More campus-based schools offering online education

More campus-based schools offering online education

This year, many traditional brick-and-mortar schools have made the transition into online teaching. The increase in online degree programs has been influenced by the number of adults looking to continue their education.

For example, Washington State University (WSU) recently announced that it will be accepting freshman into its new four-year online degree program. The WSU online bachelors program was previously reserved for transfer students who were looking to complete a degree.

"There are also many people who never got started on a college degree who need the flexibility we offer and are willing to put in the hard work to earn their degree from WSU," said Muriel Oaks, dean for the Center for Distance and Professional Education.

The school will offer online bachelors degrees in business administration, human development, social sciences, criminal justice and the humanities. WSU, and many other schools, will offer online masters degrees as well.

Students who enroll in online courses are often self-motivated individuals looking to earn a degree with little disruption to their private lives. Web-based education offers many learners the flexibility to design a convenient schedule that meets their needs.

The Sloan Consortium reports that over 3.9 million students were taking at least one online course during the 2007-2008 academic year.

By Mark Danson