How Do Employers View Online Degrees?
There are a huge number of online degrees that a student can earn. With many colleges turning to online options to save money and allow students worldwide access their programs, it seems like there is a never ending list of possible degree options available to students today.
One common misconception is that online degrees are not valued the same way as a degree from a student who attended a physical institution. Opinions are changing and online degrees are becoming more common than ever before. The following article will explain some of the degrees that are available online as well as explain how employers are accrediting these degrees and treating them as equal to a traditional degree.
Online Bachelor’s Degrees
The most common form of online degree is a bachelor’s degree. An online bachelor’s degree usually takes 4 years of full time study in order to complete. Some students opt to taking an accelerated program which can shorten the time of their program to only 3 years whereas some take several years to complete their degree and schedule their classes around school and work, to fit with their own individual schedule. A bachelor’s degree can be obtained in many different subjects including a bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of business or engineering. Many of the bachelor’s degrees offered at most traditional colleges and universities are now available to take online.
Certifications and Diplomas
There are also certificate diplomas which are offered as online programs as well. Certain certificates are required in order to advance in the workforce and remain in current employment standards for your job. By taking these programs online a person is able to work their schooling around their current position and save money in administration fees.
Advanced Degrees
There are also options to take masters and doctorate degrees online as well. What this can mean is that if a person requires an upgrade in order to get a new job or wanted to upgrade after graduating from an undergraduate program at a traditional college or online college program, they will be able to continue their education in an online master’s degree or doctorate degree.
This is a very simple way to upgrade your education and offer a slightly different experience than traditional college. Taking a master’s degree online also allows you to start a job with your existing bachelor’s degree. Quite often the financial drain of being in a full time college program for 4 years will make a person want to work right away and they may not return to school. Taking an online masters or doctorate program allows that time to work and go to school at the same time.
The Employer’s View
Employers everywhere have agreed that online college can open new doors in education and produces formidable graduates which are on par with graduates coming from traditional universities. All of the same curriculum remains the same, it may simply be delivered in a different environment. Attitudes towards online college programs are changing significantly
And with the functionality of web based applications and changing technology, online college is changing and becoming just as interactive, if not more so than traditional college. There is no reason why an employer should not accredit a degree attained through an online college.