Online degrees have become more and more popular over recent years. Studying online enables you to keep working full time and still study for a qualification. You also have the flexibility ofbeing able to study from home, rather than having to travel to attend a campus. If you are thinking about studying for a degree online,then you may be interested to know that there are different types of online degree courses; those provided by online only schools and those provided by traditional colleges?
Studies have shown that degrees from online providers are just as valid, and require just as much work to get, as degrees which are offered as online learning by many of the bricks and mortar colleges. It should not matter to employers where you have gained your degree, and for many employers it does not. However, you may find that some employers ask you more questions if you gained your degree via an online provider.
When might you be asked more questions about your degree?
Some employers do ask more questions of someone who has received a degree from a fully online provider such as Upskilled; the same may apply if the degree was awarded by a lesser known college. Of course they may not initially know that your degree was gained from an online only provider. This information is easy to find out though, and you can expect to be asked more questions about your degree if any of the following apply:
· The college from where you gained the degree is more than 300 miles away from your residence.
· There is no campus for the college from which you obtained your degree.
· The provider from which you gained your degree is not regionally accredited.
Of course, this entire means is that you may have to be prepared to answer some questions. If you answer these questions well then you can turn the fact that you studied with an online provider into a positive.
What points should you emphasise about your online study?
If you are asked about your online degree then you need to be able to answer the questions in a positive manner. You should remember to emphasise the positive aspects of online study. These aspects include:
· The ability to manage your time effectively.
· Excellent self-motivation.
· The ability to communicate and collaborate online.
· High degree of computer literacy.
· The ability to learn independently.
If an employer sees that you have all of these traits then they are goingto be more likely to want to hire you. You have the chance to portray the experience of studying online as a positive; one that will make you a valuable attribute to the company.
The bottom line is that there should be no more weight attached to one degree over another, but sometimes the name of the college, or just the fact it is a bricks and mortar college, can start to sway an employer. You have the opportunity to outline the positives of online study and win them over.
Jef Lippiatt, Owner at Startup Chucktown
I agree that where you received your education shouldn't matter. What matters is that you can show both verbally and through action that you have a great understanding of the subject matter material. You should always look for ways to present your skills in the best manner possible. One note: I personally avoid "degree-wavers" or "years of experience blurters". Why? Just because you have a degree (even if it is a well known university) doesn't mean you have a handle or understanding of the material you studied. The same is true for years of experience. I don't care if you have [insert number of years] experience if you can't demonstrate that you know the material. Companies, peers and clients only care that you can deliver on the promise of the work.