Online Degree Programs - Which Ones Are For You?
Congratulations on your decision to further your education! As you know, increasing your education can increase your earning capacity, earn you promotions at work, and open doors to exciting new career opportunities. Employment opportunities in jobs requiring post secondary education are steadily growing - between 2001 and 2006, they increased by 2.5 million dollars.
Obtaining your bachelors, masters or Phd degree on line is a popular option. An accelerated online program will enable you to set your own schedule, work from the comfort of home, and complete your degree up to two years faster than it would take on campus. That means you can get out there and start earning money that much sooner. One of the most difficult parts of college is deciding what to study. This is especially the case if you have a lot of general interests, but are not particularly passionate about any one subject. The options available to you can be overwhelming - there are literally thousands of programs right at your fingertips. So, how can you narrow it down and decide what to focus on? It goes without saying that you should choose a subject that is of interest to you. If you love what you do, the rest will follow and fall into place.
See if you can get information about the instructors. When you are enrolled in an online program you need an instructor who is a good communicator as much as when you are attending classes.
The four most popular online degrees are criminal justice, health administration, psychology, and business administration. A bachelors degree in criminal justice can lead to careers in law enforcement, the court system, and corrections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that, by 2014, positions for correctional treatment specialists and probation officers will increase anywhere from 9-17%. Median earnings are just under $40,000 per year, with the highest wage being $66,660. Health administration is related to jobs in nursing, preventative care, therapy, and record management. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, between 2000 and 2003, health care expenditures increased by 8.6 percent. A bachelors degree in Psychology enables you to be a clinical researcher or counselor.
More advanced training, such as graduate degree, which can also be obtained online, can provide additional career options. 25% of those with bachelors degrees enroll in graduate studies. 4% - 6% go on to obtain their doctorates. In the United States alone, there are an estimated 93,000 clinically trained psychologists.
Business administration is the number one choice for online studies. It can lead to a job in finance, management, international business, or marketing, to name a few. In 2004, administrative support supervisors and managers accounted for 1.5 million jobs in the United States, with a median salary of $41,030.
No matter what are you are interested in, chances are you can find an online program that works for you. The benefit of distance education is that you are no longer limited by geography; if you so desire, you can take courses from clear across the country.
Good luck with your studies and all the best in your future career.
