Traditionally, earning a bachelor's degree has required a student to physically attend a college or university. This might require a student to relocate, or the student might be limited in the classes taken due to job requirements or scheduling conflicts. Today, the advantages of technology afford students opportunities outside the brick walls of an institution of higher learning. Many students are now opting to earn their bachelor's degrees online. As the popularity of earning a bachelor's degree online increases, more traditional brick and mortar institutions are joining online-only colleges and universities in offering undergraduate educations over the Internet, presenting students with broader educational options, as well as flexibility and convenience.



There are many advantages for the student seeking a bachelor's degree to choose an online institution. A student need not live locally to attend the university of his or her choosing. Attending all courses and submitting coursework online eliminates the need for commuting or relocating. Convenience is another factor in earning a bachelor's degree online. An institution may offer more sections of popular courses, allowing students to have more options as to when to attend classes. This allows the student more flexibility, and is ideal for those who work full time and/or care for a family. Further, for those who are considering returning to school after many years, going to school online is a great way to ease into the routine of class work and projects again, and can lessen the stress of feeling the need to fit in with younger students. In addition, who wouldn't find it appealing to attend college from the comforts of home?

When considering earning a bachelor's degree online, there are a few different options open to the prospective student. There are several online-only institutions that offer bachelor's degrees, such as The University of Phoenix, that are fully accredited and offer many choices of both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. These universities generally allow the student to take a bit longer in earning a degree, which is yet another example of the flexibility of online learning. Traditional colleges and universities that offer distance learning programs in addition to their traditional face to face courses might maintain a requirement of completing all required coursework within 4 to 5 years, but might also offer the option of attending part time. However, this could have an effect on any financial aid eligibility for the student. Specific requirements would need to be checked depending on the institution of interest.

The type of bachelor's degree earned online is practically limited only to the student's imagination. No longer is online learning just for web designers and computer programmers. Students may study business, social sciences, humanities, foreign languages, math, marketing, human resources, English, art, and healthcare programs. These are but a few of the bachelor's degrees programs offered online through various institutions of higher learning. In researching specific schools, it is important to remember that each school and its individual degree programs have specific requirements (such as minimum grades on entrance exams) that have to be fulfilled by both local and online students.

The misconception of earning a bachelor's degree online is that the experience is not as enriching as attending face-to-face classes at a traditional college or university. Programs offered online present the same opportunities for group work, independent study, and communication with classmates and instructors as do the traditional methods of earning a degree. In fact, going to college online helps to facilitate the independent learning process, as well as developing time management skills. With the prevalence of the Internet and technologies such as teleconferencing in education today, it is possible to come away from the experience not only earning a bachelor's degree, but also being more in tune with technology, which carries the potential of broadening career opportunities even more. Another misconception is that financial aid is not available to online students. This is not necessarily the case. Loans, grants, and even scholarships might be available to the new online student. Earning a bachelor's degree online is a legitimate, convenient, and flexible way for a person to advance his or her education and career potential.