Distance Learning Degrees - What Do Employers Think Of Them?
Distance learning degrees and online degree programs have become popular since the internet became a household name. This has opened doors to a great opportunity for those wishing to pursue further education. But just as it is with everything new, the internet has also presented challenges and created room for sale of unscrupulous degrees and diplomas. The figures released by USA Today indicate that in 2003, over 400 diploma mills were in operation and the number was on the increase. Surprisingly, this dubious operation of degree mills seems to be thriving in an industry currently estimated at $500 million per year.
However, despite all the unpleasant information going around about distance learning degrees, the fact is there are plenty of legitimate universities and colleges offering online degree programs. These colleges are legitimate and not involved in any way in offering dubious and fake diplomas. Instead, these colleges are going the extra mile to provide quality education online by taking advantage of all available instructional resources such as quality instructional design coupled with video lectures, online digital libraries and proctored exams to ensure their students get quality education and a valid, qualified diploma. Unfortunately, numerous employers have not yet been sold into this alternative way of acquiring education, thus they still regard such degrees as invalid or dubious.
In an effort to change the negative perception, the U.S. National Education Board has established 6 accreditation agencies to evaluate and provide accreditation to the higher learning institutions meeting the minimum criteria for a quality education, thus differentiating between the bogus degree programs. For example, the Distance education and training council provides accreditation for those institutes solely dedicated to online degree programs. The agency is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
In addition, specific programs in specialized areas can obtain accreditation through the agencies associated with the subject matter. For example, the American Health Information Management Association provides accreditation for qualifying health programs; accounting programs are assessed by the International Association for Management Education. However, it only counts if the agencies are endorsed by the Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Why does accreditation matter to a student? A college accreditation agency evaluates the different aspects of colleges or universities against minimum standard criteria to determine if the particular institution meets set basic requirements that determine the quality of education it should offer. College accreditation is important to ensure that the quality of education, facilities in a college and support given by that college meets certain standards while specialized accreditation checks the excellence of specific programs regardless of the institution offering that program. Likewise it means specialized accreditation check on course content and the curriculum of the program against pre-determined standards of the distance learning college or university.
Accreditation assures employers, parents and students that a respective college awarding degrees has undergone and passed a stringent test of excellence in offering quality education in the respective areas of training. On the other hand, diploma mills and fake colleges don’t meet the same standards of education imposed by the agencies since they don’t possess any legitimate accreditation. Thus courses taken by prospective employees that are accredited by the respective agencies would have met standards imposed on the respective specialized areas.
Nevertheless, in the end, it all comes down to the discretion of the employer. He or she must decide whether potential employees have satisfactorily completed an online degree program. Hopefully, with accreditation through a well recognized agency, the confusion can be eliminated, and a valid resume will make it to the short list of excellent candidates with their distance learning degrees as an impressive symbol of fortitude and dedication to personal achievement.
The author writes articles on various distance learning degrees including online education degree programs.
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