Will an Online Liberal Arts Program Have the Same Prestige as a Traditional Liberal Arts Program?

How Do Employers View Online Degrees?

If you are interested in obtaining a liberal arts program degree via online learning, gaining an understanding of whether these types of programs will have the same prestige as those attained through a traditional program will be important. In short, you want to attain a degree that prospective employers will view as valuable. Based on research regarding how employers view online degrees, studies indicate that more and more executives view degrees earned through distance learning as just as valuable as those attained through traditional institutions. However, in order to be considered equally valuable, the online degree had to conform to the following criteria:

1. Regional Accreditation

When determining the validity of online degree programs, employers want to be confident that the program has attained regional accreditation. Because institutions for accreditation subject programs to rigorous evaluation, many employers take regional accreditation as a sign that an online institution is operating in excellence.

2. Traditional Campus

Of the top 10 online learning institutions, all of them have a traditional campus. And while a hiring manager’s favorability of an online-only institution ranks at just 42%, favorability rises to 92% if the program has brick-and-mortar buildings.

3. Established Brand

Hiring managers view degrees from online learning institutions with established brands much more favorably than those that are less well-known. Specifically, research seems to indicate that many hiring decisions are made based upon factors such as a learning institution’s reputation and name recognition. Thus learning institutions that have been around for longer periods of time and have an established brand are likely to garner a more favorable opinion than newer institutions.

Online Learning: Making The Decision

As made plain by the information listed above, a degree that has been earned from an online learning institution can be deemed just as prestigious as one which has been attained through a traditional liberal arts program. The key is that the school from which you attain the degree conforms to the aforementioned criteria.

In addition to ensuring that the school from which you attain your online degree is viewed as valuable in the eyes of hiring managers, there are several other factors you need to consider, especially the differences between traditional learning and online learning. Oftentimes, online learning brings with it specific advantages over traditional learning. Some of those advantages can include scheduling flexibility, lower costs, and the development of marketable skills such as internet research, e-mail, etc. However, it is important that you take the time to research the unique advantages and disadvantages of several online and offline liberal arts programs before you make your final decision.

Conclusion

If you are thinking about obtaining a liberal arts degree from an online learning institution, you should know that doing so can help prepare you for a rewarding career. Now that you have a basic understanding of the prestige of online vs. traditional liberal arts programs, you can make an informed decision regarding which educational program would be most appropriate and advantageous for you.

Related Resource: Top 10 Online Liberal Arts Colleges