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9/6/07
Associate Degree Programs
Social Work Degree Online
Social Work Degree prepares students for beginning and advanced practice in clinical social work and organization and community practice. According to Occupational Outlook Handbook of the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Social Workers is expected to increase faster than the average for all professions through 2010 due to rapid increase in elderly population & baby boomer generation.
- From child services, to nursing home support, social work encompasses the support services given to many different populations of people.
- A social worker can either work with people directly, as a clinical counselor, or indirectly, as a managerial human services worker.
- Social workers are greatly needed by the populations they serve and by the society in general.
What do social work professionals do?
Social workers are a specific type of human service professional, trained to specifically work with certain populations in order to help people find an improved lifestyle for themselves. Social workers sometimes only intervene in private lives when they are asked, but sometimes they intervene when the law says it is necessary. Social workers can be employed in schools, hospitals, non-profit agencies, and government human services offices. Some counsel people who are mentally ill, while others advise people how to spend their money or parent their kids. Social workers, in a sense, are the caretakers and advisers who dedicate their careers toward providing support and upholding social justice.
What are the career opportunities in the field of social work?Foster care case workers, rape crisis center employees, probation officers, suicide hot-line counselors, and substance abuse counselors are just a few of the many different hats worn by social workers. If it sounds like there is no difference between counselors and social workers, you�re not far off track. While these two professions are not the same, they do overlap quite a bit and they are both in high demand. Many social workers are certified to do counseling, while many counselors are licensed to do social work. The major difference between these two professions is that counselors are usually more specialized in talking and working through tough issues with individual patients, while social workers often work with populations, in more community-based situations.
Some of the major categories of social work include human service, health care, education, and social program planning. Professionals who have a big heart and are interested in making a difference by helping people climb out of sometimes desolate situations are usually a good match for this field.
What are the qualifications needed to work in the field of social work?Social workers are usually highly educated. While there are a very few number of jobs out there that are filled by high school graduates, most jobs in this field require a bachelor�s degree or, more commonly, a master�s degree. Those with a degree in social work, counseling, or psychology usually qualify for positions in social work as long as their degree is earned through a college deemed acceptable by the Council on Social Work Education. Most states also require social workers to be certified by specific state standards. It may sound strange to have such high credentials to gain professional status in the field of helping people, but social work is a field that can easily burn out even the strongest passion. Social work programs aim to give students the training needed to cope and deal with the populations they�ll serve.
How much money do professionals in social work make?Social workers give their professional lives to help lift up other people, but the numbers on their paychecks would never show it. Most social workers make somewhere between $25,000 and $42,500 a year, with some sub-specialties, such as health or substance abuse social workers, making up to $52,000 a year. Professionals in management can also have a higher earning potential.
What are the leading schools offering programs in Social Work?
- University of Phoenix - Human Services : Founded in 1976, University of Phoenix is the largest accredited private University in the U.S. Students who earn a Bachelor of Science in Human Services get a solid grounding in both the practical and theoretical aspects of working in the fields of counseling, social work, and psychology. Students in this line of study take 60 credits in courses ranging from human behavior, to managing and financing human services program. Most students can complete their degree within two to three years.
- Walden University : Walden University, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, offers Ph.D., master's and bachelor's degrees in management and doctoral and master's degrees in psychology, education and health and human services to meet the specific needs of adult learners. Walden University has over 30 years of experience delivering programs from a distance while maintaining its student-centered focus on quality and integrity.
- Capella University : Capella University is an accredited online university designed to provide a quality education that fits the life of busy professionals like you. With a strong learner community built around motivated adult learners, real world faculty and a staff dedicated to your success, Capella helps you make an immediate impact on your life and career.
- University of Denver University College : University of Denver University College was established in 1864 and is ranked as one of the top 100 universities in the United States. Programs offered include bachelor degree completion, as well as Bachelors and Masters Programs in fields ranging from Business to Environmental Studies.
