Important Questions to Ask

The time required for online completion of a degree and on-campus should be about equal at most schools for most students. The standard for a four-year degree is eight semesters whether online or on-campus. Some online schools appeal to students by offering accelerated course curricula. Accelerated curricula condenses the requirements into fewer courses to speed up graduation. Many students can accelerate graduation by attending online, but this requires a much heavier than usual credit-load.

  • Online attendance can avoid scheduling bottlenecks. Students may find on-campus classes unavailable, and that can cause additional semesters of attendance.
  • Online classes in the summer months can help online and/or traditional students accelerate graduation.
  • Online students can take a full course load of 15 semester hours when they have time and resources available. The lower typical costs of semester hours online, as opposed to on-campus rates, can help students take more courses.

The average cost of an associate degree online is about $4,500
The cost of an online bachelor’s degree is about $12,000
The average cost of an online master’s degree is approximately $7,500

University HQ recommends that students carefully consider the available college majors at any school they may select. The college major and related coursework will affect your level of preparedness upon graduation. Students should look carefully at coursework and faculty qualifications; they should carefully determine if the program can provide a strong educational foundation in the field of choice.

The time required for online completion of a degree and on-campus should be about equal at most schools for most students. The standard for a four-year degree is eight semesters whether online or on-campus. Some online schools appeal to students by offering accelerated course curricula. Accelerated curricula condenses the requirements into fewer courses to speed up graduation. Many students can accelerate graduation by attending online, but this requires a much heavier than usual credit-load.

  • Online attendance can avoid scheduling bottlenecks. Students may find on-campus classes unavailable, and that can cause additional semesters of attendance.
  • Online classes in the summer months can help online and/or traditional students accelerate graduation.
  • Online students can take a full course load of 15 semester hours when they have time and resources available. The lower typical costs of semester hours online, as opposed to on-campus rates, can help students take more courses.

The average cost of an associate degree online is about $4,500
The cost of an online bachelor’s degree is about $12,000
The average cost of an online master’s degree is approximately $7,500

University HQ recommends that students carefully consider the available college majors at any school they may select. The college major and related coursework will affect your level of preparedness upon graduation. Students should look carefully at coursework and faculty qualifications; they should carefully determine if the program can provide a strong educational foundation in the field of choice.

On-time graduation is an important measure of student performance. Schools design their bachelor’s degree courses of study to support four-year completion with an average of 15 credit hours per semester. Students may prefer or fall into a pattern of 12 or fewer semester hours, but this will lengthen the amount of time it takes to earn your degree. The items below describe the on-time completion rates across all majors and college degree programs.

Chart- On-Time Completion Averages for Four-Year Schools

  • At public colleges and universities, the four-year rate is about 35%
  • At private colleges and universities, the four-year rate is about 53%
  • At public colleges and universities, the six-year rate is about 65%
  • At private colleges and universities, the six-year rate is about 68%

Accreditation is a vital part of the selection process for online or on-campus degrees. Accreditation is an assurance of quality education relied upon by students, graduates, employers, and other educational institutions. The US Department of Education appoints independent organizations to conduct accreditation assessments. They can grant or deny accreditation based upon objective educational standards. The Department of Education established a set of regions and appointed an agency to verify accreditation of the schools, colleges, and universities offering higher education within those territories. There are two types of accreditation; they are regional accreditation and national accreditation.

National Accreditation is a type of assessment that compares elements of a school with other similar schools across the entire US. The types of schools that can get national accreditation include some online-only schools, vocational schools, and schools with special classifications like faith-based organizations. National accreditation works well when the agency has Department of Education recognition.

Regional accreditation is the most influential and widely accepted type of accreditation. Regional accreditation is intensive and thorough. The standards include the best -performing institutions in a multi-state region.

Accreditation reviews the policies and details of the school’s approach to education. It considers resources for education like libraries and laboratories. Regional accreditation reviews faculty qualifications and experience. It can be institution-wide or cover a single department or program. When focused on a small part, it is called programmatic accreditation.

Programmatic accreditation focuses on a single part of a school, and it is often a single program or department such as an MBA program, English department, or Computer Science program.

