Many people have turned to online learning, or distance education, to complete their studies. People who are doing their Masters in Education can now do so from the comfort of their own homes. If you are unable to attend actual classes, you can now earn your masters diploma online.
One huge benefit of completing your online masters in education is that you have the freedom to schedule your own classes. This freedom to arrange classes' means that anyone can fit the program into their daily lives - full-time mothers, professional and so on all have the chance. Apart from the fact that it tends to be cheaper than the conventional on-campus education, it lets students be taught in a more straightforward and personal environment.
However, there are two sides to every story, and many people tend to feel that online learning, particularly at a postgraduate level, is very limited. Some students struggle with the responsibility of meeting deadlines when it comes to assignments and logging on for class. These problems pale in comparison to the fact that you could get scammed.
If you are considering an online masters degree in education, it is vital that your chosen course is accredited. This means that the course has been tested and evaluated so that you can be sure you are getting a high standard of education. This process means that all courses have met a certain standard, and the accreditation body has found that the course is acceptable.
The problem starts when the student ends up taking up a master's program from a non-accredited school. One may find that their degree is practically worthless to prospective employers and worse, the credentials may not be transferable to another school. A secondary problem is that you won't get any kind of financial assistance from your employers if you study while you work.
However, accreditations vary: some are performed by government, some are not. In America the Department of Education has nothing to do with accreditation in these kinds of courses - a separate body figures out the standards. The Council of Higher Education Accreditation and US Department of Education do have the final say though.
Also, you should always check of the accreditation is limited to a specific field, region, or country. In most cases, regional accreditation is the standard for graduate education. A good sign for any online school is the fact that they display all of their accreditation information on their website where it is visible to all visitors.
In terms of scams, you need to be aware of diploma mills, where you can get a diploma instantly for cash. Usually, these programs give little to no coursework. Another giveaway is the fact that they say your work experience will count for course credit.
You should also think twice about schools that have very low admissions standards, or very short courses where you can get your degree far quicker than usual If the school says that you could earn a master's degree in education in one semester without past course credit, you are being scammed. Some scam artists even go so far as to set up false accreditation agencies to garner confidence.
Even though doing your master in education online can be incredibly helpful, you always need to exercise caution. Even though fake schools go to a lot of trouble to appear legitimate, the often forget about their website's URL. If a URL ends in '.edu', it can be trusted.
When in need of reliable info about masters in education programs, do not hesitate in hitting the links.
