How to Pick the Online University that's Right for You
At a dedicated online university, you receive career focused training in a professional field that's in high demand. These schools are set up to provide distance learning to working students with career oriented goals.
Traditional universities offer online programs as well, in professional fields, academic areas, and in subjects related to contemporary issues, such as the environment.
Dedicated Online University
These schools differ from traditional universities in that they are oriented towards working students who want to advance their careers. All of their courses are available online and many offer classroom education in centers around the country.
Search for an Online University
Their degree programs are focused in career oriented areas. They offer degrees in fields such as business, communications, education, health, social services and information technology.
A dedicated online university does not offer academic degrees in areas such as English Literature, Physics, or Political Science. They are not research oriented, instead, their instructors are often working professionals.
Traditional University Offering Online Programs
Traditional universities are oriented towards full time students who attend classes on campus. They offer distance learning in addition to their regular courses to reach students who are unable to attend classes on campus.
For every academic field, from Anatomy to Zoology, their is some university offering online courses or even degrees in that field. Students learn about the latest research in theses areas, as the instructors are often actively involved in research.
Which Type of Online University is Right for You?
Answering this question depends on what you want to get out of your distance learning degree.
If you want professional training from a school that is recognized for professional training, you should consider the dedicated online universities, since this is their primary focus.
You can also consider traditional universities for professional training. Some will offer programs in professional areas, although this is probably not their primary focus.
If you want training in an academic field, either to become a teacher or to do research, than you should consider an academic university that offers distance learning in this area, as dedicated distance learning schools usually do not.
If you have a specialized interest in some cutting edge field, you are more likely to find such programs at traditional universities offering distance learning. An example of this is Duke Universities Master's degree program in Environmental Leadership.
There is a wide range of courses and degrees available at distance learning universities today. It's important for you to understand the differences between the online schools, and what you want to get out of them.
Explore the different online programs carefully before you pick one. Talk to counselors, instructors and graduates from these schools to find out if they really offer the education you desire.
Additional Resources:
Online UniversitiesOnline universities typically offer their entire course-work and training material via dedicated education portals, which incorporate sophisticated learning management systems that make learning a pleasure.
College Distance Learning University
A college distance learning university program from a prestigious university can help you to earn the respect of your co-workers.
Accredited Universities with Distance Learning
There are many accredited universities offering online education that you can consider applying to, but which ones are the most prestigious? Which ones should you apply to?
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, is one of Virginia's premier institutions of higher learning. It was founded in 1930, as a Division of the College of William and Mary.
Athabasca Distance Learning
With an an unmatched reputation for delivering high quality online courses and degrees, Athabasca University has firmly established itself as Canada's premiere Open University.
BYU Distance Learning
Through BYU distance learning programs, students can pursue over 600 paper and 400 online courses ranging from 7th grade to university level education.
University of Texas Distance Learning
The UT TeleCampus system boasts of as many as fifteen participating campuses spread all over the state of Texas, all of which are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
University of Georgia Distance Learning
The University of Georgia Distance Learning division offers several online degree and certificate courses to students who are interested in earning academic credit through distance learning methods and technologies.
Texas Tech Distance Learning
Texas Tech Distance Learning programs are popular among students of all ages. They range from K-12, to college, to working professionals.
Indiana State University Distance Learning
Most Indiana State University distance learning programs do not have residency requirements and can be completed entirely via the distance-learning medium.
Phoenix University
Phoenix University was one of the first accredited universities to offer online education, including complete degree programs, through the Internet.
Troy State University Distance Learning
Troy State University distance learning courses are web interactive and are delivered through the Blackboard Internet-learning platform.
University of Washington Distance Learning
The University of Washington online education program offers thirteen online degree programs, more than twenty online certificate programs and hundreds of credit and non-credit courses.
New York University Distance Learning
The New York University Distance Learning Center offers several online degree and certificate courses to professionals and students in more than 25 countries worldwide.
Penn State Distance Learning
Pennsylvania State distance learning is a pioneering educational program. It founded one of the nation's first correspondence study programs, in 1892.
Liberty University
The Distance Learning Program at Liberty University offers Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees in a number of fields of study.
University of Phoenix: Degrees for Working Adults
The University of Phoenix is a private university that was founded in 1976 by Dr. John Sperling, an economist and professor-turned-entrepreneur.
University Pheonix Distance Learning
The University Phoenix online education program was setup in 1989, and has since established a solid reputation in the industry for imparting quality education and professional training.
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University offers a range of courses that are delivered partially or entirely online.
Walden University
Walden University has an online classroom environment that is asynchronous, which means that students can participate when it is convenient for them, within an assigned period.
University of Wisconsin
You can find out about more than 1,000 distance learning courses, as well as degree and certificate programs, offered by the University of Wisconsin.
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