Early Childhood Ed Degree Online
A degree in early childhood education trains professionals for work with children below the typical school age, usually children between 3 and 5. The curriculum in this educational track includes child psychology, parenting, and early learning strategies. Most professionals in this field work in elementary or pre-schools.
Early Childhood Ed
- Early childhood education includes those kids who are between the ages of 3 and 5.
- Regulations for early childhood education vary; some places require a specialized degree, while others require only a high school diploma.
- Many early childhood education programs work with interchangeably with parents and their children.
What is considered early childhood education?
The field of childhood education is generally split into two different approaches: the child-focused and the family-focused. These approaches may vary in theory, but both are centered on providing the best start for preschool and pre-kindergarten children. Child-focused programs include preschool programs designed to promote child development and improve a child�s chances of being successful in school. Child care or day care programs also fit into this category of early childhood education and are usually limited to children between the ages of 3 and 5. Family-focused approaches to early childhood education include parent training programs and family support programs. Also within this category are two-generation programs, which are designed to help young children get the best possible start in life and, to help their parents become economically responsible.
What kinds of degrees are needed to work in early childhood education?Not all schools offer an early childhood education programs and not all early childhood education programs are in schools. Therefore, the regulations for teachers vary. Early childhood education is an avenue of the education field that officially requires very little as far as degrees and certification for teachers. An early education teacher is expected to be a high school graduate, and it helps to have some formal training, such as an associate�s in early childhood education. The options for educational degrees within early childhood education go from the basics of an associate�s degree, to as far as a Ph.D degree. Those with a master�s or Ph.D. degree usually work in the research field or work to train other teachers in the field.
What career opportunities are opened with a degree in early childhood education?Typically those that go into early childhood education with an associate�s or bachelor�s degree work as teachers in public or private early education programs. These positions are needed in great numbers, especially as the population grows. Early education professionals with a master�s degree or PhD will most likely work in higher education, training teachers and doing research in early childhood education.
How much money does an early childhood education professional make?A teacher going into early childhood education makes an average of $22,000 a year, with a range between $18,000 and $28,000. The training for such positions is not very extensive, therefore, the salary is minimal. As individuals get more education and specialization within the field, however, salary is likely to increase. Working in higher education offers more chance for a higher salary. College professors in early childhood education make an average salary of $52,000 a year, with a range between $37,000 and $99,000.
What are the leading schools offering programs in Early Childhood Ed?
- University of Phoenix - Education : Founded in 1976, University of Phoenix Online is the largest private university in the United States offering Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees in Education. The University of Phoenix also meets individual requirements set by state education departments which means a degree earned at the University of Phoenix is guaranteed to be honored in all states in the U.S.
- Walden University : Walden University, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, offers Ph.D., master's and bachelor's degrees in management and doctoral and master's degrees in psychology, education and health and human services to meet the specific needs of adult learners. Walden University has over 30 years of experience delivering programs from a distance while maintaining its student-centered focus on quality and integrity.
- Ellis College - Undergraduate : With more than 20 accredited degree programs designed to fit the needs of working adults, Ellis College is a premium choice for the career-minded individual. A division of the New York Institute of Technology, Ellis offers online bachelor degrees in popular fields of study such as business, finance, marketing, technology, information systems and more.
- Argosy University (Education & Psych) : Argosy University (Education & Psych), with 18 campus locations throughout U.S., offers Bachelors, Masters, Ph.D., Ed.D., Psy.D. and postgraduate programs in Clinical Psychology, Counseling, Curriculum Instruction, Education, Forensic Psychology, Marriage & Family Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling and School Psychology.
- Penn Foster College : Penn Foster College is one of the largest and most respected Distance Learning Institutions offering Associate degree programs. Penn Foster College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), which is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.
- Kaplan University - Education Programs : Kaplan University Online offers accelerated online career training through master's degree education. Graduate students choose from a variety of education degrees to advance and build on existing teaching skills or work toward a new teaching career.
