Your Questions About Business Online Degree Programs

Jere answers:

While both subjects will pretty much give you the proper skills to oversee an establishment and its employees, I personally think that a degree in business administration would be better if you want to own your own business. In fact, this article right here happens to agree: http://www.bestcollegesonline.com/business/online-business-administration-degrees/. This is because business administration will teach you a more broad aspect of the business industry, teaching you how to do everything from how to lead operations and projects, how to examine budgets (including how to come up with solutions to financial loss) and how to interact with employees (including how to maintain healthy relationships in the workplace and how to conduct proper interviews). You’ll even learn how to dabble in the marketing and advertising sector as well. Most importantly, this major will require you to take several computer classes—skills that every successful leader needs to possess. When you finally decide to start your own business, chances are you will be required to do most of the leg work until your business begins to make a name for its self. Thus, knowing how to do a broad range of task will be most beneficial.

Jere answers:

Technically you could, but it’s not going to help your or your resume to get two degrees that have so much overlap. In many instances, you’ll be paying to take the same class twice, so unless the two degrees are totally different, and people in your industry understand the difference I wouldn’t recommend it. If you want a second degree, why don’t you try something like business?
Also, you might want to wait until you’ve got a semester of your regular college courses under your belt. They are much more time consuming than high school courses (at most schools professors assign 3 hours of homework for every 1 hour spent in class, and in the arts, this almost always translates to a lot of time working on multiple projects at once) so you may decide that you don’t have time to do them both at the same time.

Jere answers:

You should definitely consider attending an online college like Ball State University. Although some might say an online degree will be easier to earn, or will not be respected by employers, that is simply not the case… Especially when you attend a university that is already well-known and respected in your region.

Your degree WILL BE IDENTICAL to the degree conferred upon traditional brick-and-mortar students… Your future employer will never know that you attended online instead of on-campus.

Dozens of well-known, respected universities ranked in the Top 100 by U.S. News offer online programs (Penn State, Syracuse, Boston U, University of Illinois, and so on).

Personally, as you said, I would advise against attending any college that is synonymous with online learning. Attend a well-established university that also has a campus program.

In terms of what you can do with your degree. The first choice is clearly the university you choose to attend. If your university is well-regarded and accredited, you’re on the right track. The next step is to ensure that you keep your GPA up. It’s not easy to do with a full-time job and family, but employers WILL look at your GPA.

I started out at a local university (night school) and transferred to a respected online program (Business Administration, like you) — the university has a campus program, and is not synonymous with online learning. After graduation, I applied to an ABA-accredited brick-and-mortar law school and I was not only admitted, but received a scholarship.

So, the question isn’t really whether an online degree will take you where you want to go. It’s a matter of finding the right school (founds like you have), doing the work, making the grades, and then making the most of every opportunity that comes along.

Here’s a list of other universities with Online Business Administration degrees in case you’re still deciding. Some are more reputable than others, but everyone has their own idea of what school is well-known and what school isn’t (depending on where they live).

1. Amberton University
2. American Intercontinental University
3. American Military University
4. Andrew Jackson University
5. Antioch University
6. Atlantic Union College
7. Baker College
8. Bellevue University
9. Bemidji State University
10. Caldwell College
11. California State University – Fresno
12. Capella University
13. Central Michigan University
14. Champlain College
15. Charter Oak State College
16. Christopher Newport University
17. City University
18. Columbia College of Missouri
19. Columbia Union College
20. Corbon College
21. Dallas Baptist University
22. East Carolina University
23. Eastern Oregon University
24. Empire State College
25. Excelsior College
26. Fisher College
27. Fort Hays State University
28. Franklin University
29. Governors State University
30. Granite State College
31. Griggs University
32. Indiana State University
33. Jones International University
34. Judson College
35. Kansas State University
36. Kaplan College
37. Kentucky Commonwealth Virtual University
38. Kettering University
39. Liberty University
40. Limestone College
41. Mary Baldwin College
42. Mercy College
43. Mountain State University
44. Murray State University
45. Myers University
46. National-Louis University
47. Northcentral University
48. Northeastern Illinois University
49. Northwest Missouri State University
50. Northwood University
51. Nova Southeastern University
52. Ohio University
53. Old Dominion University
54. Oral Roberts University
55. Park University
56. Prescott College
57. Regis University
58. Rochester Institute of Technology
59. Roger Williams University
60. Rogers State University
61. Saint Joseph’s College
62. Saint Mary of the Woods College
63. Southern Christian University
64. Southern New Hampshire University
65. Stephens College
66. Strayer University
67. Tennessee Board of Regents
68. Thomas Edison State College
69. Touro University International
70. University of Alabama
71. University of Baltimore
72. University of Maryland UC
73. University of Massachusetts – Amherst
74. University of Massachusetts – Lowell
75. University of Memphis
76. University of Northwestern Ohio
77. University of Phoenix
78. University of Saint Francis
79. University of Wisconsin – Platteville
80. University of Wyoming
81. Upper Iowa University
82. Walden University
83. Washington State University
84. Western Governors University

I hope that helps!

Jere answers:

Good question. I’ll be back to check answers

Jere answers:

My personal experience as both a student and an instructor has been excellent in an online environment. Of course, I am only referring to fully accredited institutions.

I earned my MBA and almost finished my PhD through hybrid programs. Most of the course work was done via asynchronous online methods. If you think about graduate work is mostly research. I would not be teaching college and consulting all over without it. Plus, the paper does not say ONLINE. I would recommend pursuing a degree from an accredited institution that offers a campus experience as well. This does not mean that you will go to campus, but who will know?

I always have three recommendations for everyone looking into online/distance education. They all have to do with exploring after all you have to defend your assets.

1. Make certain that you have triple checked their accreditation. First, they tell you what it is, then you go to that accrediting bodies website (not through the link provided by the school), and thirdly you would visit the department of education to see what they have to say. Do your diligent research into the institutions once you have narrowed down to a couple. You can look at the Better Business Bureau for more information of the college.

2. You must have extreme self motivation and be able to teach yourself per say. This means that you will not have someone telling you verbally, so it is up to you to get the information from the course room, text, and other resources. The best way to look at it is like a guided independent study course.

3. Review your goals, personal and professional. Make sure that the school that you are going to offers the programs that match your goals. Do not settle. There are many programs that are similar, but you have to make the ultimate decision. Do not let be based on finances and length of program, but the fact that when you are finished or near finished you will be able to assume your proper place in the career field sought.

You should market yourself and not the degree or university. There are many traditional universities offering degrees that can be earned through online methods. Look at that if you are truly concerned with the name of the school. Good luck on your search!