A major concern for those seeking an online master degree is whether they can get anything out of it. The student has to worry about the value of his degree to those who call the shots in the job market. Just how marketable are graduates of such courses in this intensely competitive job market?
This is an important question, especially given that many people are still wary of the online master degree. Besides the novelty of the concept, there is also the fact of Internet scams being frighteningly common. There was thus a natural outcome of wariness about distance learning the way it is done now.
The bad perception has been slightly alleviated of late, though, because more formalized agencies are coming up to evaluate online education. More employers feel better about hiring someone from an online education nowadays, because of this. The positive image is partly due to the impressive names that often make up the committees of accrediation-giving organizations.
The process of finding a suitable institution is nevertheless one of difficulty, however. The proper thing to do would be to seek out academies that are acknowledged to be top-quality, so that you have some extra ammo in the job market later. A reputable institution's prestige can add to your own when the HR people inspect resumes.
The warning is that even accredited schools, if not well-known, can be held suspect. Hence, you need to look beyond the accrediting body's approval. Ideally, you want a program that does have accreditation and also comes from a big-name school.
To that end, you may want to avoid purely online schools. HR officers caution that they are less likely to give jobs to graduates of such institutions. Keep in mind that deviations from this assertion shall be very rare.
There is also a noticeable difference in opinion come baccalaureate degrees. Recent surveys have shown that there is more of a negative attitude among HR officers for graduates of baccalaureate programs online than for graduates of a master degree online. Undergraduate studies are perhaps best taken in a physical campus, as a result.
The concept of educating someone over the Web has been getting more positive responses, though. Studies have shown that majority of the HR officers at the moment do credit masters diplomas from online courses now. However, majority still do consider them less desirable… although that is slowly improving.
It is a smart move to try to counter this with everything you can. Experiential credits count for a lot, so think of that. The student could stack up achievements in his discipline, even outside of the academe.
The best thing to do if you want your online master degree to be taken seriously, though, is to take care in choosing one in the first place. Take your time when looking for programs and ensure that the one you get is as creditable as possible. Entering the marketplace with the right credentials can do a lot for you.
