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Online College Learning Options

By Richard Keir

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Published: 30Oct2006
Word count: 480
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Since I work a lot online and do a great deal of writing in different areas including education, I see a lot of mention of the University of Phoenix online learning programs. However, despite it being one of the most prominent, alternatives do exist.

Obviously if you are considering pursuing a degree online you will want to check a number of different institutions. In fact, it would be negligent not to. You need to be satisfied that the programs they offer, the particular approach and the structure meets your requirements. Cost may also be a factor. And, even if you are pursuing your degree online the location of physical campuses can be important. Accreditation is also important.

If you haven't heard of AIU (American InterContinental University), you might be interested in looking at their programs. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (one of the six regional accrediting organizations in the United States) to award Associate, Bachelor's and Master's degrees, AIU has physical campuses in Georgia, Florida, Texas, California, London and Dubai as well as their online program.

Kaplan University is another highly rated online institution offering a variety of degree programs in Arts and Sciences, Business, Criminal Justice, Education, Information Systems and Technology, Nursing and Health Science and Legal Studies as well as continuing and professional studies. Kaplan University is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission, part of th North Central Association Of Colleges and Schools which is one of the six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.

Penn Foster is a slightly different type of organization and has several types of accreditation and is also licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools. If you are looking for specific training for a particular occupation you may want to check their offerings. They offer certificate programs, career diplomas and associate degrees.

As you can see from this short list, you have a lot of options in pursuing education online. And you can easily find more by doing some searching at your favorite search engine.

Before you even start to look for an online college degree program or other career-related learning, you need to carefully analyze your own needs, the time you really have available to commit to a program and your financial resources. These institutions will provide help in uncovering and pursuing your options for financial assistance, but the responsibility is yours. You don't want to get part way through a program and discover you've got a problem. If your company will assist with tuition reimbursement that's great but be clear on exactly how much it will be, how it works and what the requirements are both from your company and the institution.

Finally, make sure you're dealing with an accredited institution. There's nothing more painful than discovering your hard earned degree won't do you any good because the granting institution wasn't accredited.

Despite already being overeducated, Richard continues to enjoy learning as a part of his teaching, writing and internet business activities. The growth of the internet as medium for learning is one of his major interests. Go here for more information on Online Learning.

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