Online Master's Degrees Resource Guide

One of the biggest opportunities that the increasingly widespread use of the Internet has led to is the chance to complete a degree online. Instead of putting your career on pause to attend a traditional school, you could choose to earn a master's degree online. There are hundreds of accredited online schools that now offer master's degree programs – and this guide will show you the ropes.

Online Master's Degrees: The Essentials

  • An online master's degree program can help you further your education, move ahead in your current position, gain a promotion, earn a raise, or follow up new career opportunities. A master's degree is the educational stepping stone that can lead to a position as a manager, supervisor, administrator, CEO, CFO, or director.
  • According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, someone with a master's degree will earn around $26,000 more annually than someone with a bachelor's degree.
  • More than 4.6 million students took at least one online course in 2008, a 17-percent increase from the previous year, reports The Sloan Consortium.
  • Most online master's degrees are two years in length; each course usually takes six weeks to complete. Most online schools offer a number of options for completing the coursework including a course-by-course basis or open enrollment.
  • Tuition fees for online master's degree programs usually range from $15,000 to $25,000, depending on the intended program of study.

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The Benefits of Studying for a Master's Online

There are a number of reasons why more and more students and professionals are choosing to complete their master's degree of choice online today.

  • Convenience: An online master's degree program allows you to fit your studies around your work and your established schedule, rather than the other way around. You can focus on your graduate degree when it is convenient for you.
  • Flexibility: Online master's degree programs do not have a set lecture schedule. This means that full-time workers can get assignments done at night or at the weekends. Full-time mothers can plan their studying around naptimes.
  • Freedom to work at your own pace and in your own space: You can work from anywhere – outdoors, at the park, on vacation, at a café – and at any time that works for you. If you like to work independently and are self-motivated then this can be a huge advantage.
  • Minimized classroom interruptions or lecture tangents: Some people enjoy the intellectual freedom of heated debates and lecture tangents that go completely off course; others find them a frustrating waste of time. If you prefer to work in a more focused manner, then online programs could be a good fit for you.
  • The comfort of learning from your own home: if small desks in large lecture halls aren't to your taste then you could choose to work from your favorite armchair instead through online learning.
  • The teacher is available outside of office hours: Although interactions are always over the Internet, many online students find their instructors are available to answer questions more often than in traditional schools.
  • Additional skills learned: In addition to the course curriculum, online learning promotes transferable skills such as Internet usage, networking, written communication skills, meeting deadlines, and time management.
  • Efficiency: You save the time that would at a bricks-and-mortar school be spent driving to campus, finding parking, and arriving to class.
  • The cost comparison: Online graduate programs are often (although not always) much cheaper than traditional graduate schools. Kaplan University, for example, offers an online MBA program for $20,540, while most private and state school MBA programs range from $10,000 to $30,000 annually, even before you include the cost of room, board, and books.

Of course, online graduate programs are not for everyone. Some of the common problems for online students include: lack of motivation, loss of social environment and student interaction, technical problems, and the reservations that many employers still have about the value of online degrees. Make sure you weigh your options carefully and look at your goals, your motivation, and your lifestyle before making the decision to study online.

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Top Ten Most Popular Subjects

There are a vast range of master's degree programs now available online, including some of the most sought-after graduate degree such as the Master of Business Administration and Master of Education. The Council of Graduate Studies and the National Center for Educational Statistics indicate the most popular master's degree programs from 2008. They are:

