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Online Courses for High School

September 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Taking Online High School Courses

Charter schools as well as other public and private schools teach online high school courses.  Some states also have schools that offer tuition free distance learning courses to students in lower grades, some as low as Kindergarten.  Free online high school courses for credit should meet your state’s Department of Education’s minimum graduation requirements.  Furthermore, some of the online schools offer classes that are designed to allow you to start earning credits for college.

Just because you enroll to take one or more online courses for high school doesn’t mean that you’ll be tucked in solitude, far away from your friends and other students.  In fact, some schools that offer online high school courses for credit are designed with computer rooms, so that you can take virtual courses alongside your classmates, giving you the chance to strengthen your social skills as you continue to grow and learn.  Benefits of taking online courses for high school include:

  • Ability to create a flexible schedule so you can work part-time or full-time jobs while you’re in high school
  • Experiences of learning at virtual schools as you prepare to enter college where you can take even more online courses
  • Chance to learn basic and more challenging courses in innovative classroom settings
  • Opportunities to complete your high school diploma requirements if you have young children to care for at home
  • Make it easy for you to transfer credits earned for college to online colleges and universities

How Online High School Courses Work

As with colleges and universities, online courses for high schools may operate on quarter or semester schedules.  Attendance, class participation and timeliness are generally components of your and other student grades.  For example, even though you’re taking a virtual course, you’re still expected to participate in online classroom discussions and/or during web seminars, academic conference calls and training courses held using other virtual learning platforms.

Supplemental and full-time high school courses offered at secondary schools as well as colleges and universities are available in basic and advanced subjects like:

  • Composition
  • English
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Pre-calculus
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • World Geography Studies
  • Foundations of Personal Fitness
  • World History Studies
  • American History
  • Language Arts
  • Music History
  • Principles of Information Technology
  • Financial Money Management

Free online high school courses are also offered by accredited colleges and universities like the University of Texas and Texas Tech University.  Schools in the jurisdiction where you live and programs like the Texas Tech online high school courses work with the state’s school districts to supplement existing school courses, offer expanded courses for students participating in home-school program as well as educate students using full-time virtual classroom programs. Before registering to take the courses, whether you take them from a school or college, make sure that the school you enroll at is accredited by one or more national agencies that are recognized by the United States Department of Education.  Furthermore, if you’re interested in competing in athletics, check with the school’s admissions counselors to see if the school has programs that are approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

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Working For an Online University

September 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Getting a Job Teaching at Online Colleges and Universities

Online university jobs are interactive teaching positions that generally require you to use audio, video, message boards and other online tools and software applications to train undergraduate and/or graduate students.  Just as it’s important for students to validate that colleges and universities they enroll in are accredited, it’s also important that you confirm a school’s accreditations (overall and by major) before you apply for employment with the school.  Doing so can ensure that you get jobs at online universities that are respected by leaders in academic, government, social and business industries.

Depending on the school you’re applying for online university instructor jobs with you might be required to have graduate level degrees (e.g. Master’s) before you get hired.  You also might be required to have several years of working experience in the fields you’re applying to teach university students in.  Skills that can help you to excel as an online university instructor include:

  • Proficiency using computers and online tools like email and instant messaging (IM)
  • Ability to upload and download documents and files
  • Skills researching data on the Internet
  • Strong written and oral communication skills (you might communicate with your students more via email and message boards as you teach online university courses)
  • Knowledge of how to use systems like virtual university blackboards, file share applications, web seminars, video discussion sessions and online telephone systems like Skype

A reliable desktop computer or laptop, cell phone or other handheld electronic device with voice applications and different types of software applications (e.g. Word, Excel) are also needed to succeed as an online professor.  If the online university also has a physical campus, you might be required to attend on campus meetings with students and administrators once or twice a week.  Fortunately, you can teach part-time or full-time at online colleges and universities.

Support and Benefits for Online University and College Teachers

In addition to joining professional associations like the World Association for Online Education, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, the National Education Association and regional and local teacher associations and attending networking events like conferences and seminars, you can also learn about online university job openings by searching online job boards.  Education America Network, Education Jobs, state department of education job boards, Monster, Career Builder, Indeed and Higher Ed Jobs are a few online job boards you can use to search for current teaching job openings at distance learning schools.  Keep in mind, that you can also visit websites of accredited online colleges and universities you’re interested in working at and searching their job boards to see if they have openings in subjects you have adequate academic training and work experience in.

