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8 Top Careers For Online Information Technology Degree Graduates
If you enjoy working with computers, learning new programs or testing out the latest computer software products, earning a computer science degree is necessary if you want to find a well paying job in the computer or IT field. Popular hot jobs you can apply for after you graduate include:
Interface designer Systems analyst Database administrator Software Support Software engineer Computer engineer Computer programmer Network Administrator
Each of these careers is rewarding and necessary as more and more companies are in need of those who can use this technology to further their businesses.
One of the best resources for checking out job statistics is the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. According to the 2008-09 edition, 50% of computer programmers hold at least a B.S. Degree in Computer Science or similar area of expertise. With an online IT degree, you will have more opportunities to have the occupation most people only dream about.
How can an online IT degree help you reach an occupational goal?
Equal to a traditional degree program, an online degree will help you achieve any of the premium occupation mentioned above, plus other positions like computer security. However, unlike the students in the regular classroom, you pick the time most convenient to learn and study. Forget rushing from work to attend night classes, fighting for a parking space, or uprooting the entire family schedule.
With online IT studies, you can take classes in the fields of:
Hardware and software design Software development Troubleshooting Networking Data Security Database management Web design Develop security plans
Because most companies use technology systems to carry out business processes and communicate with employees, customers, vendors and others, more and more companies are creating IT departments that employ those who understand how networks function and how to keep them secure. Computer systems and manufacturing companies are also looking for talented individuals to create new software and hardware for consumers. While you earn your degree, you will be able to explore different fields to find one that suits your personality and interests.
How to choose an online IT degree
First, a career decision needs to be made. Find out which IT positions are responsible for most of the hiring. For example, the need for computer programmers seems to be on the decline since 2006. Conversely, the need for computer support and information security is increasing.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, over the next few years, computer support positions are expected to increase by 13%. This means that you should choose a program that allows you to easily find employment immediately upon graduation. An online Information Technology degree that focuses on a certain area within Information Technology is best if you have a particular talent in that area. You can also choose to become a generalist that specializes in a number of areas. Another pointer is to ensure you choose an IT online program from an online college that is accredited.
Earning a degree in Information Technology or one of the many disciplines listed above can help you advance your career in one of the hottest fields today. There are many opportunities for employment once you graduate. While some fields as not a plentiful as others, your chances of finding employment are increased if you have a college degree in Computer Science or IT.
Mary Jackson authors articles for distance learning colleges a guide where you also find information on various online IT degrees programs and colleges.
How To Work And Achieve Distance Learning Education All Together
Distance learning students and those pursuing online degree programs seem to enjoy the best of everything. They get their education without actually needing to attend classes physically, and at the same time are able to keep their jobs and get a paycheck. In fact, this is one of the more prominent distance learning benefits that attract many students to make this their choice of education. In addition to that, distance learning students also gain the advantage of flexibility where they are able to study at their own pace without adhering to class schedules.
However, even learning online is not perfect. It requires a lot of discipline to stay on task and keep personal priorities straight. As a learner, you must be intrinsically motivated to succeed. Without the in-class interaction between peers and the professor, it is more difficult to keep focused on the ultimate goal.
So, how can a distance learner overcome the challenges of shuffling work, school, and family? Creating and sticking to a schedule is the only way to survive and succeed. The trick is to apportion a 24 hour day to include enough time for the family, work, and school responsibilities. Thus, it is very important to let the family in on the plan, and when you should not be disturbed. Again, do not give into the temptation to deviate from the plan.
Staying motivated can be difficult for many who are earnestly striving for a distance learning education. Therefore, it is imperative to stay in contact with fellow students. With the availability of email, instant messages, class online message boards, and online chat, it is a great way to commiserate, encourage, and discuss assignments and projects. Staying in touch with other students taking the class helps in keeping each other active in class and accountable.
Also, do not forget to give yourself a pat on the back once in a while. Set up a calendar of specific goals. When the milestone is reached, reward yourself. Thus, it will be a source of encouragement and help in facing the inevitable hurdles presented by a distance learning education. In essence, it is nice to see and acknowledge personal progress.
Finally, a quiet place to study, away from distractions, is paramount. The television, telephone, and family will be very distracting and take away from quality study. Set times to not be disturbed. If necessary, lock yourself in a quiet room with adequate space to spread out on a table or desk. Sit in a comfortable chair and add any necessary elements to ensure an environment conducive to productive study.
In short, successful completion of a distance learning education is totally dependent on good study habits and the determination of the individual to reach the pre-determined goal. Like any degree program, it takes old fashioned hard work, discipline, and the intrinsic motivation to succeed.