  1. Master of Business Administration – The leader in online master's degree programs, a Master of Business is aimed at aspiring managers, executives, supervisors , and administrators. Course instruction includes corporate finance, marketing, business law, business statistics, and statistics. Many schools including the University of Phoenix offer this prestigious degree.
  2. Master of Arts in Education – Courses include curriculum and instruction, educational assessment and evaluation, instructional technology, and leadership of educational organizations. For aspiring teachers and current teachers looking to fast-track their careers a great place to start is an MA in Education, offered, for instance, at the American InterContinential University.
  3. Master of Public Health – A Master of Public Health lets you advance your career in the public health sector, whether your position is that of a health consultant, a program coordinator, or an administrator. Kaplan University is one of the leading names in online education and offers an excellent online MPH program.
  4. Master of Public Administration – This degree provides instruction in financial management, budgeting, quantitative methods, urban planning, redevelopment, and personnel management. It is ideal for professionals interested in building careers as urban planners, NGO directors, civil engineers, personnel managers, legislative advisors, and policy analysts. Ashford University offers one of the most sought-after online programs.
  5. Master of Engineering – Engineers can advance to positions as project managers or systems engineers with this degree. Colorado Tech is one of many online schools offering this program.
  6. Master of Science in Psychology – Capella University provides an excellent master's degree program for students interested in careers in the mental health industry. Courses include legal and ethical issues in psychology, psychological assessment, behavioral studies, and cognitive perspectives.
  7. Master of Science in Criminal Justice – Everest Online University is one school that offers this prestigious master's degree, with courses in terrorism, forensic science, administration, hostage negotiation, and law enforcement. Completion of this degree can lead to a career in forensics, crime prevention, or criminal investigation.
  8. Master of Science in Information Technology – Virginia Tech Online is one of the leading online schools for technical degrees, including the Master of Science in Information Technology. This degree includes courses on networking, software development, information security, business information systems, and decision support systems.
  9. Master of Science in Nursing – Qualified nurses considering advancing their careers can do so most effectively with an MSN. There are a number of programs offered by Grand Canyon University, including courses in healthcare research, ethics, policy and finance, and nursing education.
  10. Master of Social Work – Another popular master's degree, the Master of Social Work can lead to a range of careers in mental and community health at schools, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Saint Leo University offers a 62-credit program that includes coursework in human behavior, social welfare policy, and advanced clinical practice.

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How to Know if an Online Master's Course is Legitimate

Many people worry about the legitimacy of an online graduate degree, and its acceptability with potential employers. How will an online master's degree fare in job-market competition? These are valid concerns, but following this advice will help you guarantee the legitimacy of your online master's degree:

  • A recent survey done by Diverse Education reports that 62 percent of employers surveyed had a favorable attitude toward online instruction, and perceived the quality of online learning to have the same merit as classroom instruction.
  • In a survey conducted by Excelsior College and Zogby International and reported by CNN, 83 percent of CEOs and small business owners nationwide said they considered an online degree to be as credible as one earned through a traditional campus-based program.
  • Although online education has come a long way in the last few years it is still important to watch out for online scams. The US Department of Education warns students about diploma mills – fraudulent online institutes that operate without supervision or accreditation. The fake diplomas and degrees sold by these companies are worthless on the job market. So how can you protect yourself from them?
  • One of the most important elements for determining online program legitimacy is accreditation. Accreditation is the official process of determining whether a school meets acceptable levels of quality, as set out by an official commission. The US Department of Education provides a database of all accredited institutes and programs. You should check this database before applying to any online school.
  • There are three types of accreditation: Regional, National, and Programmatic. Regional accrediting bodies accredit institutions in a specific geographic area of the States, and offer the most prestigious form of accreditation. National accrediting bodies accredit institutions across the States, mainly focusing on vocational schools. Programmatic accrediting bodies accredit specific programs rather than whole institutions, again right across the States.
  • Certain careers require you to have programmatic accreditation in addition to regional or national accreditation. For instance, you should check that your teaching degree is accredited by the National Council of Accreditation for Teacher Education, or that your master's in public administration is accredited through the Council on Education for Public Health.
  • Another important thing to check for is whether or not the school you are interested in offers government funding. If your school participates in the Federal Student Aid Programs, such as the Federal Pell Grant and the Stafford Loan, then this is a sign of recognition by the federal government, and hence legitimacy in the program.
  • The Better Business Bureau suggests that student watch for the following red flags when considering an online program: Master's degrees that take only a few months to complete; accrediting agencies not listed by the US Department of Education; tuition that is paid on a per-degree basis; names that are similar to well known reputable universities; and addresses that are box numbers or suites.
  • Finally, it's sensible to look at student reviews and online forums, since these provide first-hand experience from online graduates. Students Review and US News are two good places to browse.

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Where to Look for Scholarships

There are a number of different sorts of scholarships available for online master's degree students. Essentially, there are school-specific scholarships, organization and association scholarships , and community scholarships. Ideas for finding scholarships include talking to community businesses, searching through online databases, and checking with your online graduate school of choice.

