College-Education

Nursing is a great career which practically guarantees a future job security. Why? Because the Baby Boomers are retiring in droves. There just are not enough nurses and health care professionals to take care of them.

So how do you become a nurse. especially if you are working at a day job to make ends meet? Colleges are not cheap and there might not even be one where you live.

There is an interesting solution to such predicament. Ever increasing numbers of prospective nurses are paying attention to - On-Line Education.

There are quite a few reputable companies out there that will make you the proud owner of a nursing diploma if you have a computer, a good online connection and the discipline to study hard on your own, without the comfort of a regular classroom. Here is a survey of such on-line opportunities.

The on-line giant University of Phoenix, in business since 1989, is probably one the better known of such programs. The nationally accredited university catered to 3,377 students in 2005. For the convenience of bringing a nursing education to your living room, UofP charges an average of $485 per credit hour. UofP grants Bachelor of Arts degrees in health administration and nursing, as well as master’s degrees in healthcare management, nursing, and healthcare education. The on-line Phoenix even offers a doctoral degree in healthcare administration. The on-line classes are limited to a maximum of 20 students with technical help available for 24 hours.

A recent U.S. News & World Report study listed these other schools offering undergraduate and graduate nursing and RN programs on-line:

Regis University (CO) (513 on-line nursing students in 2005, $378 per credit hour); SUNY-Stony Brook (358 students, $181-$442 per credit hour); California State Univ-Dominguez Hills (341 students, $170-$339 per credit hour); Excelsior College (NY) (287 students, $365 per credit hour); East Carolina University (NC) (358 students, $181-$442 per credit hour); Ball State University (IN) (245 students, $212-$364 per credit hour); St. Louis University (199 students, $800 per credit hour); Drezel University (PA) (1828 students, $800 per credit hour); University of Southern Indiana (180 students, $216-$427 per credit hour).

Indiana Wesleyan University also offers on-line Nursing degrees (BSN and RN).

Check out these web sites for more information on the nursing degree programs offered by many reputable on-line educational institutions out there: http://distancelearn.about.com; http://www.online-degree-search.net; http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com

U. Akinci is a Copywriter and SEO Coordinator for Sagent Healthstaff LLC, a travel nurse and healthcare staffing agency with regional offices across the United States. Please visit http://www.sagenths.com or call 781-419-0700 today for more information on the rich travel nurse opportunities Sagent is providing since 2001.

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Lots of people are turning to online university and college degree programs to further their education, and there are plenty of high quality accredited online schools that are available to choose from. But before you choose an online school for your own education, you should be aware of some of the challenges and benefits common to distance learning.

The benefits are many to be sure, but perhaps the one advantage that appeals to most people is that you can take your classes and study when and where you want. This is a distinct benefit to many people, especially those who are pursuing an advanced degree while still working a full time job. Trying to attend classes, fit in your study and homework time, and still get your job done at the same time can be almost maddening. But online schools allow you to take your courses at your own pace and fit them into your daily schedule wherever it makes most sense for you.

Another benefit of online degree programs is that they allow you to learn at your own particular pace. It’s common knowledge that people often differ in their learning speed. That can be a frustration for many in a normal classroom as those who learn fast may quickly become bored, and those who learn more slowly may not be able to keep up. Since most classes are geared toward the average learner, there can be several people in the class who may be frustrated with the learning pace. However, distance learning solves most of those problems as it allows each student to set their own study pace instead.

Online colleges and universities often will also allow credit for work experience in some cases. This means that if you have previous work experience in the field of your studies, you may be able to actually shorten your education requirements for a degree and graduate early, perhaps in as little as 12 to 18 months. Of course, you’ll have to check with each respective online school to see what their requirements are for previous work experience.

A very obvious benefit of getting an online degree is the savings in both time and money with regard to traveling back and forth from classes. Since all of your classes are taken online, you can actually do the vast majority of your study right from home. Or you may choose a local coffee shop or the library for a nice change of pace at times.

The disadvantages of online education primarily has to do with how self disciplined you are in your daily schedule. If you find that procrastination is often an issue that you have to deal with, then you may have more of a difficult time getting an online degree as there will be no one but you to keep you on track in your studies. And since you have total control over your class schedule and study time, you’ll need to exercise self discipline and keep a regular study schedule without being distracted by other activities.

Obviously then, the benefits of pursuing an online degree program are many, while the disadvantages are relatively few. And for those who can take advantage of the benefits, an online education can be a relatively quick and inexpensive way to get your degree.

Steadman Issenburg writes on many consumer related topics including education. You can find online universities and colleges and distance learning colleges and universities and more by visiting our education website.

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When people think of online colleges, they think that they will be self-taught just like the old correspondences courses from the pre-internet age. This is far from the truth. The majority of online colleges require you to log online at least three times a week to participate in classroom discussion or lectures. They also have you participate in the threaded email discussion about the current subject being taught.

Convenience Advantage

The biggest reason that college students want to take online classes is that it is more convenient. You can log in anytime that you want during the day. Even when you are required to log on three times a week, you pick the time of day. If your job entails a lot of travel, what better way to kill time at an airport? You can advance your education while waiting for the plane or in the
hotel room at night. Yes, the convenience advantage.

The Variety Advantage

There are a variety of courses that you can take online. This is another big reason that online colleges are so popular. You can take business programs, criminal justice, computer programming, electronics, biomedical, healthcare, art, fashion and hundreds of other programs. Associate degrees, Bachelor degrees, Master degrees, and Doctorates are all available online. With this Variety Advantage you can decide on the program that best fits your interest and that will help you with your career.

The Accreditation Advantage

Accreditation is a big factor when choosing an online college. Look for colleges that are either, Regionally Accredited or Nationally Accredited. The reason for this is that these colleges are guided and controlled by an Accreditation Commission. This means that they must follow strict guidelines for education and student funding. If they don’t follow the guidelines of Accreditation they can be in jeopardy of closing programs at the colleges or possibly losing government funding for their students.

The Networking Advantage

Ever heard of Networking for jobs? This is the perfect place to do it. Why, you ask? Many companies have their employees take online classes to improve their skill levels. Most online classes have between 20-30 people in each class. That is 20-30 possible Networking opportunities for jobs. Each new class you take will open more opportunities. Find out where these people work and found out if the have any employment openings.

The Time Advantage

Online classes last between 5-8 weeks and most are accelerated programs. This is great if you want to get your degree very quickly. There are military personnel overseas that are taking online classes so that when they get out, they already have their degree. Some MBA programs are less than 18 months.

As you can see there are many advantages to taking classes at an online college. Do you think you can use more education for that next phase of your life?

James Perlick is the Online Consultant for http://www.matchacollege.com

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