- ICS Canada : ICS Canada offers career training in Business, Design, Education, Vocational, Healthcare, Legal Studies, and Information Technology fields through flexible distance learning.
- California University of Pennsylvania : California University of Pennsylvania provides career-oriented online training to those students interested in professional careers in education and legal studies. Bachelor and master degrees are available along with graduate certificates to help students start new careers without disrupting their busy schedules.
- Fisher College : Established in 1903, Fisher College is a career education institution dedicated to providing online learning to those students who might otherwise be unable to attain a higher education degree. Students can earn an certificate, associate, or bachelor degree in Business, Information Technology, Education, or Healthcare without ever entering a classroom.
- Penn Foster Career School - Business : Penn Foster Career School (formerly Thomson Education Direct), the world's largest and most respected distance learning institution offers Career Diploma programs in the fields of Business, Bookkeeping, Court Reporting, Education, and Paralegal.
Psychology Degree Online
- Professionals in the field of psychology study human behavior and the reasons behind why people do what they do.
- Psychologists are usually required to have a PhD to practice.
- Some of the sub-specialties in the field of psychology include health psychology, child psychology, and counseling psychology.
What is the field of psychology?
Psychology is the field of science that studies human behavior � basically, why people do what they do. Psychologists today can work in settings such as university laboratories, hospitals, counseling centers, and even large companies. The different settings account for the different types of psychologists, such as clinical psychologists, counseling psychologists, health psychologists, and industrial psychologists. All psychologists, no matter what their specialization, have the same mission: to improve people�s lives by analyzing behaviors.
What kinds of degrees are there in the field of psychology?
A psychology student can come out of school with many different levels of degrees, depending on how long they want to stay in school. The first degree earned is a Bachelor of Arts in psychology (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science in psychology (B.S.). These degrees take between four to five years to complete. The B.A. and B.S. differ only in the number of science courses required; a Bachelor of Science in psychology requires more science coursework than the Bachelor of Arts degree. The next step on the road of psychology is a master�s degree. This is usually another year or two of work after a bachelor�s degree. Students can choose to enter a terminal master�s program, one that offers only a master�s degree, or enroll in a program that allows a student to earn a master�s degree in conjunction with a PhD. These extended programs last anywhere from four to eight years, depending on a student�s ability and specialization. A master�s or PhD. degree allows a psychology student to specialize in a particular piece of the psychology field, such as child psychology, health psychology or sports psychology. Usually students with a master�s or PhD will work in a research facility at a university or go into practicing as a counseling psychologist. A PsyD. degree is another psychology degree that is specifically designed for those who only want to be a practicing doctor of psychology. A person with a PsyD can open their own practice, or work within a mental health institution, but they aren't qualified to work in the research field.
What career opportunities are available for someone with a degree in psychology?
There are is a broad array of psychology careers in hospitals, universities, and private practices. The fields that are likely to have the best opportunities are school psychology and industrial/organizational psychology. Health psychology is also becoming a popular field because a psychologist's emphasis on the �whole person� has shown to be helpful in treating disease. The American Psychological Association claims that psychology is the third fastest-growing field in
How much money can someone make in the field of psychology?
To say the average salary within the entire field of psychology is not giving respect to each separate specialty within psychology. The field could include college professors, counselors, business leaders, psychologists, and many, many other professions. In the specified field of psychology, however, an average counselor makes between $40,000 and $64,000 dollars a year, and a psychologist can make anywhere between $64,600 and $85,200 a year. These salary estimates are very limited because there are so many different paths to follow with a psychology background.
What are the leading schools offering programs in Psychology?
§ University of Phoenix - Human Services : Founded in 1976,
§ Walden University : Walden University, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, offers Ph.D., master's and bachelor's degrees in management and doctoral and master's degrees in psychology, education and health and human services to meet the specific needs of adult learners.
