The big online players in the for-profit educational sector are easily identified and it is fair to say that they retain their market share not just with advertising dollars but also with the delivery of a quality product.  Those that slip into mediocrity are usually caught up by the public complaints of unhappy student/customers and work at regaining their academic polish.

The listings of traditional schools here include a few that have launched ambitious online programs and that have very large campus populations, but the use of these relatively new online programs at this point is mostly conjecture.  But education has its learning curve too, so the universities that have opened up diverse and interesting academic programs in the distance learning modality today will be leading among the larger group of traditional schools involved in online distribution a few years hence.  Here is a collection of online schools with well established student flow and with programs that are rapidly driving increased student traffic.

1. American International University operates campuses on three continents – a school that is truly international in scope.  The AIU online program has a decent selection of bachelor and master degrees in business administration, criminal justice, education, design, and information technology.
2. Argosy University has an online program in education that offers both Masters and EdD programs.  IN addition there is a school of business, a school of health sciences, a school of psychology & behavioral studies, and a school of undergraduate studies.
3. Ashford University has one of the most impressive arrays of online degrees to be found among any of the universities currently providing distance learning.  Their MBA program alone offers fourteen areas of concentration, or majors.
4. Ashworth College is a veteran in the career college wars but has survived with an online program that shows a comprehensive selection of undergraduate degrees, graduate programs, certificates and now a high school completion option.
5. Capella University has twenty one undergraduate majors available online and eight masters degree options available in information technology alone.  It is a full service university online.
6. DeVry University is probably the second largest school of its type in the nation.  Their online program is clearly designed to emulate the classroom experience and the number of academic options available online matches those of an established brick-and-mortar college.
7. Everest University online offers programs in accounting, business, criminal justice, homeland security and paralegal.  Everest College is a sister ship operating out of Arizona that has its own regionally accredited set of online programs in similar areas, substituting business administration and criminal investigation for homeland security and paralegal.
8. Herzing University’s distance learning program has several vocational type options in its undergraduate portfolio, but also includes an MBA program and a Master of Science in Nursing course of study.  It’s a well balanced program.
9. ITT Tech operates over one hundred campuses in the United States and cumulatively serves over seventy thousand students.  Their educational divisions and degrees are divided among the School of Business, School of Information Technology, School of Drafting and Design, and School of Criminal Justice
10. Kaplan University is owned by the Washington Post media company and has served as one of the profit centers keeping a sinking newspaper empire afloat.  It is respected for the quality of education offered and the range of degrees available online.
11. Liberty University Online offers more than 35 degrees, from associate to doctoral, and 90 specializations, with about 32,000 online students currently enrolled.
12. Northeastern University is the most impressive online effort by a traditional university in New England.  Northeastern has brought a lot of credibility to the distance learning field by virtue of its tremendous academic commitment to an excellent online catalog.
13. Penn State World University is still leading the way among traditional schools that have gone into distance learning with a program that includes over seventy degrees and certificates.
14. Penn-Foster is a large operator of campuses in the for-profit educational world.  Their online options are limited to associate degrees and bachelors degrees, as well as a high school program for students who have some credits to complete.
15. Strayer University operates several campuses but displays an uncommon commitment to online education as well, which is why even though they are a moderately sized multi-state academic operation they have over 40,000 online students.
16. State University of New York operates the SUNY Learning Network, which is a distance learning collaborative operated by the school administration but driven by course and degree programs contributed by one of the two dozen or so campuses in the state university system.  The result is a complicated enrollment process and a terrific selection of distance learning options at public university prices.
17. University of Florida has built its distance learning operation up to the point where it has an impressive selection of Master Degrees and Certificate options.  As with most traditional schools the undergraduate program is impeded by the admissions conundrum, but UF is one of the more proactive universities in the distance learning in the South.
18. University of Illinois Online has been in operation since 1997 and must be enjoying some success, as their catalog now lists 107 degrees and certificates.  The distance learning program is a collaboration between the campuses in Chicago, Champaign-Urbana and Springfield.
19. University of Maryland University College has what is easily the most comprehensive online education program in the northern Mid-Atlantic area.  Their undergraduate distance learning choices alone include thirty majors and another forty options as minor programs.
20. University of North Carolina Online brings the academic resources of sixteen campuses together to a single website.  The variety of programs is impressive, reflecting the various academic cultures shared by schools as diverse as UNC Raleigh/Durham, Appalachian State, and East Carolina State.
21. University of Phoenix has been the biggest and most successful player in the for-profit education business, currently claiming in excess of 400,000 enrolled students between the 200 campuses and the online program.  Their academic options in the online catalog are well thought out and will change as academic trends and job market shifts alter the dynamic of educational interests.
22. University of Texas TeleCampus is a centralized organization that works with the fifteen UT campuses in assembling online courses and degrees to be distributed through the TeleCampus distance learning apparatus.  The current undergraduate choices include completion programs for transfer students and a few four year courses of study.  Graduate programs include Master’s Degrees in Nursing and Education, among others.
23. Walden University has built an educational enterprise based almost entirely on its distance learning programs.  The school has an excellent reputation for academic quality.  It is one of the only distance learning schools to tackle the Master of Education degree program designed to prep students for teaching careers.  They do so despite the requirement for local student teaching hours, working with the student on obtaining the clinical classroom time necessary.
24. Westwood College runs its distance learning program in conjunction with a seventeen campus cluster of brick and mortar institutions.  Academic disciplines are divided into the Schools of Business, Healthcare, Justice, Design, and Technology.  The design school is almost entirely focused on digital graphics, animation, graphic arts, etc.

