5 Things to Look for in an Online Bachelor’s in Business Degree Program

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5 Things to Look for in an Online Bachelor’s in Business Degree Program
  • Accreditation
  • Affordable Tuition Rate
  • Rankings
  • Reputation
  • History and Methods of Distance Learning Delivery

Choosing an online undergraduate business program? There are so many options that it can be difficult even to figure out which factors are the most important. Here are five things every online student should look for in a bachelor’s in business degree program.

1. Accreditation

The most important factor to consider in an online bachelor’s in business degree program is accreditation. A school that lacks accreditation hasn’t been approved by the organizations your prospective employers trust to evaluate the quality of academic curricula. A degree from an unaccredited program won’t help you earn a promotion or make a career switch.

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The college as a whole should have institutional accreditation by one of the seven regional accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Association. Make sure the business school, department or program has specialized accreditation from an agency like the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

2. Affordable Tuition Rate

A college education is an investment in your future, but as a business student, you should also weigh it as a business decision. It’s important to choose a school where the tuition and costs are manageable. You can get a great education at a great value.

3. Rankings

How do you know if you are, in fact, getting a great education? One easy way is to check the school rankings published by sources like U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Publications like Forbes, The Economist and Bloomberg Businessweek also print lists of the best business schools regularly.

4. Reputation

For business students, it has long been important to earn a degree from the right school. Find one that will impress future employers. However, today’s employers may not be quite as concerned about the reputation of your school as they used to be.

School reputation is still one of the things prospective employers look at, but it now falls near the bottom of the list, according to The Atlantic. How many employers view regionally known schools compares closely to how they view nationally known institutions.

Pay attention to both the reputation your intended program has in the business world and what opportunities it could provide. Will you have the chance to grow your skills through internships or extracurricular activities?

5. History and Methods of Distance Learning Delivery

How long has your school been offering online courses? How does its distance learning program work?

Some business schools, like Penn State University’s World Campus, have offered distance learning education options for far longer than the Internet has been around. Even a school new to distance learning programs can provide an excellent online education.But it’s important to find out how the school delivers online course content and what to expect from your online program.

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