Online degree programs are gaining credibility as more and more students embrace online learning. The most recent Babson Survey Research Group annual Survey of Online Learning found 6.7 million students, or about a third of all credit-seeking college students in the United States, enrolled in online degree programs.
The Babson survey found that 69% of academic leaders believe online learning is “critical to their long-term strategy.” The most significant statistic from the survey is that 77% of chief academic officers state that online classes are at least as successful as traditional classes in achieving learning outcomes, up from 57% in 2003. This demonstrates the increased credibility of online programs.
U.S. News and World Report recently released its second annual ranking of top online degree programs. U.S. News has been ranking traditional education programs since 1983 to inform students on school quality. Its new report on online programs lends credibility to the emerging online sector. The report gives a qualitative ranking of 237 online bachelor degree programs based on such metrics as graduation rates, academic support services and indebtedness of new graduates.
U.S. News editor Brian Kelly, in a column published when the new ranks were released, said, “Online education lends itself to output measures that are more rigorous than what we see from traditional brick-and-mortar programs.” Online colleges are pleased to get this recognition from U.S. News and World Report because it adds to the credibility of online degrees.
Jennifer Helm, the Vice-President of Institutional Research at American Public University System, said in a press release about the school’s ranking in the U.S. News rankings, “We’re pleased to be recognized for the quality of our undergraduate programs, as such credible rankings can be helpful to discerning students seeking the online program that is right for them.”
Ultimately, it is the job-seeker’s responsibility to sell future employers on the value of his or her degree, whether or not it is online. Graduates of online programs have proven time-management and organization skills, and they can sell employers on the value of these kinds of skills in addition to those attained in the program.
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