What You Need to Know About This Degree
Some of the perks of online bachelor degrees — the ability to watch classes at your own pace and study from anywhere — aren’t always perks for everyone. Many students feel that online classes require more discipline and that classes are harder to pass than traditionally taught classes. This doesn’t mean that on-campus classes are easy, but that some students prefer and may find it easier to succeed in environments with weekly peer support.
Before pursuing a degree, it’s important to be upfront about what you may hope to get out of a degree — online or otherwise. If you’re interested in utilizing traditionally on-campus benefits like networking opportunities, tutoring sessions, and group projects, you’ll want to ask your program advisor whether the online program offers adequate replacements.
What’s Next?
As you hone in on the best online bachelor’s degree for your career goals, there are a few things to keep in mind. While all of the universities on our list are regionally accredited, having degree-specific accreditation can help give your diploma additional weight to future employers. A quick search for the accrediting organization to your degree of choice can help give you a list of the schools best-equipped to prepare you for the field.
Secondly, even more so than with an on-campus degree, your professors will make or break your bachelor’s degree experience. If you have a particular specialization or areas of interest within your degree that you’d like to pursue in your career, check out the faculty list of prospective universities. In addition to seeing each professor’s individual specializations, you can also look to see what areas they have recently researched.
Finally, you’ll need to pay attention to the state authorizations for each prospective college. State authorizations vary by state and by particular degree, and not all states recognize the authority of others to award online degrees. If you live in a different state than that of the university, you’ll need to confirm with the admissions office, program director, or your local board of education to make sure you can study with them.