Employers More Accepting of Online Degrees

Employers More Accepting of Online Degrees

Distance learning has made the dream of a college or university degree a reality for many Americans eager to get ahead in today's competitive workplace. Online learning is especially attractive because it offers flexible scheduling that allows online students to earn a degree without leaving the comfort of their home. But do employers have a positive take on the qualifications of students with an online degree?

Once only a qualified "yes", the answer to this question now more clearly favors the acceptance by employers of an online degree. Distance learning is becoming so popular that employers unwilling to accept qualified online graduates may soon find themselves on the outside looking in. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), for example, more than 54% of the country's post-secondary institutions now offer online courses or degrees. While no hard figures are yet available, the Center estimates that online enrollment could top six million students in 2006. Data from 2004 - the latest available at the time of this writing - put enrollment at the University of Phoenix Online, the nation's leading online university, at more than 115,000 students.

Given the popularity of distance learning and online degree programs, it's hard to see how employers can ignore online degree holders in their search for new employees. However, a frequently cited study by Vault.com, the online career information site, showed that not all degrees are created equal. Degrees requiring actual physical attendance at traditional brick-and-mortar universities were still preferred over online institutions by a substantial margin. An online diploma bearing the name of a well-known Ivy League or Big Ten school may well carry more weight than a degree from purely "virtual" institution in the eyes of some human resource professionals.

Happily, there's more to a degree than the name on a diploma and whether the degree was earned strictly on campus. Online universities have commissioned more recent studies that show job applicants with an online degree from an accredited online university now have a more level playing field when competing for jobs. Accreditation, a voluntary process in which colleges and universities are reviewed by a regional accrediting agency, seems to underlie the change in attitude. Successful accreditation ensures that an online college or university meets a uniform set of standards that applies to all institutions of higher learning - including traditional brick-and-mortar institutions as well as online universities. A database of accredited colleges and universities is available from the U.S. Secretary of Education at www.ed.gov.

For many employers, the issue of an online degree isn't an issue at all. One example is the existing employee who sees an online degree as a step up to a bigger paycheck and better career. In a situation like this, many employers are eager to help existing employees become a better-educated and hence more valuable employee. Nearly three-fifths of the students at the University of Phoenix Online, for example, receive some or all of their online tuition from their employer.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, online learning is expected to grow faster than any other part of the education landscape in the years ahead. Assuming it's a regionally accredited college or university that grants an online degree, distance learning grads can be confident that their diploma will find favor in the workplace.

About the Author: Matt Paolini works from home as a distance learner. Visit University of Phoneix or University of Pheonix for free distance learning info.

Source: http://www.easyarticles.com