Virtual Degree Programs Gain Popularity During Pandemic

Virtual Degree Programs Gain Popularity During Pandemic

Melissa W.

We’ve all learned a lot since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and have had to create a “new normal” in just about every aspect of our lives. From preschool to post-doctorate programs, education has seen some of the most industry changes with ‘virtual education’ becoming a household phrase. Virtual college programs are not a new concept, but they’ve gained popularity since 2020 and now it’s almost hard to find a college that doesn’t have some sort of virtual offering. According to Inside Higher Ed, "...many more students received all or part of their education in fall 2020 through what the federal agency calls "distance education courses." While colleges and universities enrolled 650,000 fewer students in fall 2020 than they did in fall 2019 (as Inside Higher Ed detailed Wednesday), roughly two-thirds of the remaining students were educated either wholly (44.7 percent) or partially (28 percent) virtually. About a quarter, 27 percent, were not enrolled in any remote education courses."

Are you looking to take your higher education to the screen? Below are some of the top accredited colleges in the US.

Southern New Hampshire University

  • Once a traditional campus-only college, SNHU is now primarily an online university, with over 200 program offerings for Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degrees. They currently have 135,000 online students -- a huge jump from their current 3,000 on-campus students. SNHU continues to be one of the fastest-growing universities in the country.

UMASS Global

  • UMASS offers online, hybrid, and self-paced degree options with over 200 degree programs and 4,000 online courses.

University of Florida

  • UF expanded their degree programs to online back in 2014 and currently rank as #3 in Online Bachelor’s Programs according to U.S. News & World Report 2021. They promote that graduates receive the same accredited degree as their on-campus students with access to alumni perks like exclusive career services.

Online universities make higher education more attainable for many, especially for working parents who would otherwise put their degrees on the back-burner or be forced to do some serious schedule-juggling. Even better? Many online classes offer on-demand courses allowing students to view the class and study on their own time. If you’re looking for more information on accredited online universities, click here.

Are you a current student or recent graduate of an online degree program? Let us know in the comments!

 

Cover photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash  

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