Learn to Earn Checklist: Are You Ready for an Online Bachelor Degree?

Getting a bachelor's or master's degree may seem an insurmountable obstacle when you're working a 40-hour week. But many Americans who have work, family and financial obligations that keep them from quitting their jobs to attend a traditional college or university full time have succeeded in finding a new way to meet their education goals and advance their careers.

Called distance learning, it's an approach that's taking the country -- and especially the Internet -- by storm. Dozens of accredited colleges and universities now offer online bachelor degree programs that require students to spend little or no time on campus. In most cases, you can learn to earn from the comfort of your own home.

The nation's largest accredited private university, the University of Phoenix, is a good example of the trend toward distance learning. It offers online bachelor degree programs in business, technology, health care, education, and social and behavioural science. At the beginning of 2002, the last year for which figures are available on the Department of Education website, the University of Phoenix had more than 107,000 students enrolled in programs offered in classrooms and via the Internet through the school's online campus.

While getting a degree from an accredited online university like the University of Phoenix can substantially boost your lifetime earning profile, online learning isn't for everyone. Online learners do best when they're highly motivated, are able to learn outside a traditional classroom environment, and have good computer skills and their own home computer.

If you fit this profile, here's a basic checklist you'll need to review before choosing an online degree program:

* Do you meet the academic requirements?
Like a traditional brick-and-mortar college, online universities have admission requirements that may vary according to your course of study. Certificate and online bachelor degree programs will require a high school diploma or GED certificate. Entrance requirements for graduate degrees will vary with the online degree program. At the University of Phoenix, for example, most graduate degree programs require a minimum of three years of related work experience and a bachelor's degree with a 2.5 GPA or higher.

* Is the online university accredited?
Accreditation is a process that colleges and universities submit to voluntarily in order to receive their credentials. Although there are no national accrediting standards, not just any accreditation will do. The U.S. Department of Education or the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation recognizes six regional and about 80 professional accrediting associations in the United States. The University of Phoenix, for example, is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

* Have you put your own goals first?
Take some time to research your options from the point of view of your own goals. To determine which school best fits your academic profile and educational goals, first list your criteria. Then, evaluate online degree programs based on their accreditation, features, and expenses. Once you have chosen several schools to explore further, visit their websites for more information. All online universities provide free, detailed information about their degree programs and free online access to enrollment counsellors. Ask school officials questions about such things as enrollment numbers, graduation rate, faculty qualifications, and any confusing details about the application process or academic policies.

* Can you afford it?
If you're considering an online bachelor degree, make sure you can afford the costs for tuition, books (if any), and other admin or online fees. Remember, too, that you may not have to cover the entire cost of your online education alone. At the University of Phoenix, 59% of the University's students receive all or part of their tuition from their employer. Even if your employer won't spring for the cost of making you a better employee through continuing education, there are still other financial options available, including federal grant and loan programs with low interest rates.

Distance learning, especially in the form of an online university, is a great way to advance your career through an online bachelor degree or even a graduate degree in your chosen field. Following these guidelines will help make your search for the right online degree a pleasant and fruitful one.

About the author: Dana E. Smith, Detroit, MI, USA
Dana E. Smith is a free-lance writer whose interest in many consumer-related topics also includes the phenomenon of online education. More details about the University of Pheonix and online bachelor degree

What Are The Advantages To Completing an Online Bachelors Degree?

An online bachelors degree is a four-year college degree that an individual completes and earns through the Internet. The biggest benefit of an online bachelors degree is that it usually takes less time to complete.

An online bachelors degree is a four-year college degree that an individual completes and earns through the Internet. The biggest benefit of an online bachelors degree is that it usually takes less time to complete.

 Most individuals can complete their online bachelors degree in as little as three years. If you have prior college credits to transfer or relevant work history to consider, then you can complete your degree in as little as six months.
Another benefit to completing an online bachelors degree is that the course work is extremely flexible. Classes can be taken any time throughout the day and you never have to leave your house. All course work is completed via the Internet either through downloadable lessons or virtual class times.
The average online bachelors degree program requires at least twenty hours of course work a week. But since the course are completed online, individuals can work faster or slower, depending on their schedule, as long as the course is completed within the allowed time frame.

The standard time frame for the course work of an online bachelors degree is one class every five weeks. This schedule allows a student to concentrate solely on one class or module at a time ensuring that they learn all of the information presented in that session. This is an advantage over traditional four year colleges because with an online program you can devote your time to each session without being distracted by other classes and information.
Tuition payment is also easier with an online program. Online degree programs qualify for the same tuition assistance that on-site programs do. Therefore, individuals can apply for student loans, payment plans and employer reimbursement programs. Plus, some online colleges allow the student to pay as they go, cutting down on upfront college costs.

