Online degree programs significantly improve access to higher education, and recent reports indicate enrollment is at an all-time high. Currently more than 7 million U.S. college students participate in some form of online learning. However, online education may not be right for everyone. Students must be committed and disciplined enough to complete courses without a campus-based structure. In addition, online programs vary in areas that impact learning, including when, how, and how often students access materials and lectures. Students who understand these differences and the technology behind them are better positioned to choose online programs that reflect their career goals and learning styles, giving them the best chance of success.

Tracking Online Degrees & Certificates

As online education becomes more diverse, so does its range of learning options. Innovative new technology and instructional methods allow even traditionally hands-on disciplines like engineering and nursing to be taught online, though some programs require internships and other practical learning experiences. Students can also now pursue many different types of credentials mostly or completely online. The following certificates and degrees are among them.

Associate Degrees

A report from the New America Foundation suggests associate degree programs are statistically much more likely than bachelor′s programs to enroll full-time workers, parents, and military families. According to the Foundation, online associate degrees can be an ideal learning solution for these busy students who often find campus attendance difficult. The majority of community colleges, a number of for-profit colleges, and even a few public four-year universities offer associate degrees online.

Bachelor′s Degrees

The NCES reports that bachelor′s degrees are by far the most common credential students earn online. While many of these programs are in disciplines that adapt easily to web-based learning, like business and criminal justice, several colleges now offer online bachelor′s degrees in areas like teaching and engineering. These programs may require students to complete some face-to-face training. For example, the University of Virginia offers a special engineering program that allows students to complete all of their coursework in a live online format while serving internships with approved employers across the state. Online bachelor′s degree programs can also use virtual simulations, video conferencing, and other technical solutions to assess and reinforce students′ practical knowledge.

Graduate Certificates

Online graduate certificates help bachelor′s and master′s degree holders enhance certain skills. Not to be confused with professional certifications, graduate certificates are academic credentials unaffiliated with specific vendors and organizations. Teachers might earn online graduate certificates in family literacy and educational technology integration while MBA graduates pursue them in data analytics, project management, and other relevant specialties. While many students invest in voluntary certificates to improve resumes and advancement potential, some employers require graduate certificates to confirm formal specializations. For example, master′s-trained nurses frequently earn post-master′s certificates to add new patient and medical specialties, or to change specialties within the field of advanced practice registered nursing. It is not unusual for schools to offer fully online graduate certificates to accommodate full-time professionals, but certain programs supplement online coursework with internships, clinical placements, or other on-site learning experiences. The nature, frequency, and extent of this work varies.

Online Master′s Degrees

Undergraduate students may be more likely than graduate students to participate in some form of online learning, but NCES research shows graduate students are more than twice as likely to enroll in 100 percent online degree programs. This trend reflects graduate programs′ tendency to enroll more working professionals balancing school with career and family responsibilities. It is not unusual for four-year graduates to enter the workforce before deciding to return to school to become more specialized, improve their advancement potential, or transition to new fields. Online master′s degrees are also popular among experienced professionals in fields that address steeper practical training requirements at the undergraduate level, like teaching and nursing. Online learning offers these working students a degree of flexibility difficult to achieve in a campus setting.

Online Doctoral Degrees

While they remain less common than other online degree programs, many universities now offer online doctorates in fields like nursing, education, and criminal justice, among others. On-site learning requirements vary by school and program. For example, universities may deliver coursework online, but require online doctoral candidates to report to campus to serve residencies, conduct research, and defend their theses. Online doctoral degree programs frequently leverage live video conferencing and other interactive tools that help faculty mentor and support students from a distance.