Are Online Social Sciences Degrees Legitimate?

With the rising demand for flexible online learning, many people are left to wonder whether their degree will be respected by future employers. The short answer is that yes, your online social sciences degree is just as good as an in-person degree.

The important part is to verify your online college or university by looking at several key indicators of a high-quality institution. Aside from choosing a school with a legitimate website and well-known programs, you can confirm the legitimacy of an online social science degree through factors such as:

• accreditation status
• financial obligations
• program requirements
• concentration options

Keep reading to learn more about selecting a legitimate social sciences degree online.

Do Employers Respect Online Social Science Degrees?

Employers respect online social science degrees that you earn through an accredited institution because it proves that you completed a high-quality college educational program.

Most online social science degrees also will not indicate that you earned your social degree online. Employers can validate the legitimacy of your degree through your college transcripts.

What To Look For in an Online Social Sciences Degree Program

Legitimate online social science degree programs that are well-respected by employers and other accredited institutions will have an appropriate accreditation, reputation, and more.

Accreditation

Accreditation is the number one feature to look for if you are interested in a legitimate online social science degree that will prepare you for entry-level and advanced careers or educational advancement. A nationally or regionally accredited institution awards legitimate online social science degrees that hold the same value as a social science degree that you earn on campus.

If you are interested in an online bachelor's degree in social science, find a regionally accredited institution to make transferring credits easier while providing more financial aid opportunities. Another reason to earn your online social science degree from an accredited institution is so that employers can validate the legitimacy of your degree.

Accredited institutions have legitimate websites with domains that end in .edu. You can expect your online social science degree to be legitimate if you complete an application and get information from a legitimate website.

Reputation

Take into consideration the reputation of the accredited institution where you would like to pursue your online social science degree.

You can verify the reputation of a college or university through its accreditation and ranking status. You can also verify college reputations through student reviews.

Websites such as College Scorecard and US News provide the status of college reputations through rankings that include acceptance rates, graduation rates, cost evaluations, and more.

Nonprofit Vs. For-Profit Degrees

Nonprofit and for-profit degrees provide different advantages. However, both degrees are well respected by employers and graduate degree programs.

Nonprofit degree programs tend to provide more features for adult online students with a focus on affordable, high-quality college education that prepares students professionally.

Nonprofit degree programs also provide financial aid opportunities that lead to federal tuition assistance awards.

Graduation Rates

Find a legitimate online social science degree program that is available through an accredited college with a high graduation rate.

A high graduation rate gives prospective students an idea of whether prior students remained interested and committed to earning their bachelor's degree on time.

Differences Between Online Social Science Degrees and Traditional Social Science Degrees

Online and traditional campus social science degree programs are typically similar in terms of the curriculum and learning resources available to complement the college learning experience.

Legitimate online social science degree programs provide high-quality educational instruction through an asynchronous or synchronous learning environment.

Traditional social science degree programs involve scheduled classroom instruction. Both online and traditional social science degrees are well respected amongst accredited institutions and employers.

Benefits of Earning Your Social Science Degree at an Online School

Earning your social science degree at an online school may provide benefits such as affordable tuition costs, flexible course deadlines, and most importantly, credibility.

Online schools allow adult students to earn a bachelor's or master's degree while staying consistent with personal and professional obligations.

Undergraduate online social science degrees that are credible involve the same or similar curriculums as traditional campus degrees and are well respected by employers.

Featured Online Social Science Degree Programs

The online social science degree programs featured below are affordable, flexible, and legitimate.

1. Maryville University

Maryville University has a high acceptance rate and offers many social science degree programs that you can complete in an online learning format.

Online social science degrees at Maryville include:

• criminal justice
• forensic psychology
• liberal studies
• human development and family studies
• international studies
• psychology
• social work
• sociology

The social science degree programs cost $540 per credit hour.

2. Pennsylvania State University World Campus

Penn State World Campus's social science degree programs have an overall score of 70 according to US News indicator rankings. The online BS in integrated social sciences degree program involves 120 credit hours of required courses that cover studies in economics, psychology, sociology, and more.

The integrated social sciences degree program costs $626 to $671 per credit hour depending on how many credits you have. Consider grants and scholarships to lower tuition costs.

3. Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University has a high acceptance rate and offers 10 social science degree programs that you can complete fully online.

Some affordable online social science degree programs offered here include:

• BA in human services
• BA in anthropology
• BA in political science
• BS in business administration
• BS in community health education
• BS in geosciences

Tuition at SNHU is $330 per credit hour.

4. University of Central Florida

The University of Central Florida has one of the most affordable undergraduate tuition rates if you live in Florida.

You can earn an online BS in social sciences for $179.19 per credit hour and tailor your degree to support your educational interests and career goals.

UCF also offers an online BA in history degree program that prepares you for careers as a media specialist, grant writer, purchasing agent, and more.

5. University of Maryland Global Campus

There are many social sciences degree programs at the University of Maryland Global Campus, such as:

• BS in psychology
• BS in political science
• BS in social sciences
• BS in business administration
• BA in history
• BS in public safety administration

The BS in social sciences degree program is an online degree program that costs $325 to $499 per credit hour depending on what state you live in.

At UMGC, students may save time and money by applying transfer credits.