The trend of enrolling in an online degree program in United
States of America has escalated in past few years. Some time back, in 2010, the
online enrollment graph clinched a rocket-high figure of 6.1 million (students)
according to a study and if we go with the facts and figures presented in the report
by Babson Research group, they predicted that this trend will escalate in
coming years.
The credit should be given to the depressing economy and cut
– throat competition in the job market that derived the surpassing admissions
in online degree programs in 2007-11. Also, many eminent private and public
educational institutions proffered their online degree programs which won over
many enrollments. Observing this escalating trend, universities and colleges
across the states of America incorporated these new-age education programs into
their long term strategy plan. Hence, within few years more than 2600
institutions comprised online degree plans as a part of whole educational
policy.
The online course programs which are catching up the trend
wheel, as reported by U.S. News were related to business, engineering, nursing,
education and computer information technology. These ratings were given on the
basis of the availability of the course content of a university or college on the
World Wide Web. The above mentioned bachelor courses had up to 80% of their
content online. Around 200 bachelor degree programs were ranked in this report
and were divided into three different categories – the evaluation of student’s
engagement (or assessment), student services and technology, and faculty
credentials and training. Whereas around 550 master’s degree programs were
ranked on the same list. The criteria was similar except for student assessment
was replaced by student engagement and accreditation.
The Pace University in New York and the University of
Florida ranked among the top choices for an online bachelor’s degree program,
whereas Auburn University (Alabama) and George Washington University
(Washington D.C.) topped the choice for master’s program which mainly includes
degree in education, business and nursing.
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