Articles

The Best Online Degrees From The Perspective Of An Employer

2011-08-31

Having a good education is important in the workplace, and more people are seeking online degrees to help achieve it. While a variety of schools will have many reasons why they are the best, it is important to look at what businesses want and expect from an online degree program such as an MBA from an online school.

One of the first things an employer looks for in an online degree program is its accreditation. Businesses recognize that there are many quality schools that will offer an online degree program, but potential students still have to beware of "diploma mills" that issue degrees which serve little or no purpose in the workplace.

Not just any accreditation will do. Anyone looking into an online degree should make sure a school's accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Employers also pay attention to the rigor of an online degree program. A quality online degree is not something someone can buy; they must work for it whether it is a bachelor's degree, an MBA or another graduate degree. While life experience may translate into some credit, any school that offers too much of this or a degree based on a resume alone is not a good choice.

Businesses also like to work with students whose online degree program is integrated with their business. Some schools are better than others when it comes to doing this. Often employers will offer education benefits to employees who can show that the MBA or other program they have chosen will provide them with skills they can immediately apply to their current job or some specific job within the company. It is these schools that are able to show that coursework and degrees from their institution have resulted in promotions and pay raises.

When it comes to an online degree program or most anything else, transparency is a good thing. Some schools offer very little information until someone actually becomes a student. A quality school, online or "brick and mortar" based, is open to questions from employers about their program and the expectations of students in general. Of course, the school will also respect a specific student's privacy rights at the same time.

A quality education is a great investment, but also a great responsibility that doesn't come without hard work and expense. A well educated, intelligent employee is also a great investment for a business, but exactly where an employee has obtained an MBA matters, and knowing which schools to trust and respect can go a long way in the future growth of a business.