CB Education Blog

Online college degree programs are rapidly becoming the mode of learning education of choice among teens and young adults. Empirical evidence would suggest that there are five principal reasons why this may be the case:

Convenience

The Number 1 reason why teens and young adults are choosing to do online college degree programs is convenience. Here, in nearly all cases, respondents claim juggling their already busy lives with college means that an online college degree is their mode of choice when it comes to higher learning.

Flexible

Aside from being extremely convenient, and in conjunction with the convenience factor, an online college degree permits teens and young adults the chance to take the online college degree at their own pace, and also more options when it comes to available courses to chose from.

No on-campus presence

Combining convenience with flexibility for teens and young adults is the fact that many online college degree programs do not require on-campus presence, or minimal on-campus presence. To many online students, this is the best of both world’s - home study with a recognized higher education certificate.

Availability

Teens and young adults argue their claim to preferring to study for online college degree programs due to the fact that doing their studies online means they can study at a prestigious institution, without actually having to be physically present. Consequently, living on the East Coast no longer has mean that you have to study your college degree program on the east coast or else move to elsewhere. Now we live in the virtual world, you really can be in two places at once!

Financial

Although tuition fees for an online college degree can be competitive when compared with traditional education fees, the fact that the online degree is both flexible and off-campus means teens and young adults (and their families) can arrange for the financing more easily and effectively - without having to make major sacrifices to their every day living.

All of the above make for good reasons to study for an online college degree. However, don’t confuse the above as meaning an online college degree is easy. As with all forms of higher learning, it’s not - it just provides you with an easier means of learning, not an easier learning program!

The famous television program, CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) has brought us into an in-depth view on how a crime can be investigated and solved by CSI Agents with their state-of-the-art technology. Solving a crime was a matter of whodunit, and with what size of shoe, and whether anyone left behind traces of evidence that the blue ALS light could pick up. This famous television shows have many people think about working in criminal justice field. But it is not the only career field for a criminal justice degree holder, a degree in criminal justice opens up many career opportunities.

Government recently has invested heavily in homeland security; many law enforcement departments now have increased the academic requirements for law enforcement officer, security personnel or other position that requires knowledge in criminal justice, most of them require at least an associate degree for the position or career promotion. This means that in the field of criminal justice, qualified and skilled professionals are always in demand.

A criminal justice degree can put you on a career path in Law Enforcement, Investigations, Courts, Security, Corrections, Law, Forensic Science, Public Safety and other kinds of job that involve security and protection. Hence, if protecting people and property is what you want to do, a degree in criminal justice can give you the skills you need to enter to such a challenging field.

Before the available of online degree programs, you may have excuses to on hold the realization of you dream job in criminal justice field and stay at your current position, but now you can pursue a Criminal Justice Degree online without the need to put on hold your current life style and go back to school for the degree. With the available of online criminal degree, you can now take a recognized criminal justice degree from a well-known university or college online, even if that college or university is across town, across the nation or across the world.

Among the famous online universities which offer online criminal degree programs are AIU Online, University of Phoenix, Kaplan University and Westwood College Online. Earning an online degree in criminal justice from these online universities can provide students with a solid foundation in some of the most interesting aspects of the industry, including criminology, the causes of crime, typologies and victims.

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that by 2010 there will be more than a 29 percent increase in the demand for FBI agents, police officers, private detectives, U.S. customs agents and many others. Hence, Criminal Justice Degree offers path to brighter future and the online criminal justice program help you to shorten the path to reach your goal.

Many of us have a dream of getting a degree, but it is difficult to achieve. This is due to the fact that we have jobs and find that there is a full schedule all week while community colleges and universities often make it impossible for us to attend. We also have family members to take care and must dedicate our time to. These are the very things that are making online degree ever so more attractive. And for sure the colleges and universities across the country will definitely recognize this demand and respond to it.

Luckily, there is an alternative for the person who desires to attend college classes is online degree. This online degree is a course which is designed by college and university. It officially meets the state’s guidelines and is deemed to be every bit as credible as a brick-and-mortar earned degree.

The online courses offered in the form of online degrees are very great and convenient. To get the most benefit from this course, it is recommended that you do your homework and learn as much as you can to know more about the offered online courses. The more information you obtain, the more benefit you will receive from participating in those chosen programs. Please remember that there are so many online coursed out there available for you, what you have to do is choosing the right one that suits you the most. There are 4 degree levels available online; Associates, Bachelors, Masters and Doctorates.

