Employers Care About Credentials From College Distance Learning

By Andy Zain

College distance learning is fast becoming a primary way for many people to obtain higher education.

Distance learning is defined as a way to transfer knowledge from instructors to students who are separated by time and distance through the use of technology. This practice has become widespread since the Internet became more easily accessible in the early 1990s.

The first thing to check when considering college distance learning is whether the college or university offering an online program has been accredited. While there are many online programs available these days, the degrees awarded by them may not be acceptable to many companies without accreditation.

The process of accreditation is intended to assure that an institution of higher learning provides a quality education in a systematic way. To achieve accreditation a college or university must meet certain standards set by an external body of some sort. For instance, the Distance Education and Training Council is one of five national accrediting bodies listed by the U. S. Department of Education. College distance learning may or may not be accredited by DETC, but a prospective student should make sure that the program in which he or she is interested has some reputable accreditation.

It can be especially important in college distance education to have accreditation, because distance learning by its nature involves a multimedia approach outside the traditional classroom. In order to fulfill the educational process of transmitting knowledge from the instructor to the student when separated by time and/or physical distance - the definition of college distance learning - information is disseminated using technology. This technology centers on the Internet, often by means of video and audio files as well as syllabus, notes and other text documents posted online. In many cases the technology also includes an old-fashioned means of a transmission in the form of a book.

The U. S. Department of Education lists five national bodies for accrediting schools, colleges and universities, including the Distance Education and Training Council. While not all college distance learning programs are accredited by the DETC, the best online programs are operated by a university or college that is accredited by a regional or national body.

Degrees offered through college distance learning programs are the same degrees as students can earn through on-campus study. Some universities offer only undergraduate degrees via distance learning, while some offer only graduate degrees and others a mixture of both.

Students seeking to enroll in college distance learning will do will to request information from many accredited universities that offer degrees in their chosen field. By comparing the respective offerings of several college distance learning programs, the student will be able to select the accredited institution of higher education best suited to meet his or her professional and career needs.

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