The Differences Between Online and Campus Degree Programs

The first and the most obvious difference is that the online programs are conducted over the Internet and you can be anywhere on Earth and study at the same time , while the campus programs (sometimes referred to as traditional ones) require your presence at some higher education institution.

The classes are flexible and students can control their learning environment, moving through courses at their own pace. The accessibility of online degree courses is unprecedented, and at the same time you do not have to travel anywhere, you do not have to pay the rent and most importantly - you do not have to change your life in any way (be away from your family and friends for example, or to miss your favorite restaurant, or football team). No one does even have to know that you are studying - you do not have to take absence from work, or to explain to your friends where you go every morning/evening - everything happens in the privacy of your home (or any computer with the Internet connection)

There are other differences as well. Primarily, many online degree programs have open enrollment - this means that you can start your studies whenever you want during a calendar year, while you can't do that with the campus program, i.e. you have to wait for the beginning of the school year.

Then, most of the online degree programs do not require from you to be at classes at the particular time of day. This allows you to choose the study time which suits you best, be it in the evening, in the morning, after work… On the other hand, campus students have to attend their classes at the times set in their timetables.

The third difference is that you direct your studies by yourself. Unlike the campus programs where professors direct the study process to fit the majority of student population, here you will have to adapt the program to fit your needs. This will be somewhat harder, but it gives you more freedom.

Finally, online degree programs and campus degree programs differ in students' interaction . At campuses, students are much more connected to their classmates and professors, while their online colleagues are not. And while this is regarded as a downside by young students, it actually helps older ones to finish their studies, since some of them would feel uncomfortable at campus, surrounded by the colleagues who are fifteen or twenty years younger.
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