Online education is rapidly growing these days. People with working background or who have no time to go to the institutions for a degree can earn the degree at their home online. Many famous institutions are offering online degrees like Harvard and Oxford. With the technology improvements, distance education is revolutionized. One can get any information about almost anything on internet. The constraints of higher education like time, finance and distance have minimized by the distance learning. The institutes or universities which are providing online degrees are often called virtual universities.

There are many opportunities for those who works and wan to earn an online degree which obviously will have a worth in industry. To pursue an online degree you have required the technological know-how of how things work. Tools like computer which is the main part of online education, you should have a basic knowledge of how to use it.

Traditional Education VS Online Education[i]

For those who think it is drastic and no physical efforts are involved in this type of education, it is essential to know that the course, methods and material provided in online education systems are almost the same as those which are provided on campus. An online degree should not be fundamentally different from a campus based degree. The only difference should be the method of delivering classes.

Flexibility, budget, facilities of teaching, social interaction and discipline are the key points which differentiate the traditional education over online education system. For the past few years online degrees have been improving and growing. But we cannot discredited traditional degree systems. Physical interaction with a teacher and students has its own benefits.

In traditional education system it may be a benefit that it provides a hand on experience to all the students who want to learn practical lessons.

Online Degree Programs

There are almost 133 different subjects available which covers almost 2700 plus unique programs. They are available at different levels like bachelors, associate, master, doctorial and certificate based.

  • An online associate degree often offers two years with variety of programs. The graduates of this type of degrees have been seen more competitive in nature in the job market and industry.
  • A bachelor’s degree often consists of four years programs. It has a vast variety of programs available in any discipline you can imagine like on campus degrees. The most popular degree is engineering in any discipline. Online bachelor’s degree qualified can find themselves as competitive as on campus qualified for an immense range of jobs. An online bachelor’s degree holder can easily apply for any master degree either online or on campus.
  • A master’s degree is more valuable to those who after graduation want to work and wan to pursue education to improve the skills in relevant fields. Now a days there are number of programs which are designed so that people can complete their education while working. They are available in most subjects and take almost two years to complete.
  • Doctoral Degree is an ultimate level of excellence to achieve in a field. There are many types of doctorate degrees available online. The time required to complete a doctorate degree may vary. It involves a high level of education system and research work which may vary from person to person to complete it.
  • Certificates are for both graduate and undergraduate students. Many types of certification available online. These are supplement to your degrees and skills. These are a standalone qualification for you to polish your skills in a particular way. Many certifications are available online for particular jobs which a person can pursue like physical therapy assistants, dental assistants and veterinary technicians.

Popular Areas of Online Studies

  • Business degrees aim to develop leadership, analytical skill, writing skills, project management skills and to understand the overall structure of a business organization. For those who love accounting and finance related jobs can pursue business related degrees.[ii]
  • Art & Design related degrees are for those with creative minds and want to do something out of the box. And want to show the world their imaginations. Graphic design degrees are popular in this area. It is the best route to take in art and design field. Film and music production is also popular for art students these days with rapidly growing film industry. This degree can lead you to the variety of jobs in the market.[iii]
  • Education related degrees are for those who are passionate about teaching and stuff. By pursuing an education related degree will equip a person with skills which can make a difference in our society. One can educate people and make their lives better.
  • Engineering is a very wide area for those who wanted to use their scientific skills to solve the real world problems. Engineering programs are available at many levels for those who want to take online degree like bachelor, master and doctoral. You should search the relevant field according to your appeal. Online engineering graduates can find the work at many technological industries, research labs, government institutions, big corporations, construction organizations and small companies as well.[iv]
  • Healthcare industry is emerging day by day with research and development and improving the technology and medical sciences. People who wanted to make a difference in others’ lives should go for this degree. It includes nursing, pharmacy, nutritionist, personal health training, public health, healthcare administration.

Conclusion

Now, as we know enough about both online and traditional education systems so we can conclude that both have their own advantages. They both have their own unique challenges. We can conclude that for those who want to pursue online degrees rather than traditional education system must consider the benefits over others. A student must consider both from the perspectives of affordability, flexibility, financially, practically and disciplinary. It should be upon the students to decide whether they want to choose on campus studies or online studies. From the nature of both it is not compulsory that it attracts every student or make any one a critic of either of them.

[i] https://elearningindustry.com/traditional-learning-vs-online-learning

[ii] https://www.internationalstudent.com/study-business/undergraduate-degree-in-business/

[iii] https://www.studyusa.com/en/field-of-study/347/arts-and-design

[iv] https://www.internationalstudent.com/study-engineering/