Simple Steps That Will Help You to Find the Right Online Programme

Are you thinking about pursuing an online degree programme? But confused about which programme to choose? Well...I can assure you that you are not alone? Most students I encounter ask me how can they determine which online degree programme will be right for them.

Apparently there are numerous online programmes offered by innumerable online colleges and universities from around the world. Many institutes even offer the same programmes but with different course and credit structures.

So How Do You Choose the Right One?

The only effective way is to invest some time and do proper research. In case of brick and mortar colleges, you can easily visit the campus, read the guidebooks and brochures and even consult with the alumni. But in case of online degree programmes there is no such established path that will help you to find and choose the right programme and school.

In fact, it can be even more challenging as most online schools introduce new courses and programmes almost every week. If you search the internet for an online advanced diploma in business, you will find an abundance of websites that will guarantee to offer the best online courses and programmes.

Assistant Dean (for Graduate and Online Programs) at the Washington State University College of Business, Cheryl Oliver, says “There is so much static out there...It's really hard for people to know what is a legitimate degree and what programs are just going to take their money and put them through the motions.”

So what do you do? Simply follow these steps that experts believe will help you to filter information and find the most appropriate online institute and programme-

Check Individual School Websites and Reliable Sources

It is imperative that you check the websites of all relevant institutes in order to find the required information. An official website will provide you with detailed information about the institute and the programmes they offer. Websites that simply rank different schools and online programmes cannot provide you with comprehensive information. In fact, some websites will even ask you to pay money to get the information. Moreover, as some schools pay different portals to get featured, they get more online exposure. Hence the reliability of such information sources becomes doubtful.

Oliver says, “Some schools are paying to be on every one of those sites and now they are prolific. So students are going to continue to see that school when maybe the best bet for them is in their own backyard.”

If you want to get unbiased information and balanced statistics then simply visit the College Navigator tool of the U.S. Department of Education. It can provide you information about graduation rates, tuition fees and other valuable data.

Find Out If Your School is Accredited or Not

According to the Senior Vice President of OnlineSolutions at Pearson, Todd Hitchcock, accreditation is extremely important. The first thing you need to do is to check if your school is regionally accredited and recognised. You should also find out if the degree you want to pursue has programmatic accreditation (if eligible). You can check out the Council for Higher Education Accreditation which maintains a list of all approved accrediting organisations.

Executive Director of Online Learning at Regent University, Todd Marshall, says “Accredited schools tend to mention their accreditation in a prominent place...If you really have to dig to find it, or worse yet, can’t find it at all, that is not a good sign.”

Get Advice from Professionals in Your Field

It is often a great idea to speak with established professionals in your desired field and industry. You can call up HR professionals in your field and ask for their opinions about the institutes that you are currently considering. This will add to your initial research as you will get real-time feedback from industry professionals about your online programme and school. It will give you confidence about your qualification and you will be able to plan ahead for your future.

Speak to the Faculty and Students at Your School

The experts believe that after you have filtered your search to a handful of programs and institutes, you need to contact the staff, faculty and students at the schools. The officials at the schools will be pleased to respond to your queries and provide you clarifications about their services. They can also help you understand if the programme you are considering will be suitable for you or not. Moreover, you should also speak with the officials at the student service and find out about remediation and tutoring services.

Apart from these, the experts also suggest that you get in touch with the faculty members as this will give you an idea about the involvement of the teachers in the class. Bobbie Harris, Online Instructor at West Virginia University, says “You really want to vet the type of professor they are using because a lot of them are adjunct and the quality of those professors can range.”

However, the most important part is that you contact the recent or current students to find out the relevant information. According to Assistant Clinical Professor at Northern Arizona University, Corrine Gordon, “I don't think all programs are going to be 100 percent honest. Have that peer-to-peer conversation. That's something we think is very important.”

Check Tuition Fees of Different Institutes

Apart from the steps mentioned above, you also need to find out about the tuition fees as it may vary greatly depending upon the institute and programme. If you want to get enrolled in a reputed online International Business School, then find out about the tuition fees charged by different online business schools for your desired programme. This will not only help you to get a better idea about the fees, but you will also find the most affordable programme that will meet your requirements.

These steps will guide to find the most suitable online institute and programme and make the selection process simple and more effective.

How you can Make your Business Studies Smarter and More Productive

A degree in business masters continues to be regarded as one of the most popular ways to make successful career ahead. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council’s report surveyed on over 12,000 prospective students worldwide, 53% of prospective students think that an MBA would be the best degree for their career.

Convenience around Learning

With the rapid popularity of distance MBA, the process of getting this master’s degree has become really easier. Now, one does not have to sacrifice their jobs or other important responsibilities of life, and at the same time they can pursue their MBA degree in the comfort of home. In the blended learning MBA, however, students need to visit the institution for a few occasions. So, overall, distance learning MBA is greatly flexible in design, whereon, candidates can really enjoy a huge time entirely to themselves for their all round development.

Cost of Usual Learning

Taking up distance learning MBA, huge number of learners is also dealing shrewdly with the high cost of doing an MBA degree. To pay the huge fees of MBA programmes, students now turn back to their parents. According to the report from the same survey, parents will bear 15% of business school o average. It was recorded 12% in 2009. This implies parents will now complement the decrease in amount students expect as scholarships, grants as well as fellowships, which fell to 18 in 2013 from 20% in 2009.

Learning that Perfects Practical Skills

But, the greatest of all benefits with distance learning in business studies is the direct opportunity of industrial involvement while continuing studies. This is the most remarkable trait of going with a distance learning mode for business studies, as it is conducive to enhance practical skills along with the theoretical knowledge. And, in a time when employers value real life experience in any industry over one’s academic scores, business scores that enable the students honing their hands-on industrial skills with greater importance.

A postgraduate diploma in business is an effective beginning to such business education model, where instead of years of theoretical extravagance, learners come across various project-based programmes where their maturity comes from learning by doing. Enrolling in any international level 7 diploma, one can hone his skills with practical work-based experience in life, and get direct tips from global industrial gurus who through their project-based appearances impart unparalleled knowledge of international trade and business.

And, after completing this diploma, students will be able to make their MBA study shortened by 1 year. For the skills these students earned in their diplomas, they can fast track their business masters, and with the hands-on industrial experience, earned through multiple projects and opportunity of job-involvement alongside studying.

Through online distance learning, anybody can plan a business diploma for very affordable cost. Plus, it will make their ways to further studies much easier, shorter and effective. And, if anybody wants to enter into his professional life right away, he can also look forward to do that to make his work experience even further.