Today, there are plenty of genuine online universities offering various online courses. In fact, most companies today encourage employees to upskill while working through online learning and certification.
As such, if you are considering pursuing an online degree there are a few things you should consider as your guide:
Ensure Your Interests are Aligned with the Degree you want to Study
Looking back to your high school years can really help you out here. What subjects did you like? Which lessons did you feel thrilled to attend? At some point in high school we are asked to choose some subjects and drop others. Ensure your online degree is somewhat close to what you like if not entirely what interests you.
At the end of the day, you want to use the acquired skills working somewhere. It will make sense if you did a job you feel thrilled to do every day.
Ensure You do an Extensive Fact-finding on the Course You Want to Pursue
As much as you should follow your interests and hobbies, you need to know how viable the degree is after graduation. You are not wasting your time and money pursuing a degree. You expect it to be of help to you.
Research online about the course. How much is tuition? Where do people with that degree work? What if you want to add another certificate, do you have to leave your job or you can still do it online? Ask around. If you find people with a similar degree the better. Know everything before making your decision.
How long do you Plan on Staying in School?
If you are like most people, you would want to finish school as soon as possible. If this is the case then you need to know how long your course is going to take. Nevertheless, different courses take different times to complete. For instance, you cannot compare the time it takes to complete a medical course and culinary program.
This does not mean one is more important than the other. They are both essential courses. Know how long it will take you to complete you online degree and prepare yourself psychologically in case it takes time. It should not bother you though since it is something you like.
Look into your Chosen Online University Well
As mentioned earlier, there are many trustworthy online universities. However, this does not mean you go with just any university without doing a background check. Remember, it is online and that fact alone should make you stay alert. Are they accredited by the relevant authorities? Most importantly, are their certificates viable in Kenya and are their certificates valid and are recognized by employers?
Besides knowing the legitimacy of the university, you need to know what they can offer you. Like financial aid if you are in need. See what former students have to say about their experiences in the university. Also, online universities have physical addresses. Visit them if possible and know them first hand.
Enrol At UNICAF for an Online Degree
Take Advantage of Unicaf which offers exclusively online, or on-campus taught programmes, (which combine online delivery with face to face classroom teaching). Using Unicaf’s Virtual Learning Environment, the largest digital platform in Africa, students can access study materials 24/7, and ‘earn as they learn’, studying at their convenience, without neglecting job or family commitments. In fact, the Unicaf VLE provides everything a student needs, from enrollment through to graduation.
Unicaf is a global educational organisation based in Europe, offering scholarships to eligible candidates to pursue academic studies with its partner universities, currently the University of Suffolk (UK), Liverpool John Moores University (UK), the University of South Wales (UK), the University of California, Riverside Extension (USA) and multi-campus Unicaf University (Africa). In addition to the fully online delivery of partner universities’ degree programs, Unicaf offers a number of taught programmes at Unicaf University campuses.
