Saint Elber University

The Advantages of Online Degree Programs

 

Technology is created to solve problems and make practical tasks easier. Thanks to educational technology, more people than ever have access to learning valuable information and earning degrees from the convenience of their laptops.

This technology makes education more accessible and is a growing medium for students around the world. According to a report by LearningHouse and Aslanian Market Research, 60 percent of students who had the choice of taking a course in a classroom or online chose the online course for its convenience.
 

For someone wishing to further their education, enrolling in an online program can be the perfect solution. Here are a few ways online courses add value to both students and universities.
 

Access to a High Quality Education
Among the advantages of educational technology, the most significant is increased access to valuable learning. Traditionally, students pursuing a degree would have to take into account the physical location of their classes as well as the cost of commuting or relocating to attend classes. More often than not, these two factors become major deterrents to completing a degree.

“The majority of our students choose online specifically because they are working, or have other obligations that prevent them from completing their education in an in-person format,”.

Educational technology relieves many students of the burdens that come with completing an on-campus degree. Online classes allow students to access course material, communicate with peers and instructors, and complete exams from any location with reliable internet. This means that students with other responsibilities such as a family or full-time job—as well as those living in rural areas or near schools without their desired program—are able to complete courses without having to relocate.
 

Online education can also be more affordable. The report by LearningHouse and Aslanian Market Research stated that 86 percent of students felt the value of their online degree exceeded the cost they paid for it.
 

Better access to education benefits students and the institutions themselves. By increasing enrollment, universities can increase revenue and invest in programs to improve the overall quality of the education they provide. Universities can choose to allocate that extra money to hire more qualified teachers, implement more advanced educational technology, or add more in-demand programs and courses.
 

Increased Flexibility and Academic Autonomy
“The flexibility and ability to dictate the times in which you access coursework are some of the largest advantages to earning a degree online,” says Steele. “For in-person formats, often students are at the mercy of the institution and the timing in which courses are offered.”
 

Being a student at any level is a big responsibility. Not only is a typical student’s schedule full of classes and study time, but many students work part-time jobs or get involved in extracurricular activities. Since coursework is often the top priority, students adapt their daily lives around their course load.
 

Online classes allow additional flexibility and autonomy for both students and instructors. With course materials readily available on the internet, students can learn at their own pace and study anywhere, anytime, any day of the week. The only schedules students may need to adhere to relate to exam dates, project and homework deadlines, and an end-of-year practicum or capstone.

Location independence is another key benefit of online education flexibility. By accessing course material from anywhere with a reliable internet connection, students can choose to spend their time learning from the comfort of their own homes, offices, cafés, or even when on vacation.
 

“I’ll also say that graduates of online programs typically have built a competency in self-regulation and discipline,” Steele adds. “You know that someone who has finished an online program has demonstrated commitment over a long stretch of time while typically physically isolated from the institution. That is a marketable skill set that I’m not sure we speak enough about.”

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Easier to Maintain Career and Family Responsibilities
It has long been believed that pursuing a degree is best done before career and family obligations take priority. Once individuals have started to work full-time or tend to the demands of raising children, it can be incredibly difficult to focus on earning a traditional degree.
 

“We recently surveyed our fully-online undergraduate population and found that about 70 percent of these students are working more than 30 hours per week, and about 48 percent have children,” says Steele, “so the 11:00 to 11:50 a.m. three-days-a-week course is not a possibility for them.”
 

Most online masters degree programs are specifically designed for professionals who are balancing a 9-to-5 job and already have a demanding schedule. Even for those whose busy work schedules are not always predictable, the flexibility of online degree programs makes it easier to manage both.
 

Before the rise of online education, pursuing a traditional degree was not possible for many with careers and families. Thanks to distance-based educational technology, however, hardworking students, parents, and professionals really can have it all.

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