§ Ellis College - Undergraduate : With more than 20 accredited degree programs designed to fit the needs of working adults,
§ California Coast University : Established in 1973, California Coast University has enabled working adults without the time or access to a physical school with the opportunity to complete degree training programs that can open new career doors. Flexible distance-learning classes ensure that students will earn an undergraduate or graduate degree in Business Administration, Management, Psychology, and Health Care Administration in as much or as little time as they have available.
§ Capella University :
§ Argosy University (Education & Psych) :
§ University of Maryland University College : Since 1947, University of Maryland University College (UMUC) has pursued one primary mission: to make higher education more accessible, convenient, and rewarding for busy adults. UMUC offers more than 80 online degree and certificate programs, each designed to offer you a challenging educational experience with maximum flexibility.
§ Liberty University : With thirty online degrees offered, Liberty University Distance Learning Program is a convenient, flexible, and affordable way to earn an accredited degree from a solid, Christian perspective.
§ ICS Canada : ICS
§ Upper Iowa University :
8/2/07
Online degrees
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The term online degrees refers to college degrees (sometimes including high school diplomas and non-degree certificate programs) that can be earned primarily or entirely through the use of an Internet-connected computer, rather than attending college in a traditional campus setting. Improvements in technology and the increasing use of the Internet worldwide have led to a proliferation of online colleges that award associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees to students.
Perceived Quality of Online Degrees
The recognition of the quality of online degrees compared to on-campus degrees varies. While most major online colleges are regionally accredited, the public perception of their quality is in dispute. Some experts argue that degrees in certain fields are more accepted online than in others, while some programs are less suited for online-only schools.
A survey by the Distance Education and Training Council found that 100 percent of employers who responded felt that distance education program graduates performed better on the job as a result of their degree (as compared to their previous performance). Additionally, employers felt that an employee receiving a distance education degree compared favorably, in terms of knowledge learned, to someone with a resident degree. On the other hand, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported in January 2007 on a Vault Inc. survey that found 55 percent of employers preferred traditional degrees over online ones. 41%, however, said they would give "equal consideration to both types of degrees.
The Sloan Consortium, an organization funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to maintain and improve the quality of distance education, publishes regular reports on the state of distance education in the U.S. In its 2006 report "Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006," it stated that "[i]n 2003, 57 percent of academic leaders rated the learning outcomes in online education as the same or superior to those in face-to-face. That number is now 62 percent, a small but noteworthy increase.
Prevalence of Online Education
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) conducted a distance education study based on the 2001-2002 academic year at 2-year and 4-year Title IV (Federal Student Aid)-eligible, degree-granting institutions. The study reported that 56 percent of all institutions surveyed offered distance education courses. The study also found that public institutions were more likely to offer distance education than were private institutions.[5]
The Sloan Consortium, based on data collected from over 2,200 colleges and universities, reports that nearly 3.2 million students took at least one online course during 2005 (a significant increase over the 2.3 million reported in 2004). According to the same report, about two-thirds of the largest institutions have fully online programs.
Master of Business Administration
The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging as the country industrialized and companies sought out scientific approaches to management. The first American business school, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, was established in 1881, 62 years after ESCP-EAP was established in 1819 in Paris. The Tuck School of Business, part of Dartmouth College, was the first graduate school of management in the United States. Founded in 1900, it was the first institution conferring advanced degrees (masters) in the commercial sciences, the forebearer of the modern MBA. Founded in 1898, the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, the second oldest U.S. business school, was the first graduate school in 1940 to offer working professionals the Executive MBA (EMBA) program, a mainstay at most business schools today.
As the U.S. MBA model emerged at the turn of the 20th century, Europeans developed such business schools as Webster Graduate School at Regent's College, London; elsewhere colleges such as Cass Business School, London, IMD, SIBM,MBA-HSG, Instituto de Empresa, INSEAD, Henley Management College, Cranfield School of Management, and Ashridge were established for management training. In 1950 the first MBA degrees were awarded outside the United States by the University of Western Ontario in Canada,[1] followed in 1951 with the degree awarded across the Atlantic by the University of Pretoria in South Africa.[2]
In 1957, INSEAD became the first European university offering the MBA degree, followed in 1964 by IESE (first two-year program in Europe), in 1967 by the Cranfield School of Management and in 1969 by the HEC School of Management (in French, the École des Hautes Études Commerciales) and the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris. In 1968, the Asian Institute of Management was founded.