Benefits associated with online university jobs extend beyond earning a salary, medical insurance coverage and regular employment.  When you work online university teaching jobs you gain flexibility, save money on commuting costs and have opportunities to improve your work/life balance.  As with educators working at other types of secondary and postsecondary schools, you also gain the personal satisfaction of knowing that you provided valuable educational and academic support to students, steps that prepare the students to get and excel at quality jobs.

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Online Courses for College Credits

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Taking Online Courses to Earn College Credits

Online courses for college credit are available locally at many community colleges and regionally, nationally and internationally at two and four-year postsecondary schools.  The courses are generally as robust and intensive as classroom courses are.  Depending on the school you take online courses for college credit from, the tuition costs of taking the courses might differ from tuition rates for classroom based programs.

Some colleges and universities charge lower tuition rates for online courses than they do for classroom courses.  Check with admissions counselors at the schools you want to take courses at to find out if you can save money by enrolling in one or more online college courses.  You also might be able to find free online courses for credit at top schools.  Some of these courses, like online math courses college credit programs, might help prepare you to take more advanced degree related classes, while other courses might help you to complete prerequisite requirements to enroll in certain undergraduate or graduate degree programs.

To register for distance learning programs, including cheap online courses for college credit, make sure you have a reliable desktop computer or laptop.  Also make sure you have Internet access as you’re going to need access to the Internet throughout the online college course.  If you don’t have experience working with computer applications and equipment like Word, Excel and PowerPoint, consider taking a free online course in basic computer operations.  Some software training programs are offered for free by companies that create software applications.  For example, Microsoft offers free online training programs for Excel spreadsheets, Project Management and Word documents like letters and memos.

Although you might be able to take optional training programs like online chemistry courses for college credit that are taught by professors at other universities, before you register and pay for these additional courses make sure that you don’t have to pay extra registration or enrollment fees to take the courses.  Also make sure that credits earned in the courses can go toward credits you need to earn undergraduate and/or graduate degrees as this might help you to get your college degrees sooner.

Types of Online College Credit Courses

As with classroom programs, online courses for college credits are offered across a variety of academic disciplines and career fields.  For example, you can take online courses in subjects such as:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Accounting and Finance
  • Marketing and Communications
  • Psychology
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Dentistry
  • Nutrition
  • Physical Fitness
  • Sports Management
  • Economics
  • Religion
  • History
  • Computer Science
  • Nursing
  • Medicine
  • Information Technology

Check with the admissions or enrollment counselor at the school you want to attend to confirm that the school is accredited by a national or regional accredited organization like the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges or the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.  By ensuring that the schools and degree programs you take online courses with have been adequately reviewed by accrediting agencies you can increase your chances of taking courses that hiring managers and employers value and respect.

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Online College Information

September 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Learning About Online College Offerings

Top online colleges and universities are accredited by national, regional and local accrediting agencies that are recognized by the United States Department of Education.  Two and four-year undergraduate degree programs in numerous disciplines (e.g. education, military science, healthcare management, business administration) are taught at the postsecondary schools.  Online college courses in subjects requiring licenses (e.g. dentistry, law) or advanced skills are also available at the graduate and professional levels.

Information on online college programs, degrees and courses can be found at individual school websites.  Detailed online college information, including course curriculums for specific degree programs, is generally located in syllabi.  The dates and times that courses are available, add and drop deadlines, dates and times when course college professors are available to meet with students to discuss their academic progress, personal concerns, etc. and prerequisites required to register for certain courses are types of information included in syllabi.  You’re encouraged to familiarize with course syllabi before you start taking your first online classes.

Annually rankings of offline and online schools, including online colleges in Ohio and other states, are created and distributed by publications and organizations like US News and World Report, the Princeton Review, College Board and Newsweek.  The numbers of students enrolled at the postsecondary schools, types of undergraduate and graduate degrees offered, licenses and working experience professors at the schools have, institutional budgets and financial health, percentages of college students who graduate on time with degrees and extracurricular activities and programs offered at the schools are types of data measured and covered in the rankings.

Researching and Reviewing Online Colleges

If you review information on the most expensive and cheapest online colleges using school rankings and by jotting down notes when you visit online schools, you might save yourself hours of gathering research material on each school you’re thinking about taking an online course with.  By visiting online college discussion forums and blogs you can also start to measure how pleased current college students are with the schools.  Depending on your lifestyle or family situation (e.g. single adult, married without children) you might consider doing a keyword search on “adult continuing education” while you’re visiting online college websites to learn about programs, tutorials and financial aid available at schools you’re interested in taking courses at.

