Many of the top universities in the United States offer distance-learning programs: Boston University, Columbia University, Drexel University, Tulane University, the University of Colorado and the University of Massachusetts, to name just a few.
It's extremely important that the distance learning program you enroll with be fully accredited. In an unaccredited program, you could end up wasting your time, money and effort. Choosing a major university for your online classes is the best way to be assured of accreditation. You can also verify a school's accreditation by visiting the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Online learning has gained a great deal of momentum in the mainstream. However, some distance-learning programs are still frowned on from time to time. When you take online classes with a major university, you extinguish any doubts about your degree and its validity. The university name on your resume can carry substantial weight with prospective employers.
According to the Sloan Consortium, 80 percent of students enrolled with a distance-learning program are in pursuit of an undergraduate degree. As such, there are more undergraduate programs available then anything else. Business programs are the most common, and are featured in 33 percent of the institutions that have online classes. A major university may offer many different all-online undergraduate degrees, up to a dozen or more in some instances.
Many graduate-level programs also are being offered through distance learning. Choices are more limited than with undergraduate degrees; however, the growing trend is for more major universities to begin offering their advanced degrees online as well.