Are you interested in taking online college courses? You’re not alone. Taking college classes online is proving to be the most convenient option for many students for a wide variety of reasons.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, last year, there were well over six million students enrolled in online college courses. But not all online college courses offer the same value.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
What Are the Best Online College Courses to Take?
Here are some degree programs that can be adapted well for online learning. Click on the subject you are interested in to learn more about its online courses:
- Accounting
- Business Administration
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Early Childhood
- Elementary Education
- English
- Finance
- Healthcare Administration
- Human Resources
- Management
- Marketing
- Project Management
- Psychology
Methodology: All programs included in this list can be earned 100% online. In addition, they show a positive job outlook according to data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
You may be better suited to one of these areas than another, so consider what you’ll learn and what careers are available to you in each of these fields.
Accounting
Accountants help businesses make financial decisions by analyzing data. Although many businesses use computer programs to keep data, they need accountants to make sense of the data using critical thinking skills.
If you can spot trends, recognize patterns, and easily communicate complex ideas, you may be a good match for accounting. Those who excel in this type of job also tend to be detail-oriented and like math.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
Your online accounting classes can help you learn how to keep financial accounts and the principles of accounting, like auditing, reporting, budgeting, and tax regulations. You’ll most likely take an advanced math course, like statistics or calculus, and general business classes.
You may work with corporations, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, or small businesses. You might also start your own accounting or tax preparation business. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accounting is in demand, with a 4% growth projected in accounting jobs over the next decade.
Business Administration
Business administrators create organizational goals, policies, and procedures. They oversee finances and budgets. They manage people and technology in an organization, and they negotiate contracts.
If you have leadership skills, organizational skills, and the interpersonal skills required to work with teams of people, then you might be a good match for business administration. People in this field tend to be flexible, creative problem solvers, and enjoy working with people.
Your online business administration classes can help you learn the fundamentals of business. You might take classes in financial accounting, logistics, economics, ethics, marketing, operations management, quality control, or computer systems.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
You might choose a management position in a private, public, or nonprofit organization. You might work in retail or sales. You might also be a project assistant, office manager, or a technology-oriented support specialist.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of administrative services managers at 6% for the next ten years. This is faster than the average growth.
Communications
Communication is the art of connecting with others. You may apply your communication skills to fields like media, law, and business.
Communications might be right for you if you enjoy talking with others, writing, public speaking, connecting with diverse groups of people, translating, or researching.
Online communications courses overlap with public relations, advertising, and journalism. You’ll likely take a variety of classes, such as marketing, sociology, psychology, business, media studies, journalism, and writing.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
You can choose from a wide range of careers. Some of the most popular are public relations, journalism, law, marketing, and copywriting.
The job outlook is good for communications majors. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the media and communication field is projected to grow 4% for the next decade, resulting in about 46,200 new jobs.
Criminal Justice
Criminal justice is the process of detecting crimes, locating criminals, trying alleged criminals in court, and punishing the people who are convicted. People who study criminal justice learn how these processes work.
If you go into criminal justice, you might be interested in the law, the psychology of criminal behavior, and how law enforcement agencies work. If you like helping others and have good people skills, this may be the right field for you.
Your online criminal justice classes can help you learn about law enforcement, the court system, and the corrections system. Your classes might include forensic behavioral analysis, psychology, criminology, sociology, juvenile crime, criminal law, and criminal justice theory.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
You might become a police officer, correctional officer, probation officer, or forensic science technician. You might even start your own business as a private detective. Some other career opportunities in criminal justice include fish and game warden, security guard, crime scene investigator, and computer forensics investigator.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that criminal justice careers in the protective service field is projected to grow 3% for the next ten years, which is in keeping with average growth for all jobs.
Education
Education is a broad field. It includes pre-kindergarten, elementary, secondary, and adult education. Not everyone in the education field becomes a teacher. Some are trainers or facilitators.
You might enjoy teaching others. You may be a person who is patient, nurturing, and dedicated to helping others grow. You might be passionate about teaching a particular subject. People who excel in this area typically have great skills in communication, organization, and relationships.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
For your online education classes, you will likely focus on two areas, the art of teaching and the subject you want to teach. You might take classes on educational theory, classroom management, psychology, and communication. If you want to teach math, for example, you will continue taking classes in mathematics.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts opportunities for educating young people, with job growth expected to be around 2% for preschool teachers, 4% for kindergarten and elementary teachers, and 4% for secondary teachers.
Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education means any type of educational program for children younger than kindergarten age. Preschools, daycares, and camps often fall into this category.
To work with very young children, it helps if you have enthusiasm, reliability, and are committed to teaching. Young children need structure and consistency and there will likely never be a dull moment. New challenges can crop up every day that require quick problem-solving skills and a creative imagination.
Your online classes for early childhood education might include social and behavioral sciences. You might also study how to teach children with special needs, infant and toddler mental health, language development, and behavior management.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
You might become a teacher’s aide or a preschool teacher. Eventually, you might be the administrator of a preschool program. You may work in a preschool, hospital or in people’s homes.
