Important Facts About Attending College From Home
| Degree Certificate Levels | Certificate, bachelors, graduate, and doctoral |
| Online Availability | Fully, partially, blended |
| Some Common Programs | Economics, Nursing (RN to BSN), Public Safety Management, Finance, Small Business Specialist Certificate |
| Possible Careers | Business administration, education, and information technology |
Online Degree Program
The majority of students attending college from home are enrolled in online degree programs. In recent years, the number of available online programs has increased greatly. Students can enroll in online certificate programs and associate, bachelor's, master's and even doctoral degree programs. In these programs, students receive and complete their coursework electronically. Because of the course delivery method, students must have access to a personal computer that is connected to the Internet. Most programs are asynchronous, which means that students do not have to be online at a particular time of the day. This format offers:
- Online interaction with classmates and faculty
- Efficient correspondence via e-mail
- The ability to save work electronically
- Coursework that is accessible from any computer with Internet access
Correspondence Degree Program
Students who do not have access to a computer may be interested in a correspondence degree program. Because of the increased use of personal computers, correspondence courses are becoming less common. In this format, students receive and return their coursework through the mail. Completing work in a physical format is appealing to some students, but this format may take longer to complete than an online program because communication is less immediate. This format offers:
- The ability to work manually with physical coursework
- The ability to work without a computer or Internet
- An experience more similar to being physically present on a campus