There are tons of advantages of an online degree. No need to schedule classes. Have your own time with family and take care your kids. Have flexible time and leisure time. However, the only thing you really have to do is be on yourself to stay disciplined to get your work done.

It is absolutely vital that you make sure that the degree that you are pursuing and the classes that you are taking are indeed accredited. You may not want to end up wasting your time and money taking classes that you will not get credit for.

If you were ever considering getting a degree to improve your chances of landing a job, or getting paid more, or even to perhaps change careers completely, now is the time to do it. The future is promised to no one and now with the advantages of online accredited degrees, there really is no excuse for not pursuing these wonderful opportunities. Most of these online accredited degrees are delivered by way of computer. Don’t be intimidated by this if you are not computer savvy. A simple computer and Internet connection will be more than enough to get you through. So now you know. No excuses, get out there and get it done!

There is no doubt at all that the internet is changing the way the world works. People living in the information age no longer have to leave the home for any task- and that includes advanced education!

More and more people are pursuing the idea of gaining their degrees online. Many established universities offer distance education, and this is advantageous to those who cannot relocate or who simply are prohibited from doing so by family or cost restraints.

Online degrees are now available in virtually every field, with the exception of some of the science, which require a specialized environment in which to gain the knowledge necessary for advancement. Many online programs are now also offering degrees at the Master’s level as well as degrees in specialized careers such as teaching or law.

Online degrees are also advantageous for those who want to pursue their degree while working or taking care of a family at home. With the online programs, you can work around your own schedule at a pace that is suited to you, rather than attend a class at a fixed time every week. This means that you can work your job during the day, and then work on your education at night.

This factor also brings up an important item to keep in mind when considering an online degree program - time management. If you are thinking about pursuing your degree by utilizing an online program, you must make sure that you have good time management skills. You will need to plan ahead for the time it will take to complete your assigned work, and not having someone to hold the deadline over their heads sometimes causes problems for people.

Online degrees have, in the past, been somewhat lacking in the interactive components for which seminar portions of university courses are used for. With the influx of conferencing solutions, however, it is now possible to arrange seminars from the homes of students in an online degree program for the exchanges of ideas and opinions that are a vital part of higher learning.

If you would like to obtain a degree or a career in a field that requires a degree, but find yourself lacking in options due to distance or other constraints, an online degree would be well worth looking into.

You have been working in a company for quite some times at the middle level of position. One day, your colleague who is at manager position submits his resignation for career advancement in other company. You think this is your good chance to be promoted to his position as you are the most experience employee in the company although you do have the required management degree for it; but the boss should and will consider your working experience as the promotion factor.

You are waiting for the day of announcement of your promotion with full of excitement; but, one day, your boss bring in a new face and introduce to the company that he is the new hire for the position replacement left by the previous manager. You welcome him with a smiling face but inside your heart, you are unhappy with it.

Don't let this happen to you. Your working experience no doubt is very important and is the key factor for your career advancement. But you need to know that not only you have such a good experience in your field of expertise, many others do have too and they have documents such as degree certificates to prove it. Thus, a degree in hand should be better for you to secure your future as compare solely on your working experience.

It's time for you to upgrade yourself; but you may have a concern to on-hold your current career in order for you to go back to school for the degree. Then, do it with online degree programs. The online degree programs are designed for busy people in mind and you can complete you degree courses at your own schedule from anywhere you are. There are many prestigious colleges and universities offer complete online degree programs taught by the same faculty who teach in their classrooms. Subject areas range from business to nursing, degrees from Bachelor to MBAs and Ph.Ds.

Today, you can easily upgrade yourself through online degree program. If you are holding an associate degree, it's time for you to think about upgrade it to bachelor degree. If you are currently at executive level and have a bachelor degree in business administration, you may prepare yourself for manager position by earning a MBA.

In short, your working experience is important in your career path but a degree in your expertise field will secure you for your future.

