Online General Education Degree

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Online education is becoming increasingly common and an online education degree is no longer met with derogatory comments as it was not so many years ago. In fact employers in America have finally come to realize that an online degree is just as worthy and reflects just the same skills and commitment as does a more traditional degree taken on campus.

Flexibility

Online education offers students conveniences which a traditional degree simply can't compete with, such as working at whatever time of the day or night you wish, as well as working at your own pace. Although many courses will set target dates for assignments to be handed in, a student has the flexibility of taking time off, perhaps for a family commitment, and being able to return to their study course at a later date. So, although the majority of online degree courses can be completed within a couple of years, an sometime a year if working on a full time basis, students can take as long as five years to complete their online degree.

The pathway to a better future

Whilst an online degree may not be for everyone, it definitely paves the way for a brighter future with better job prospects and increased earning potential. Those students graduating with a Bachelors Degree could expect median lifetime earnings of around $2.3 million and those with a Masters Degree could expect in excess of $2.6 million. This compares with workers holding nothing more than a high school diploma who will earn around $1.3 million in their lifetimes, which amounts to little more than $15 an hour. Employers are giving more favor to qualified employees and it is estimated that by 2018, some form of post secondary qualification or training will be necessary in around 63% of US jobs.

Types of online education degree

Associates Degree

If you want to get out there and get yourself a degree as quickly as you can, then an associates degree could be for you. Similar to a traditional classroom, an online associates degree will require a minimum of 60 semester credit hours, and you can work at your own pace. It takes around 2 years of full time education to complete this type of degree or 4 semesters. You can however, earn it quicker online with an accelerated course.

Most colleges offer a choice of four associates degree programs:

Associate of Science
Associate of Applied Science
Associate of Arts
Occupational Degrees

The main areas of study include education, marketing, health science, communication, business management, arts and humanities, criminal justice, marketing, technology, accounting, graphic design and law and paralegal.

Bachelors Degree

It's well worth earning a Bachelors Degree since, according to the US Census Bureau, the earning potential is nearly 30% greater with this degree than for those graduates holding an Associates. An online Bachelors Degree involves between 120-128 semester credits which includes a specific number on the student's “main” discipline. Many universities offer online Bachelor Degrees in accounting, finance and nursing which are professions that are high in demand and form part of the 10 highest paying degrees.

There are two sorts of online Bachelor Degree:

Bachelor of Arts – takes 4 years and requires a student to focus on courses mainly in the arts, namely fine arts, social sciences, music or humanities
Bachelor of Science – takes 4 years and requires a student to take the majority of their courses in the sciences, namely mathematical sciences, physical sciences or life sciences

Masters Degree

An online Masters Degree focuses on a specific program of study which necessitates specialist knowledge. It can take anywhere between 1-3 years to complete and requires 30-60 hour credits. The United States offers two types of Masters Degree: The Master's of Arts (MA) and the Master's of Science (MS).

Before you can enrol for a Masters Degree you need to have earned a Bachelors Degree although it doesn't have to be in the same field. You also have to pass a relevant admissions exam for your chosen field.

The main reason for anyone enrolling on a Masters Degree program is to further their career advancement, earn more money or change profession.

Doctoral Degree

This degree is the crème de la crème and can elevate your earning potential as well as qualify you for some of the most prestigious jobs. It will provide graduates with the necessary leadership skills on their field of expertise. Students commonly take doctoral degrees in the following: Doctor of Public Health (DPH), Doctor of Engineering (DCS), Doctor of Education (EdD), Doctor of Psychology (PhD) and Doctor of Business.

The Value of Learning Online

One of the prime benefits for earning an online education degree is the fact that you can carry on working whilst you learn. Those people who leave their jobs to go back to school, not only have to pay high tuition fees, and pay for lodging, they also lose the wage they would have been earning if they hadn't left their job. Online studying gives you the best of both worlds – earning money whilst learning.

Earn a College Degree online from one of these Accredited Online Universities.