Some
online
college degrees
are making it possible for people with families and full-time jobs to pursue their
education at home at their own pace, even with the assistance of college
student
loans.
The liberal arts are particularly well-suited to the Internet environment, with
the study of world history and its related sub-sets being particularly popular.
A
degree in world history offers more versatility in career pursuit than the field
might suggest. Most people assume those with history degrees teach, but in reality
the discipline lends itself to a variety of positions including:
•
museum posts
•
government agencies
•
writing and research
positions
•
library and archival
work
Pursuing
a degree online obviously is dependent on having a reliable computer system and
a broadband Internet connection, as well as the ability to operate the equipment
and software. (Increasingly online study programs also involve the use of video
conference, instant messaging, and virtual environments in addition to traditional
email and text-based presentations.)
In
terms of academic skills, history students need:
•
a fascination with
the past and an eye for detail.
•
the ability to conduct
research and to ferret out arcane sources.
•
the ability to analyze
and to connect events and trends, even when they are seemingly unrelated.
•
the ability to critically
present a narrative analysis in well-crafted, written form.
Another
advantage of taking a degree online is cost. Usually these programs are less expensive
than their "real world" counterparts at a physical university. A typical
online degree program might include a core of 12 to 15 courses at roughly $450
a class for a total cost of $5,400 to $6,750 for the entire program. Most physical
schools charge that and more per semester.
As
always, online students should be aware of the potential for fraud. Before enrolling
in any online institution, make sure that the institution to which you are applying
is accredited to ensure the quality of instruction offered and the viability of
the degree attained.
Carefully
examine the institution's website, note the physical address, look at the faculty
pages and run searches for the names to verify their credentials. Try to find
reviews of the program independent of the school's site and don't proceed if you
have a "gut" feeling that something is wrong. Examples of accredited
institutions offering coursework online include:
•
Walden University
•
University of Phoenix
•
Capella University
•
DeVry University
•
Kaplan University
•
Strayer University
Whether
you are interested in an online world history degree for
the pleasure of the study involved or for the furtherance
of a career, the medium is an exciting step forward in
the field of education. The flexibility of the degree
programs and the unique amount of access to the professor
and interaction with other students often makes online
study richer and more intimate than what can be achieved
in the traditional classroom setting.
You
could also consider to improve your academic experience
with one of these online masters
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