In today world, the job market is become extremely competitive. Most of times, whenever there is a job vacancy available, there will be dozens of applicants trying very hard to compete to get that position. And because of this, the employers now have more choices in their candidate selection and they have to be extremely selective in choosing the best candidate for each position they offer. There are several important factors which the employers will scrutinize seriously during the process of evaluating their candidates. Among the top two factors are “Working Experience” and “Educational Background”. For those applicants who did not have the opportunity to attend a traditional college for the related fields to the job position they apply for, this is a very scary prospect. However, this is where the values of an online degree shine through.

Working Experience

One the important evaluating factors in job candidate selection is the “Working Experience”. In the eye of employers, relevant working experience in the related field is an indication of a candidates ability’s to success in that specific field. Thus, applicants who have relevant working experience on the related fields to the job position offered stay higher chances to be short listed. But, the working experience is not the single most important factor for employers when they are evaluating potential job candidates. The other factor that is just as important, if not more important, in the eyes of employers is the candidate’s educational background.

Educational Background

Regardless of the type of job applying for, the strong education background is always the key or determination factor for a job applicant to be offered for the position. In many cases, if job applicants do not have at least of college degree, many employers will not put them under further consideration for the jobs they offer. The job applicants who have stronger educational background always stay at a better position to secure the job when competing with other candidates. For many who did not have the opportunity to attend a traditional college, this is a very scary prospect. However, this is the values of online degree shines through. With the available of various online degree programs, those people who lost the opportunity to earn a degree now can accomplishing their goal and realize their dream at their own schedule.

Online Degree Programs Are Designed For Busy People

Before the introduction of online degree programs, a working individual who think of earning a degree needs to resign from his work or apply for unpaid study leave for 1 to 2 years in order to go back to the college or university. And this is the main factor that holding back the working individual to decision in earning a degree for their career enhancement.

Online degree programs are designed with busy individuals in mind. The online degree programs allow those working individual to obtain a degree in their precious spare time. This is one of the things that truly show the value of an online degree. And by obtaining an online degree, the individual is opened to many exciting opportunities, either for promotion within the company or a new, more lucrative career.

The online degree program is the best way for the working individual to accomplish their goal and their future career enhancement. Thanks to the design of online degrees, anyone can earn one on their own schedule and compete in the job market equally.

If you want to continue your higher education, a master’s degree can be a very viable option. Moreover, if you want to proceed with this without actually needing to go to school, you can opt for an online master’s degree. In today’s fast paced world, people have less and less time. With the advancement of the Internet, there are solutions though. Getting an online degree from the comfort of your own home has never been easier.

If you are already a graduate, you may know that a master’s degree will take your knowledge base even further. You will be required to take advanced courses or even write your own thesis. This thesis will be based on your own research, which will be done independently.

Usually, a master degree will advance your career, giving you more possibilities and opening more doors for you. For instance, an M.A. that you might have acquired in Family Counseling will qualify you for a counseling position. Moreover, if you want to make a career in a university yourself, you will definitely need to go through the process of acquiring a master’s degree. This is the case of subject like History, Physics or any other academic studies you might want to teach.

Now let’s familiarize you with another term. Have you heard of terminal degrees? As the name clearly suggests, these are the king of Master’s degrees that require no further study. For instance, the MFA, an abbreviation from Master of Fine Arts, is the final step that painters, sculptors or photographers can take.

The number of hours needed to be taken in order to complete the course varies from subject to subject. For instance, the majority of them will last 3 or 4 semesters (which is roughly 30 hours). But this is not a rule. There are certain Master’s degrees that can be acquired only in double the number of hours. Even so, they will not last more than 36 months.

And now let’s talk about some of the most important advantages of getting a Master’s degree online. First of all, the most obvious one: comfort. Having the ability to study from the comfort of your own home is not something that everyone can do. You will feel more relaxed, you will feel less pressure and more desire to learn overall.

Then, there is the time factor. Studying at home and taking the hours at their own pace is very important for people who already have a full time job. Having a full time job doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t continue your education, especially with so many very good universities offering comprehensive online programs.

Some of the best universities that have expanded their horizons and started giving classes online include: University of Phoenix (which also has a branch for international students), Walden University, Capella University, Florida’s St. Leo University and many more others. Getting an online Master’s degree can be a very important option. Will it help your career? It definitely will. So if you are looking for alternative study options, you need to take this one into serious consideration.

You can improve your career prospects; get a degree next week.