Employment of preschool teachers is projected to grow 2% over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is slightly below the average for overall job growth.
Elementary Education
Elementary education usually means teaching in an elementary school. In addition to getting your elementary education degree, you will have to apply for a state’s license to work in a public school. Even as an early childhood educator.
For this field, passion, patience, creativity, flexibility, and dedication are helpful. Elementary teachers might specialize in one subject, or they might teach more than one subject throughout the day. Knowledge of a broad range of basic subjects can help.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
To earn your degree in elementary education, you will likely take some classes online that include child psychology, curriculum development, introduction to education, and philosophy of education. You’ll also take classes on teaching math, English, science, and other subjects. Most programs require supervised time in an elementary school.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 4% growth in the career field of kindergarten and elementary school teachers over the next ten years. This is about as fast as the average for overall job growth.
English
An English degree can be the starting point for many different careers. You might study a variety of literature, or you might specialize in one particular area. For example, you might concentrate on a particular period, genre, or author.
If you enjoy studying English, you’re probably creative and enjoy writing and reading. You may be an independent learner, and you might have a critical eye for detail, or even enjoy healthy debating. This field of study attracts introverts and extroverts alike.
Online classes in English include studying various novels from Western, European. Modern American, Japanese, and Latin American writers. You may take a composition or creative writing course. English as a second language, drama, linguistics, and literary criticism are some other classes in the field of English you may take.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
If you study English, you may work as a professional reader or writer. For example, you might be a social media manager, technical writer, public relations specialist, lawyer, grant writer, librarian, editor, or human resources specialist.
Finance
Finance is a broad field that can include learning about banking, assets, debt, credit, capital markets, and investing. When you study finance, you usually choose one area to concentrate on.
Jobs in finance will require you to talk with other people about their money, so empathy and the ability to teach can be important skills.
Online courses in finance often include an introduction to corporate finance, managerial accounting practices, organizational change, and e-business. You might take an advanced math course like calculus or statistics. You may also take courses in international business, environmental business, marketing, or ethics.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
You might become a financial planner who helps people invest their money, a financial analyst, a budget analyst, an actuary, or an accountant.
As one example of the career opportunities in this field, financial analyst careers will likely grow by 5% for the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Healthcare Administration
Healthcare administration means managing administrative and business duties in a healthcare facility. Healthcare administrators complete payroll and processing tasks and hire and manage staff.
People working in healthcare administration tend to be flexible, adaptable, and solution-oriented. Overseeing the day-to-day operations in healthcare facilities will likely bring you in direct contact with people the majority of the time. If you like working with people and solving problems, this may be a good field of study for you.
Most, if not all, of the requirements for this career field, can often be completed in online courses. You’re likely to take classes in business administration, health records management, healthcare management, and medical coding. You might also take an introduction to anatomy, medical law, ethics, medical terminology, or medical office management classes.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
Careers in this field may mean you’ll manage a healthcare facility, but even within that role, there are many other management possibilities. You might work in a hospital as a department manager, financial officer, or even as the hospital CEO. Nursing homes, clinics, dental offices, and chiropractors also need healthcare managers.
This career field has one of the greatest predictions for growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates an impressive 32% increase in jobs for medical and healthcare managers over the next ten years.
Human Resources
Human resource professionals find, screen, recruit, and train job applicants. They are also often responsible for employee-benefit programs in organizations. They need to stay up-to-date on all of the laws and regulations that apply to the workers in the businesses they represent.
If you are extroverted, intuitive, and like to help others, then you might make a good human resources manager, for example. Human resources managers generally work directly with people. You may deal with sensitive issues, so being trustworthy and discreet would be important for a job in human resources.
Online courses for human resource degrees may include organizational theory and design, behavioral science, and legal issues in human resources management. You might also take classes on performance management and assessment, employee training and development, and compensation and benefits.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
You could choose to pursue work within almost any industry. Many titles in different businesses fall under the umbrella of human resources, including manager, specialist, professional, consultant, executive, trainer, and recruiter.
Job growth for human resources managers is predicted as faster than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics foresees a 6% growth in this field through the next ten years.
Management
Managers are responsible for managing departments, teams, or specific projects. They organize and guide teams, set goals, and follow up with members of their teams to ensure they have what they need to be successful at their jobs.
You might be a good manager if you can coach, encourage, and help bring out the best in others. Successful managers are typically leaders who are organized and trustworthy and have excellent people skills.
Management requires business classes that are generally available online. You might take a class in business management, economics, financial management, business administration, or business law. Other classes that might be helpful are professional communications, marketing, and human resources management.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
The careers available in management are numerous. With a degree in business management, you might go into sales, marketing, finance, or accounting. All of these areas need managers. Managers are needed in any area where people are doing work, especially in teams.
As one example of the outlook in the field of management, demand for administrative services managers could grow as much as 6% over the next decade. That’s according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Marketing
After a product is made, and before it is sold, marketing happens. Marketing includes advertising, public relations, media planning, and sales strategy. Those in marketing create, manage, and enhance brands to sell as much as possible.