Mary Jackson provides information about various distance learning education degrees and accredited distance learning colleges where you can pursue your online education.
How To Work And Study While Pursuing Distance Learning Education
Distance learning students and those pursuing online degree programs seem to enjoy the best of everything. They get their education without actually needing to attend classes physically, and at the same time are able to keep their jobs and get a paycheck. In fact, this is one of the more prominent distance learning benefits that attract many students to make this their choice of education. In addition to that, distance learning students also gain the advantage of flexibility where they are able to study at their own pace without adhering to fixed class schedules.
However, distance learning education is not without certain challenges. Traditional students are spurred on by the interaction with others and attending the lectures. Without a lot of discipline and intrinsic motivation, distance learners can easily get sidetracked by life and fail to keep up with the coursework needed to pass the class. Enjoy the benefits, but do not forget the responsibilities.
Therefore, how can distance learning students then overcome this challenge? One habit that a student must adopt is good time management. There is only 24 hours in a day and it is up to us to utilize our time in the best way possible. Set up a daily or weekly plan for yourself and ensure that you set aside time for your studies daily. If you have a family, let them know about your schedule so that they know when you should not be disturbed. Divide your time appropriately between your work, your family and your studies. Of course, discipline is important here as any schedule will not do any good if it is not followed.
Getting yourself motivated is also essential towards distance learning education success. One of the ways to do this is to stay in contact with your classmates. With the internet today, it is often easy to stay in touch through email, instant messenger as well as internet phone. Discussing projects or assignments with your teammates will help you stay on track and keeps you and your teammates accountable for one another.
Also, do not forget to give yourself a pat on the back once in a while. Set up a calendar of specific goals. When the milestone is reached, reward yourself. Thus, it will be a source of encouragement and help in facing the inevitable hurdles presented by a distance learning education. In essence, it is nice to see and acknowledge personal progress.
Finally, make sure to have a quiet, undisturbed place to study. It is extremely easy to be distracted by the television, a ringing phone, or normal family activities in the household. If necessary, lock yourself in a quiet room equipped with a comfortable chair, a good desk or table, and ample space to create a productive learning environment.
Distance learning education is an excellent way to improve job skills while opening a door to new job opportunities. However, success depends on the individual. With hard work, determination and the discipline to stay on track and maintain good study habits, academic excellence is within sight, without relocating and sacrificing job and family.
Get started with the right information on legit and credible distance learning education degrees as well as online distance education tips and resources.
7 Tips To Success In Obtaining An Online Education Degree
The ability to obtain an online education degree has opened the educational doors for many students who cannot afford to attend school on campus as a full-time student. Distance learning courses definitely provide some advantages over the traditional college education. But, because of the methods of delivering and receiving the material, students must consider the 7 things necessary in approaching an online education successfully.
1. Choosing the best education online institution – Make sure the institute for higher education chosen has adequate resources and accreditation recognized by the proper authorities. Unless authenticity can be verified, find another school. Sadly, unscrupulous degree mills offer degrees with short-term or no real education. Thus, the diplomas are bogus and absolutely worthless. Find a school that provides solid education, ample student support, and the facilities necessary to succeed in your distance learning.
2. Analyze cost vs. benefit – Some students enroll in a distance learning program without considering the cost. Generally, the cost per credit hour is fairly expensive. However, decide whether the education will translate into better income opportunities down the road. Only after assessing the true benefits can students appreciate the rewards of obtaining an education online degree.
3. Degree validation by employers – No wonder many employers are wary of online degrees. With bogus institutions literally selling degrees, employers have good reason to be doubtful and cautious. Therefore, immediately alleviate any potential misgivings by your prospective employer by offering verification of accreditation through an agency sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Education and CHEA.
4. Practice discipline, intrinsic motivation, and good time management – In the beginning, students may not fully comprehend the discipline necessary to stay focused and keep pace with online classes. It takes strong intrinsic motivation to succeed without the classroom atmosphere and peers. Time management is critical. Setting up communication with other students will be most helpful on the road to success.
5. Utilize all the facilities provided by your college – Many education degree online courses provide online lectures and email access to facilitate communication among students, lecturers and administration staff. It’s important to take full advantage of these services as they keep you “connected” with your accredited online college. It helps further your motivation in your studies when you make use of these facilities to stay in touch.
