The Online Degree Dorm Room

Online Degrees - do your HOMEWORK first

Posted by bposton on March 29th, 2009 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

I’m sure that you’ve heard recently that in this tough job market, you need every advantage you can get. One would be an advanced degree. And while many are considering getting this type of degree online, you need to do your homework.

Such as:
Chosing the school:
Today many traditional universities also offer online courses. At at lot of those schools, select master’s programs are entirely online.
You also have other options than traditional institutions, which are the online-only schools such as the University of Phoenix, which offers master’s programs in business, education health care and psychology - and DeVry University.

Just make sure you stay away from online outfits promising quick and easy degrees. These are the “schools” that ask for $1,000 or more in tuition, and have names that echo those of prestigious universities - but have P.O. boxes for their address.
Not a safe bet.
Make sure you check with the U.S. Department of Education Web site, www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation  to check the school out - throughly. You can also can check the site of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation at www.chea.org.

Make sure you keep up with the admissions standards for the school you’re interested in. You may not know it, but while traditional universities generally apply the same admissions standards and deadlines for online students as for everyone else, online-only schools, usually have a rolling admissions process. 

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Online Degrees - Past, Present, and Future

Posted by bposton on March 19th, 2009 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

You may be thinking that this thing they call “distance learning” is a brand new way to get a college degree - another byproduct of the Internet.

Ah, but you’d be wrong…

Sure, the name has changes to Online Degree Programs and they have gotten much more press in the last few years, but you might be surprised to learn that earning a degree by distance learning has been possible for more than 100 years!

Prestigious universities in the United Kingdom, like Oxford and Cambridge, helped students earn a college degree at outlying locations, without setting foot on that university’s campus.

Back in the nineteenth century, Anna Ticknor, a Boston activist, developed a program that helped women to take college courses at home. This was a time when may universities refused to allow women to even enroll, and now thanks to Anna they could get an education. Over time Universities throughout the country adopted similar programs. Students took what were called correspondence courses and graduate from programs even though they were hundreds of miles from campus.

A little know fact about the history of distance education was that during World War II era there was a failed attempt at what was called “radioed correspondence courses”. And this was a foreshadowing of things to come. Colleges never stopped trying to use mass media for distance learning, and with television’s increasing popularity in the 1960s that vision became a reality. Degree programs started being offered through colleges such as Coastline, located in California, which allowed working adults to finish a college education.

Some universities continue to offer televised courses for core courses such as English Composition. Students watch the televised program or videotapes during their free time. The tests that students took for these courses were often offered through the university’s student extension centers, allowing students to schedule a time to come in and take the test during their free time.

Of course, today we have what is certainly the most popular approach to distance learning - the online degree program, which is offered by many online universities. Now with the help of the internet, anyone living anywhere in the world can log on to a computer and access their virtual classrooms, chat with instructors and classmates, and take tests online. It’s all real time and 24/7.

Today, most students who try online degree programs and/or classes like it so much that they never go back to traditional classroom education. That’s because these programs offer so much freedom, flexibility and convenience. 

The sad part though, is that many fake degree scams have been threatening the reputation of online degree programs. Often times prospective students don’t know how to tell the difference between a legitimate online degree graduate university and a fake degree scam or a diploma mill.

But if they only head over to this blog, they would “get their education” in those areas, for sure.

Here is an interesting statistic: It’s called “13 years younger in 13 years”.

In 1996 almost all of the people looking at getting a degree were adult elearners with day jobs hoping to finally get a degree. According to surveys done at that time, most people doing “distance education” were around 38 years old and already had some college credits behind them. The online bachelors degree or the distance learning masters degree was almost unknown. 

Now, 13 years later, online degrees are widely accepted and most brick and mortar universities are offering complete online degrees or at the least online classes. And in recent surveys it was found that the average age of those responding was 25 - a full 13 years younger than in 1966. And many students are under 20 (In 1996 none who responded were under 22). And unlike in 1966, when most already had some college, today 22 % of those starting online degree programs have no college experience.

Now for the future. In short, it couldn’t be brighter.

According to a 2008 online learning survey from the Sloan Consortium (an organization dedicated to increasing the quality of online education for institutions, educators and students), online education enrollment rose by more than 12 percent from 2007. That compares to an increase of only 1.2 percent of the overall market in higher education.

In fact, American Sentinel University, which is an accredited online school that provides degree programs and practical education for today’s busy professional, has reported an enrollment increase of 78 percent in 2008.

