Online Degree Programs: What To Look For
The key to being well prepared for an online education program is to be well-informed. Before signing the enrollment paperwork or sending money, research the online degree program you're considering and get answers to these important questions.
Are the online degree program and online school accredited?
Accreditation is a process through which schools can demonstrate that their online degree programs meet regional or national education standards for quality and integrity. Although accreditation is voluntary, reputable schools participate in order to qualify for federal financial aid distribution, and to assure students that their academic credits will be transferable.
Legitimate accrediting agencies are those recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the U.S. Department of Education, or both.
The highest level of accreditation is regional, but there are also a number of national accrediting agencies recognized by CHEA or the U.S. Dep't. of Education. These include the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) Accrediting Commission and accrediting agencies associated with specific careers. The DETC is often the accrediting agency for online degree programs.
If the program you're considering is career training required for certification in a specific job (Massage Therapy, for example), your degree program may also need extra accreditation from a professional agency related to the career.
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Is the Accreditor legitimate?
For your degree, diploma, or certification to be respected as legitimate, and for your academic credits to be transferable to other schools, the online school and online degree program you're considering should be accredited by an accrediting agency listed with CHEA or the U.S. Department of Education.
A word of warning: There are a lot of organizations calling themselves accreditors out on the Internet. Many are bogus, but they've given themselves names that sound very similar to real, legitimate accreditors. It's easy to mistake a useless "accreditor" for a real one. Before you accept that an accrediting agency in an online school's accreditation statement is real, confirm that the accreditor is recognized by CHEA or the Department of Education.
How much interaction and collaboration should you expect in your online degree program?
Will most of your online degree program work be done on your own, with little interaction or discussion with your fellow students? Or is participation in forums, chat rooms, blogs, or use of message boards an important part of the online class? Either way, does the level of participation meet your preference and expectations?
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What academic services and support will you get as an online student?
How accessible will your instructor be? Will you be able to contact your instructor by email? Will you have access to the library and other school resources? Will you be assigned an academic advisor or a mentor?
How much technical support is provided in your online degree program?
Is tech support available 24/7? Is there a phone number to call if you can't reach them via computer?
What are the tuition costs? Are there any program-related fees?
Are you given a clear explanation of tuition costs - or at least a phone number for the person who can give you that explanation? Are there any extra fees associated with the online class beyond tuition? If so, what are they for?
Are the online degree program credentials you earn transferable?
Will you be able to transfer your online degree, academic credit or continuing education units (CEUs) to other higher learning institutions if you choose to continue your education elsewhere? This is where accreditation is very important.
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Is there a free Course Demo for your online degree program?
Try it out, so you can get an idea of both the "usability" (user friendliness and technical level) of the school's online format and how well the program material is presented to you..
- Does it feel organized?
- Does the demo lesson's development seem clear?
If you can smoothly follow the demo along and interact with it as required, chances are you will feel comfortable giving online learning a try!
Ready to research CourseAdvisor's online degree programs?
- Browse accredited online programs in the CourseAdvisor Directory.
- Let the CourseAdvisor Wizard match you to the right accredited online program.