Using those figures as a benchmark, here is a brief survey of the per-credit costs with some other reputable for-profit online schools.  Ashford University has a baseline fee of $372 per credit hour for an undergraduate degree.  However they do post a series of additional fees associated with transcript evaluation if you’re transferring credits, a fee ($140) when you apply for a field of concentration within a major, fees for graduation, etc.  None of them are big, but they will add to the cost of your degree.    With Capella University, the calculations are more complicated because they apply charges between $800 and $2,000 per class depending upon the number of credits assigned to the course.  Capella uses the quarter format rather than semesters and students take a maximum of three courses per quarter. The US News and World Report annual ratings of US Colleges reports their annual tuition cost at about $10,600.

For traditional universities, costs can come down substantially if you are paying the tuition to a public university and you are a resident of the state.  Public schools usually maintain the split tuition structure for online students as well as for campus attendees.  The annual undergraduate tuition at the University of Maryland University College which has an extensive online program is $5,520 for Maryland residents and about twice that for out of state students.  That’s a $24,000 undergraduate degree.  At the State University of New York (SUNY) online credits average $207 apiece for a New York resident.  That includes an online surcharge, as the campus cost per credit for in-state residents is $181.  This fee structure will put the annual tuition for an online degree through the SUNY Learning Network at about $5,500, similar to the University of Maryland.

The Penn State World Campus has an online tuition structure that is much higher, topping out at $5,700 per semester.  That rate goes up substantially in the second two years of your undergraduate program, so this particular public institution has a fairly pricey online program compared to other state schools.  Private universities like Northeastern will sometimes try to price competitively; this tuition comparison chart from Northeastern puts their undergraduate online tuition at $49,000 compared to Capella at $53,000 and Penn State at over $58,000.

This is a sampler for undergraduate degree costs but it represents some of the quality for-profit schools, public universities, and one of the competitive private universities that has moved into online instruction.  It’s a good representation of the range for undergraduate tuition online; graduate school is another matter.  Per-credit and per-year costs are higher; however depending on the school a Master’s Degree takes two years and often less to complete while an MBA program can be completed in eighteen months to three years.  Calculations for graduate work become more of a challenge because the allocation of credits and the number of credits required for completion of a program vary greatly from school to school.

Some schools with online degree programs make an effort to provide economic breaks to military members, present and former, and to accommodate the unusual scheduling issues that can arise for active duty soldiers, sailors and airmen.  Veterans are also often challenged by the ability to convert service training, much of it highly sophisticated, into college credit.  A good place to start is with the Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System, known as AARTS.  This computerized database will produce a record of your successfully completed training experience and convert it into college credits as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE), traditional arbiter on this issue.

