For example will an employer recognize me as having the skill for the job if I completed a at home higher learning education program and receivied a certificate or associate degree through that program? If so are there any good programs out there?
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9 Comments
I think there is a prejudice against non-traditional education. Having just taken three online courses that my boss seems to not want to reimburse me for, I speak from experience.
If you are currently employed, ask your own boss this very question.
If you are just considering options, I would say stay safe and take traditional courses.
depends on if they are from an accredited university or not.
Honestly it depends on the program. Because those things are not certifications they are just diploma programs. I would definitely not recommend the distance education programs for a actual degree, just a diploma. Because other colleges won’t even accept credits from the associates degree with the distance education programs, so why would employers. However I have known of people to actually be able to do something as far as a career with the Medical Transcription, and the Medical Billing courses…AND I would like to add, that this type of schooling is different from taking online courses at a university, with the work at home at your own pace programs you can’t even get financial aid for it, but for online universities you can. Most of the distance education programs are accredited by the Distance Education Learning and Training Council and is Recognized by the US Department of Education, but from what I told you, I actually got a lot of the information from the “students” I used to actually speak with, and they were not too happy.
I have to agree with the statement “it depends.”
It depends on the type of program. It depends on whether the employer is familiar with the program. It depends on the type of accreditation. And it depends on your knowledge of the quality of the program you choose and your ability to make an employer understand how the education you received will benefit his/her company.
About accreditation: having an accredidation of “online schools” or something is nice, but what you want to look for to insure you are in a quality program is regional accreditation. There are six in the United States. I live in Texas, so ours is The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. My daughter is in a distance ed program that carries this accreditaiton.
This type of accreditation ensures high standards, uniform standards, state and federal financial aid availability, and transferability of credits from school to school and from region to region.
There are other accreditations that are widely accepted, but you need to make sure the accreditation is recognized by the Dept. of Education.
Another thing you need to look at is, are they offering you a degree in less time than a traditional school setting. Some colleges do award credit for a work portfolio, but that should not be your main source of credit hours.
Once you decide on a program, and have completed it, be sure to list the accreditations the program holds for your employer so they can see that you invested in a quality program.
for more info, check out the articles at
back2college.com
It depends on whether or not the program is accredited. If it is accredited, it should help you get a job. If it isn’t, it isn’t worth anything. If you are looking for a program, I would recommend Penn Foster. They are accredited, and they offer employment help to their graduates (they help you find a job). They offer associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates, and they are reasonably priced. If you have any questions about Penn Foster, their is a group in Yahoo! Groups at
Also, has different accredited programs for different certificates and degrees.
The most respected institutions are regionally accredited institutions of higher learning. Many of these institutions offer on-line courses for some or all of the program. If you are looking at specific training programs an accredited Community College in your area may be your best bet.
Some are, some are not. It is entirely up to the employer. Most programs will loudly report how their credential will change your life; some might even be right, but mostly they want your tuition or student grant money… And no certificate is as strong as successful paid experience in a skill.
If a specific program looks good – why not ask your employer OR potential employer(s) if they consider that credential worthwhile? Most employers are HAPPY to tell a potential applicant exactly what they look for in a new hire!
Honestly, most do not recognize these colleges unless they have recognized traditional programs as well, such as Penn State, UNC-Chapel Hill, or Seton Hall. Additionally, depending on your career field, most employers are not going to be satisfied or impressed with employees holding anything less than a bachelors degree.
At the very least, you want to make certain the program which you choose is not just accredited, but regionally accredited. And don’t just take the college’s word for it — check with the regionally accrediting body. Most have websites which you can check.
Yes, distance education programs are recognized by an increasing number of employers. 20 years ago, very few employers would accept a distance education degree. Now, as there are more options and more state schools offering distance education, most employers are recognizing a distance education degrees.
Of course, there are limits, will a distance education bachelors in finance enable you to get a $100,000 a year job with Goldman-Sachs? Probably not, but it will get you a decent job for decent pay in the finance department of a bank or medium sized firm. Distance degrees have their limits, but they are not useless.
First, when choosing a school, make sure it is regionally accredited. You can check accreditation on schools at
Second, check the price. Don’t pay more than $250 per semester credit hour in tuition. There are even options that are less than that. Congratulations to Phoenix graduates, you now know you were over-charged.
Some options for schools are:
Fort Hays State University –
Peru State College –
American Public University –
Also, look into your state schools as well. Many of them will have online degree and certificate programs. Those will carry more weight with employers in your area than schools that aren’t familiar to them. For example, an online paralegal certificate from University of Florida will be much more recognizable to an employer than a paralegal certificate from Ashworth College.
Good luck,