  • One of the best places to look for scholarships and financial aid assistance is your school's website. American Intercontinental University, for example, offers a Career Education Scholarship Fund program for their online graduate and undergraduate students. Almost all accredited online schools offer scholarship programs. Check under the Financial Aid or Student Services sections on their websites.
  • Many organizations offer scholarship opportunities, such as Scholastic, which sponsors the Big Dream Scholarship annually, in association with the American College of Education.
  • You should also check with associations related to your master's degree of choice. For those pursuing an online Master of Business Administration degree, for example, the National Black MBA Association sponsors an MBA Scholarship Program, as does the National Society of Hispanic MBA's.
  • Degree Directory sponsors a $500 scholarship for online master's degree students.
  • Scholarship search engines are a great place to continue your search for online master's degree scholarships. Keep in mind that with many scholarship search websites, you may have to register for their services, but you should never have to pay for a scholarship search.
  • The best place to go on the web is Student Aid on the Web, a scholarship database sponsored by the US Department of Education. You can browse scholarships by keywords (master's degree, MBA, MFA etc.). Scholarship information includes a website, contact information, and scholarship details including the amount, the program specifics , and the eligibility requirements.
  • Another excellent site for scholarships is FastWeb, which connects you to more than 3.4 billion dollars in scholarship opportunities. Once you sign up and fill in your information, FastWeb finds scholarships that match your details.
  • Other excellent scholarship databases include School Soup, College Net, College Answer, and College Board. All of these databases are free, and offer a simple search engine that uses your personal information, your background history, and your intended area of study to find the best possible scholarship matches for your higher education.
  • Although it may be tempting to send one universal scholarship application to a number of different schools and organizations, you are unlikely to be very successful with this approach. Scholarship boards are looking for your personality to shine through. Be honest and upfront about your accomplishments, your goals, and your desire to succeed in your online master's degree program. Include sports teams, organizations, and volunteer work you have accomplished, as community involvement is often a factor in determining the best candidate.
  • Always remember that the best way to stand out from the crowd is to double and triple-check all your answers for spelling and grammatical errors. The wrong ‘there' could end up costing you $1,000 in tuition. Take your time to ensure this does not happen to you.

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Top Tips for Studying Online

One of the hardest parts about completing a master's degree online is finding the motivation and discipline needed to actually do the work. Next time you have the urge to turn on the television rather than buckle down and study, check out these excellent blogs for study tips and advice on some of the most common online study programs:

  • The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University is worthy of bookmarking for any student, regardless of the degree you are pursuing. OWL comes complete with grammar guides, citation and referencing guides, and tips for business and technical writing.
  • Many graduate courses such as teaching, social work, and psychology require that students pass an exam to acquire certification. An excellent blog to look at if you have such an exam looming is Teaching Solutions, which discusses tips for passing all sorts of tests including the PRAXIS, the PLACE, and the GACE.
  • Study Guide Zone is another great place to go for test preparation. It has test advice and tips for exams right across the board, including business tests, financial tests, teachers' tests, and vocational tests.
  • One of the best study guides on the web today is Study Guides and Strategies, which breaks down studying into a number of sections, including Time Management, Problem Solving, and Memorizing. With an entire section dedicated to Online Learning and Communicating, you will be able to acquire the basic study tools needed to succeed in any online course.
  • Another excellent site for advice on studying is Cramster. The largest online study community, this site will connect you to articles, forums, and textbook help targeted towards a number of different master's degree subjects.
  • For students pursuing an online Master of Business Administration course, check out the MBA Depot, an excellent online source for advice and studying tips for the next generation of CEOs and CFOs.
  • Online Master of Education students can benefit immensely from Sites for Teachers, which links to hundreds of educational websites, and has sundry ideas for lesson plans and teaching resources. Sites for Teachers also links to a number of social networks especially designed for new and aspiring teachers.
  • Teaching students should also bookmark Test Preparation, a basic guide to teacher certification in every state. This site explains the test layout and what you can expect, as well as providing excellent study tips.
  • Master of Engineering students can prepare for their examinations and access a number of study tips with The Power to Pass, a site dedicated to licensing and exam prep products for engineering and design students.
  • Master of Psychology students should check out Guide to Psychology, a sassy blog that offers a quick review of all things psychology, plus plenty of links to different psychology organizations.
  • Master's degree students majoring in other programs such as Criminal Justice, Fine Arts, or Health Sciences can benefit from browsing through associations and organizations in their specific field of study. For example, the National Criminal Justice Association offers an Education and Events section.

Earning an online master's degree is a smart way to advance your career and stand out from the others in your field. Using these resources to find your ideal program, you will be well on your way to attaining a promotion, enhancing your job fulfillment , and expanding your career options for the future.

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