Traditional colleges and universities and distance-learning-only institutions offer accredited online college degree programs. Find out what types of accredited online programs are offered and how to check a school's accreditation status.
What Types of Accredited Online Degree Programs are Available?
Students can find accredited online programs at the associate's, bachelor's and master's degree levels. Programs that do not require hands-on learning, such as liberal arts degrees, are often offered online by accredited institutions. Programs that have clinical components, such as nursing degree programs, may be offered as hybrid degrees, which means students can complete part of the degree online and part on campus. There are also programs that require students to be on campus for a short period of time during their degree program, which is called a 'period of residency'.
Schools That Offer These Programs
Many colleges and universities offer online degree programs, and many schools state that their online programs are identical in content to their on-campus programs. Some large public universities have divisions or schools devoted to online programs. Public, private not-for-profit and private for-profit schools offer these programs.
Finding Accredited Online Programs
Choosing an accredited online school is important - that means its programs meet rigorous standards set forth by a recognized accrediting agency. Completing accredited programs is often required for certification or license in fields such as teaching or engineering. Although some schools say their online programs are accredited, it is best to check out the accrediting organization - there are accrediting organizations that are not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Department of Education offer tools for consumers to check the accreditation status of schools.
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES) College Navigator (www.nces.ed.gov) provides data on accredited colleges and their degree programs, with a search function that allows researchers to narrow results to only include colleges that offer distance-learning programs. NCES College Navigator also offers information on the type of college, enrollment and basic costs, but it does not provide information on what types of online programs are offered at each school.
U.S. Department of Education
