When the World Wide Web was first introduced nearly 20 years ago, few people envisioned that one day it would be possible to obtain a college degree from a distance learning university. Today that distant vision is an exploding reality.
How would you like to take college courses,
even earn a college degree, from the comfort of your home using your own computer? That's the advantage of getting your education through a distance learning university.
The technical breakthrough represented by the development in the World Wide Web in the early 1990s has spurred the surge of distance learning universities. Thanks to the Web, it's possible to use technology to bridge the time and space between instructors and students, making it possible for the student to gain knowledge from the instruction without having to travel to a campus.
However, because any technology can be used for ignoble ends, it's essential that choosing a distance learning university involve some serious research before enrolling in a program.
A good way to start is to use the Internet to find a list of distance learning programs offered by accredited universities. Accreditation is a must for a distance learning university. Accreditation is really a quality assurance process for colleges and universities. Examiners connected with an agency or an association thoroughly review the programs and instructors of a distance learning university to make sure they meet high academic standards, and then the organization grants accreditation. By limiting your options to an accredited distance learning university, you can be sure your educational dollars will be well spent.
It's also wise to decide whether your specialty requires a two-year associate's, four-year bachelor's, or five-year master's degree. One of the great benefits of enrolling in a distance learning university is that you can obtain these advanced degrees while you continue to work and/or care for your family.
The look over how many credits the schools require you to earn in order to get your degree, along with the grade point average you must maintain. Based on the college's requirements, you'll have to decide whether you can commit to the work it will take to achieve your degree.
Nearly everyone these days needs financial help to pay for a college education. You'll know once you start figuring the costs of tuition, books, fees and other services for a distance learning university how much financial aid you'll need. You can then contact the college's financial aid office to begin the process of applying for scholarships, grants and loans. Most distance learning students already have jobs, so a work-study program to help offset college costs isn't usually an option. However, if you can accommodate such an on-campus program, work-study is another way to pay for your education.
Sometimes students who choose a distance learning university program find that many on-campus student services aren't available to them via the Internet. Thus it's also important to check for Internet access to the college library, research sources, counseling, tutoring and other services.
A way to refine your distance learning university search is to look at each academic departments' page or section of the college's web site. Department pages typically list major and minor degrees in each academic field. They also give information on instructors and on curricula offered in the department.
This research will provide plenty of practice for completing assignments from your chosen distance learning university. Good luck with your academic career!