This list is a collection laid forth in no particular order, of schools that we believe provide good online options for military members and returnees.

1. George Washington University announced a significant tuition matching fund program for veterans last year.  Their investment in the program for 2010 is over $2.5 million.   The online degree choices for are fairly slim for bachelors degree programs, but expand significantly in the masters degree category and for certificate programs.
2. Empire State College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, has a well organized veterans support organization within the administration.   The undergraduate degrees are limited, but the College makes a point of declaring its flexibility in working with veterans who wish to customize their undergraduate work in order to reach a specific academic goal.
3. Capella University is one of the best for-profit institutions in the country, with a full deck of accreditation approvals for its academic specialties and a wide array of selections for both graduate and undergraduate study.  The school takes pride in its receipt of a Top 20 Military Friendly Award and more to the point, has an administration attuned to the twists and turns of GI Bill financing and military credit transfer.
4. Penn State offers over seventy degrees and certificates through its World Campus.  The school participates in the Yellow Ribbon program and provides tuition assistance for servicemembers and veterans and their spouses.  Some GIs have completed the online MBA program at Penn State.
5. University of Maryland University College has been one of the most active universities in the country in terms of developing customized online programs for trained personnel from every branch of the military.  This University of Maryland outreach institution also has one of the largest online degree programs in the country.  It’s the most creative online degree program for active military members and veterans in the country.
6. Kaplan University is a quality for-profit institution with excellent online options for both graduate and undergraduate work.  There are significant tuition discounts for both active duty members and veterans.  The academic options are rich in breadth and depth.
7. Northeastern University is one of those rare traditional U.S. Universities that is among the top 100 ranked schools and has advanced to the point where it offers an excellent online selection of academic choices.  The University is also providing tuition support to match funds put up through the Yellow Ribbon program in order to make enrollment at Northeastern tuition free for a limited number of participating military members.
8. Old Dominion University has also been proactive in developing online options for active duty personnel.  Their Navy College Distance Learning Partnership makes merging training and college credit about as painless as it can be.  Their online degree selection is excellent and they maintain an active military liaison office to help with the inevitable glitches.
9. The Rochester Institute of Technology has been quietly turning out college graduates in Central New York since 1829.  It has become one of the finer technology schools in the country, a fact that is reflected in their excellent offering of distance learning degrees in which you can find a number of options in engineering and information technology.  Their graduate school extends to business and healthcare today as well.  And RIT also maintains an active Veterans and Military Services Office.
10. Arizona State University takes a ‘single point of contact’ approach to bringing military students onto the online campus, which has to make academic pursuits a little easier for military members serving somewhere other than in the Arizona desert.  ASU’s selection of online degrees is decent, and it expands if you are perceived as a transfer student, which may be the case for trained military personnel who have successfully transferred credits.

The other is classroom work that is just as important for apprentices in plumbing, HVAC, carpentry, ironwork and the more technical trades.  There are important mathematical skills to be learned and increasingly, computer programming and software programs associated with job design and/or repair diagnosis.  Many apprenticeship programs are sponsored or co-sponsored by unions, so it is important to make sure that any online enrollment for the class work will be accepted by the apprenticeship program in which you’re enrolled.