Everyone has seen the ads. Employers have seen the ads too, so are suspicious of degrees from universities they have never heard of.

Is it necessary then to physically attend a university to obtain a degree that employers will recognize? No.

A university degree is no longer only available by physically attending university lectures, seminars and tutorials. Now you can work for your degree 100% online, never setting foot into the hallowed halls of learning unless you choose to.

There are universities that offer Bachelors and Masters degrees online. You can even get a Doctorate 100% online. You have a very wide choice of subject, as wide as if you physically attended the institution. Check out this site .options-online-degrees.info

You can get an online degree from many traditional universities, including Harvard and Yale. There are other universities and colleges that only have online courses. Some of these universities are accredited universities; others are not.

If you apply to a non-accredited institution, future employers are unlikely to look favorably on your qualification. This is because some of these non-accredited universities are nothing more than printing shops, churning out degrees as the checks roll in. Everyone has seen the ads for these so-called degrees - The Get your doctorate next week type ads.

There have been cases of prominent government scientists losing their posts because their degrees were exposed to come from one of these non-accredited institutions that produce totally worthless degrees and doctorates.

There are Life Experience degrees where you gain credit for what you have learned in your job over the years, including for experience gained by staying at home and looking after the kids. Treat these especially with extreme caution and do not shell out your money too easily. If it is that easy to get a degree then it really is not worth the paper it is printed on.

How do you protect yourself?

Only do an online degree from a university that an educated friend, aged 40 or older, has heard of. Employers are likely to be in a similar age bracket and will have similar knowledge of universities as your friend.

Only follow degree courses in recognized disciplines. Forget Life Experience degrees.

Expect to have to work for your degree for at least two years.

The Goldmark Report in 1923 was the first to recommend that the entry level of education for professional practice as a registered nurse should be a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN), and heated debate has raged among nurses over the issue ever since.

Diploma and Associate Degree RN’s will clearly tell you that they can run rings around BSN program graduates when it comes to patient care. They’ll explain that they have more actual clinical experience and patient care know how in their little finger than a new BSN grad, and 99% of the time they’re right about that! I’ll be the first to admit that if I get seriously ill I’m hoping that my nurse graduated from a diploma program like the one they used to offer at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. Those nurses had so much training and hands on care experience by the time they graduated that few physicians could hold a candle to them on their best day.

This isn’t about whether BSN nurses are better than ADN or Diploma nurses

Up until a few years ago I would have been just as emotional as the next nurse in arguing against the very idea of making the BSN degree the minimum educational level to practice as a professional nurse. The arguments were many and seemed to make sense &ndash no difference in pay for a BSN versus an ADN or Diploma nurse, we all do the same job etc….

But The Times, They Are a Changing…. And so has my point of view

“Rapidly expanding clinical knowledge and mounting complexities in health care mandate that professional nurses possess educational preparation commensurate with the diversified responsibilities required of them. As health care shifts from hospital-centered, inpatient care to more primary and preventive care throughout the community, the health system requires registered nurses who not only can practice across multiple settings - both within and beyond hospitals - but can function with more independence in clinical decision making, case management, provision of direct bedside care, supervision of unlicensed aides and other support personnel, guiding patients through the maze of health care resources, and educating patients on treatment regimens and adoption of healthy lifestyles. In particular, preparation of the entry-level professional nurse requires a greater orientation to community-based primary health care, and an emphasis on health promotion, maintenance, and cost-effective coordinated care.” (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Position Statement, Dec. 2000)

Nursing is a dynamic profession and lifelong learning is essential for nurses to stay current with the increased complexity of the healthcare needs of today and into the future. In other words, the needs of our patients are changing, as we must change in order to be prepared to better serve that need.

BSN degree nurses are better prepared to meet patient needs

The main difference in study between an ADN and BSN is the emphasis on additional education in leadership and management, wellness, and community nursing. BSN prepared nurses possess greater knowledge of health promotion, disease prevention, and risk reduction as well as illness and disease management and are prepared to assist individuals, groups, and communities to prevent disease and achieve optimum levels of wellness. As nurses expand their role and move further into providing more community based primary care delivery the need for BSN prepared nurses is apparent.

