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.

The goal of educational 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.[citation needed] 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.

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 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 "in 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."

In some instances, an online degree may be no different than a degree earned in a campus-based

program. The instruction is often exactly the same, and the online degree contains no special

designation. An example of this is the degree offered to Columbia University students who earn

a degree through the Columbia Video Network (CVN) versus the campus-based program.

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.

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