Degree Consulting Services

A Personal Message | Degrees Available | How DCS Works
Our Questionnaire | What Clients Say | Home Page

Degrees available by distance learning

Distance learning degrees are now available from a wide range of fully accredited colleges and universities. The number of programs is growing constantly. These degrees are recognized by employers, graduate schools, government agencies, and others, just like the on-campus versions. Distance learning degrees are respected and helping to build careers in every profession.

We always stress the importance of completing a fully accredited degree. This means only one thing: accreditation by one of the six regional associations. They are:

the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

the New England Association of Schools and Colleges

the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges

the Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Degree programs vary widely in their requirements, options, flexibility, time on campus (if any), faculty support, reputation, and costs. Each program has advantages and disadvantages for a given student. Most have some requirements and restrictions that can be avoided or reduced if you know how.

Bachelors degree programs also vary in their acceptance of transfer credits, in their acceptance of the full range of equivalency exams, and in giving credits for your experience. Some are much better than others in all these areas. Degrees are completed with a combination of online, correspondence, and self-designed courses. We show you how the right mix of these elements can accelerate your degree and make it a rewarding experience.

Online courses and faculty contacts are producing a huge transformation in distance learning. Most programs are now expanding online courses.

The fields now available are so numerous that we cannot list them all. Please contact us to ask about your fields of interest. In brief, Bachelors include all branches of the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, applied sciences, arts, applied arts, business, management, human services, social services, language studies, education, and pre-law and pre-medical studies. There are still no fully accredited Bachelors in Engineering, Architecture, or Social Work, but there are close alternatives.

Bachelors are available with majors or concentrations in such fields as in computer science, information technology, technology management, engineering technology, physics, criminal justice, accounting, aviation, economics, communications, human resources, health care administration, health services, hotel management, Bible studies, counseling, nursing, health sciences, holistic studies, religion, laboratory science, recreation, theater arts, transportation, women's studies, music, paralegal studies, architectural design, nutrition, community services, construction, fire science, and many more. Contact us to discuss the academic programs that match up with your special interests and career goals.

All these programs can be individualized, and we help you do this. General Studies, Liberal Arts, and Interdisciplinary Studies programs are numerous, with few requirements beyond the basic 60 lower-division and 60 upper-division credits.

Many programs require no time at all on the campus. Some have a short residency, ranging from a single orientation weekend for the entire program, to a week per semester on campus.

Dozens of accredited Masters have no or very limited residency. Fields include Business (MBA and other), management, organization development, accounting, education, engineering, religion, divinity, human resources, computer science, information systems, counseling, human services, clinical psychology, holistic studies, fine arts, art history, library science, nursing, public administration, environmental studies, economics, international relations, cultural studies, language studies, health services, policy studies, and many more. Most programs accept one-third of requirements in transfer from other graduate schools.

At the Doctoral level there is a growing number of options in most fields, and all but a very few require a brief residency each year. Fields include all social sciences, humanities, fine arts, psychology, human services, education, business, management, organization development, economics, computer science, engineering, public administration, divinity, and health care administration.

Financial aid is available for all accredited programs. This includes scholarships from each program, more than $15 billion in private-sector scholarships, and expanded federal grants, loans and tax credits. All this makes your degree very affordable and just about the best investment you can make today.

The vast majority of legitimate distance learning degrees still come from the USA. But finally, more traditional universities around the world are offering distance learning.

We can advise you on institutions that have some form of accreditation other than regional (e.g. DETC), law degrees for the California Bar Exam (only), non-Bar law degrees, Bible schools, and natural health science degrees.

We can discuss the best of the unaccredited universities, whose degrees can sometimes help a career, authorship, and/or personal satisfaction. For us, the key indicators of a reputable unaccredited university are:

1. academic standards similar to accredited programs,
2. ample qualified faculty in your field of study, and
3. reputation or the longevity of operation with integrity.

Ask us about the kind of program you're looking for, and where you stand in terms of their requirements. We'll be glad to discuss programs you've found and are considering.