Online distance learning is one of the most convenient ways to earn a college degree. You do not have to leave work early, drive through traffic, or hire a babysitter in order to attend your classes. All your classes take place online, and you can "attend" them any time you choose, by logging on with your home computer.
There is no one single way to earn your college degree online. Learning formats and course materials vary among different online universities. This guide includes general information about the kinds of experiences you will have in enrolling in an online degree program, taking classes online, and completing your assignments.
Table of Contents:
- The Enrollment Process - Before you begin your online education journey.
- Signing Up For Classes - Seeking out academic advice.
- Getting Started With Coursework - Learning about online learning.
- Accessing Your Assignments - How to receive and turn in your work.
- Attending Online Classes - How your classes will be structured.
- Doing the Work - How much time you need to devote to online learning.
- Earning Your Degree - How long it will take to earn your degree.
The Enrollment Process
Before you begin your online education journey.
Once you have decided on the degree that you would like to earn, you should start by requesting information from online universities that offer that type of degree. All online university web sites have a "Request For Information" application that allows you to request detailed information on enrolling in the college, and on the requirements for the degree that you are seeking.
Most online universities will assign you to an Enrollment Counselor, who will guide you through the process of enrolling in the college, filling out necessary forms, and paying tuition. Your Enrollment Counselor will also help you to transfer in any credits from previous college courses or work experience that might apply to your degree.
Online universities also have Financial Aid Counselors who can help you to find scholarships, grants, and loans to pay for your tuition. If you are receiving financial aid through your employer or the U.S. Armed Forces, a Financial Aid Counselor will help you to set up a payment plan for your tuition.
Signing Up For Classes
Seeking out academic advice and ensuring your schedule fits you.
When you have enrolled in the degree program of your choice, the online university will assign you an Academic Advisor, who will work with you to develop a plan for completing your degree. Your Academic Advisor will advise you on how to complete your courses according to your personal preferences, schedule, and time requirements.
Most online courses have a specific start and end date. Some courses may last for a month or six weeks; others may run quarterly, and last several months. Usually, classes will have a specific time period in which you must sign up for them, i.e. at the beginning of the online university's academic semester.
Getting Started With Coursework
Becoming familiar with online learning and beginning your coursework.
Once you have signed up for classes and paid your tuition, it's time to begin your coursework. Very likely, your first course will be about online learning itself. Many online universities have an introductory course or online tutorial that teaches their students what they need to know about being an online student at that university. This course will help you to get familiar with the online learning process.
As part of this course, you will learn how to complete your assignments according to the university's learning format, and how to send them in for evaluation. The introductory course may include practice tests that you can take online. You will learn how to interact and exchange information with your online instructor and classmates. The introductory course will also typically show you how to access library resources and do online research, and how to access the university's support services, such as Career Counselors and Technical Support.
Accessing Your Assignments
How to retrieve learning materials for your classes.
The method and format for accessing and completing assignments varies among different online universities. In general, most online universities have an "online classroom" for each course. This is usually an interactive web site where you download your course assignments in a common word processing format (i.e. Microsoft Word). You can then complete the assignment and return it to you instructor by e-mail in that format.
The "online classroom" will usually include important course materials such as the course syllabus, calendar, and book list of required reading. If any special software is needed for you to access the "online classroom," the university will either send it to you, or have you download and install it from their web site before your first class begins.
Attending Online Classes
How you should expect your online classes to look.
In taking an online course, you will interact with your instructor and fellow classmates in a variety of ways. At the beginning of each course, you will normally receive a Contact List for the class. This list includes contact information -- names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc. -- for the instructor and all students in the class. You can use this list while taking the course to contact your instructor and fellow students at your convenience.
In most cases, you will access class lectures and presentations by your instructor through the "online classroom" page for the course. Online lectures are normally made available to students through interactive multimedia, such as streaming audio or video combined with visual materials (i.e. Power Point slides). Hard copy transcripts of the lecture can usually be printed from the "online classroom" page, or requested from the instructor.
Class discussions between students and instructors are conducted either by group e-mail or through online discussion threads (similar to message boards) on the "online classroom" page. Again, there is no "set time" when you must log on for each class. In schools that use online discussion threads, students typically log on 2-5 times per week to post their comments in class discussions.
Some online university courses have minimal class attendance requirements. In such cases, you may be required to attend one or two classes at a local campus of the college. For example, you may be asked to attend an opening class in person at the beginning of the course, do the coursework online from your home, and attend a closing class in person at the end of the course.
Doing Online Class Work
How much time you need to spend in class and working on assignments.
In terms of educational quality, accredited online universities offer courses and degree programs that are equal to those offered by four-year universities and colleges. This means that the online courses you will take will be every bit as challenging as the courses you would take in a traditional college.
In general, online university students devote the same number of hours (i.e. 10-20 hours per week, including virtual class time and time needed to complete assignments) to their education as part-time students at traditional colleges. Completing online assignments requires the same academic effort, intellectual investment, and attention to detail that you would apply to college-level assignments that you receive in a classroom setting.
Earning Your Degree
How long it will take until you get your diploma from an online university.
The time it will take you to earn your online degree depends on several factors, including:
- The degree program you are enrolled in
- Whether you transfer in previous college or university credit
- The speed at which you complete your courses, according to your own personal schedule.
Again, online universities do not have set time periods or deadlines for students to earn their individual degrees. You can take as little or as much time as you prefer to complete your degree program.
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