It’s also important that you take the time to research the accreditations that online colleges and their degree programs have.  This information is included in some online college rankings reports.  You can also find information regarding online college accreditations, including degree program (e.g. engineering, law) accreditations, at the United States Department of Education.  Online colleges that are accredited as an entire organization and that also are accredited in certain disciplines (e.g. nursing, physical fitness, business, music, education) undergo regular administrative, financial, teaching qualification and student graduation reviews.  Generally, semester and quarter credit hours earned at these schools are accepted by other online as well as offline colleges and universities around the country.

Furthermore, some online colleges and universities post answers to frequency asked questions (FAQs) at their websites.  By reading through this information you may find the answers to pertinent questions you have about the schools, their enrollment process, grading systems and advanced or accelerated degree programs.

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Online University Tips

September 15, 2011 By 1 Comment

Tips to Help You Succeed at Online Universities

Online university degree and non-degree programs are offered in a broad range of subjects like mathematics, education, nursing, social sciences, natural sciences, marketing and business.  Courses associated with the degree programs are taught by professors who themselves have undergraduate and/or graduate degrees and working experience in the subjects they teach.  The benefits of attending an online university make enrolling at the schools attractive.  However, differences in classroom vs. online teaching and learning styles may require you to take a different approach regarding your postsecondary education.

When you take college courses in classroom settings, you have professors and classmates around you who may encourage you to start and finish projects, reading assignments and laboratory work on time.  Those support systems are often removed after you enroll in courses at online universities.  This is one of the reasons that you need time and project management skills if you plan on taking one or more online courses.  Be honest with yourself.  If you’re a morning person, consider taking online courses in the morning.  On the other hand, if you’re more alert at night, sign up for online courses after you’ve finished a day of work.

Participate in classroom discussions, laboratory assignments and virtual interactive document sharing sessions offered at the best online universities.  As with classroom courses, professors might grade you on how much you participate in online discussions.  Because you might also get graded on how well researched your college essays are, take the time to visit online or offline libraries and research information using reputable sources (e.g. national newspapers, non-fiction books).  Also jot down notes about information that you read so that you can ask your professors questions about the information at the next class discussion.

Preparing to Take Online University Courses

To ensure you have a computer or laptop that meets your online university’s technological requirements, before you enroll in distance learning courses check with an enrollment counselor to find out the hardware (e.g. memory, video, audio) and software (e.g. Word, Excel) applications needed to complete the courses.  If you don’t have a lot of experience working with computers, take a few days to create documents, conduct Internet searches and upload and download files on the computer you plan to use to complete your online courses with.

Also find out how your professors want to be contacted.  For example, some of your professors might want you to contact them via email, while others might want you to Instant Message (IM) or telephone them with questions and concerns you may have.  Furthermore, it’s important that you confirm that you’re registered to take courses from online universities that are accredited by national, regional and/or local agencies recognized by the United States Department of Education.  Also check that professors working online university teaching jobs have adequate undergraduate and/or graduate degrees.  You can find this information on the school’s “about us” page or by asking your enrollment advisor.

As you identify steps you can take to excel while you take online university courses, you can shorten the amount of time it takes you to understand reading material, information your professors discuss on video and audio recordings and charts, graphs and other tools used to educate you with.  You can also start practicing time management skills over the summer, before you start taking your first online university degree courses.

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Online University Rankings

September 12, 2011 By 2 Comments

Ranking Online Universities for Prospective College Students

The numbers of students enrolled at colleges and universities in the United States increased by as much as 26 percent from 1997 through 2007 according to the National Center for Education Statistics.  In fact, by 2007 nearly 30 million students between the ages of 18 and 24 years attended a postsecondary school.  Online university rankings measure key features and offerings at schools, making it easier for you to decide which colleges and universities are designed to best meet your academic, social, professional and personal needs.

For several years, U.S. News and World Report has ranked online schools as part of its annual college and university rankings.  Some top online universities ranking reports only review certain undergraduate and/or graduate degree programs.  For example, Inside Higher Education reports that U.S. News and World Report focused on reviewing online degree programs like business Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in education, engineering, nursing and information technology programs, disciplines that were mentioned as possibly having some of the highest online enrollments.