1. Academy of Arts offers online Associate Degree programs in interior design and in fashion design that can prepare you for careers on the retail side in either of those industries, with the opportunity to continue your education and seek management opportunities later.
2. Allied Schools focuses on the healthcare services industry with programs in Medical Coding, Medical Transcription, Pharmacy Technician and Dental Assisting.
3. Ashworth College has an excellent lineup of vocational training programs in its online division.   There are at least eight tech options including Health Records Management. Other choices include the construction trade options, retail management and veterinary assisting.
4. Bellevue College in Washington State has an excellent selection of Certificate programs for students looking to establish a field of expertise quickly.  The vocational choices available at Bellevue are in Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Software Specialist, Database Specialist and an introductory program in C++ programming.
5. Berkeley College includes Fashion Marketing, Interior Design and Health Information among its Associate Degree options.
6. Bryant & Stratton College has degree and certificate programs available online for administrative assisting, medical assisting, medical coding and an Associate Degree in IT Security
7. California Virtual Campus is a website where you can search among the state’s one hundred twenty three community college online programs and classes for the vocational training you want.  There is also a centralized application for admission tool on the site.  The number of Vocational Degree and Certificate choices is outsized, just like the state.
8. Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon has developed a good online program that has Certificates or Degrees in Speech Pathology Assistant, Event Management, Hospitality Management, and Spa Management.
9. Colorado Community College Online is a collaborative effort from the fourteen community colleges in the State of Colorado.  Online vocational certificate offerings include Library Technician, Building Code Enforcement, Early Childhood Education and a Microsoft Technician certification program.
10. Columbia Southern University is an online institution with Certificate and Associate Degree programs in Fire Science, Criminal Justice, Industrial Hygiene, and Information Technology along with several other vocational options.
11. Dallas TeleCollege is a well designed centralized resource for the online degrees and certificates available online through the Dallas County Community College District.  The list of Vocational Certificates goes on for pages.
12. Herzing University offers a Diploma in Payroll Accounting and Bookkeeping, and excellent entry into the accounting field.  Other options include Medical Billing and Insurance, Medical Assisting and Legal Assisting.
13. Ivey Tech Community College in Indiana has a healthy number of online education choices in vocational fields.  Their distance learning component includes training for Library Technical Assistant, Office Administration and Human Services.  However the school also operates twenty three campuses and provides classroom instruction in seventy five communities; some of the vocational options include instruction in Automotive Technology and Aviation Technology.
14. Kaplan University has Associate Degree options in Medical Office Management and Medical Assisting as well as several choices in the technology field.  There are also certificate options in Legal Secretary and in Corrections.
15. Maryland Online is a consortium of Maryland Community Colleges and Universities that have put together a central resource for online degrees, certificates and courses within the Maryland State University System.  There is a remarkable number of AS, AA and Certificate programs available via distance learning from these colleges.
16. Massachusetts Colleges Online is another statewide collaboration of schools that have provided a central location where you can learn what degrees and certificates are available online.  There are dozens of options; a little sorting will bring up educational choices such as Basic Web Development, Administrative Assistant, Accounting Information, Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement, Fire Protection and Safety, etc.
17. Metropolitan Community College of Omaha Nebraska maintains a good catalogue of vocational options in its selection of online Degrees and Certificates.   Focus is strong in the IT sector and in business support training.
18. Minnesota State Community and Technical College is an online resource consisting of degree and certificate programs provided by the four Minnesota State University Campuses.  You can obtain an online a Certificate in Administrative Support, in Carpentry, Electrical Lineworker, and many others.
19. Penn Foster offers online vocational training in just about every conceivable area, from building trades to mechanics to design to information technology.
20. Rio Salado Community College in Arizona has an enormous academic catalogue.  The school has been proactive in opening up online vocational training programs as well.  Their current distance learning degrees and certificate programs include Law Enforcement Technology, Customer Service and Retail Management.
21. Shoreline College also located in Washington State has a series of business related Certificate choices that provide good training for entry level skilled positions in business.  Choices among these Certificates are in Purchasing and Supply Chain, Office Management, Accounting, Customer Services, and Accounts Receivable/Payable Payroll Clerk.
22. St. Petersburg College is a multiple campus school in Florida that also has an eCampus available online.  The vocational options offered by St. Petersburg include Fire Science and Fire Inspection, Veterinary Hospital Management, Crime Scene Technology and Medical Coding.  These are but a few of the options.
23. The Technical College System of Georgia has centralized its search mechanism for Degree and Certificate choices among the several campuses.  There is also a tool on the website to search the online program options.  Using the search tools can be a challenge, but it is nevertheless a good resource for a group of schools that is dedicated to vocational training.
24. University of Phoenix has a number of vocational programs mixed into its certificate and associate degree programs.  There are degrees in pharmacy practice and medical assisting, paraprofessional teaching in education and IT support services in the tech field.
25. US Career Institute has some quick-study career options you won’t find at many schools.  Their Online Certificate program includes studies to be an Insurance Adjuster, Veterinary Specialist, Day Care Specialist and Home Inspections Technician.