To work in marketing, you’ll need to be able to communicate ideas to others. Good marketers are often analytical and creative. They’re also usually good at managing projects, deadlines, and teams.
Online classes are available for marketing. You might take economics, public relations, principles of marketing, quantitative methods, principles of finance, or business marketing.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
You may become a marketing manager, production manager, market research analyst, brand manager, or advertising manager. Some people who have a marketing degree also become account executives, media planners, or copywriters.
The job outlook for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is above average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 6% growth in marketing for the next decade.
Project Management
As a project manager, you may manage projects while working for a corporation, small business, or for yourself. You may plan, create a budget, oversee, and document the progress of your project. As a project manager, you might work alone, or you might lead a team or several teams.
You’ll need a positive attitude to keep projects moving forward. You’ll also need good listening and speaking skills so you can work with others on your project. Organizational skills will help keep your project on track. Project managers typically have excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills, among others.
A project management degree program can help you learn how to set clear goals, define scope, estimate costs, and manage a timeline. Project managers usually have a bachelor’s degree in management, business, or a related field. You may also earn a professional certificate or master’s degree in project management.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
For a career in project management, you might work in healthcare, construction, transportation, or finance. All of these industries hire project managers to oversee many different types of projects.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that jobs in management will grow by a rate of 5% for the next ten years. This is faster than the average job growth rate among all industries.
Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behavior. If you study psychology, you may specialize in a particular area. Experimental psychologists do research to develop and test theories about learning, motivation, and behavior. Developmental psychologists study the changes that take place throughout the human lifespan.
A commitment to learning, empathy, and problem-solving skills are helpful for becoming a psychologist. Being trustworthy, patient, sensitive to the needs of others, and ethical can help others trust you as their psychologist.
For a degree in psychology, you’ll likely take core undergraduate courses. Then you may take classes like developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, the psychology of learning, social psychology, and ethical issues in psychology.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
You might choose to be a psychiatric technician, social worker, therapist, school counselor, or a psychologist. Some people with degrees in psychology go into management as administrative service managers or community service managers.
The job outlook for psychologists is projected at a 3% growth, which is in line with the average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Courses That May Be More Difficult To Take Online
Online learning is generally convenient, but some courses are better to take on a college campus.
If you struggle with a particular subject, it may be better to take the class on campus so that you can attend campus-based tutoring, speak directly with your professor, and collaborate in person with other students.
Last, some programs have components that can’t be completed online. A course may require a practicum or internship, where you’ll visit the actual job site and observe a professional at work.
Accreditation for College Classes Online
Regional accreditation means an outside authority has made sure a school or degree program meets the necessary standards of quality. Look for colleges that are regionally accredited by either the U.S. Department of Education or the nonprofit Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Regardless of whether you’re pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree, you can apply for federal financial aid as long as the course is taken from a regionally-accredited institution.
Federal financial aid may make a significant difference. Public universities charge in-state students an average of $9,000 and out-of-state students an average of $25,000 per semester.
Can I Take a College Course Online?
Yes, you can take a college course online. Online college courses for credit may be appropriate for you if you want to earn an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree.
These include general education classes and major-specific classes (for example, human biology, introduction to psychology, macroeconomics, or U.S. History).
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
Online college classes for no credit may still add experience to your resume, help you grow personally, and help you decide if an area of study is right for you.
How Much Does It Cost to Take an Online College Course?
Online courses for credit usually cost the same as on-campus college classes. Online courses for no credit may cost less or be free.
Classes may cost less for students who live in the same state as the school they attend than they cost for a student who lives out of state.
Financial aid can also help offset the cost of online college classes, as long as the college is regionally accredited.
If you find it a challenge to pay your entire semester’s tuition in one go, you may want to seek out online colleges with affordable payment plans.
What Colleges Offer Online Degrees?
Many of the best online degree programs from regionally accredited institutions are available.
You may earn a bachelor’s degree online from Ohio State University – Columbus, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Worldwide, the University of Illinois – Chicago, and many others.
Some regionally accredited schools offer online graduate degrees, including Indiana University – Bloomington, Columbia University, and Rush University.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
Associate’s degrees and certificates are available online from accredited institutions as well.
What Is the Best Online College?
Finding the best online college is a personal journey. There are some things to take into consideration when it comes to figuring out which online college is best for you.
- What type of degree or certificate does my dream job require?
- Are the school and the program I want regionally accredited?
- Does the college offer all of the courses I want online, or will I have to take on-campus classes as well?
- Does the school offer financial aid?
- Will I qualify for in-state tuition or out-of-state tuition?
Deciding on your future career can be a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be. Doing your research and asking questions can help you determine which online college program best meets your needs.
Are College Courses Online the Right Choice for You?
Are online classes harder? How do online courses work?
Some college courses lend themselves very well to online learning. From accounting to psychology, we saw 15 of the most popular online courses of study available.
The best online college is one that is flexible to your needs and is regionally accredited. If you’re still not sure, you could try taking a free online college course for no credit. That way, you can try out studying online in your new field and see if it’s the best fit for you.