Program accreditation often has special impact because it is narrow and focused. Some accreditation groups offer a kind of special endorsement such as an online accounting or MBA program with an endorsement from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

In the technology-driven global economy, nearly every type of business uses technology. Most businesses and companies have some involvement with Internet technology or at least they use computers, and every business has an interest in keeping electronic records secure. Technology and computers are everywhere in modern workplaces, and students and graduates must be comfortable with varying degrees of technology.

The basics involve computer literacy and familiarity with operating systems and common electronic devices. Software typically requires a learning curve and graduates that can learn quickly have an advantage over those that do not have a level of comfort with varying types of software. Technical fields and occupations require technology skills. Skilled trades increasingly need technological experience. For example, truck driving today, not considered a technical trade, involves GPS, onboard computer, and electronic time management and logistical tracking. Further, the truck engine and motor controls operate through electronic systems, and many truck drivers have some level of mechanical ability to fix small issues on their vehicle so they can keep driving without long, or expensive, stops. Continue reading to learn which professional degrees and degree levels are right for you.

The time required for online completion of a degree and on-campus should be about equal at most schools for most students. The standard for a four-year degree is eight semesters whether online or on-campus. Some online schools appeal to students by offering accelerated course curricula. Accelerated curricula condenses the requirements into fewer courses to speed up graduation. Many students can accelerate graduation by attending online, but this requires a much heavier than usual credit-load.

  • Online attendance can avoid scheduling bottlenecks. Students may find on-campus classes unavailable, and that can cause additional semesters of attendance.
  • Online classes in the summer months can help online and/or traditional students accelerate graduation.
  • Online students can take a full course load of 15 semester hours when they have time and resources available. The lower typical costs of semester hours online, as opposed to on-campus rates, can help students take more courses.

Accreditation is a vital part of the selection process for online or on-campus degrees. Accreditation is an assurance of quality education relied upon by students, graduates, employers, and other educational institutions. The US Department of Education appoints independent organizations to conduct accreditation assessments. They can grant or deny accreditation based upon objective educational standards. The Department of Education established a set of regions and appointed an agency to verify accreditation of the schools, colleges, and universities offering higher education within those territories. There are two types of accreditation; they are regional accreditation and national accreditation.

National Accreditation is a type of assessment that compares elements of a school with other similar schools across the entire US. The types of schools that can get national accreditation include some online-only schools, vocational schools, and schools with special classifications like faith-based organizations. National accreditation works well when the agency has Department of Education recognition.

Regional accreditation is the most influential and widely accepted type of accreditation. Regional accreditation is intensive and thorough. The standards include the best -performing institutions in a multi-state region.

Accreditation reviews the policies and details of the school’s approach to education. It considers resources for education like libraries and laboratories. Regional accreditation reviews faculty qualifications and experience. It can be institution-wide or cover a single department or program. When focused on a small part, it is called programmatic accreditation.

Programmatic accreditation focuses on a single part of a school, and it is often a single program or department such as an MBA program, English department, or Computer Science program.

Program accreditation often has special impact because it is narrow and focused. Some accreditation groups offer a kind of special endorsement such as an online accounting or MBA program with an endorsement from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

In the technology-driven global economy, nearly every type of business uses technology. Most businesses and companies have some involvement with Internet technology or at least they use computers, and every business has an interest in keeping electronic records secure. Technology and computers are everywhere in modern workplaces, and students and graduates must be comfortable with varying degrees of technology.

The basics involve computer literacy and familiarity with operating systems and common electronic devices. Software typically requires a learning curve and graduates that can learn quickly have an advantage over those that do not have a level of comfort with varying types of software. Technical fields and occupations require technology skills. Skilled trades increasingly need technological experience. For example, truck driving today, not considered a technical trade, involves GPS, onboard computer, and electronic time management and logistical tracking. Further, the truck engine and motor controls operate through electronic systems, and many truck drivers have some level of mechanical ability to fix small issues on their vehicle so they can keep driving without long, or expensive, stops. Continue reading to learn which professional degrees and degree levels are right for you.