A Guide to Online Programs
Choosing a program of study for your online education can be difficult, especially if you’re just starting out. All the different subject areas, degrees, and types of programs can seem limitless and even a bit distracting. To help make the decision easier, here is everything you need to know about choosing your online education program:
What is a “Program”?
Your program of choice is simply the course of study you’ll undertake while at an online school. Think of this as the online equivalent of a “major” or “degree plan” at a traditional college; your program is a combination of the subject area you’ll study and the degree or certificate you expect to earn. For example, one popular program is the Associate of Arts with a concentration in Criminal Justice.
What Types of Programs are Available?
Depending on what kind of degree you're seeking, your program of study could be as general as an Associate’s in, well, General Studies, or as pinpoint-specific as a Master’s degree in Education as a middle-grades mathematics teacher. As you climb higher on the educational ladder, programs will usually get more specific and research-intensive. Some of the more popular programs at general online universities include Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and doctoral degrees in Health Care Administration, Information Technology/Information Systems, Business Administration, Accounting, and Communications. More specialized health care, technology, graphic design, or business training schools may offer targeted programs in subjects like Radiology, Medical Coding and Billing, and Marketing, even at the Associate’s or certificate level.
How Long do Programs Last?
Certificate and Associate’s programs usually require two years or less to complete, while higher-level programs take anywhere from three to six years. Because each program has a set number and sequence of classes to take, the main factors for program length are your schedule and hard work; you’ll finish earlier if you can take more classes each grading period and pass them all the first time around.
What Kinds of Classes Are Offered?
Coursework will vary widely from one degree plan to another, but here is just a sample of some programs and their core requirements:
- Associate of Arts in Psychology: Foundations of Psychology; The Brain, the Body, and the Mind; Personality Theory; Abnormal Psychology
- Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering: Web Design I and II, Database Concepts, Business Systems, Software Architecture
- Master of Science in Nursing: Nursing Practicum, Analysis of Research Reports, Dynamics of Family Systems, Measuring Performance Standards
- Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership: Communication Strategies, Social Contexts and Contemporary Issues, Planning and Leading for Change, as well as individually-developed research seminars
How Do I Choose the Right Program?
The best place to start is the career or life goal that drove you to further your education in the first place. Whether you’ve been dreaming of a career as a nurse, police officer, web developer, or school superintendent, online schools offer programs that will give you the expertise needed to reach that goal. Talk to a counselor at your school for more information, and get on the right path to success.