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How Do I Choose the Best Online Business Classes?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

Online business classes generally fall into a few different categories: those offered for credit toward a business degree, those offered for no credit, and those offered by entities that are not educational institutions. Credit classes will count toward a degree program, and choosing the best online business classes for such applications can be a little trickier than choosing other types of classes because you will need to find out if the courses you are considering will offer credit that can be transferred to your college or university. You will also need to figure out if the courses you are considering will fulfill your school's various requirements.

The best way to choose online business classes in this case is to consult your academic advisor. He or she may be able to recommend coursework or online educational institutions that offer valid courses to will fulfill the necessary requirements. Of course, if your college or university offers online business classes, it is perhaps best to take the classes through your school to ensure the credits will transfer and will count toward your degree. If your school does not offer such classes, look for an online educational institution that is accredited. Avoid non-accredited institutions whenever possible.

The best online degrees are associated with brick and mortar schools.
The best online degrees are associated with brick and mortar schools.

Accredited institutions have gone through an accreditation process that ensures the education offered is high-quality and respected by other educational institutions. Attending such an institution will ensure you get an excellent education, and it will also help ensure the credits you earn will transfer to other educational institutions. If you are not taking the online business classes for credit, this may not be as much of a concern, but it is still a good idea to attend an accredited institution to ensure you get a high-quality education, especially if you are paying for the coursework.

Many businesses or websites will offer free online business classes that do not offer credit. These courses are appropriate for people looking to learn the basics about business and for those who are not trying to earn a business degree. It is important to do some research into the various websites that offer online business classes to ensure the information being presented comes from reliable sources. Avoid websites that do not cite sources or fail to list the instructors of the courses. Instructors should have educational credentials or extensive backgrounds in the business world that qualifies them to be teaching an online business course.

Discussion Comments

Mykol

My son works full time and is going to school part time to get his bachelors degree in business. Taking online classes is something that has been very helpful for him.

Because of working full time, having the option to take online classes makes a big difference.

Working closely with an adviser is key when it comes to taking the right classes. Just because it sounds like something that might be interesting, doesn't mean it qualifies as credit toward your major.

Another thing to consider when taking online business classes is that sometimes you may miss out on helpful things that you can't get in an online class as you could in a classroom.

For the most part, an entire college degree can be obtained from online classes. There are a few classes that you get a bigger benefit if you can sit in a classroom setting and have interaction with the professor and other students in the class.

My son usually struggles with math classes, so he tries to avoid taking online business classes that involve much math. There are plenty of other business classes that he can take online without needing any extra instruction.

SarahSon

When my husband and I started a home based business, I knew I needed some kind of educational help to understand some things.

Since we both have very busy schedules, I knew this would have to be an online class. I didn't care about receiving any college credit for the course.

I just wanted a better understanding of some of the computer programs and business tax situations. An accredited class would have cost me quite a bit more money anyway.

We have a local community college that offers adult education courses that are not accredited. This ended up being a good solution for me.

I knew the classes would be helpful, but also since I was paying money to take them, I would be motivated to learn as much as I could from them.

They offer these classes several times a year, so each time I look through the list of available classes and see which ones pertain to my business at the time.

If you have any kind of business, I think it is a good idea to take classes from time to time so you stay up to date on things such as taxes and current business practices.

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    • The best online degrees are associated with brick and mortar schools.
      By: Tatjana Krstic
      The best online degrees are associated with brick and mortar schools.