“Advance Your Career with Distance Education” is a complete guide for people considering advancing their careers through distance learning/education. The article discusses the advantages of distance learning programs and weighs the same on important parameters.

1. Advance Your Career with Distance Education
Picture this: there’s an exciting new role at your workplace, and you think you’re perfect for the
job. You work hard to land the position, only to find out the guy in the next cubicle has bagged it.
When you dig deeper, you realize the one thing that separates you two is the additional degree
he has. And that’s when you start to regret thinking you were too busy to go back to school to get
that advanced degree, which could have put you on the road to corporate success.
Doesn’t paint a pretty picture, does it? But the good news is that it doesn’t have to stay that way.
You can easily set your house in order by getting an advanced degree through distance
education.
Advancing careers with distance education and other non-traditional means has become quite
commonplace these days, and there are many factors that contribute to the growing popularity of
these programs. Distance education makes sense for full-time professionals, because it allows
them to study without taking time off work. Because of the flexible nature of distance education,
most people are able to strike a balance between their jobs and schoolwork.
Plus, there is a growing acceptance and integration of distance learning programs into the
mainstream education system, because of the drastic improvements in the quality of the course
structure as well as content of these programs. Distance learning programs have undergone a
massive overhaul thanks to the technological revolution. High-quality e-books and CD-ROMs that
can be accessed at the click of the mouse have replaced poorly-printed study material sent to
students by postal mail, plus online collaboration, chats, email, and more have made it easy to
communicate with instructors and fellow students.
What to Look For
If you think you’ve had it with doing the same job year after year, distance education might be
your ticket to new opportunities. But before you take the plunge into this unique pool of
knowledge, there are some things you should consider.
Needless to say, accreditation is at the top of the list of things to check for before throwing
yourself into a distance learning institution. Not only is accreditation proof of the quality of an
institution’s education, it is also a good indicator of how your degree will be received in the
business world.
Another very important factor when selecting a distance education program is its relevance to
your goals. It’s important that you understand why you’re pursuing this degree. Is it to move
ahead in your current job, or to acquire a completely new set of skills for a fresh start? Look for a
program that has the breadth of courses and programs you need.
You also need to keep an eye on your budget. Any type of college degree—whether it’s distance
learning or a classroom-based degree—is not going to be easy on your pocket. You may have to
dip into your savings or take out a student loan. But if you select a university that participates in
Title IV Federal Aid programs and/or offers its own in-house grants and scholarships, you will
have more options for financing your education if you qualify.
How Does It Work?
That distance education doesn’t require you to sit in a classroom is a well-known fact. What’s
probably not common knowledge is that even within distance education, there are different
course formats offering varying degrees of flexibility.
Synchronous distance education, for example, needs all students to connect to their computers at
the same time for pre-scheduled lectures, seminars, video conferencing, etc. The idea is to get

2. everyone together, even if they’re not under the same roof, for an interactive session on a regular
basis.
Asynchronous distance learning programs provide unparalleled flexibility, as students are
generally free to complete their coursework anytime they like. However, students in asynchronous
distance programs may also be required to listen in on recorded lectures, participate in webinars,
etc.
Both types of programs make liberal use of the Internet through emails, live chats, online
discussion forums, and more. In fact, distance learning students may even be asked to submit
their assignments and take exams online.
Is It Right For You?
Distance education provides a uniquely flexible opportunity for professionals to earn the
advanced college education they thought could not fit into their busy work and life schedules.
Before you choose a program, make sure you think about your goals, research your
opportunities, and select the program that fits your needs.