There is an art to pursuing higher education in the advanced and technological world that we live in today. It used to be that the pursuit of a collegiate degree meant that you would be spending countless hours per day walking around campus, fighting your way through classes, before rushing back to your day job. Fortunately, the days of grinding out your degree are over. Institutions all over the country are now making it easier than ever to pursue business degrees by way of the internet via online degree programs. Pursuing a business degree online may sound too good to be true but, as you will soon find out, it may be the perfect path for you.
The Core Online Business Degree Program.
No matter what online institution you decide to partner up with during your pursuit of an online business degree, the core program of classes that you attend will likely stay the same. Pursuing a business degree means that you will have to take several different types of classes in order to make sure that you end up with a well-rounded education. Let’s break down these core class programs into an easy to access format so that you can skim it and know exactly what to expect during your educational pursuit.
- Ethics of Business.
- Principles of Finance.
- Economics.
- Financial Accounting.
- Operations Management.
- Human Resources Management.
When booking classes for your business degree online, you’ll notice that you are heavily focused on dealing with two specific types of systems: systems with people and systems with money. The reason is simple. When you operate a business, you are going to be managing a group of wildly different people in pursuit of profit. Being able to understand, work with, and comprehend both people and financials is absolutely imperative to finding success. You’ll learn the ins and outs of everything that makes a business tick. While our above list is not exhaustive, it is a solid foundation of classes that you will be pursuing in order to acquire your online business degree. The programs we listed above are used in both your pursuit of an online Associates Degree in Business as well as a Masters Degree in Business.
Important Questions to Ask When Pursuing an Online Business Degree.
Now that we understand the kind of classes that we are going to be pursuing, we can shift our focus to the methods by which we access them. Taking an online class is pretty simple on its face. You’ll be logging onto your web browser on your computer or tablet and you will then be directed to a web portal supplied to you by the school administrator or your specific teacher. Here are some quick facts about working toward your business degree online.
- How often will I be required to login? It would be irresponsible to give you an exact number here because each student will work at his or her own pace. Typically, most students login to their classes anywhere from two to five times per week.
- How many hours will I spend ‘in class’? Again, the hours you spend online will be predicated on your own technical proficiency and how quick you can seek and retain information. Typically, most full-time students will spend anywhere from 15 to 20 hours per week working online.
- Are my classes scheduled for a specific date and time? There are two different kinds of online classes you can take: synchronous and asynchronous classes. Synchronous classes require all students to log on at a specific date and time. Asynchronous classes allow students to log in and complete their coursework whenever they have free time.
- Do I need to be good with computers? Actually, you don’t have to be a wizard with computers in order to get your business degree online. In fact, as long as you can operate your web browser and remember your username/password, you should be okay. Having high-speed internet is definitely a benefit and having a computer with an up-to-date operating system, such as Windows XP or iOS, will also help you in the long run.
- Who can I ask for help? If you live near the physical campus of your online institution, you can schedule in-person office hours with your professor. If this is not a possibility, teachers are accessible online by way of phone and email.
- Why is accreditation important? In order for your work to have been worth doing, your online school needs to be accredited. When your school is accredited, it means that the institution has met vital educational standards. With an accredited school, your online business degree is as good as any other degree in the field. If your school is not accredited, then your online business degree does not carry nearly as much weight. Accreditation is split into two categories: regional and national.
Benefits of Pursuing a Business Degree Online.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, business and financial-related jobs are slated to grow by an incredible 10% from 2016 to 2026. This rate of growth is far greater than any other industry and that makes it particularly exciting for students seeking a business degree. This cross-section of business prominence and technological advancement has made pursuing a business degree through the internet one of the best decisions that students can make. Business degrees are now more than just profitable, they are easier than ever to acquire. Let us look at a few benefits of pursuing your business degree on the internet before breaking down the process in its entirety.
- Flexible Schedule. – Whether you are a fresh-faced high school graduate or an adult looking to return to higher education, pursuing your business degree online will allow you to engineer your learning based on your real-life schedule.
- Same Degree. – The degree that you earn online is the exact same degree that you would earn had you attended classes in person at a brick and mortar university. There is a negative stigma to online degrees because, somehow, people have gotten it into their minds that it is a ‘lesser degree’. This is not the truth.
- Open Admissions Throughout The Year. – There is no time like the present to get back to school, so make sure to take advantage of year-round enrollment. This convenient and open enrollment period means that you are never left waiting.
- No Commuting Expenses. – There are a variety of different tangible perks to pursuing your business degree by way of the internet. One of the biggest perks is that you are no longer commuting. No gas expenses. No travel expenses. No fighting through traffic. Just log on in the comfort of your home.
- Convenience. – Pursuing a business degree online means that you are pursuing your education in a convenient way. Online school can be the perfect way to push for your business degree without having to sacrifice any of the comfort or schedule benefits that you are already so used to.
- Affordable. – Finally, online colleges tend to be less expensive than attending a college in person — and it makes perfect sense as to why. Recent studies have shown that online degrees are much less expensive to acquire than their physical counterparts.