The MBA degree has been adopted by universities worldwide, and all six habitable continents have universities offering MBA programs.
In Europe, the recent Bologna Accord established uniformity in three levels of higher education: Bachelor (three years), Masters (five years), and Doctorate (eight years). Students can acquire professional experience after their initial bachelor degree at any European institution and later complete their masters in any other European institution via the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. A European masters degree in Management is therefore equivalent to the American MBA having additional scientific content; for example, a European master of science in management requires writing and defending a master's thesis.
Financial Aid
Until recently, students enrolled in online degree programs were ineligible for federal student aid unless at least half of their program was campus based (a law established in 1992 and known as the 50-percent rule).[7] In February 2006, that law was repealed and now federal student aid in the form of federal loans, grants, and work-study is available in the U.S. for students enrolled in an eligible online degree program at an accredited Title IV-eligible institution.
Prevalence of Online Education
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) conducted a distance education study based on the 2001-2002 academic year at 2-year and 4-year Title IV (Federal Student Aid)-eligible, degree-granting institutions. The study reported that 56 percent of all institutions surveyed offered distance education courses. The study also found that public institutions were more likely to offer distance education than were private institutions. The Sloan Consortium, based on data collected from over 2,200 colleges and universities, reports that nearly 3.2 million students took at least one online course during 2005 (a significant increase over the 2.3 million reported in 2004). According to the same report, about two-thirds of the largest institutions have fully online programs.
Accreditation
he goal of accreditation, according to the U.S. Department of Education, is to ensure that programs provided by institutions of higher education meet acceptable levels of quality. In the area of online education, it is important to avoid diploma mills that offer fake degrees at a cost. Students seeking valid online degrees should obtain proof of accreditation from a regional or national/specialized accrediting body in the United States. Online colleges that are fully accredited have earned a widely recognized form of university accreditation from one of six regional accreditation boards.[2]
Each of the six geographic regions of the United States has a non-governmental, regional agency that oversees and accredits degree-granting institutions headquartered in their areas. There are six regional accreditation boards:
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools & Colleges
The Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognize the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) as the accrediting organization for distance learning institutions and education programs that offer online degrees.
[edit] Perceived Quality of Online Degrees
The recognition of the quality of online degrees compared to on-campus degrees varies. While most major online colleges are regionally accredited, the public perception of their quality is in dispute. Some experts argue that degrees in certain fields are more accepted online than in others, while some programs are less suited for online-only schools.[1]
A survey by the Distance Education and Training Council found that 100 percent of employers who responded felt that distance education program graduates performed better on the job as a result of their degree (as compared to their previous performance). Additionally, employers felt that an employee receiving a distance education degree compared favorably, in terms of knowledge learned, to someone with a resident degree.On the other hand, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported in January 2007 on a Vault Inc. survey that found 55 percent of employers preferred traditional degrees over online ones. 41%, however, said they would give "equal consideration to both types of degrees.
The Sloan Consortium, an organization funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to maintain and improve the quality of distance education, publishes regular reports on the state of distance education in the U.S. In its 2006 report "Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006," it stated that "[i]n 2003, 57 percent of academic leaders rated the learning outcomes in online education as the same or superior to those in face-to-face. That number is now 62 percent, a small but noteworthy increase.
Online degrees
The term online degrees refers to college degrees (sometimes including high school diplomas and non-degree certificate programs) that can be earned primarily or entirely through the use of an Internet-connected computer, rather than attending college in a traditional campus setting. Improvements in technology and the increasing use of the Internet worldwide have led to a proliferation of online colleges that award associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees to students.
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