There’s no question that crime-solving TV shows like CSI are popular. They’ve created a huge interest in the demand for forensic science programs at colleges across the nation as students strive to have such a prestigious job. However, just like the depiction of the job of forensic scientist isn’t accurately portrayed in these shows, the ability of a student to get a job in this field without an advanced degree may be over-exaggerated by colleges that offer 2-and 4-year degrees in forensics. According to Medill Reports:

In order to be a forensic pathologist, you need to first go through medical school, then get a pathology specialization, then do residency,” said Tolley, head of the Forensic Chemistry Program at Southern Illinois University.

The best path to CSI-like jobs, said Tolley, is to either become a police officer or get an advanced degree in a hard science.

Of the 160-some forensic and crime scene programs listed on crime-scene-investigator.net, 10 are online degrees, 27 are certificates, and 46 are two-year degrees. Many offer a mixed bag of criminal justice and introductory chemistry courses that some experts worry don’t prepare people to do much of anything.

“You’re not going to get out of a certificate program and all of a sudden police agencies are going to beat your door down and say, ‘Oh will you come and work for me,’ ” said R.E. Gaensslen, head of the forensic science masters at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “That’s not happening.”

In truth, the jobs of collecting evidence and examining it are performed by two different entities. The forensic team has the job of examining the evidence after the detectives have collected it. It’s not nearly as prestigious as these TV programs, and even some colleges, would have you believe.

Administrators at Virginia College have recently released a set of guidelines that students should abide by whenever they’re choosing an online college. According to openPR.com:
Make sure the school is accredited by a reputable government agency. While many schools will tout their accreditation, the agencies aren’t all created equal. Schools that offer Federal Title IV financial aid, including student loans and Pell grants, are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
The best online schools will have admissions counselors available to help you every step of the way. This counselor should be able to tell you about the courses you will be taking, the skills you will acquire and what career options you will have upon graduation.
The best online schools will be glad to offer you a … | Read the rest of this entry »

Most people have heard of diploma mills — the unaccredited schools that charge outrageous tuition fees and award useless degrees. According to a recent report by NewsOK.com, the newest scammers are targeting students who are searching for education grants online:
Beware of online offers that promise grants to pay for college — for a small fee.
The Better Business Bureau has dozens of consumer complaints from consumers claiming they did not receive what they paid for.
The best way to learn what grants are available is to visit a school’s financial aid office, experts say, or go online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
This is just one more thing that students need to be aware of when conducting their school research online. Because college students are so often targets in these … | Read the rest of this entry »

Currently, the University of North Carolina offers more than 90 different online degree programs. However, until recently, these programs weren’t organized into one working space. Now, UNC has developed an online school that they hopes competes with the University of Phoenix with slogans like “All of our online degrees come from universities your prospective employer has actually heard of.” According to The Charlotte Observer:
UNC system officials said their goal is to extend education to those who can’t get to a campus. Admissions standards for online programs will be the same as those for traditional students.
At East Carolina, which offers 60 online degrees, the majority of the MBA students are online. The students, who hail from 61 countries, are often older, more likely to be female … | Read the rest of this entry »

Starting in the fall of 2007, Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences will begin offering its BS in Diagnostic Medical Sonography through its online degree program. As the field of diagnostic medical sonography becomes more and more necessary in medical settings, the need for sonographers all over the world is growing rapidly. According to PR Web:
“Much like the other online degrees in nursing and radiologic sciences offered by the College, sonography represents a growing field with an increasing demand for highly-educated professionals,” said Dr. Don Williams, senior vice president for academic administration. “The online delivery of the degree increases the access of students from around the world to Florida Hospital College’s expert faculty and staff. The students benefit by increasing their knowledge base in sonography … | Read the rest of this entry »

As the number of colleges and universities that offer online classes grow, so does the number of degrees that can be earned online. This makes choosing a degree program much more difficult. However, there are some jobs that rank higher than others that students can get with their online degree. According to Online-Education.net, the top ten careers that can be attained with an online degree are:

Software Engineer
Information Technology Manager
Actuary
Network Engineer
Computer Systems Analyst
Information Systems Manager
Lawyer
Physician Assistant
Database Administrator
Small Business Manager

Online-Education.net offers a list of the top 101 jobs that can be attained with an online degree and lists online colleges that offer those degrees. The jobs are ranked by average salary, industry growth, and the total amount of education you need, and includes everything from associate’s … | Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most hampering aspects of online learning is that it hinders a student’s ability to score an internship or work-study position that offers them work experience in their field of study. While many students work in their field while also earning their degree online, many others are not able to work in their field and are unable to be set up with an internship position due to the fact that their online school is half a country away from their home.
However, recent reports say that online internships are on the rise, and this may be a viable alternative for students of online schools to gain some real-world experience online as well as a degree. According to Market Watch:
Virtual internships mirror what is going … | Read the rest of this entry »

As mental health issues have become better understood by both psychologists and society alike, the need for psychologists has compounded. Psychologists work for themselves as well as in hospitals, schools, correctional institutions, and human resource departments. Psychologists typically need a doctorate degree to practice psychology, and this has led many psychology students to turn to online psychology programs for their education. According to Rose Mus:
Students pursuing psychology online degrees learn about the human mind and behavior and its biological, social and cognitive bases, as well how to apply this knowledge to practical problems. Student enrolled in online psychology programs can choose to specialize in areas of psychology such as educational, child, clinical, sport, forensic, industrial, organizational, social, and marriage and family therapy.
Online psychology programs make … | Read the rest of this entry »

A recent study performed by Carnegie Mellon’s Open Learning Initiative shows that online students perform just as well if not better than traditional students in the classroom. Besides being a faster and more convenient means of earning a degree, studying online has been shown to be just as valuable as studying in a traditional classroom. According to KRISTV:
Ongoing research being conducted by cognitive scientists and education experts at Carnegie Mellon University suggests that it is. Carnegie Mellon’s Open Learning Initiative (OLI), funded by $5.6 million in grants from the Hewlett Foundation, designed a series of high-quality introductory college level courses available for free on the Internet to anyone with an interest. Unlike other open-courseware that simply posts the class syllabus online, Carnegie Mellon’s OLI offers … | Read the rest of this entry »

As the popularity of online degrees has soared, many traditional schools have recognized the benefits of offering online degree options and developed their own online programs. According to Forbes.com, this often takes students away from the original solely-online schools:
Apollo Group Inc.’s University of Phoenix online unit, founded in 1989, was among the first accredited for-profit universities to provide college degree programs over the Internet. As one of the largest online providers in the space, the university offers dozens of online degree programs in areas such as business, technology, health care and education.
But Signal Hill analyst Trace Urdan says Apollo’s mass-marketing approach of being “all things to all people” may hinder the company when compared to universities that offer more specialized, niche areas of study – … | Read the rest of this entry »