Worldwide Degree Programs and Distance Education

Wouldn’t it be great if you could earn an art degree from a university in Paris, a fashion degree from Milan or an architectural degree from a New York City college without ever having to leave the comfort of your own home  Well, if you have a computer and a reliable internet connection that’s exactly what you could do via a distance education program.  There are currently thousands of colleges, universities and private institutes offering worldwide degree programs for students through distance education, and while some require at least partial attendance, there are many more that necessitate no physical attendance whatsoever. To help you become better acquainted with this ever-growing and extremely popular mode of education, below we will discuss worldwide degree programs and distance learning in a bit more detail, including a description of how these programs work and some information regarding the type of people who make for great distance education candidates.

Worldwide Degree Programs and Distance Education

Distance education programs have been around for over 50 years, but it wasn’t until the late 1990s that these programs began to gain a measure of credibility.  In the past, the mere mention of an online education would conjure up images of non-accredited universities and fake or virtually worthless degrees, but today that image has changed dramatically.  That’s because In the last two decades, the prevalence of personal computers and increased global access to the Internet, have resulted in the exponential growth of worldwide degree programs through distance education—quality programs offered by renowned institutions.  Most universities today have at least some form of distance education, including major universities throughout the world that are consistently ranked among the world’s top schools.  College administrators and faculty have discovered that by providing certain degree programs in an online format they could afford students greater access and reach a portion of society that would otherwise be excluded.  Now students can take university-level coursework and enter worldwide degree programs wherever they wish, without being limited by distance, time or handicap.

In distance education, students send and receive assignments over the Internet and can complete them at their leisure at times when it’s most convenient for them.  These worldwide degree programs are today aided by several new technologies that make communication and staying in touch much easier, including email, instant messaging, text messaging, video conferencing and even virtual classrooms, where students can attend lectures in real-time via their home computer.  Some of these worldwide degree programs require a minimal degree of physical attendance, usually for things like exams or guest lectures, but many programs are designed to completely eliminate the need for any physical attendance, including exams that are given online.

Worldwide Degree Programs  Are You a Good Candidate for Distance Education

Distance education will probably never entirely replace the traditional classroom experience, but it does make sense for many people, including

•           Full-time employees who lack the time (and energy) to attend classes because of their job responsibilities

•           Stay-at-home moms and dads

•           People in rural and remote regions where university education is not available

•           Adults and seniors interested in taking enrichment classes

•           People limited by physical, mental or emotional disability

•           And more…

Naturally, to be a candidate for worldwide degree programs in an online format you will need to be self-disciplined and motivated, able to complete your weekly assignments by the agreed upon deadline.  You should also be at least somewhat familiar with the required computer technology, understanding the basics of programs such as email, video and text messaging, Microsoft WordExcelPower Point and others.

If you meet these requirements your educational landscape is virtually limitless.  No longer are you limited to the higher education programs in your hometown, but you’re free to pursue the education of your choice at the school or university of your dreams.