Validating Your Online Degree to Employers

According to a recent article in The New York Times, some programs of study, such as engineering, are better suited to campus classrooms because of the need for "physical resources." Other online degree programs are highly valued by employers. Will your online degree prevent you from getting a job because of your chosen course of study?

Who's Embracing Online Education?

A Vault survey of human resource professionals, How Stuff Works, reported that the technology industry is most likely to embrace a degree from an online university or program in three fields:

• Internet/New Media
• Technology
• High Tech

However, there are industries that don't prefer online degrees:

• Medicine
• Law
• Healthcare/Biotech

Online Education Gaining Popularity

The good news is that most authorities seem to agree that online learning's increasing popularity will bode well for graduates. As more students choose online education, more employers will be choosing employees with online degrees. The Washington Post reported that by early 2008, according to a firm that studies trends in education, one in 10 college students will be enrolled in an online degree program.

What Employers Think About Online Education

According to a study sited in a report by The Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education, the majority of employers believe that online learning is equal or superior to the experience of learning in a classroom. Some big-name companies such as Texas Instruments won't hire people with online degrees. However, the CIA will.
When considering a course of study, call a few big-name employers in your prospective field and ask a human resource representative what the company policy is regarding online degrees.

Tips for Validating your Online Degree

Being proactive in your job search is the best way for you to validate your online degree. The same study from Vault included recommendations from human resource professionals about applying for jobs:

• Be honest about obtaining your degree online. Employers (57%) think that disclosure should be requirement of employment.
• Provide transcripts, course information, and background details on the program, including accreditation.
• Obtain industry experience, such as an internship, to enhance your application.

Also consider additional activities to help dispel myths about online education stereotypes, such as supplementing your resume and experience with activities such as professional organizations or volunteerism to illustrate your people skills.
Sources:
"Degrees of Acceptance," The New York Times
How Stuff Works
The Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education
"Online Degree Programs Take Off," Washington Post