Understanding Online University Rankings

Types of information reviewed during online university rankings include:

  • Numbers of students enrolled at the postsecondary school
  • Undergraduate and/or graduate degrees offered
  • Professor teaching credentials
  • Percentage of students who graduate on time
  • Percentage of students who get jobs after they graduate from the school
  • Extracurricular activities available to students
  • Academic support offered
  • Number of years the school has been in operation
  • Accreditations recognized by the United States Department of Education the online school has

As online universities and colleges continue to get reviewed and measured, reports by publications like U.S. News and World Report, the Princeton Review and Newsweek (publications that review and rank colleges and universities) may start to include peer review categories for online schools.  This way accredited colleges and universities can review one another’s performance, possibly offering a more balanced review of the schools.

To complement online university rankings, students and parents can visit blogs and discussion forums for online schools they’re interested in enrolling at.  Keyword searches for items like “student enrollment,” “social events,” “tutoring programs,” “professor support” and “numbers of students who get jobs after they graduate with degrees” may provide information to prospective students that rankings and college admissions and enrollment counselors do not.  Overall, the advent of the Internet is making it increasingly convenient and easier for students to find out details and facts about schools from a variety of sources (e.g. college administrators, rankings organizations, current students and faculty members).

Online university rankings give you a broad overview of degrees, student activities, books and tuition costs, etc. associated with individual distance learning schools.  Current reports such as online university rankings 2010 capture recent administrative, financial and academic changes that have taken place at distance learning institutions of higher education.  These and other best online university ranking reports can save you the time and money of scheduling meetings with admissions counselors at each school you’re interested in attending to ask them pertinent questions about their schools.

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Online Engineering Degree Programs

September 8, 2011 By 1 Comment

Online Engineering Degrees Lead to Rewarding Careers

Online engineering degree programs train college and university students in subjects such as mathematics, science, mining, chemical management, marine biology, technology and analytical designs.  Many of the programs are offered at the graduate degree level.  However, some online engineering degree programs are available at the undergraduate level.  As a full-time student it generally takes four to five years to complete the undergraduate programs and an additional two to three years to complete graduate programs.

Before engineers can perform work for the general public they are required to get licensed according to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The Initial Fundamentals of Engineering is one of the more commonly known licensing examinations that engineers take.  Additionally, in some instances employers work with colleges and universities and establish agreements so that postsecondary schools provide new engineers with two or more years of academic training that focuses solely on engineering concepts and applications.  For this reason, before you enroll in an online engineering degree program, check with your employer to see if there is an existing agreement with a distance learning school that allows you to complete your education at no charge to you.

Online mechanical engineering degree programs, online electrical engineering degree programs and online civil engineering degree programs are types of undergraduate and graduate distance learning programs you can take.  You can also take online engineering degree programs to gain the education to work as a biomedical engineer, computer hardware engineer, electronics engineer, environmental engineer (there may be an increasing demand for these jobs as governments and everyday citizens continue to focus on restoring the planet), industrial engineer or marine engineer.

Course Requirements for Engineering College Students

As an engineer you can work in a variety of environments including offices, mines, laboratories and industrial plants.  During online engineering programs you might take general and more advanced courses such as:

  • Economics
  • Mathematics
  • Software Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology
  • Marine Science
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Technology Marketing
  • Project Management
  • Systems Engineering
  • Engineering Law
  • Law and Ethics
  • Six Sigma
  • Communications

Undergraduate and graduate degrees you can get in engineering include:

  • Associate of Science in Engineering Technology
  • Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering
  • Master of Science in Chemical Engineering
  • Doctorate of Science in Nuclear Engineering

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics most employers require you to have at least a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university before they hire you to work as an engineer.  If you want to work at more senior levels within an organization you may have to return to college and complete more advanced, graduate level offline or online engineering degree programs.  Depending on the job you work at as an engineer (e.g. mechanical engineer, chemical engineer, petroleum engineer) you could experience a job growth that ranges between 6 to 18 percent from 2008 through 2018 according to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Wages engineers typically earn vary but can reach well into six-figures a year.

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Online Courses from Universities

September 5, 2011 By 1 Comment

Online Courses Offered by Accredited Universities

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Online courses offered by university programs are offered at accredited postsecondary schools around the country.  The virtual courses are often interactive, making it possible for you to earn undergraduate and/or graduate degrees in subjects like nursing, mathematics, dentistry, psychology, biology and chemistry that require clinical and/or laboratory work.  Tuition based and free online courses university undergraduate and graduate degree programs can generally be completed within two to eight years, depending on the type of degree you’re seeking.

The University of Phoenix, at times referred to as Phoenix University, requires its professors to have at least a master’s degree and working experience in subjects they teach.  Phoenix University online courses are also available in classroom settings in some states.  In addition to taking University of Phoenix courses, you can also take college courses from other public and private postsecondary schools.  For example, you can generally take University of Washington online courses and/or Columbia University online courses regardless of where you live.

