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Before
you register for an online course, do some homework on yourself
and the course.
- Online
courses can be totally online (not required to come on campus
for registration or classes) or web-enhanced (required time
on campus with web work). Check whether the course
requires any on-site visits, such as for exams.
- Check
your access to equipment for browsing the web. Minimum
Technical Requirements
- Assess
your ability to motivate yourself. Will you have the
discipline to study after the workday? Take the quiz
at the top of this page.
- Expect
online courses to be as demanding as traditional courses.
Do not assume that an online course may be easier or take
less time because there is little or no official class time.
In fact, it may take more time. Unlike an independent
study, you must keep up with the work on a weekly basis,
complete it by the end of the semester and have consistent
participation through online chats, emails, tests and assignments.
- Make
sure that degree programs are accredited by a recognized
accreditation agency. There are six regional accreditations
boards in the U.S.: the Middle States Association,
the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, the North
Central Association of Schools and Colleges, the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges, the Southern Association
of Schools and Colleges. Additional accreditation
agencies are Distance Education and Training Council,
U.S. Department of Education, and Council on Higher Education
Accreditation.
- Establish
your home university or college; ask whether it will accept
credits from the school you are considering. In Minnesota,
email your transfer
specialist.
- Try
an online course (a free sample course) to find out if online
courses are right for you.
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