Study: An increasing number of students enroll in online education

Study: An increasing number of students enroll in online education

Online degree programs have become the most defining trend in higher education over the past few years. According to the Sloan Consortium, more than 3.2 million postsecondary students took at least one online course during the 2007 academic year, which represented a 25 percent increase from the previous year. In effort to reach more students in a competitive market, a growing number of universities are increasing their web-based courses.

This trend has reached New England, where many institutions are launching new online degree programs. For example, the University of Massachusetts (UMass), Northeastern University, Lesley University and Boston University have recently increased their web-based offerings, The Boston Globe reports. These schools are promoting the fact that their online degrees and certificates are indistinguishable from those earned on campus.

Schools such as UMass offer 100 accredited degree and certificate programs through online initiatives.

"It's hard to think of a college that's not building its online capability," Carol Aslanian, a senior vice president of market research at EducationDynamics - a firm that specializes in higher education - told The Globe.

During the 2008 academic year, more than one in four students were enrolled in at least one online course, according to the Sloan Consortium.

By Mark Danson