Online bachelor's degrees may increase career opportunities

Online bachelor's degrees may increase career opportunities

Adults who wish to earn a bachelor's degree and are currently enrolled in a two-year college or technical program, may benefit from transferring into a general studies program. This major allows students to choose areas of concentration that they may want to pursue without restricting their course options.

For example, Georgia Southern University recently announced that next January, it will offer an online bachelor's degree in general studies with four optional areas of study. These include business, justice studies, sociology and writing.

This online program was designed to meet the needs of working adults, members of the military and parents who wish to continue their education, but may be restricted by other responsibilities.

"The program is already attracting interest from students that have always wanted to earn a bachelor's degree, but are either deployed or working and cannot travel to campus," said Brooks Keel, president of Georgia Southern University.

The online program is ideal for two-year college degree holders who wish to pursue higher education in order to advance in their current jobs or launch new careers.

Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show the average earnings for men with high school education were $42,466 during the 2007-2008 fiscal year, while those with bachelor's degrees earned more than twice as much.

By Mark Danson