Types of Online University Courses and Degree Programs

Distance learning degree programs are comprised of required courses and electives.  Professors at many of the schools have graduate degrees and several years of working knowledge, allowing them to understand current day challenges and rewards workers in fields you’re majoring in face and/or benefit from receiving.  Subjects at these and other schools you can major or minor in include:

  • Communications and Media
  • Creative Writing
  • Language Arts
  • Computing and Information Technology
  • Environment and Sustainability
  • Education
  • Nursing
  • Medicine
  • Journalism
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Special Education
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Business Management
  • Organizational Psychology
  • Industrial Psychology
  • Social Studies
  • Political Science

Akin to classroom colleges and universities, online schools are designed with specific departments that administer courses in certain academic disciplines, allowing you to obtain a more focused and rigorous postsecondary education.  Types of degrees offered at online universities include:

  • Associate of Arts in Finance
  • Associate of Arts in Creative Writing
  • Associate of Science in Journalism
  • Associate of Science in Medical Assisting
  • Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education
  • Bachelor of Science in Business Management
  • Bachelor of Science in Political Science
  • Master of Arts in Business Administration
  • Master of Arts in Public Administration
  • Master of Science in Accountancy
  • Doctorate of Arts Educational Leadership
  • Doctorate of Science in Higher Education Administration
  • Doctorate of Science in Health Administration
  • Doctorate of Arts in Organizational Leadership

Through online courses university distance learning programs you can accelerate your learning and earn college and university degrees in shorter amounts of time.   Other benefits you gain when you enroll in distance learning programs include flexibility, time management skills and the opportunity to earn degrees while you work full-time jobs and raise a family.  By ensuring that online and offline schools you take distance learning courses from are accredited by national and/or regional organizations you can increase your chances of earning degrees that employers and other colleges and universities will honor.

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Military Online College Courses

September 1, 2011 By 1 Comment

Military Online College Courses Benefit Armed Forces Members

Military online college undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered at community colleges and four-year postsecondary schools.  The undergraduate degrees are available across a variety of disciplines and career fields and take between two and four years to complete.  It can take an additional one to three years to complete graduate military online college degrees.

Colleges and universities have online programs that are geared to fit the financial aid and academic needs you may have as that are related to the branch of service (e.g. Army, Navy) you’re in.   Associate’s degree level programs typically take 61 to 64 semester hours to complete, while Bachelor’s degree programs take up to 120 or more semester hours to finish.  If you plan on retiring from the military within one to two years, consider enrolling in military online college courses that prepare you to get jobs in fields you plan to work at for five or more years.  You can always return to school and earn additional degrees after you start working as a civilian.

Courses Designed for Military Members at Online Colleges

Because the military offers attractive scholarship and student loan programs make sure that you research colleges and universities you want to enroll at to ensure they offer robust educational programs and that they are accredited by national and/or regional agencies recognized by the United States Department of Education.  As a military member you can take online college courses and earn degrees in as many fields as civilian students can.  For example, you can take undergraduate and/or graduate distance learning courses such as:

  • American History
  • Air Warfare
  • Child and Family Development
  • Military History
  • American Revolution Studies
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Psychology
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Sociology
  • Religion
  • Strategic Leadership
  • Civil War Studies
  • Special Education
  • Business Administration
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Business Management
  • Marine Biology
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Corrections Management
  • Counter Terrorism Studies
  • Emergency and Disaster Management
  • Naval Airfare
  • Homeland Security
  • Securities Management
  • Nursing

Some of the best online colleges for military members have agreements with the military to train new enlistees and military officers to serve in the armed forces.  Many of these programs operate through the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC).  If you take courses through these programs as a condition of your military service, you might be able to earn a four-year degree free of charge.  Online colleges for military spouses also have agreements with military branches so these dependents can receive up to four-years of academic training at no charge to the students.  The Post 9/11 GI Bill and the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program are types of programs that provide financial aid for military dependents.

Additionally, some accredited colleges and universities administer their military degree programs through a separate military division.  Other online colleges for military personnel operate their military programs through their regular schools and divisions (e.g. nursing, engineering, business).  To get the most out of taking courses at military friendly online colleges, before you enroll in the academic programs check with your human resources manager at the base where you’re stationed.  Ask the manager about scholarships, grants, loan repayment programs and other financial aid programs you qualify to receive so you can focus on your studies while you’re in school rather than concern yourself with how you’re going to pay college tuition.

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