Facts About Non-Traditional Education
Non-traditional education includes night classes, online classes, personal enrichment and lifelong learning, independent study and more. Read on for more information on the types of non-traditional education and the benefits you could gain from them. Find out what you could study as a non-traditional student.
What Is Non-Traditional Education?
Non-traditional education is education that is offered in ways other than common daytime college classrooms. There are many versions of non-traditional education, such as college-prep education, evening courses, independent learning, online learning, residencies, cross-registration and one-on-one learning.
Independent study allows you to choose a topic of your interest that corresponds to your concentration and create a class around it. For instance, if you major in English, perhaps a course in novels turned into movies is for you. Or if you are majoring in History, maybe you'd enjoy learning about 18th-century English social classes.
Cross-registration is something often found in online or individualized programs. In this case, you'll take courses with one college, but if another college offers a course that yours does not, you can cross-register to take courses at both colleges.
Residencies provide online students the opportunity to meet during a small timeframe (such as a weekend). You'll meet professors and have a highly intensive study of special topics or courses. It'll also afford you the opportunity to meet your cohort students, or students who complete a program following the schedule that you follow.
| Common Versions | College prep, independent learning, online learning, cross-registration, residencies |
| Course Options | Almost any subject at any level; usually not hands-on study or lab work; research methods or art courses can happen with one-on-one individualized study |
| Student Availability | High-school students, working adults, stay-at-home parents, military personnel may enroll |
| Decision Factors | Online study can take as much time as traditional classes; you need to be organized and self-motivated |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 2% decline (for writers and authors)* |
| Median Salary (2020) | $67,120 (for writers and authors)* |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
What Subjects Can I Study?
One of the advantages of non-traditional study is that you can study almost any subject at any level. The only subjects that may be difficult to study are ones that require hands-on study or lab work. For this reason, courses in the natural sciences, allied health and technical areas are uncommon for non-traditional study.
Studies that are not offered through online study, such as research methodology and art courses are available through one-on-one study, where teachers can provide guided, individualized study. Some of the programs available throughthe programs available through these non-traditional study techniques are:
• Japanese culture
• Middle East studies
• Nutrition
• Historical fiction
• Vampires in literature
• Psychology of fandom
• Literature
• American history
• European history
• Psychology
• Childhood education
• Anthropology
• Business
Who Can Benefit from Non-Traditional Study?
These programs may be of interest to a large number of people. College-prep courses can be helpful for students who want to earn college credit while they are still in high school. Online study may appeal to working adults, stay-at-home mothers and military personnel.
Some students cannot handle the structured style of traditional colleges. If this sounds like you, you'll be better off with online, independent or one-on-one study. Also, if your college (or any other college near you) does not offer the program you want to major in, online study and individualized majors are helpful.