6. Make use of credit transfers – Many online education degree colleges allow students to transfer their credits from courses they took in previous colleges, whether online or traditional. By doing this, it means students don’t have to repeat courses they learnt before. For this to be effected, it’s important for a student who intends to pursue an education online to make sure they get transcripts and results from their previous universities or colleges and make them available to their accredited online college so they can be passed as transfer credits.
7. Take advantage of technology to complete your class work – Another factor for online education degree success is the opportunity to take advantage of all the conveniences that technology provides. Many accredited online colleges provide students with online digital libraries, databases and resources that a student can use to complete their course work and assignments. In most instances the cost of these facilities is already included in the tuition fees. Thus it makes good sense to make full use of these resources to your advantage.
Mary Jackson contributes articles about education online and distance learning degrees and colleges including information on online education degree programs to meet your educational objectives.
Do Potential Employers Value Distance Learning Degrees?
With the technological expansion of the Internet, distance learning degrees have become increasingly popular. With great support facilities and the convenience of online degree programs, parents and workers can still have a family and a job while receiving an education. Unfortunately, the Internet has also provided an avenue for individuals making money by selling bogus degrees over the Internet. In a 2003 report by USA Today, 400 diploma mills are already in operation, with the shameful industry already worth $500 million per year, and the numbers are still rising.
Nevertheless, many colleges and universities are now offering legitimate degrees and diplomas. Unlike the mills, institutions of higher learning are doing everything possible to provide the same quality of education offered to students in the traditional learning environment. With access to video lectures, online courses, innovative online testing methods, and virtual library facilities, those seeking distance learning degrees can rest assured their diplomas have been justly earned. Unfortunately, many employers’ views have been tainted because of the influx of fake degrees.
In an effort to change the negative perception, the U.S. National Education Board has established 6 accreditation agencies to evaluate and provide accreditation to the higher learning institutions meeting the minimum criteria for a quality education, thus differentiating between the bogus degree programs. For example, the Distance education and training council provides accreditation for those institutes solely dedicated to online degree programs. The agency is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
For the students looking for specific programs of specialization, various associations are available to assess the excellence of these distance learning degrees and grant the necessary accreditation to qualifying schools. For example, accounting programs are scrutinized and accredited by the International Association for Management Education, and health programs answer to the evaluations of the American Health Management Association. Only the agencies recognized by CHEA or the Department of Education have the authority to grant institutional accreditation.
Why does accreditation matter to a student? A college accreditation agency evaluates the different aspects of colleges or universities against minimum standard criteria to determine if the particular institution meets set basic requirements that determine the quality of education it should offer. College accreditation is important to ensure that the quality of education, facilities in a college and support given by that college meets certain standards while specialized accreditation checks the excellence of specific programs regardless of the institution offering that program. Likewise it means specialized accreditation check on course content and the curriculum of the program against pre-determined standards of the distance learning college or university.
Distance learning degrees from accredited institutions assure graduates, parents and prospective employers any degree earned is well deserved. The work completed has met the standards of adequately preparing people in their major area of study. Conversely, it also means colleges and universities not granted accreditation do not meet the standards of excellence required. Nevertheless, for the student who is only taking classes necessary to an area of specialization, only the courses need that all important stamp of approval.
The onus is on the employers to evaluate the credibility and validity of a campus offering distance learning degrees. Due to the rise in fake diplomas, it has only made employers become stricter in checking every applicant’s diploma to ensure it is a valid one from an accredited institution. And since this can sometimes be complex and cumbersome for the employer, as a job applicant, you can make this process easier by providing any vital accrediting information to your prospective employer as you make your job application. This will ensure your application is not over-looked and will elevate your chance of landing a job interview.
Jumpstart your distance learning knowledge with the right information on legit and credible distance learning degrees and programs and campus-based colleges and universities for your educational success.
10 Tips To Help You Select An Online Distance Education College
Accreditation – this is perhaps the most important of the rules. Accreditation confirms that the college meets certain educational standards that are set by the accrediting education agencies. If you earn credits from an accredited online distance education college, chances are you can transfer them to another accredited institution of your choice. Your chances for acquiring a new job or getting a promotion are greatly enhanced if your degree is accredited.
Be aware of degree mills – there are many questionable accrediting agencies out on the internet that are outright fraud and are willing to give fake “accreditation” to any institution willing to pay a certain fee. Some of the degree mills are even owned by these same fake accrediting agencies. Make sure you do your homework and thoroughly investigate the accreditation that the college of your choice claims to have. While many online colleges are legitimately accredited, be aware that there are many that are not. Check out your prospective college to see if the accrediting body is approved by the United States Department of Education or CHEA.
