An ever-increasing number of professionals are returning to education as they identify gaps in their skill sets and realize that filling these gaps with an online degree can drive their careers forward. However, while many schools are now serving the needs of those wishing to study online, some are better equipped than others. Here are four questions to help you determine if an online degree program will truly meet your needs.
1. Will the flexibility of studying online come at a cost?
Flexibility is one of the main factors that prompt professionals going back to school to choose the online route. Working remotely can let you fit your studies around your existing work and family commitments and study wherever you are with no need to travel to campus.
While more and more universities are offering online degrees, it’s important to research how far your program of choice is tailored to the online experience. Most of all, it’s vital to be sure the university hasn’t simply squeezed its existing degrees —designed for face-to-face learning —into an online framework. At worst this could result in a rigid course structure not suited to your lifestyle, inadequate communication between faculty and fellow students and resources not appropriate for distance learning.
With a bit of research you should be able to identify the online programs where due diligence ensures the quality of your education won't be compromised by the remote study. Ideally, however, the degree will have been completely revamped to cater to the online student —resulting in learning that’s enhanced by the online experience.
Online masters’ degrees from the University of Miami, for example, have been designed with a robust curriculum tailored for remote learning and students with busy lives. Features include multiple start-date options, student control over participation and assignment deadlines, and mobile-optimized learning resources.
2. What teachers and students will I interact with day-to-day?
Of course, when choosing an online degree program, you should research the background and credentials of the faculty that will be teaching you. Likewise, gaining an understanding of the cross-section of students you can expect to share the experience with is a worthwhile exercise. While you may not be sat in the same real-life classroom, many online degrees encourage a great deal of interactivity in the virtual one. As such, an impressive student body can open up fantastic networking opportunities.
The online MBA offered by the University of Miami, for example, is comprised of a diverse group of students with a wealth of knowledge and experience from 26 states and two other countries. Ages range from those in their 20s to students well into their 50s. Meanwhile courses are taught by the University of Miami’s top-ranked faculty members, the same teaching on campus every day. Many of these are widely recognized as published experts in their fields.
3. What networking opportunities will be available?
When not going into a classroom each day and having access to professors and fellow students that way, you should check if the program holds organized networking events to support your learning and benefit your career.
One of the advantages of the University of Miami’s online degrees is that you can meet classmates before you take your first course. Programs hold orientation weekends to give students time to network and bond. The online MBA, for example, begins with a weekend visit to the beautiful Coral Gables campus, allowing students to meet the faculty and one another, understand the online learning model and ask questions.
Similar networking events are held throughout the course. The University of Miami’s online Master’s in Sport Administration, for example, invites students to attend the annual UM Sport Industry Conference, allowing them to network with one another and top-level sport industry executives.
4. What real-world benefits can I expect after graduation?
Last but most definitely not least, online students should be confident from the start that their chosen degree program will be of genuine value when applied to their desired career path. Have all the reasons you are returning to education clear from the outset —what do you hope to achieve from this new venture? The degree program should be able to give you tangible examples of how its degree will help you reach your goals. It may also provide case studies of alumni in a similar position and how their time studying at the institution has been of direct benefit to their professional lives.
The University of Miami UOnline program of master’s degrees is designed with the online student in mind. Degrees are flexible and can be tailored to each student’s needs. The program also gives students access to a world-class faculty and a global network of esteemed alumni, something that will be of genuine benefit their ongoing careers.
For more information about University of Miami UOnline degrees, call the advisors toll free on 888.995.2272 or visit the site.