Schools that were willing to offer courses online but were reluctant to offer degrees are now offering degrees – but  in some cases a reduced version of the campus product.  Online products are improving every year though; many of the MBA schools have cast aside their apprehensions about distance learning.  This list contains, in no particular order, the best online programs out there among respected and accredited universities, at this point in the online academic revolution.

1. Northeastern University has one of the most extensive choices of online degrees available from any traditional U.S. university.  AN MBA program, engineering, education, health sciences and information technology are all academic disciplines for which there are multiple online degree options.  Northeastern has two doctorates, 14 master’s degree programs, 18 bachelor’s degree programs, 4 associate degree programs, and 24 professional certificates offered online.
2. Penn State was one of the early participants among traditional universities in online education; today their World Campus offers over sixty online degree and certificate programs.  Among them are the MBA, a Masters in Public Administration and a Master of Project Management. And a Master of Software Engineering.  There are degree options from the Department of Education.
3. University of Illinois offers forty online degree options and another twenty or so graduate certificate choices.  There are Bachelor and Master degrees in Computer Science and Information, several undergraduate options in business and eleven Master’s Degree in Education choices.  AN interesting graduate level option is the Masters in Recreation, Parks and Tourism
4. University of Massachusetts has online programs generated by several of its campuses, principally Amherst.  The University has also created a central hub for online degrees and certificates at UMassOnline.  There you will find dozens of choices that include an online MBA in Accounting and Finance, several psychology degrees, and an array of liberal arts, science and technology options delivered via distance learning.
5. Boston University offers a degree completion program at the undergraduate level that leads to a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies.  At the graduate level there are several more specific academic options available which include Criminal Justice, Computer Information Systems and both the Masters and PhD in Occupational Therapy.  It’s an interesting mix of choices, augmented by an extensive graduate certificate program for continuing education.
6. University of Maryland University College is UM’s continuing education, online education and outreach program all rolled into a single academic unit.  They have been very active in developing online academic options for the variety of students that either enroll in college or return to college at UMUC.  The list of thirty online undergraduate majors matched by forty minor options available through UMUC illustrates the ability to assemble a complete college experience through the UMUC distance learning structure.
7. Indiana University is another college that has looked carefully at the shift in educational paradigms and developed a selection of Associate Degree programs in its online portfolio.  The Kelley School of Business at IU has an online MBA program that includes a number of specialties such as Supply Chain Management and a separate Master of Finance.
8. Indiana State University offers ten undergraduate degrees online, a like number of masters programs and perhaps twice that many graduate certificates and training programs for licensure.  The Certificate program in Criminology offers options in Law Enforcement, Corrections and Private Security and Loss Prevention.  Indiana State has also expanded the traditional role of the university to include vocational training that was not long ago the purview of the community college.
9. Arizona State University has eight undergraduate online degrees available to freshmen, and an additional twelve that are options for transferring students.  Their Master Degree programs available online include several in engineering; among those of interest are the Master of Engineering in Modeling and Simulation and the Master of Systems Engineering that are available along with degrees in the standard fields of Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, etc.
10. Florida State University has limited undergraduate online options but one of them is major: the Bachelor of Computer Science.  The graduate degree programs come from the schools and departments of Nursing, Criminal Justice, Business, Education, MIS, Social Work and Library & Information Systems.  There are a lot of good technology options here that extend to Graduate Certificate programs such as Online Instructional Development and Geographic Information Systems.
11. University of Florida has a token offering for distance learning undergraduate degrees, with three minimal choices.  However their graduate degree options are extensive with several contributions each from the schools of Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Pharmacy, and Environmental Sciences.
