 2008, that figure had moved just past the 25-percent mark.
Traditional colleges are even getting in on the online boom. More than 60 percent of colleges and universities, including such stalwarts as Harvard and Duke, offer online degrees. Most of these programs are overseen by the Distance Education and Training Council.
There are several key factors that students should consider before signing up for an online degree: They need to ask about the years of training that the school’s instructors have, the training that these instructors have and whether the program offers a degree that is recognized by your profession.
If you do decide to pursue an online degree, you might be interested in knowing how you stack up with your fellow virtual students. According to the Distance Education and Training Council, the average distance learner is 34 years old and earns a degree in 3.4 years. A total of 53 percent of these learners are female, while 47 percent are male. A total of 77 percent complete their lessons, while 71 percent is the average graduation rate.
