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Higher education has moved outside the box, beyond the ivy covered walls, rigid classroom schedules, and attendance requirements, to learning in the comfort of our own homes and offices on a schedule of our own choosing. Thanks to the growing availability of online distance learning programs at most colleges and universities, millions of students are realizing their dream of being a college graduate. Full-time jobs, raising kids, military service, physical disability, remote living - the barriers preventing many of us from getting an excellent college education have fallen down.

Degree and non-degree distance learning programs are now being offered at most U.S. universities and colleges and millions of adults are jumping at the chance to get that bachelor's degree, MBA, or PhD that was previously beyond their grasp. Last year almost 3.5 million students took at least one online college course (USA Today, 11/27/07) and some estimates say that 25% will complete their college studies without ever setting foot on campus. A college education is being embraced, more now than ever before, because learning at a distance makes it accessible, flexible, and offers the same quality learning experience found in the traditional classroom.

Via the virtual classroom of web pages, online conferencing, chat rooms, podcast and e-mail, professors deliver class assignments, study materials, lecture outlines and transcripts, answer questions, and conduct individual and group discussions. Sometimes, there are streaming audio and video files of lecturing professors and guest speakers that can be downloaded from the Internet, sent to students on a CD, or transmitted by RSS feed directly to student's phone or PDA. Distance students read their texts and do research on their own time, ask questions via e-mail, and complete assignments with little (if any) supervision. Open-book exams may be completed online or through the mail. Proctored exams are mailed to the student's Proctor (i.e. local librarian or school teacher) to be completed under their watchful eye and returned. The entire process is tailored to deliver the same teaching and class content the on-campus student receives, but with the benefit of studying when, where, and at a pace that fits the lifestyle of the individual.

While taking college classes at a distance is the only way for many busy adults to complete their education, more and more on-campus students are taking advantage of the distant learning program at their college to take individual courses, too. When two required courses have conflicting schedules, for example, the on-campus student is able to take one class on-campus and the other at a distance, rather than postpone one of them to subsequent semester. It's a great benefit, too, for those popular classes that fill up quickly or are wait-listed to get a seat. By choosing to take that same course at a distance, rather than in the classroom, students are assured of getting the course they need or want, when they're ready to take it. For the Type-A personalities who want to complete their degree in record time (or multiple-degree seeking students) taking two or three additional courses off-campus through the distant or extended learning program is becoming commonplace.

Whether you're a busy adult who postponed your college education to juggle career and family or you're an on-campus student now, distance learning programs have something wonderful to offer you. Contact the college or university you've always wanted to attend and ask about their Distance Learning or Extended Degree Program. It's one of the best moves you'll ever make.

Learn more about this author, Jean M. La Rue.
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