Can Where You Study Impact Your Education?

Typically, a traditional degree is the normal path chosen by students to complete their studies. This doesn't necessarily mean it is the best option; it is the most traditional, and the one both students and employers are the most familiar with. Even so, there are several good reasons why one of the new online degrees may be the best option to complete your degree.

Acceptance

Acceptance of online degree completion is becoming much more common with employers. This is also dependent on the type of degree you get and the university you've graduated from. If an online school is well known, then employers are more likely to accept it and in some cases, even embrace it. On the other hand, if the online institution is unknown, then an employer may worry about the legitimacy of the degree.

Of course, the level of acceptance also depends on the type of major taken in the online field. These seem to be more acceptable if related to information technology, tech fields, Internet/New Media design and marketing methods or even traditional marketing and accounting; but online degrees in areas such as law and medicine are not looked on with favor.

The Educational Benefits

A reputable online college can have significant value when studying a web-related career, in many cases, more so than the same degree offered by a traditional university. The reason is because an online university has more in-depth knowledge in the field, can offer real case scenario studies, practices and labs, whereas a conventional school often can't.

New Web-based technologies, advanced instructional methodology and online collaborative efforts are making a difference in education, offering more comprehensive and understandable learning material for better cognitive results in students. This means most of the learning you acquire in an online environment is more easily retained and usable once you enter the professional arena.

The Cultural and Personal Education Benefits

Online degrees from reputable universities are often a great option for people already working to some degree in the field, and want to improve their skills. However, this environment also works for people who wish to expand their cultural knowledge and experiences while they study. We live in a multi-tasking environment, so this concept has spilled over to the educational fields. The students of today want to do many different things, while continuing with their education. As such, you may have dual goals, wanting to spend time abroad, learning of different cultures and even working in different environments, while at the same time completing your education in any of the available online education fields. This is a perfectly acceptable and feasible option for this type of student.

Cost Benefits

The online degree option also affords substantial cost savings as you no longer have long commutes, need to spend money on transportation, housing and other supplementary expenses associated with on-campus classes.

In the End

Whether you are acquiring a four-year undergraduate degree, a mid-career certification or master's degree, an online degree can enhance your skills and capability. It adds value to you as an employee and raises your marketability. In many cases, an online degree option may be the better choice, especially if you plan on entering any of the new high-tech or web industry fields.

Sarah Rawson is an independent researcher and freelance writer. She extensively researches online education programs, such as gis degree and graduate certificate career opportunities. Her articles mainly appear on higher education blogs. 

Categories: College Life   Tags: online degrees