Online programs are becoming more popular as the demand for them goes up. Students want a convenient path to their degree and colleges are rising to the occasion! Because of that, there are hundreds of colleges and universities across America that have programs accessible entirely at a distance. Some of the programs are presented on a hybrid basis, which means you will need to spend some time on campus. But, there are still plenty of programs that are offered entirely online. The best way to be sure is to check the program webpage and contact someone (like the program director) if you’re not sure.
Big name schools like Georgia Tech, MIT, the University of Florida, and smaller schools that you may not have heard of like Rice University all have started to offer 100% online degrees. Some institutions, like Southern New Hampshire University, for instance, offer well over 100 programs that you can complete entirely online and according to your schedule. If there is a program that you’re interested in but it doesn’t state if it is offered completely at a distance, you can check out the course listings offered on the website, or go ahead and contact someone that is involved with the particular online degree that you’re looking at and ask them. Another thing that many schools do is do their best to work with students that want to study online, and sometimes you can substitute courses if it isn’t too many and too drastically different from the original curriculum. There are all different kinds of online degrees that you can enroll in; this includes undergraduate and graduate programs, even all the way up to the doctoral level. Most of the doctoral programs online will have campus requirements, but there are some that only require one, and a few that don’t have any at all.
There are two main types of online programs which are asynchronous and synchronous. Asynchronous programs are self-paced and synchronous programs are ones that you would have to virtually attend your classes at set times. Both of them have their advantages. If you’re someone that doesn’t work well at a traditional pace whether you’re faster or slower, a self-paced program would allow you to do what you needed to do to complete your work and get the most out of it. A synchronous program is great for a student that needs the structure of a traditional program but in a way that’s more accessible because of shorter courses, weekend and evening courses, and so on. Hybrid and blended degrees mean that some courses may require you to spend time on campus, and in some cases, it could just be week-long intensives that you have to attend and that might work for you. But, if it doesn’t, there are hundreds of institutions of higher learning throughout America that are properly accredited and offer 100% online degree programs in many different fields; you don’t have to worry about finding one, just picking the right one! If you ever have any questions about a program, make sure that you reach out to an advisor even if you may not apply. They’re there to help!
