There was a time, not very long ago when an online degree was more of a punchline than an educational award.
During the early days of the internet, it was much like the Wild West. No one had really got to grips with the new technology, nor the possibilities that it offered. When it came to online degrees back then, the online degrees of the internet’s earliest days were of the same quality as the infamous mail-order degrees which preceded them.
Now, however, things are very different!
Online degrees are now offered by many of the world’s leading universities, meaning that more people than ever before are able to benefit from access to high-quality learning materials and academics. This change is in large part due to the massive shift in technology, notably the arrival of high-speed broadband. Distance learning is a concept that pre-dates high-speed internet. The UK’s Open University was pioneering the concept in the early 60’s, however, the arrival of high speed, high bandwidth information networks greatly expanded the range of media that universities could deliver to students.
Now that online degrees have gained the same level of legitimacy as their more traditional counterparts, they offer a viable route into the career of your choice. Subjects that were previously unavailable can now be taken up by anyone who desires to learn them, the only requirement is an internet connection, and tuition fees, of course (which are usually lower for online courses). But, as valuable as a university degree is, there are plenty of other excellent reasons to study at an online university. The process of studying for a degree encourages good self-discipline and will help anyone who is looking for some general self-improvement.
Whether you have ever considered studying an online degree before, for any reason, the following are some of the most compelling reasons that you might not have even considered to pursue an online degree as a means of self-improvement.
Learn New Things
Ok, so this one might sound so obvious that it doesn’t need to be pointed out but studying online will fill your world with new knowledge, information, and ideas.
This will naturally mostly be related to your chosen subject, but you will inevitably pick up some other interesting tidbits too.
There are very few subjects these days which exist in isolation, especially at the university level. As such, as part of studying many subjects, you will have to learn to understand their place in a wider industry and how your subject is linked with other related fields. You can check out Purdue University Global for an idea of the range of subjects available to study online.
Improve Your Organization
Learning to stay organized and efficient are useful skills in just about all areas of life. You will rarely find yourself in a situation where good organizational skills are considered to be a hindrance, and yet most of us seem content to assume that organizational skills are simply something that we either have naturally, or we don’t.
In fact, being organized is a skill like any other: it can be learned by and taught to anyone who is willing to learn. The benefits of your organizational skills will be automatic, by which we mean that regardless of what you study, you will need to develop your organizational skills to be successful.
You don’t need to study an online degree to improve your organization, of course. However, in doing so, you will be doing something which requires that you put some effort into working on your ability to stay organized and work effectively. Some of the most effective tools that the student has at their disposal are a timetable and a personal organizer. When combined with a dash of self-motivation, they allow even the most wayward student to plan their time and make the most of it.
Change Your View
Whenever we learn something new about the world, it alters our view of the bigger picture in some way. This is true whether the subject that you are studying is related to the physical world around us, as with physics, or it is dealing with some more abstract concepts, such as philosophy. As you progress through any course of study, you will find that you are constantly having to reevaluate the way you think about particular subjects and ideas.
Prepare for the Future
One of the big advantages to studying an online degree is that, because of their lower cost and flexible timescales, they can be pursued while students continue to work part or even full time in regular employment. Online degrees give you more options for your future.
Studying an online degree will leave you with a new qualification under your belt and a more attractive resume to show potential employers in the future.