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Online college education represents the wave of the future! The jump in adults returning to school has gone from 28% in 1970 to 39% in 2006. Adults participating in educational ventures came to 92 million is 2001 (Statistics may be found at eLearners.com). The largest segment of online education participants is represented by those earning online college degrees. This article will present a summary of degree types, levels, and majors, as well as “10 Predictions for Online Education in 2007.”

Four Levels of Online Education College Degrees:

Associate Degrees.

Bachelor’s Degrees.

Master’s Degrees.

Doctoral Degrees.

Types of Online Education College Degrees & Majors:

Arts & Humanities Degrees: Liberal Arts, Humanities, Design, Writing, Communications, English

Business & MBA Degrees: MBA, Management, Human Resources, Marketing, Finance, Accounting

Computers & I.T. Degrees: Information Technology, Web Design, Networks, Technology Management

Education & Teaching Degrees: K-12, Early Childhood, Administration, Special Education, Curriculum/Instruction

Health & Nursing Degrees: Nursing, Psychology, Counseling, Health Administration, Human Services

Science & Engineering Degrees: Engineering, Technology, Mathematics, Aviation

Social Science Degrees: Criminal Justice, Paralegal, Law, Psychology, Public Administration, Political Science

Some careers require only associate degrees (equivalent to the first two years of a college education). These include: physical therapist assistants, dental hygienists, forensic technicians, veterinary technologists and technicians, diagnostic medical sonographers, occupational therapist assistants, cardiovascular technologists and technicians, paralegals and legal assistants. As these jobs require only a two year degree, they are paid well and well respected.

10 Predictions About Online Education in 2007

1. Online education programs will continue to grow and expand. There will be more programs offered online to earn online education degrees and those already offered will expand into more areas of study.

2. Technology will advance. Technology is continually improving and replacing older technologies. Access to online education will speed up and more options will become available to students, such as access to online evaluations of their work, etc.

3. Costs will decrease. As more online education programs evolve, competition will increase, and costs to students will decrease.

4. New degree programs will develop. New degree programs, related to online education will develop. Such programs might include: online student counseling, online education site debate/discussion host, etc.

5. More students will enroll in online education programs. Each year the enrollment in programs continues to increase and will continue to do so. More than 1.6 million students took at least one online course in 2002. In 2003, 1.9 million students took online courses. In 2004, more than 2.3 million students enrolled. In 2005, the number of online learners increased to almost 3.2 million students. (Source: Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006, Sloan Consortium)

6. Specialized programs will begin to emerge. Students with learning disabilities will be able to take advantage of special online programs created just for them.

7. Attitudes toward higher education will begin to change. The general public will soon see degree programs as accessible to the average person, rather than just the highly intelligent.

8. The time to obtain a degree will shorten. It will take less time to obtain a degree as students will be able to work year-round, at any time of the day or night, transfer courses from other programs, and earn course credit by challenge exams. The minimum amount of time in which degree programs can be completed is two years, but the time it takes to complete a degree varies, depending on prior coursework and whether or not you take time off between courses. Many students complete a degree in two to three years, but it can take four or five years or more, depending on the pace. The more credits transferred, the faster the degree will be completed. You can earn credits from professional training, the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or previous college courses. (Source: www.uopxworld.edu., “Frequently Asked Questions”)

9. Most online colleges will begin to offer course credit for life experience. More credit will be given for life experiences, especially to older students.

10. New programs will begin that are hybrids. New programs will be developed that combine traditional on-campus education with online education or work/online study programs.

Getting an online education college degree is the wave of the future! Use the 10 predictions about online education in this article to begin your search for the online education college degree that is best for you.

Ken Anczerewicz is an author and publisher devoted to helping students of all ages realize their financial goals through creating their own income streams. Learn more by clicking here now: http://www.resourceriver.com

In this still-uncertain economy that remains rife with unemployment, hundreds of thousands of out-of-work blue- and white-collar professionals, competing for scarce available jobs, find themselves faced with the need to further their training, expand their skill sets, or in some cases change career paths altogether. Many are going back to school, some to obtain their first college degree, others to get an additional or more advanced degree that could give their résumé a much-needed competitive edge in a crowded marketplace.

Demand for the Convenience of Online College Degrees …

In recent years, many “non-traditional” students who aren’t able to attend classes on the conventional resident college student’s full-time schedule — working parents, returning older students, students holding down a part-time or full-time job — have gravitated toward online degree programs that allow students to work toward their college degrees from home (or anywhere with a computer and an Internet connection) and at their own hours. As accredited online colleges and programs have proliferated, so have the number of students pursuing online college degrees.

These online college degrees, however, can often be pricey, requiring many students to take out a significant amount of money in student loans and private student loans. And some online universities have continued to offer only associate degrees and certificate programs, no bachelor’s or advanced degrees. As competition for jobs has intensified in a shrinking economy, many job-seeking professionals have found that their two-year college degree is going up against four-year and professional college degrees.

… and Demand for the Lower Costs of Community College Programs

Community colleges have traditionally offered lower-income and non-traditional students a lower-priced, commuter-friendly, and part-time alternative to pricier online college degrees and full-time four-year colleges and universities. But the two-year community college degree has posed the same drawbacks as two-year online college degrees: When going up against four-year degrees in a job search, two-year degrees simply aren’t as competitive.

Four-Year Community Colleges Offer a Cost-Convenience Solution

Now, however, students are finding a growing number of four-year degree options at community colleges. As more community colleges respond to increased student demand for affordable higher education, expanding their programs to include four-year bachelor’s degrees and applied baccalaureate degrees, new and returning students are increasingly able to obtain the academic pedigree of a four-year degree with much of the flexibility offered by online college degree programs but at the lower cost of a community college education.

