Distance education courses were once the stuff of late-night infomercials which were generally disregarded as holding any integrity. Today's distance degrees, however, are legitimate educational tools and proof of accomplishment. If you want to get your degree, you should consider how distance education has changed over the last decade.
Today's distance education courses come from many providers. While there are still many distance-only universities that provide online or correspondence degrees, there are an increasing number of traditional universities that offer degrees online. The reasoning is easy to understand; online courses do not have the population limitations of traditional classes which allows universities to educate more students in each class. Picking the right university from which to get a degree is somewhat harder than it may have been in the past, but the fact that students now have many options is a positive development.
It is no secret that online courses of the past have not always been of the highest quality. So-called "degree mills" have done a great deal of harm to the reputation of this type of education, and there are still those who may think that any form of distance education is necessarily part of a scheme. In reality, modern distance courses have more in common with traditional college courses than ever before. Most distance learning providers are certified by a local or national agency, allowing students a real chance to experience education at a high-quality level without having to step foot inside a classroom.
The internet has revolutionized higher education, and distance education has benefited more than most. Thanks to modern internet technology, those who take online courses now have the ability to communicate in real time with their professors and other classmates via instant messaging, email, text, and even live video on their mobile or home device. This allows those taking courses a better chance to learn material as well as a better chance to get the traditional education experience interacting with peers and the teacher. Some of the more prestigious online distance education courses offer live and tape delayed lectures for their students as well as the ability to talk to a professor or other trained consulting expert virtually anytime day or night.
Changes have also come from potential employing companies and their willingness to hire someone with a degree obtained online. While the degrees may have once been considered lesser proof of accomplishment, the modern distance degree is virtually identical to a standard degree. Given that many major universities have switched over to partial or total distance education, there is simply no way for most employers to distinguish between the degree types. This makes those with these degrees more employable and helps most students who obtain these degrees to find success within their chosen fields of work.
If you want to get an education, distance courses really are the way to go. It is virtually identical in content to any other degree, but it does not require that you spend the time to attend a class on a university campus. Whether you think that getting a degree in the traditional manner would take too long or you simply wish to learn on your own, an online degree may be the right choice for you.
