Are online degrees worth a damn?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m attempting to go back to school for my Master’s degree in Healthcare Management (not my dream career, but I work in a medical company now and find I really enjoy it - so I’d like to stay in healthcare in some capacity). I’ve found a program that would allow me to earn my degree in a little over a year, and I would definitely like to get back to school. I learn quickly, I can learn independently, and I prefer quicker-paced classes, so I thought this would be a great way to get my degree and still work full-time. I do have a bachlor’s degree in music (that’s gotten me far), so I’d essentially be going back for a specialized degree. Honestly, I am a hard worker, I’m intelligent, and I’m serious about going back to school, which is why I’m researching these issues.

Are they worth it? This school seems to have a decent success rate, but that’s on their website, so I’m not taking it at face value. Is there a decent chance of me getting a good job in my chosen career with an online degree? Are some online ‘schools’ better than others? Would I be better off just trudging through a normal degree around here? (Which may not be possible, as the schools here are expensive, and I’d be wracking up a ton of school loans).

I’d appreciate any advice on this. I’m really hoping to go back to school, but as money is tight, I want to do it as inexpensively and quickly as possible without sacrificing the level of education as well.

Thanks for any advice!

Ava

2

This guy, John Bear, has spent his career investigating --and selling books about-- non-traditional education, in particular sorting out the legitimate university programs from the scam degree mills. Some accredited state and private universities offer perfectly acceptable extension programs with limited or no residency requirements. The first step is to find out whether the program you are interested in is properly accredited. You might find some tips here on what to look for:

http://www.degree.net

3

Well, you need to weigh your wants and needs versus the online school. I’m considering a Bachelor’s of Management from Athabasca University . Good for me as someone with only “Job Oriented College” training in that they will accept anyone. Also fully acredited in Canada, and aparently accepted as a degree around the world.

YMMV