The range of requirement for an online degree range from zero to a sterling academic background, good test scores, recommendations, and all of the finishing touches required for admission to a top graduate school. It depends on the school and the degree. One of the characteristics of some –but not all – of the degree programs offered by the for-profit schools such as the Strayer University is an open enrollment approach. To enter most undergraduate programs all that is required is a high school diploma and the entrance fee. For some of the science oriented degrees, you may encounter prerequisites such as algebra or calculus at the high school level.
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.