Distance Education Degree
Distance education refers to ways in which education may be delivered to students in multiple remote locations. It is designed to offer students, who cannot commit to on-site study, the opportunity to pursue education in non-traditional formats. Distance education may include online degree programs, correspondence courses, CD-ROM education and many others. Before the advent of the personal computer (PC), students often completed courses by receiving and submitting coursework by way of the U.S. mail system. Because technology has advanced greatly in past decades, the variety of distance education delivery methods has increased. Synchronous distance education occurs when all students must be present simultaneously on a scheduled basis. Education that may be completed on a student's own schedule and does not involve a specific timetable is considered asynchronous.
Online Degree
An online degree program is considered one form of the broader category of distance education. Students who own or have access to personal computers (PC) can pursue an online degree by completing coursework via the Internet. Online courses give students the freedom to work from the comfort and convenience of their homes. Working professionals, who are unable to leave work in order to pursue full-time, on-campus study, benefit most from online courses of study. Accredited online degree programs are available in a variety of fields, including business administration and nursing. Students in these programs receive and submit coursework online and interact with fellow students and faculty by email or through other forms of electronic communication. In recent years, online degree programs have flourished and become recognized as a legitimate form of education.