Earning an online bachelors degree is a perfect way for individuals that are currently employed full time to further their careers. By studying online, individuals can keep their regular job and still earn a degree in record time.
To qualify for enrollment, you are only required to have a high school diploma or G.E.D. Since no prior college education is required, online degrees are also the perfect choice for someone that must work full time to pay for college.
If you are contemplating earning your bachelors degree, then an online bachelors degree program is definitely worth researching.

Amba is the owner of http://www.on-line--education.com a website that contains all the latest resources and information relating to on-line degrees. Visit http://www.on-line--education.com Sign up to our free Newsletter to receive additional articles on a regular basis.
email@on-line--education.com

Online Bachelor Degree

It used to be the case that if you wanted to obtain a bachelor's degree without physically being present at the institution providing the course, you needed to undertake a distant learning course. In most cases, those who graduated with a bachelor's degree obtained from a distant learning course were afforded less respect for their achievements than those who completed their studies on-site. The advent of the Internet, however, has completely changed the sphere of distance learning. Today distance learning is a huge industry, worth billions of dollar a year, and you can achieve an online bachelor degree at almost any institution of learning in the world.

It used to be the case that if you wanted to obtain a bachelor's degree without physically being present at the institution providing the course, you needed to undertake a distant learning course. In most cases, those who graduated with a bachelor's degree obtained from a distant learning course were afforded less respect for their achievements than those who completed their studies on-site. The advent of the Internet, however, has completely changed the sphere of distance learning. Today distance learning is a huge industry, worth billions of dollar a year, and you can achieve an online bachelor degree at almost any institution of learning in the world.

So, how do you go about deciding which online bachelor degree program to study? To help you, here are 3 questions to ask yourself before embarking on your quest:

1. What do I really want to learn?
The traditional learning process was to select a number of courses you might want to study and then to apply to the universities respectively - places not guaranteed though. However, with the availability of online programs, this process is no longer as important.
In this regard, today's online bachelor degree programs can take an almost unlimited number of students - so choosing the right course to take becomes far more important, and much less of a gamble!

2. Where do I want to learn?
Historically, deciding where you wanted to learn was of importance because that meant you would have to go there and live: at least during the time you undertook the course. In most cases this would mean having to leave family and childhood friends, or choosing to study in the area you grew up in.
One of the benefit of an online degree program is that this no longer becomes an important factor. As it goes without staying that by studying an online bachelor degree, you can be physically located anywhere whilst studying somewhere else! Researching the institution you want to study at, and the courses they provide, therefore becomes very important.

3. Am I disciplined enough?
This last question is probably going to be one of the most important you'll need to honestly ask yourself. You see, with on-campus education you have teachers to chase you if you are falling behind schedule. However, with an online bachelor degree program, your study period and method is much more in your own-hands.

Thus, finding the time to study, and being disciplined enough to sit-down and study during this period, is vital if you want to succeed. Otherwise, learning in the more traditional methods may be more beneficial to you.

Amba is the owner of http://www.on-line--education.com a website that contains all the latest resources and information relating to on-line degrees. Visit http://www.on-line--education.com Sign up to our free Newsletter to receive additional articles on a regular basis.
email@on-line--education.com

Is an Online Bachelors Degree For You?

Getting a bachelors degree online can be a fast and easy way to further your career. But before you enroll, there are a few important things you need to know.

First, you'll want to make sure that the college that offers the online degree is accredited. School and universities are accredited on a state or national level. This accreditation means that a board of education has researched and approved the schools curriculum and course work.

Next, you will want to make sure that the school is highly recognized and that the bachelors degree is transferable. This helps because someday you may want to further your education by completing your masters degree and you will need to be able to transfer your bachelors credits.

Prerequisite to getting a bachelors degree from any university, you must first have at least a high school diploma or a G.E.D. It also helps to have some college or previous work experience under your belt. If you have previous college credits, then they can be applied toward your bachelors degree program and shorten the length of time that you will need to be enrolled in school.

Without previous college credits, most bachelors degree online programs take up to three years to complete. This time frame is based on an individual that takes at least twenty hours of course work a week. With prior college credits, or by spending more time on course work each week, some individuals can complete their bachelors degree online program in as little as one year.

To decide which college or university to enroll with, it is best to decide what type of degree program you need. Many colleges offer these programs but some specialize in different fields. For example, Ashworth College is highly recommended for a bachelors degree in business, while Penn State University is a good place to do an education degree.

You also need to see if the class schedule is suited to your needs. Many online programs allow you to download the course work and complete it at your own pace, but some programs require that you log on to the Internet for virtual class sessions a few times a week at a designated time.For more great articles and resources on studying for an online degree visit Matt Russell's sites http://www.top-online-degree-info.com or http://www.online-degree-options.com