To ensure that the degree program your are considering is aligned with your long-term educational goals, especially if you think you’ll need to advance your degree (for example from bachelors to MBA), it’ll benefit you to check if the online distance education institution you’d want to attend for your MBA accepts transfer credits from another online institution.
Class size is as important in online education as it is in a traditional college classroom. Do your research on the average class sizes at the online distance education institution you are considering. Small classes make it easier to interact and voice your opinion.
Find out if the faculty hold any credentials and if they are qualified to teach the program you want to enroll in. If you can dig further to find out what degrees they hold and if they are experienced in teaching online students, this will save you the distress of finding out later that your instructor is a fellow un-qualified student with no education skills.
Are the administrators, technical staff and faculty responsive if you need help or have questions with your courses? Since every college offers a different form and level of support, make sure you find one that is aligned with your needs and expectations. This will alleviate frustration when you need help during your classes.
Since most colleges begin their online distance education programs anytime and all the time, don’t feel pressured to begin your program right away if you’re not psychologically ready. Online education calls for motivation, thus you should only begin when you feel emotionally set and ready to put the effort to get through with your learning.
Check out if your program will be offered entirely online or if it will require residency at some point in the course. Some online courses have site projects and require residency so let this not come as a surprise to you.
Most online colleges offer financial aid and tuition assistance. You’ll be pleased to discover how much financial help you have available inform of loans, scholarships, financial aid and other federal loans. Some institutions even have tuition payment plans and employer-reimbursement programs. Find out if your college of interest offers such programs.
Take your time to research your best degree option and college out there. Don’t settle for less than you deserve. Unlike there before when online programs were limited, now there are enormous options and colleges to choose from as most traditional colleges are already offering some programs online.
Mary Jackson is an editor for online distance education colleges and programs where you can begin your search for accredited programs and degrees. Find more distance learning resource and tips for success with distance education.
Fake Online Bachelor Degrees – What Should You Check For?
With the rise in demand for online bachelor degrees, many bogus learning institutions have mushroomed over the internet with the sole intention of taking advantage of innocent students seeking for a genuine degree. These so-called “Colleges” often attract applicants with their attractive degree programs which are boasts of easy graduation, low tuition fees, no examinations and credit given for life experience, all of which just sound too good to be true. Some of them even go to the extent of prospecting for customers by sending out bulk email citing university degrees for sale.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult for aspiring students to differential between a real online Bachelor degree and the one that is not worth the paper on which it is printed. Most students are seeking an online education because they do not have the ability to attend classes on campus. In addition, many simply live too far away-even overseas. Therefore, the only criterion for determining a school’s validity is the website. Important decisions are made on whether the site looks professional and seems to offer the right education; but, that is no way to judge whether a college is credible or not.
One of the qualifying factors that can be utilized by students to make correct enrolment decisions is by determining the type of college accreditation that has been received by their college of consideration. If the college vaguely states itself as having “nationwide or worldwide accreditation” without stating specifically which regional accreditation body it is accredited with, then most likely this college does not possess legitimate accreditation.
The six accreditation agencies given the authority to grant college and university accreditation are entrusted with governing the institutions within their geographical section of the United States as follows: New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA), Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA), Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU). With specific states for each agency, it is easier to check whether an online learning facility is accredited and registered.
Another important clue to illegitimacy is mass-emails or mail offering degrees for sale. There are cases of online Bachelor degrees, Masters, or even online Doctorate degrees being obtained by a fixed tuition rate. Some bogus colleges even have the audacity to promise a degree in the mail within 7 days. These unethical businesses take advantage of people who must have a degree in order to get a decent job, or keep the one they have in the first place. However, others take big steps to appear above board and genuine. Displaying evidence of accreditation from a bogus website makes the “school” look real. But, unless one of the 6 authorized agencies is mentioned, it may not be an accredited school. In addition, the only way to earn a college degree is by honest hard work and dedication. If a site offers credit for life experiences, travel, work experience, educational background, or even the amount of books read in the past, rest assured it may not be an institute dedicated to qiality, legitimate and excellent learning.
In short, because of the influx of fake degrees, it leaves the employers worried about the legitimacy of online Bachelor Degrees. Thus to avert these fears and ensure you get a job with an online degree, it is imperative to carefully select a college that possesses all the support and resources to provide quality education approved by the U.S. Department of Education, and granted accreditation through one of the 6 designated agencies with the authority to award proper accreditation to legit institutions.
Mary Jackson specializes in articles on various legit distance learning colleges including online bachelor degrees programs.
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