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Is it Possible to Get an Accredited Graduate
Degree Online?
In many professions, a Bachelor’s Degree is considered “basic
knowledge.” You can usually find a job with a Bachelor’s
Degree, but the job is often low paid and has limited
advancement potential. You’re getting experience in your chosen
field, but you’re stuck at the bottom of the ladder. You need
to get a graduate degree to advance in your career.
That’s all well and good, but you are working at that
low-paying job, and you have personal and financial
obligations. You can’t just quit what you’re doing and go to
graduate school. You can, however, get an accredited graduate
degree online. It’s a great option.
Although there is some bias against online Bachelor’s Degrees,
it’s very acceptable to get an accredited graduate degree
online. Several well-respected, major universities offer
accredited graduate degrees online, and an online degree from
these colleges is equivalent to a traditional degree.
So, the short answer is, yes it is possible to get an
accredited graduate degree online
You’ve made the decision to get a graduate degree, and looked
at your options and decided an online degree is the best one
for you. Now what? There are literally hundreds of places to
get an accredited graduate degree online. How do you
choose?
The first thing is to eliminate the hoaxes. Graduate level
education is already about as compressed as it can get, so not
many places will give you credit for life experience. Any
college that gives you an advanced degree for little or no
coursework is a hoax.
Next, look at the cost. It is harder to finance graduate
education than undergraduate education. It’s also harder for
adults who have been out of school for a while to get
scholarships. There are, however, ways to finance your graduate
degree. Fill out a FAFSA through the Department of Education to
see if you qualify for grants or loans. Check to see if your
employer has a tuition assistance plan. Search out every
scholarship opportunity you can find. Beg if you have to. And
compare the costs of the various schools you want to
attend.
Finally, look at the school itself. What kind of reputation
does it have? Is it accredited? What have graduates of their
master’s and doctoral programs done with their education? What
is the school’s mission, and does it fit with your personal
views? Are all the courses online, or do you have to go to
campus for some things?
Getting an accredited graduate degree online is the perfect
option for people in fields where it takes a graduate degree to
advance professionally.
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