12. George Washington University offers five Bachelors Health Science degrees that focus on clinical research, clinical management, and clinical laboratory science.  Online Masters Degree choices include political management and paralegal studies, one of the few Masters in Paralegal in the nation.  There are several graduate programs in Health Sciences and Nursing and three business degrees including the MBA in Healthcare Administration.
13. State University of New York has a similar system to North Carolina University, in that online programs are offered by many different campuses.  While the courses may be taken anywhere, the student must enroll in the particular campus offering the degree.  SUNY Learning Network pulls all of these academic choices together so a student can see what’s available on the twenty-plus campuses.  A look at the online Bachelor Degree options provides an idea of the extent of this excellent distance learning network.
14. University of North Carolina has a remarkable assemblage of online degrees offered by its collection of sixteen university campuses.  Online degrees are offered by individual campuses; students must enroll in the appropriate campus to pursue the chosen degree. In Computer Science, for example, the Bachelors degree is offered by Appalachian State, the BS in Industrial Technology by East Carolina State and the Masters in IT at North Carolina A&T.  There are dozens of graduate certificates and hundreds of courses available through the system.
15. University of Cincinnati has some unusual online options at the undergraduate level.  Students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Addiction Studies, a degree in Fire Science or a BS in Clinical Laboratory Management.  Masters Degrees include Educational Leadership, Special Education (on an Ohio teacher’s certification track) and Criminal Justice.
16. Drexel University has one of the most comprehensive distance learning programs in the country among traditional schools.  The online Bachelor Degree options are extensive and include degrees in Psychology, Education and Business.  In the Online Graduate Division there is an MBA program, extensive MSN degree options for nursing students, nine degrees from the Education Department and six Masters in Engineering choices.
17. Pace University offers a range of online degrees that extends from Associate to Masters – an unusual characteristic for an established college.  Among there are two Associate in IT options, a Bachelor Degree in Communications and addition IT degrees at the Masters level along with an Executive MBA.
18. Stephen F Austin University has built an impressive Distance Learning Program that is a mix of degree completion programs and graduate degree options.  True to its Texas roots, one of the undergraduate choices for transfer students at SFA is in Agriculture.  There are several graduate programs that are on the teacher track despite being online offerings.  There are also Education degrees in content management and in educational administration.
19. Stanford University has rolled out a distance learning program within its Center for Professional Development.  There are fifty one Master of Science degree tracks available through the Center and sixteen of them are available entirely online.  You still have to meet the University admission requirements, but they may not be as daunting for this continuing education program as they are for formal University admission.
20. University of South Florida is a large school operating several campuses with a full roster of academic disciplines both graduate and undergraduate.  The USF Distance Learning Program is a mixture of degrees offered fully online and partially online.  Undergraduate degree programs that are completely online include the Bachelor in Criminal Justice, in Public Health and in Information Technology
21. University of Toledo has an eclectic mix of undergraduate and graduate degrees available online.  There is an RN to BSN program for nurses available online, and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.  There are also several degree completion options for Bachelor Degrees, many of them in technology fields.  The Master Degree online choices include several in Education and one MSN program for Nurse Educator.
22. Michigan State University has an impressive range of undergraduate online degrees that are offered both as hybrids and as 100% distance learning degrees.  Among the Masters Degree options are Nursing, Public Health and Supply Chain Management.
23. University of Wisconsin offers several undergraduate and graduate online degrees through its Platteville campus.  At the UW Green Bay campus you can earn the RN to BSN degree through distance learning.  The flagship campus in Madison offers a Master of Engineering program online as well as several other degrees and certificates; The UW Superior Campus Distance Learning Program offers degrees and individually designed courses of study
24. Seton Hall has just the RN to BSN nursing degree available as an undergraduate online option.  However the graduate degrees available through their Distance Learning Program include degrees in Nursing, Health Care Administration, and several options in the Educational field.
25. Syracuse University has a limited selection of degree programs available, supplemented by certificate programs and may courses delivered online.   Their online graduate programs are heavily weighted towards technology, with a Master of Science in Library and Information Science and a PhD in Information Science and Technology as examples.

