Free Online Education

Beginning an Online Degree

Free Education — Sat, 15 May 2010 03:21:26 +0000

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO EARN A DEGREE ONLINE?
Since online learning is designed to help working adults manage their time, many different timeframes are offered for completing online degrees. Some programs are full-time, but most are part-time. Some are only offered in the summertime for the benefit of schoolteachers. Thus, depending on the degree, people might complete their studies in as little as nine months or over several years.

Many online degree programs are self-paced. This means that students have the flexibility of taking just one course at a time or several courses simultaneously. Many of these programs also offer courses with many starting times. For example, a course might begin on the first of each month. With frequent starting times, students aren’t restricted by traditional semesters or quarters.

A professor’s delivery schedule and technique can also impact a student’s progress through a course. For example, some classes can be downloaded onto an MP3 player and therefore listened to during a commute to work or during physical exercise. Other classes require students to virtually attend class at a particular time of day or night.

HOW MUCH DO ONLINE DEGREES COST?
The cost of an online education varies widely. It may cost much less than a degree earned in a traditional classroom, a little less, or the same. In any case, federal aid is available to students at all accredited universities, and members of the military and their spouses may receive additional discounts. Companies may also offer tuition reimbursement to their employees.

WHO OFFERS ONLINE DEGREES?
Online degrees are offered by a wide variety of institutions, from online-only schools to traditional community colleges and Ivy League universities. According to a study published in 2005, the vast majority of large universities (those serving 15,000 or more students) offered online courses. Some of these schools required occasional attendance on campus, but others did not.

Get an Online College Degree

Free Education — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 12:44:21 +0000

Until recently, higher educational opportunities were often limited to those who had a lot of time and money. Even if a person was bright enough or financially needy enough to earn a scholarship, they might not have had the time to invest in earning a degree. After all, work and home responsibilities can be full-time jobs themselves. Education was also largely limited to able-bodied people since many schools have limited wheelchair access. Fortunately, the Internet has helped to level the playing field. Millions of Americans are now earning degrees online. They are finding lower-cost options that fit their busy schedules.

Online programs are very likely to endure. Enrollment rates have been sharply increasing. About 3.2 million students were enrolled online for the Fall 2005 term, and this reflected a 35% increase over the previous school year. Online enrollment has continued to climb.

When 2500 educational institutions were surveyed in 2002, they expected their online enrollments to increase by about 20% over the coming year and traditional enrollment to increase by about 1%. Almost 60% believed that online course offerings were critical in their schools’ long-term plans, and the University System of Maryland now requires students to earn at least 12 credits outside of the traditional classroom in response to physical space constraints. As the current generation of technology-savvy students moves into the teaching profession, it is likely that online learning will continue to grow.

Degrees You can Get Online

Free Education — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:25:29 +0000

Online degrees are available for every level of education from the GED (high school equivalency degree) to vocational and associate’s degrees, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorates. People can also earn non-degree certificates for personal growth and career advancement.

Degrees are available in virtually every subject. Here is just a small sampling:

Examples of online vocational degrees:

Automotive technology
Bridal consulting
Culinary arts
Hotel and restaurant management
Physical therapy

Examples of online bachelor’s degrees:

Business
Criminal justice
Psychology
Religion and theology
Web design

Examples of online graduate degrees:

Master’s of Science in Engineering Management
Master’s of Arts in Special Education with a focus on Emotional Behavioral Disorders
Master’s of Science in Agricultural Management with a focus on Biosecurity
Ph.D. in Public Health
Ph.D. in Nursing Education