In today’s volatile economy, earning a graduate degree is a smart choice for career advancement. A graduate degree opens up new opportunities and can give you a competitive advantage in the workplace. Completing your degree online allows for scheduling flexibility around work, family and civic responsibilities.

According to the 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning (sloan.org), enrollment in online courses rose by almost one million students from 2008 to 2009. The survey of more than 2,500 colleges and universities nationwide revealed that approximately 5.6 million students were enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2009, the most recent term for which figures are available.

Other research by Eduventures (eduventures.com) shows that online students represent about 11 percent of all students at U.S. colleges, with online education already mainstream among adult students (close to 25 percent of adult students are online learners). Online graduate programs and students will become even more prevalent over the next decade, as the existing pool of younger people become working professionals — the very population most interested in learning online.

Online education offers the convenience that working adults demand, but prospective students would be wise to look beyond this simple advantage. When considering online education to stay competitive in your field, advance your career, or simply pursue personal development, these three institutional factors should be examined.

First, the length of time an institution has delivered distance education is important, since it means the school has established policies and procedures that work for adult students learning off site. Second, instructors should have professional experience in their fields, adding significantly to the graduate student’s learning experience. Information about the instructor should be available to you. Third, accreditation is crucial since it provides an indication of an institution’s reputation and quality. General accreditation applies to the entire institution as a whole and is awarded by one of six regional accrediting agencies. This accreditation assures you of a basic level of quality, and your degree will be recognized as legitimate by employers.

Few institutions have the level of experience working with adult students off site as Saint Joseph’s College. Mary Haskell, a teacher in Sugarloaf Key, Florida who recently completed a master’s in education, praises the College’s attention to the online learner. “Saint Joseph’s truly understands the rigors of adults juggling responsibilities … and they make student success possible.”

Sharon Davis is completing her MBA online while working for a financial institution in Machias, Maine. “Saint Joseph’s flexible curriculum schedule and relevance of course topics have made my graduate experience well worth my time and financial investment. I would highly recommend their program to anyone wishing to advance their education.”

In 1976, Saint Joseph’s College began offering a distance education program to help health care professionals complete their undergraduate degrees without attending its campus in Standish, Maine. Originally offered through print-based materials and delivered via mail, the programs were converted to online delivery more than 10 years ago.

Now, 35 years after the first course was offered, students can choose from more than 20 online graduate and undergraduate programs in business, education, health care administration, nursing and theology – all suited to one’s own schedule and choice of place to learn (often at home). More than 2,600 people throughout the U.S. enroll in these online programs, including more than 600 from Maine.

For a complete listing of online programs at Saint Joseph’s, go to online.sjcme.edu or call an admissions counselor at 800-752-4723.

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