If you are thinking about going to school online, you will want to read this:
What to Know About Choosing an Online Degree Program
By Alex Reed, Vice President and Registrar, Meritus University
Many working professionals could be called citizens of the world – traveling extensively and interacting with diverse cultures while holding jobs, developing career paths or serving in private sector or governmental roles. In any case, they are career-oriented men and women, who may want to pursue higher education, but their professional or personal obligations leave little time for educational advancement. Clearly, they cannot be tied to a physical classroom, where assignments and assessments require regular on-site attendance.
Fortunately, there are a growing number of online courses and degree programs currently available to working adults, but how do prospective students determine which online education provider will best suit their particular needs?
Today, it is increasingly important for students considering online education to pursue their studies at an accredited institution. Accredited universities and colleges in Canada maintain uniform standards set forth by Provincial governments.
Meritus University, the country’s new, fully-online higher education provider based in Fredericton, New Brunswick is approved by the New Brunswick Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour to offer its first three degree programs. Meritus University’s programs meet the normal high standards applied to post-secondary education across this country.
Online learning makes higher education accessible for working adults who need to fit their studies into already busy lives; however, the one-size-fits-all notion does not apply to distance education. All working professionals contemplating online learning need to ensure that programs and courses meet their personal and professional goals as well as their agenda.
Meritus University currently offers undergraduate and master’s degree programs in Business Administration and Information Technology that can be completed at an individual’s chosen pace and can incorporate a number of specializations to meet his or her career needs.
Students in Meritus University’s Bachelors of Business program may pursue their studies in one of the following specializations: Management, Global Management, Finance, Marketing, Human Resources Management, Hospitality Management, Communication, and Integrated Supply Chain Operations Management. At the graduate level, Meritus students may choose from the following MBA specializations: Global Management, Healthcare Management, Human Resources Management, Information Technology Management, and Marketing.
The university’s graduate courses run six consecutive weeks while undergraduate courses are 10 consecutive weeks in length. Students will typically take one or two courses at a time, enabling them to progress at their own pace and ultimately achieve their educational goals in a more time-efficient manner.
The chosen online education provider should also have necessary supportive and technological infrastructure in place for students. Enrolling in an online degree program can be particularly challenging for those who are unfamiliar with the online learning environment or the technology involved. Therefore, it is essential that distance education providers make necessary supports available to students.
For example, Meritus University assigns individual students with their own enrolment advisors and academic advisors who provide ongoing personalized support and information on course selection, finances and technology among other issues of concern to students. At Meritus, students’ graduation teams are committed to their success and will assist them wherever they are deployed or transferred.
Meritus University also offers students a leading technology infrastructure. Meritus students have access to live technical support anytime and from anywhere in the world. With approximately 40% of the university’s currently enrolled students residing outside of North America, Meritus makes its technical support services available to students in different time zones around the world 24/7.
Finally, for consideration is an individual’s past educational experience. This should be acknowledged and applied where appropriate to the student’s standing at the higher education institution of choice. Through Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition, Meritus University evaluates the educational credits students have earned to date – in both the workplace and other post-secondary education institutions – and grants university credit where applicable.
For instance, Canadian Forces (military) members undergo extensive training while protecting the interests of their country. During this time, these men and women might attain post-secondary education credits, or perhaps they will carry credits forward from previous employment.
These are some of the considerations working professionals should make while evaluating any online education provider. We hope you will look into making Meritus your educational partner as you attain your educational goals and expand your horizons.