The initial advantages are obvious. Flexibility is perhaps the most evident – most, but not all, online courses are available on demand.  Some are still classroom or videotape exercises that require the student to be online at a certain hour, but the only commute is from the kitchen to the computer.  And it is not only the instruction that is available on call, but the study time is self-selected as well.  Online course materials can be reviewed when it’s convenient, which should mean when the student can best concentrate.  As a result, many students are finding that online study in general can be more effective than traditional classroom methods.

The growth of social websites and online communication in general has been fueled, in part, by the comfort zone that a computer can create.  When you are physically removed from interaction and instant communication isn’t necessary, there is a great lessening of social pressure.  The same applies to the virtual classroom.  There is considerable evidence that interaction among classmates enrolled in online courses is far greater than what is found in a university setting.  Classroom size has no impact, so group discussions online don’t create the social exposure that causes so many students to remain silent in an academic setting.  And what begins as random discussions among remote students can lead to team approaches to class work, something that only occurs on a campus when it is required by a course exercise.

The same physical remoteness can also lead to increased willingness to communicate with the instructor.  Over the past couple of years there have been several articles written about the unique academic burdens associated with teaching an online class.  Instructors have said repeatedly that it takes a different approach than required by traditional university teaching because of the increased interaction with students and the increased amount of written material required of instructors.  That said good online schools by this time should have instructors in place who are comfortable building long distance communication relationships with students.  Oddly enough, the distance part of distance learning can make the experience a more social experience than traditional schooling and lead to the personal benefits of new friendships and communication skills.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of online education is the two edged sword that makes an online student successful.  Distance learning requires discipline that is totally self-generated.  An online student is going to be forced to create a personal schedule that makes the online classroom experience and studying worthwhile.  And the student that succeeds in cutting “school hours” out of every day is going to be far more efficient than a campus student wandering from lecture hall to seminar and back home at some point to crack the books.  Self motivated students will learn more and value the experience more for having created the classroom themselves.

That does not mean there are not academic requirements for certain programs or for graduate work.  For a Masters Degree program at the University of Phoenix there are academic and work experience requirements outlined in their admissions information.  You must hold a baccalaureate from an accredited school with a cumulative undergrad GPA of 2.5 or better.  Citizenship, permanent residence status or a student visa are also required by this particular school.  At Strayer, enrollment in a graduate program does require either a GMAT score of 450 or better or a GRE score of 1000 or better.

Capella University has a range of admission requirements depending on the degree and the field of study.  It is interesting that their only requirement for entry into a Bachelor Degree program other than a high school diploma is that the applicant be at least 24 years old.  At the masters level, applicants for the nursing MSN degree must be a an RN with some work experience and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree.  For an MBA there is a minimum GPA requirement of 2.3 for undergraduate work, but no GMAT or GRE test score required.

When you look at online degree programs from traditional universities the admission requirements are a little more formal.  Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business offers an online MBA program that considers GPA and GMAT test scores but doesn’t tell you what their range of acceptance is.  Also at this level you’ll find requirements for recommendation, probably a short personal essay and (for an MBA) some years of work experience.  At Kelley the math prerequisites are minimal; college level calculus and statistics.  At many business schools there are additional prerequisites for micro and macro economics and accounting courses.

Online Executive MBA programs don’t always require test scores, but do insist on professional work experience.  The Rochester Institute of Technology Saunders School of Business offers an online EMBA program that requires six years of professional experience and a 3.0 GPA from the college years in the distant past.  Some of these programs require not only business experience, but a track record of increasing managerial responsibility and good performance.

Foreign students will generally be asked to provide evidence in English proficiency in the form of a score on the TOEFL, the Test of English as a Foreign Language standardized exam.  Requirements for citizenship status vary from school to school but will no doubt stiffen as the debate over immigration grows louder.

Generally, requirements for an online degree today have all the range of the traditional schools from the community colleges up to the Ivy League.  There are online degree programs in at all of those levels in traditional institutions today; the requirements for admission to accredited for-profit online schools are not as stringent, generally, but exist nevertheless.  For online business, health and science degrees it is wise to check on the math and earth sciences requirements no matter what school you are applying to.