Online degrees have evolved rapidly over the last couple of decades, turning from a disreputable and often mocked shortcut to obtaining a dubious degree, to the thriving industry it is today. With an increasing number of the world’s leading universities and other educational institutions offering cheaper, sometimes free, online counterparts to their regular degree courses, now is a better time than ever to take the plunge and acquire new qualifications. Online degrees are an effective and accessible way of beefing up your resume and potentially jump-start a new career or open up new possibilities in your existing one. Whether you’re looking for new opportunities or just a bit of self-improvement, you should consider the following subjects for your studies.
Programming
A programming degree is one of the most versatile degrees you can earn with just about every imaginable industry requiring the services of a programmer at some point. Programming is also a skill that lends itself very well to freelance work and is a great option for those looking to transfer to the world of self-employment. Another advantage of pursuing programming is that it is very easy to test the waters and gain some experience beforehand with websites like Code Academy that offer a range of free lessons accessible to anyone.
Master of Management in Library and Information Science (MMLIS)
A great choice for book lovers, the MMLIS, commonly known as a library science degree, is a qualification of ever increasing value with skilled librarians in increasing demand. As well as opening the door to rewarding work in a local library, an online MMLIS degree could land you a job in a more specialized institution like a university or national library. The skills you learn as part of an MMLIS degree can also be applied to the management of other information repositories and are an effective way of making your resume stand out.
Business Management
Another great choice for those looking to move away from traditional employment, a business management degree is a good first step towards self-employment and will teach you how to run and operate a business day to day, as well as how to manage other people working alongside and below you. If self-employment isn’t for you, a business management degree still looks great on a CV and will make it easier to apply for management roles within other organizations.
Accounting
For those who love numbers or are looking to become more intimately acquainted with them, accounting degrees are a perfect fit. Many brilliant potential mathematicians never pursue a math-based career because they find mathematics too abstract. Subjects like accounting offer a tangible and practical use for numbers and as an industry, accounting is incredibly resilient with accountants in constant demand.
Online degrees have come a long way from their humble beginnings and have come into their own as a legitimate and worthwhile educational pursuit, both for new students and for those looking to add another string to their bow.
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