Online Degree News and Views

As online programs are becoming more and more accessible, many job hunters are turning to online Associate degrees or 2-year degrees to jump-start their career. These degrees offer job opportunities in some of the most dynamic and rapidly growing fields including criminal justice, graphic arts, and business. These careers require a two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree.

You might also consider earning an online associate degree in counseling and psychology. This would enable you to pursue a career in assisting others. Other careers that are in demand for Associate Degree holders include computer programming, information technology management, veterinary and technician.

With the advent of the Internet, continuing education is more accessible than ever via online distance learning. An online Associate Degree will give you the tools that your need for a better future by increasing your potential for a better career and income.

Prior to the online 2-year degree, one had to attend a community college to graduate with an accredited associate degree. Online learning is effective in acquiring your associate degree as it gives you the freedom to study anywhere you want 24/7.

If you’re short of a bachelor’s degree, there are other high paying jobs that you might want to consider. A dental hygienist makes about $58,350 per year. To practice along with a dentist, a dental hygienist requires an associate degree and an accredited school certificate. If you have people skills, it’s definitely a plus and you also need to have a high degree of manual dexterity since the work leaves little room for mistakes.

Being a commercial pilot is another option with a 2-year degree. In order to earn your license from the Federal Aviation Administration, applicants require 250 hours of flying experience. According to the Bureau of Labor, one fifth of all pilots are commercial pilots. Their average income is about $53870.

If you’re a science and math buff, you can try your hands at working as a nuclear power plant technician, which also requires an associate degree. Some of the work that you will be doing if you choose this career will be to monitor radiation, take care of lab instruments, and observe experiments. This kind of work at nuclear plants is more practical when compared to the work done by scientists, who tend to have more training.

You might also want to think about becoming a fashion designer with an associate degree. If you are naturally creative, are good with detail, color, and proportion, then this is the career for you. You will also need a sense of ingenuity, sewing and making patterns and sketching.

Normally fashion designers have an associate degree in fashion design or fine arts and have a working knowledge about textiles, fabrics, and trends in fashion. However, the field itself is highly competitive as the job turnover is low and there are very few new openings. One in four fashion designers had their own business in 2004, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average income was around $55,840.

For more information on online accredited degree programs, visit www.elearningyellowpages.com. Elearningyellowpages.com has an extensive directory of online schools that offer associate degrees.

How many years of college for a bachelor’s degree?  It depends.  While most on-campus bachelor degree programs take 4 years to complete, there are ways to earn your degree in a shorter period of time. Accredited online degree programsoften make it possible to earn a degree of any type faster.

Why are online bachelor degrees possible to earn in less than 4 years?  Here are some reasons:

1. If you earn an online college degree, the programs are self-paced.  Therefore, it is possible to work at a faster pace and complete the degree program in fewer years than if you were attending a campus based program which are more regimented and inflexible.
2. Many online degree programs are accelerated.  They offer  individuals who have been in the workforce and have experience credit for that life experience.  In fact, for working adults there are some degree programs that may be completed in as little as 10-24 months.



3. Some people have a few credits they earned before in associate degree programs, or other college degree programs that may be transfered to a bachelor degree program.  Don’t hesitate to ask each program in which you are interested if they will accept your past credits. 

So if you are interested in earning a bachelor degree, but you’re afraid it will take too many years, check out some of the top tier universities and colleges that offer accelerated online degree programs.  It may be just right for you.

Online nursing degrees are a great way to continue working and taking care of your family and other obligations, while earning your BSN or MSN. The University of Phoenix RN to BSN Online Program and many other top universitiy programs offer the convenience of earning your Bachelor of Science Nursing Degree entirely online.  You work at your own pace, and at your convenience from anywhere you have access to a computer and an Internet connection.

There are also some great online Masters Degree in Nursing, and Masters Degree in Health Administration online programs that can also be completed entirely online.  Adding to your credentials is helpful if you wish to advance in your nursing career, or even move into a different area of healthcare such as administration. 

Since online degree programs differ in methods of delivery, be sure to request information from each of the schools that offers your target program.  Select the university or college online program that is best suited to your learning style, time schedule, and financial situation. 

Remember, it’s never too late to start earning your degree to improve your future!

Want to go back to school and earn on online college degree?  Are you a single mom who doesn’t have sufficient funding to earn your degree?  If so, you will be glad to know that there is help out there for you!

There are free grants and scholarships for single mothers.  You just have to do your homework, and research the available funding sources.  Here is some advice as to how to find these opportunities if you are a single mom looking to improve your future:

1. Start with the school at which you are interested in obtaining your degree. Request information from more than one school, and ask if they have scholarship or grants for single mothers or women in general.  Contact the schools financial aid office.
2. Compile the necessary financial documentation (income tax returns, etc.). Check out the helpful list located at www.fafsa.ed.gov/before001.htm.
3. Complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). This step opens the door for virtually all types of financial aid including the Pell Grant, Cal Grant, scholarships and low interest student loans.
4. Sometimes the best place to look for a college scholarship or grant is in your own backyard. Local groups, clubs, businesses, churches, and organizations are all potential sources for scholarships and grants. Usually, these types of scholarships are not widely publicized, so you may need to do more legwork to find them; however, that means fewer applicants and higher odds of winning.
5. Don’t be afraid to try a free scholarship matching service.  Schloarship matching services such as ScholarshipExperts or FastWeb.com are two examples of great online sources to help you find the financial aid you need.  You complete a questionnaire and they search their database of all scholarship and grant funding sources to match you with the ones for which you may qualify.  It can save you a lot of time.  FreeScholarshipGuide offers a guide that you can download for free, and FreeSchoarshipGuide offers a Bi-Annual $5000 Scholarship Contest

Remember, it’s never too late to continue your education.   Apply for grants and scholarships to make a brighter future for yourself and your children.

Working single mothers have many more options available than ever before to help advance their careers or start entirely different careers. Accredited online degree programs give them those choses and options.

Online Associate Degree programs and scholarships and grants offered for single mothers returning to school to complete degrees. Visit the library or student financial aid Web sites for eligibility and scholarship requirements.

Also, check with your employer to see if they offer any tuition help for workers who want to continue their education. Some employers have grants and programs that aid employees returning to school, especially if your degree will advance your skills and be a benefit to the industry upon completion.