IT Field has Wide Acceptance of Online Degrees

For a while now the Information Technology field has had the greatest acceptance of online degrees compared to other fields. Although most employers will accept an accredited online degree just as easily, the IT field is a step ahead. The IT field is almost certain to accept an online degree, perhaps because of the subject matter.

But what about other businesses and careers?  Will they recognize an online degree? There are a few ways to discover if this is the case.  And that is the purpose of this article – to determine if your potential employers will accept your degree. If your degree is in the IT field, then you probably are in good shape.

Not every type of degree is viewed equally – especially in the online world. While some diplomas are just as good as a diploma from Harvard, other degrees are virtually worthless. This is all because of accreditation, or lack of accreditation. There are a various types of accreditation. The type of accreditation your program received will determine the number of employers who willingly accept your online degree.

With the first type of accreditation, the school has been accredited by the appropriate regional agency. If the program you're pursuing has been accredited by the proper regional agency, then your degree will be accepted nearly anywhere. Every employer will accept your degree, and most schools will accept your credits if you decide to transfer to a traditional college. Essentially this means that if your degree has been accredited by the proper regional agency then your degree is equal to one that you would have earned at a traditional college.

The second type of accreditation is granted by the Distance Education and Training Council. While some businesses will accept these degrees, others will not. However, the number of employers accepting these online degrees is increasing.

Whether a school will accept transfer credits is ultimately up to them. Some will and others won't. A recent study found that about two out of three Distance Education and Training Council students were successful in transferring credits to another institution. You may still have to prove the legitimacy of your degree to some people.

The third type of accreditation is provided by a professional organization. Typically your online degree will be honored by anyone in that particular field, but not necessarily elsewhere.

There are some traditional institutions that will accept these credits. It will depend on the program you completed and the organization that accredited them. The best way to know for certain is to ask. The degree you receive from an institution with this level of accreditation is equal to a degree from a traditional school that has been accredited by the same professional organization.

However, if your online degree program is not accredited at all, or is accredited by an illegitimate agency, then your degree will be rejected by both employers and schools. Most businesses will not view the degree as a valid and won't hire you. Or, if they do hire you, your pay will be lower than someone with the same degree from a traditional college. Any requests to transfer credits will be rejected.

You should always look for accreditation. But you also need to be certain the online degree program you're taking has the right kind of accreditation. First you must decide what degree you want to pursue and what you want to do with your degree. If you're learning just for enjoyment then accreditation is not important. It is still probably wise to get a degree from an accredited school – just in case. In the end your online degree will be comparable to any degree that has been earned in a traditional college.