Thanks to the downturn in the economy, everyone is searching for an affordable way to gain an edge over others in the job market and getting their degree online is one way to do just that. More people are attending online universities because they are changing to a new career where jobs are in higher demand.

And getting a degree online offers a way to get a quality education at a lower cost than most bricks and mortar universities.

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Is this the number 1 online school in the USA?

Posted by bposton on March 12th, 2009 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Here’s a newsflash, my little dorm room buddy… 

This year Nova Southeastern University, based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., was ranked No. 1 in OEDB’s 2009 Online College Rankings.

OEDB stands for Online Education Database, which is an organization that which ranks the top online colleges in the nation. 

In second place went to Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., followed by Champlain College in Burlington, Vt., in third.

While Nova boasts a 300-acre campus with classrooms and students living on university grounds, their online program is growing and now offers 78 online degree and certificate programs.  The school has virtual students in nearly every state.

According to the information used in the ranking, online classes at Nova take advantage of a number of web resources, including threaded discussion boards, chat rooms, email and other online tools. Course materials are all available online and there’s genuine student-teacher interaction as well.

The OEDB survey is based entirely on numerical data derived from eight metrics: acceptance rate, financial aid, graduation rate, peer Web citations, retention rate, scholarly citations, student-faculty ratio and years accredited.

Here’s how Nova sized up in those categories:
Acceptance rate: 51%
Financial aid: 96% of students receive financial aid.
Graduation rate: 47%
Peer Web citations: Close to 5,000. (Peer web citations are links to Nova’s web site from another college’s web sites. It’s kind of a popularity contest. Nova won this category by a landslide.)
Retention rate: 60% This measures the student body’s overall interest in what is being offered by the school.
Scholarly citations: 11,800. Through a Google Scholar search, Nova had 11,800 references to scholarly academic work, the most of any online school.
Student-faculty ratio: No data.
Years accredited: 38

Undergrads at Nova Southeastern can enroll in online programs such as education, computer science, health science and psychology. There are even more online programs for graduate students in the fields of business, law, education, osteopathic medicine, psychology and more.

So, is this the number 1 online school in the USA?

Well if you agree with the numbers, then it probably is. But just because it ranks well, doesn’t mean it’s the right school for YOU. Make sure you do your own research and decide if the courses, environment, educators, etc are what you need to succeed in your online education.

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B.S. in Medical Diagnostic Imaging

Posted by bposton on March 12th, 2009 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

In today’s tough economy, one of the best areas to look for work is in the medical profession.

Of course it’s kinda hard to get a job as a doctor if you last job was a truck driver.
(nothing against either one of those professions - but you know what I mean, right? )

Anyway, as it turns out, there’s a great little program going on in Kansas to help those who want to break into the medical profession as radiologic technologists (RTs).

Fort Hays State University now offers a Bachelor of Science in medical diagnostic imaging completely online. And this innovative online bachelor’s program is one of the few that exist in the United States,

Unlike other programs, a student enrolled in FHSU’s online B.S. degree in medical diagnostic imaging can tailor the coursework to match his or her individual career goals rather than being limited to a standard set of courses required of all students.

Oh, and get this. the tuition is only $161 per credit hour, which make it one of the most affordable online degree program of its kind in the country.

You also have the option to earn a specialized certificate in computed tomography, cardiovascular imaging technology or women’s imaging it you’re already an RT and you’re not interested in getting you B.S. Those programs are completely online as well. 

But if you’re already an RT, then the B.S. program’s benefits are impressive. It give you the ability to gain significant education and training in multiple imaging specialties, which in turn provides a higher level of care to patients.

Another great thing about this onine degree program is that students located in rural areas now have the chance to earn an advanced degree anytime, anywhere, without needing to leave a good job or relocate their families.

For more information about the MDI program, contact the Department of Allied Health at (785) 628-5678

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USC offers online masters degree program in Teaching

Posted by bposton on March 12th, 2009 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hey my dorm room buddies

Looks like there’s been a major “breakthrough” in online eduction…

That’s because a major university has joined the ranks of those offering online master’s degrees.

The school? It’s none other and University of Southern California.

The program? An online master’s degree in teaching.

The implication? Online master’s degrees have “arrived”

According to USC’s Rossier School of Education, their new online master’s degree is the first of its kind offered by a “major research university.”

…OK…maybe…

But there is no doubt that when a major elite university like USC begins to market a fully online program at the master’s level, that’s worth noting. And may have noticed.

