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Most Frequently Asked Questions about Distance Learning. Distance education is an increasingly popular way to study for everything from a short professional course to a doctoral degree in the United States, and numerous institutions offer graduate degree programs using distance education teaching methods. Under the distance education model, students do not attend classes in a classroom on a campus; instead, classes are delivered "from a distance" through the use of technologies such as the Internet, satellite television, video conferencing, and other means of electronic delivery. For international students this means that they can study for an U.S. degree without leaving their home country, though they may have to go to the U.S. for short periods of face-to-face contact and study on the campus. |
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How is distance learning courses categorized according to primary technologies they use to deliver instructions? A wide range of technological options fall into four major categories: |
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What are admission requirements to enter DL programs? One misconception people sometimes have about DL is that because these programs use nontraditional methods of instructions they also use nontraditional admission requirements. It is not the case. Students who apply to distance -learning programs face the same number of admission requirements (a certain GPA minimum, admission tests (TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, etc), previous degree, etc.) that applicants of other programs have. |
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What are the most common fields of study taught by distance education? The five most common fields of study taught by distance education include social sciences, business, education, computer science and health. |
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I have found the DL program using Yahoo search. Does the fact of its existing in Internet can garantee its quality? Absolutely Not. Much of the information on the Internet is not filtered or fact-checked. Web sites are not checked with any scrutiny to determine if the site is operating from a scam or legitimate position. Anyone can create a Web site and submit their URL to a master Web directory or engine for indexing. To complicate matters the .edu (education) domain extension on Web and e-mail addresses is not regulated at present either. Do not be misled into thinking that a Web site or e-mail message that has .edu at the end of it MUST be a real educational institution! For these reasons, you cannot assume that because a university has a Web page listed at a popular online site, like Yahoo! or AltaVista, that this fact alone "legitimizes" the college and what it has to offer. You must carefully scrutinize all information that is available on the Internet in order to protect yourself from fraud or from investing in an education that may not meet your personal needs. |
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What are the most popular DL web sites? There are hundreds of interesting web sites devoted to DL. Below you will find only some of the many related to that issue. |
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Do Most schools offer DL accredited programs? To defend yourself from the DL programs that take students money but provide no education you should check the accreditation of the programs. Regional Accreditation. Most reputable universities' DL programs are accredited by one of the Six Regional Boards that accredit universities: MSA - Middle State Association of Colleges & Schools, NASC - Northwest Association of Schools & Colleges, NCA - North Central Association of Colleges & Schools, NEASC - New England Association of Schools & Colleges, SACS - Southern Association of Colleges & Schools, WASC - Western Association of Schools & Colleges. Accreditation by the Distance Education & Training Council. The Distance Education & Training Council (DETC), formerly National Home Study Council, is the oldest national non-government agency in the US dedicated specially to accrediting programs that are delivered through distance means. While many of the schools it accredits are vocational, such as truck driving, small engine repair etc, the Council is empowered to accredit academic schools offering Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's degrees. It can't accredit schools offering Doctorate degrees. Programmatic Accreditation. In addition to accreditation, which is granted to an institution as a whole- like regional and DETC designations-special programmatic accrediting agencies (professional groups) can accredit or approve only one specific program or department within a college or university. For example, professional programs could be accredited by the American Psychological Association, by the Accrediting Board for Engineering & Technology or by the National League for Nursing. Employers in certain professional fields could ask for this kind of accreditation. Unrecognized Accreditors. You should be aware that universities or colleges that have no legitimate accreditation could use an impressive name of accreditors that in fact means nothing (like "accredited worldwide" or "nationally accredited"). Names like "Accrediting Commission for Specialized Colleges", "Alternative Institution Accrediting Association", Council for the Accreditation of Correspondence Colleges" are used to give an accreditation to any schools that pay, but most of these schools are phony. |
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Do most schools give degrees (BA, BS, MA or MS) or just a certificate of completion for DL program? Distance learning can offer professional certification as well as awarding of degrees. For teachers, managers, accountants, nurses, engineers, and computer specialists, DL is a good opportunity to meet professional certification requirements. Distance learning courses are also popular in the vocational fields. There is also the opportunity for students to earn degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, and graduate level. This opportunity has grown over the last few years. Several reference books outline both possibilities for students. For detailed information about certificate and degree programs, see "Guide to Distance Learning Programs. Peterson's 2000"(calt0026), "How to Get a College Degree Via the Internet."1998, "The Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools"1999 (calt0006), "College Degree by Mail" 1997(calt0028), and "The Electronic University"1993 (calt0012) at our center. |
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Is the quality of the DL programs generally good? The DL program market is growing very quickly. There are a lot of programs that are too young and not well organized. To find a good program, a student should take into consideration several factors: The cost of a reputable distance degree program is generally comparable to or a bit more expensive than its on to-campus counterpart (for out-of-state students the graduate degree by DL could cost close to $20,000 - $30,000). If the price looks too good to be true, it's better to be suspicious about this program. Regarding method of payment (credit card, money order or other opportunities) you'd better ask the program directly. Student Services: |
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Generally, how long does it take to complete a distance education program? It really depends on the program. The certificate program could be from several days to one or two years. The degree programs should meet the requirements of getting the degree in terms of hours or credits. For undergraduates it usually takes around 128 hours for completing the degree. A graduate degree is determined in terms of credits. For receiving the graduate degree the universities or colleges require 30- 60 credits. You should ask the program if it is necessary to complete the courses by the strict deadline (for example, exactly in two years) or is it possible to have more time for distance students. A lot of programs give a more flexible timeline for receiving the degree (for example, 3-4 years instead of 2 years). |
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What is the value of DL diploma? Is it difficult to find a job with this type of diploma/certificate? Do employers recognize them as quality education? Most of the students of DL programs are people of middle age (average-40 years) who could not leave their work to go back to school for professional development. DL programs are a good option for those people who clearly understand the necessity of receiving the professional certificate or degree for their career but have no time or possibility to attend on-campus study. Often an employer will pay for their employee's study. In most cases, the employer recognizes the DL degree or certificate received in an accredited program with a good reputation as a sign of professional growth. |
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What are the best DL programs in best universities? The list of universities ranked in the top ten by their fields that offer DL programs: |