Did you know? Though we call this e-learning, online education & Virtual Learning – this is a mode and subset of Distance Education. Why is that?

Distance Education has been there since 1700s. It has evolved with the mode of communication :

  • 1840 : Sir Isaac Pitman educated others of his famous Pitman Shorthand methodology via Postal Service
  • 1948 : Federal Communications Commission (FCC) promoted Distance education via Radio & Television
  • 1985 : Nova Southeastern University used Internet to start its first ever Online Education

Now, with rapid advancement of Internet – Virtual Learning became a convenient medium for many universities and self-starter students

5 Key Points to note while Choosing the University/College providing Online Degree

  1. Accreditation : Be it Online or On-premises Education – always check the authenticity of the College/University. Beware of fakes! You can verify if they are recognized institutions through the following websites:
  2. Quality of Online Teaching :
    • See if the Course Content matches your requirement
    • Apart from recorded videos, do they have interactive sessions?
    • Do a thorough Google Search on the Course and University. Check out the no.of Ratings & Reviews. Both matters!
  3. Flexibility : One of the main reasons to prefer Online Education is for its flexibility.
    • See if their semester schedule is suitable for you
    • Check if it is completely online or do you have to visit the Institute for any session/meeting
  4. Course Fee & Financial Aid : Generally, Online Degrees can be pursued from reputed universities at a fractional cost (in comparison to On-Premises). But, do verify
    • if there are extra charges apart from Course Fee
    • if you can avail a Financial Aid (Scholarship)
  5. Support Services : This is key in Online Degree. Verify the following:
    • How to ask doubts with Professors? Email or quick Virtual Meeting?
    • Whether they provide Placement (Career) Opportunities?
    • If there are issues, who and how quickly will it be resolved?

Next Steps

If you are already aware of the University & Online Degree that you would like to learn – then, validate it with the above 5 key points.

If you are new to this concept or would like to explore, then you can start with the below list and validate it with the above 5 key points :

  1. Stanford Online - Master of Science
  2. IIM, Ahmedabad - e-Mode Post Graduate Programme in Management
  3. University of the People - Online Tuition-Free University Degrees
  4. eDX - Online Master's Degree
  5. Coursera - Online Bachelor's & Master's Degree

Happy Online Degree Learning! Stay Safe!


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