USC’s program, on track to begin classes in June, is an online version of the Los Angeles university’s established K-12 teacher education curriculum.

Students can obtain a teaching credential along with their master’s.

Taught by full-time professors, the program includes interactive lectures, streaming video, chat rooms and online conferences with instructors.

And dig this…

USC will even provide students with digital cameras to record themselves when they do the required student teaching. Their professors and peers will view the videos, then critique and discuss them.

Cool…with a capital C

The online program will cost the same as USC’s on-campus program. For this school year, the university’s on-campus Master of Arts in Teaching students paid $1,249 per unit.

Pricey for sure, but hey… it’s U-S-C for goodness sakes…

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Online Degrees - Don’t forget these important points to getting your degree online

Posted by bposton on March 4th, 2009 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

In today’s down job market, one way to make your resume stand out is to have an advanced degree.

But you have to realize that it’s now as easy as some schools make it sound.

While it is true that Online masters programs are often less expensive and  more convenient than traditional degree programs there are several issues that you need to think about.

Regardless of how you earn your degree, remember that it’s not a ticket to six-figure paycheck or job security — consider the slew of MBA casualties on Wall Street in recent months. But if you think it will give your career a kick, here are a few points to keep in mind.

The first one is the fact that you have be self-motivated. This is a MUST.
An online degree program doesn’t force you to sit in a classroom and because of that you don’t always have social support group.

THe next one is picking the right school.

Many traditional universities also offer online courses. At some schools, such as Duke and Columbia universities, select masters programs are entirely online.

If you’re not set on getting a degree from a traditional institution, online-only schools can be viable options. For instance, the University of Phoenix offers master’s programs in business, education health care and psychology. Other career-focused schools, such as DeVry University, also offer masters programs online.

But be vary wary of any online school that promises a quick and easy time to get your sheepskin. They may ask for only a fraction of the total cost of a traditional degree in tuition and have names that echo those of prestigious universities. But when their mailing addresses is a P.O. box - run away - FAST

Always remember that the U.S. Department of Education maintains a database of accredited schools on its Web site (www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation) and you can also check the site of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation at www.chea.org.

Also, the admissions process for an online program at Duke or other traditional universities is the same as their on campus programs, while online-only schools have admissions that are typically on a rolling, monthly basis.

Another issue is your courses and cirriculum.

It you think that course work will be easier because it’s online - forget it, it won’t…

In fact, at traditional schools the online materials are usually the same or at least comparable to what’s taught in classrooms.

As with any degree related course, you’ll be expected to hand in periodic assignments - on time

So if you are more accustomed to the structure and disipline that a physical classroom provides, then meeting these deadlines with an online class might be a struggle.

Of course, the benefit to all of this is that you can study when and where you please.

Another beneft is the fact that you might actually interact with classmates and professors more with an online class than if you were in a lecture hall packed with hundreds of students. Chat rooms, frequent e-mail exchanges and online message boards are often integral elements of online courses.

Also be aware that for certain degrees, like those in the medical profession, you’ll likely need to complete some courses in person at some type of facility.

Another issue is cost - and with that - financial aid. Online degrees are typically cheaper than traditional programs, but tuition is still considerable.

At the University of Phoenix, for instance, tuition for full-time graduate students was $13,500 in 2007, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. At the American Intercontinental University Online, it was $21,300.

But that doesn’t mean you have to pay the full price. If you’re getting a paycheck that will limit how much federal aid you can qualify for, but by all means, still fill out the FSAFA application. Another (and often better) resource for aid might be your employer. Professional associations also offer scholarships and stipends, and don’t forget the instituion itself - there are a lot of universities and online-only schools that offer scholarships.

You really should not worry about how a potential employer will accept your degree from an online program, so long as it is accredited by the right institution, especially if it is comes from a traditional university.

But ultimately, the decision to get a master’s degree boils down to whether you think an advanced degree of any sort will boost your career.

Here’s something that might help in that decision: According to the Census Bureau, median earnings for people with a graduate or professional degree was $61,000 in 2007. That’s compared to $47,000 for people with just a bachelor’s degree.

If you are currently employed, make sure that one of the first things you do is to talk with your human resources department. Ask what new opportunities additional schooling could open up or how it could affect your pay.

And don’t forget that even if your currently employer doesn’t offer you more money or a better position because of your new degree, any edge you can get is worth considering in this job market.

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