3 Jul
Interest in online education is growing fast. In fact, according to a survey report by the Sloan Consortium, a group of institutions and organizations who follow online education trends, over twenty percent of all students who were enrolled in higher education in 2007 were taking at least one course online. The report also stated that the current economic recession is driving more people to turn to online education as they look for ways to increase their employability. So why is online education so appealing? Here are ten reasons why online education is on the rise.
Convenience: The one thing that people love about online education is that it is perfect for busy people. Online learning is provided in a format that allows you to work it around your schedule. If you have a full-time job and/or children, this type of flexibility is crucial.
Smaller Classes: Many traditional colleges have classes where the number of students can be over a hundred. With this many students, it is very difficult to receive any individual attention. Online classes, on the other hand, tend to have between 15 to 25 students.
Books Included: Unlike at traditional schools where book costs can be an expensive surprise every semester, online colleges often include the fees for books in their tuition. This way you know how much they are going to cost.
Learn at Your Own Pace: Online education creates an atmosphere where you can learn at your own pace. They often have accelerated programs if you would like to learn faster or, if your learning style is at a slower rate, then they cater to those needs as well.
Open Notes and Books: One of the great things about online education is the exams tend to be open note and open book. This increases your chances of succeeding.
Anonymity: Many people do not like to have the entire class’s eyes on them when they answer a question or contribute to a discussion. It is because of this that these people do not get involved in class. The online environment strips away that inhibition.
More Interaction with Students: Because of the structure of online classes, chat forums and online discussions are a major part of the online learning strategy. In a traditional classroom setting you may or may not interact with your fellow students. With online classes, it is a necessity, and there are many online students who claim that this is one of their favorite aspects of online learning.
More Interaction with Instructors: One of the issues with online learning is the isolation of the student. Online instructors are well aware of this and take every opportunity to reach out to their students to bridge that gap. At a traditional college, you may never speak one on one with your professors.
Free Tutoring: Online colleges often make tutoring available to their students at no extra cost. This is of great value since tutoring can cost anywhere from $20 to $100 per hour.
You Can Learn in Your Pajamas! And last but not least – you can learn from the comfort of your own home. This means you can go to class in sweats, boxers, even your pajamas. It also means that if you are hungry, you can get up, fix a snack and eat it – without having to worry about how loud that potato chip bag is. More information along with free enrollment forms are available at Masters Degree Teacher, Masters Degree Salary or Masters Degree Science.
1 Jul
A doctorate is the highest educational achievement that you can earn and there is much respect associated with having those letters behind your name. Only one out of a hundred people have a doctorate, so that reverence is certainly due. Also, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, someone with a doctorate degree earns one to two million dollars in lifetime earnings more than someone with a master’s degree. With numbers like that, what are you waiting for?
Ph.D. or Doctorate?
It seems that there is some confusion when it comes to the difference between a doctorate and a Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy. Actually, a Ph.D. is one of several doctorate degrees that you can earn. Doctorate degrees can be broken down into two types: professional doctorates and research doctorates.
People who earn professional doctorates apply their degree to a specific profession, as opposed to an academic field of study. These include M.D. (Doctor of Medicine), J.D. (Juris Doctor), DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine), and PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) among many others.
Research doctorates include the Ph.D. and are often focused on a particular subject. Here is a breakdown of some of the more popular doctorates available in the United States:
Ph.D. or Doctor of Philosophy: This degree is normally earned by those who want to go into research or Academia. There are many fields in which you can earn a Ph.D. including history, mathematics, and chemistry.
Psy.D. or Doctor of Psychology: If you want to be a psychologist, than you can either earn a Ph.D. in psychology or this degree.
DBA or Doctor of Business Administration: This degree is for people who are interested in the theory of management. Those who earn this degree normally go into research or teach on a college level.
Ed.D. or Doctor of Education: If you are looking to become a school administrator than this degree is for you.
D.A. or Doctorate of Arts: This degree emerged in the 1960s and is offered in many of the same subjects as a Ph.D, particularly arts and humanities. It is often labeled the “teaching doctorate.”
What does a doctorate entail?
Most doctorates require that you have a master’s degree in a related field of study. Once you are accepted you begin with a rigorous course of study, especially for the professional degrees such as M.D. or J.D. The professional degrees are normally followed by an exam, such as the bar examination, and/or an internship, such as a residency. With Ph.Ds and other research doctorates, courses are normally followed by an exam and then the writing of a thesis or dissertation. These dissertations can be anywhere from 50 to 450 pages in length and commonly focus on a particular area of expertise. For example, someone pursuing a doctorate in U.S. Economic History might write a dissertation on the effects of Soviet Union socialism on U.S. economic policies during the Great Depression. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average time it takes a student to earn their doctorate is seven years. However, there are some accelerated programs out there and a lot depends on how long it takes you to write your dissertation.
Online Study is a Great Option
If you are interested in a doctorate degree, do not rule out online colleges. Three of the five most popular doctorate degrees (according to the Department of Education) are available through online study; these are Doctor of Psychology, Doctor of Engineering and Doctor of Education. Online learning is an extremely convenient way to learn. The courses are offered in a format that works around your schedule. This is perfect for people who have a career that they do not want to take time off from, or if they have a family. In fact, online doctorates are so flexible that there really is no reason not to finally reach this highest level of achievement. Find more free enrollment information via Earn College Degree, MBA and Online or Online College Degree Programs.