Education
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

How do I get a Distance Learning Undergraduate Degree?

Alicia Sparks
Alicia Sparks

The main difference between earning a distance learning undergraduate degree and earning a traditional bachelor’s degree is the lack of face-to-face interaction with course professors and fellow students. Also, pursuing a distance learning undergraduate degree often allows you to work at a pace more convenient for you. Those differences aside, you’ll follow many of the same steps you would follow if you planned to attend classes at a traditional college campus. Probably the two most important steps are choosing the kind of online undergraduate degree you want and deciding from which school you want to earn the degree. Other factors, such as availability, location, and cost will help you narrow your options.

Knowing, or at least having an idea of, the course of study you want to major in will help you choose the school from which you want to earn your distance learning undergraduate degree. In other words, it’s easier to choose your school if you know what kind of bachelor’s degree you want. Once you know, you can browse schools that offer distance learning undergraduate courses specifically for that degree.

A woman taking a distance learning course.
A woman taking a distance learning course.

Basically, there are three types of schools from which you can earn your distance learning bachelor’s degree. The first type includes traditional colleges and universities in your area that offer distance learning programs. Similarly, the second type includes traditional colleges and universities not in your area that offer distance learning programs. The third type includes colleges and universities that strictly offer online degrees. A school like this is often referred to as an online university, as it generally doesn’t have a conventional campus or any traditional classrooms.

The type of school you choose will depend on several factors. For example, you’ll want to consider the kind of distance learning undergraduate degree you want and whether the school offers that course of study. You’ll also need to think about whether being close to the school’s actual campus is important to you or if it’s important that the school even have a campus. Some distance learning programs from certain universities might require a specific amount of in-person interaction among students and professors, and that can affect your decision. The cost of the distance learning undergraduate courses might also play a role in deciding which college is right for you.

So many options and factors to consider might seem overwhelming. If you already know which schools you’re interested in, you can contact those schools to learn more about their distance learning programs or how to enroll in their distance learning undergraduate courses. If you’re not interested in contacting, or aren’t able to contact, each school, you have other options. For example, a quick Internet search will present you with numerous websites that can help you locate colleges in your area or throughout your nation that offer distance learning undergraduate degree programs. These websites are especially helpful in narrowing your options based on the course of study you want to pursue, whether it’s important for the school to have a traditional campus, and cost.

Discuss this Article

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • A woman taking a distance learning course.
      By: Yuri Arcurs
      A woman taking a distance learning course.