| Each year thousands of college students choose to | | | | Due to the success of undergraduate online |
| avoid the lecture hall and instead take advantage of | | | | programs, more schools are now offering graduate |
| the convenience of logging on to their computer to | | | | and masters programs the same way. The |
| attend class. Online college courses are growing in | | | | Department of Education recognizes over 1,300 online |
| popularity. Students love these courses and they | | | | masters programs and 320 doctoral programs. Like |
| want colleges and universities to offer more | | | | undergraduate students, online graduate students |
| programs. Now distance learning college is not just | | | | also have the flexibility to download lectures, |
| for undergraduate students, many institutions also | | | | complete assignments and take exams on their time. |
| have graduate and masters programs online and | | | | The Sloan Consortium finds 65% of all schools that |
| these programs are getting rave reviews. | | | | have online programs offer graduate courses online. |
| More than a quarter of all college students now take | | | | Forty four percent of these schools also have |
| at least one course this way. In the fall of 2008, an | | | | masters programs online. Students can find masters |
| amazing 4.6 million students were studying online, a 17 | | | | programs for business, nursing and education. Many |
| percent increase from the year before. And these | | | | of these programs have the same curriculum and |
| students want more options! A study by the Sloan | | | | award the same degree as programs in schools on |
| Consortium found students want colleges and | | | | campus. |
| universities to offer more classes online. The study | | | | Online programs may appeal to graduate students |
| found students at 73% of institutions were | | | | more than night classes or traditional schedules since |
| demanding an increase in distance classes. | | | | they don't have to rearrange or give up a current |
| Why is online learning so popular? Online courses are | | | | work schedule. Online learning may also cost less. |
| more convenient that traditional college courses. | | | | Students can pay for one class at a time, allowing |
| There's no need to walk or drive to campus for class | | | | them to take as many or as few courses as they |
| at a particular time. You can attend class from the | | | | can afford. |
| comfort of your own home, whenever it fits your | | | | Once they get their degree, online masters are going |
| schedule. This flexibility means students can attend | | | | over well with employers. A study by the Sloan |
| college and work full time or take care of a young | | | | Consortium found an increasing number of chief |
| family. Even members of the military are finding they | | | | executive officers and educational institutions rated |
| can attend college this way while serving on active | | | | online learning just as effective as or better than a |
| duty. | | | | traditional education. |