Bachelor’s Degree Programs at Community Colleges Expanding

Florida currently leads the nation with 14 community colleges authorized to award bachelor’s degrees, reports The New York Times, with 12 schools already having done so, in fields including fire safety management and veterinary technology (“Community Colleges Challenge Hierarchy With 4-Year Degrees,” May 2, 2009). Nationwide, 17 states, including Nevada, Texas, and Washington, have granted community colleges the authority to award associate and bachelor’s degrees.

In some states, community colleges have even become four-year institutions in order to facilitate their new longer programs. At Miami Dade College in Florida — formerly known as Miami Dade Community College — more than 1,000 students are currently enrolled in the school’s bachelor degree programs. The average age of these students is 33.

LaKisha Coleman, a Miami Dade student who will graduate with a college degree in public safety management this spring, recommends the school to family members for its advantages over a traditional four-year degree program at a state or private university.

“It’s much cheaper, the teachers are good, you can do it in the evening while you work, and everyone’s very helpful,” Coleman told The New York Times.

Applied Baccalaureate Degrees Another Burgeoning Community College Offering

In the current economy, at a time when students have fewer financial resources to cover their college costs and job prospects are uncertain, the applied baccalaureate degree is becoming a popular option for students, says Debra Bragg, the director of the Forum on the Future of Public Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Usually focusing on applied academics or applied sciences and technologies, an applied baccalaureate degree is a four-year bachelor’s degree that may be earned at both two- and four-year institutions, including technical colleges and community colleges. Unlike bachelor’s degrees at some conventional four-year universities, however, the applied baccalaureate degree counts technical and associate degree–level courses as degree credits, allowing community college students to keep their course costs low and minimize their need for student loans or other financial aid.

“Applied baccalaureate degree programs at community colleges can be used by students looking for a career that is emerging, or for adults who have earned college credits in the past and are looking to re-enter college, often to advance their careers to a supervisory level,” Bragg explains.

Since 2000, the number of states offering an applied baccalaureate degree has doubled, reports the University of Illinois. Currently, 39 states offer the degree.

The applied “real-world” focus of applied baccalaureate programs and coursework is aimed at grooming students to fill projected workforce needs in areas of the country where large concentrations of jobs have been lost due to outsourcing, a shrinking manufacturing base, or a shift in local industry.

“An applied baccalaureate degree represents a viable pathway for someone who previously hadn’t thought about earning a bachelor’s degree,” says Bragg, “but now sees it as a necessary step to getting and keeping a good job with benefits.”

Jeff Mictabor is an enthusiast on the topic of student loan issues in the news. He has been writing for the past 10 years for a variety of education publications. He now offers his writing services on a freelance basis.

Online college degrees are increasingly popular for both traditional students and those who are pursuing higher education while working. The allure can be attributed to a combination of lower costs, convenience (you can attend classes on your own schedule) and the increase acceptance of online college degrees by today’s employers.

The most popular online college degrees tend to be those that focus on a particular professional career or practical discipline rather than more generalized degrees such as those offered by traditional campus-based colleges or universities. There are also a higher percentage of students pursuing associate degrees as opposed to bachelor’s degrees through online learning. Part of this is because many students seeking an online college degree are seeking to enter the workforce as quickly as possible or are already working and want to improve their chances of promotion. Another reason seems to be that online students prefer to obtain associate online college degrees so that they can take advantage of it in terms of a better job, and then continue with a bachelor’s degree while working full time.

Professional Online College Degrees are Industry Focused

Overall the most popular discipline at online colleges is Business Administration. This is a degree that can translate into any number of industries because it is based on business skills and management techniques that almost any type of company can benefit from. Secretaries and lower level employees often study for online college degrees in Business Administration or Business Management so that they are more likely to be perceived as “promotion material.” Another popular degree program is accounting; an associate or bachelor’s degree in accounting is always in demand by companies that are finding it increasingly difficult to find qualified account managers and bookkeepers.

Computer science degrees at all levels are second only to business administration with students pursuing online college degrees. Because the government predicts that the demand for employees with computer programming and database management skills will continue to increase indefinitely, these degrees are an excellent investment in anyone’s future.

Medicine is another industry that is desperately in need of qualified individuals with a degree or diploma in a healthcare related area such as medical reimbursement or healthcare management. With the healthcare crisis now facing the United States, experts in understanding how healthcare insurance works and who can manage facilities seamlessly are in short supply. Online college degrees in this area can take an individual from an entry-level position to management quickly.

Online College Degree Programs Keep Pace with Industry Changes

Online college degree programs keep pace with industry changes and shifts in professional demand because they have certain advantages over traditional colleges. Online colleges don’t need additional space or facilities to add new programs to their curriculum. When they notice an emerging trend, they can offer a new program as soon as they have located and hired the appropriate instructors. These instructors are usually industry leaders themselves, and they are able to provide instruction that covers the most recent innovations in their industry because many remain a part of the industry, something typical college professors aren’t able to do because of scheduling conflicts.

A perfect example of a program that was non-existent a decade ago is Criminal Justice. Students can pursue an online college degree in Criminal Justice from several excellent online colleges. In fact, criminal justice surpassed health care degrees in popularity at online colleges for the first time this past year.

To find out more about the new and evolving opportunities for an online education, contact admissions counselors to discuss your options. They will know the trends and statistics to help you choose the particular college degree program to carry you into a successful future.

Andy West is a writer for Virginia College. Virginia College Online offers many Online College Degree programs. Visit Virginia College Online at http://www.vconline.edu to select the online program that is right for you.