Online degree programs popular in Texas

Students in Texas are opting for online studies

More and more Texas students are opting against a traditional college education and enrolling in online courses to get post-secondary degrees, according to some experts.

Bruce Chaloux is one such expert. He is the director of student access programs and services and the electronic campus for the Southern Regional Education Board, and he claims that enrollment in online programs has increased 20 percent every year for the last five years.

"There is a huge adult population with some college and no degree, leaving them without credentials," he said to the Dallas Morning News. "There is a growing emphasis to get students to return and get degrees."

Some colleges are expanding their curriculum to meet the increased demand. North Central Texas College, for example, had only 16 online sections in 2003, but this year the number is up to 160.

Texas Women's University professor Dr Karen Dunlap knows that there are advantages to campus classes that are distinct from those found with an online course of study, she believes that the quality of the educators involved ultimately determines the quality of the degree. Some local employers support her claim, saying they have interviewed and would hire individuals with online degrees.