Having a BSN degree means more career opportunities

The health system’s increasing demand for front-line primary care, and the accelerating drive toward managed care, prevention, and cost-efficiency, are driving the nation’s need for nurses who are prepared to practice in non-structured setting and interact directly with the public in matters of providing health and prevention services to the community, and that requires a BSN prepared nurse for starters.

Am I saying that every RN should become a BSN?

No, of course not! That’s an individual choice each of you needs to make for yourselves. Don’t do it for money. In many cases there’s no benefit in pay for having a BSN versus an ADN or Diploma- at least initially. The truth however is that increased education leads to increased responsibilities and increased career opportunities which give rise in turn to increased pay.

BSN nurses will have more career options than ADN and Diploma nurses. Diploma nursing programs and all but extinct anymore and I expect the ADN programs will vanish sometime in the future as well, but those of you who are already licensed will continue to be able to practice as an RN. You might find your job opportunities becoming narrower in the near future however. North Dakota has required all new nurse hires to possess a BSN degree since 1987. The New York State Board has similar legislation pending. The Dept. of Veteran’s Affairs began requiring all new hires to possess at least a BSN degree in 2005. Who knows what’s coming next?

Having a BSN degree allows more opportunity for employment, increased responsibility, and career progression. It opens the door for professional certification in specialty areas of nursing practice and leads to an expanded role as a provider, designer, manager, and coordinator of patient care as well as provides the foundation for graduate education.

Today’s working RN’s can attain a BSN degree without sacrificing their present job or income by going through an accredited online program. Programs are available that offer NLN accredited LPN to RN/BSN degrees, RN to BSN degrees, RN/ BSN to Master’s degrees, and even PhD in Nursing. Your employer’s education benefits often cover the expense of advancing your degree and tuition assistance is available for those who need additional help.

Nurses wishing to explore available online nursing degree options can learn more by visiting Medi-Smart.com’s online nursing school directory at medi-smart.com/schools.htm. Medi-Smart is a nursing resource and education site for nurses by an experienced nurse and you can interact with fellow nurses as well as student nurses in the nursing discussion forums while you’re there.

Healthcare delivery is changing. Nurses need to change along with it to meet the need.

Introduction

The legal field is growing at a rapid pass, one of the encouraging factor for this growth is the investment of government in homeland security. The investment in homeland security has also lead to the increase of demand in public and private safety. Many law enforcement departments now have increased the academic requirements for law enforcement officer, security personnel or other position that requires knowledge in criminal justice, most of them require at least an associate degree for the position or career promotion. This means that in the field of criminal justice, qualified and skilled professionals are always in demand.

Earn Your Criminal Justice Degree Online

To upgrade the skills & knowledge in criminal justice or to enter into this highly demand field without stopping your current work (or simply busy) isn't as hard as it used to be. The time, distance and financial constraints of higher education have all but disappeared with the arrival of distance learning and now everyone who are interested in this field can earn the criminal justice degree via online technology. Today, many traditional universities and online colleges offer Criminal Justice Degrees and the students can attend the courses online. Among the universities who offers Criminal Justice Degree Online are:

• University of Phoenix Online





• Kaplan University





• Boston University





• American InterContinental University Online





• Colorado Technical University





• Grantham University





• Keiser College Online

Career Opportunities A criminal justice degree can put you on a career path in Law Enforcement, Investigations, Courts, Security, Corrections, Law, Forensic Science and Public Safety. Among these careers are:

• Crime Scene Investigation Crime scene investigators are responsible for carrying out complex crime scene investigations. They are accountable for the initial evaluation of the scene, and use various types of equipment to cultivate, secure, and package any physical evidence found at the scene. Base on the degree level and experience, the annual salary range for this career may range from $35,000 to $55,000.

• ATF Agent ATF Agent usually Work for the U.S. Treasury Department and they are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of U.S. laws concerning the possession and sale of alcohol, tobacco, and firearms. Base on the degree level and job grade, base annual salary range for this job range from $30,000 to $130,000. (see example hiring ad for ATF agent at USAJobs - jobsearch.usajob.opm.gov )

• CIA Agent The CIA Agent roles include providing accurate, timely, comprehensive, evidence-based, foreign intelligence associated with national security; and conducting special activities, counterintelligence activities, and other functions related to national security, and foreign intelligence, as directed by the President. The annual salary for this job may vary by job functions but this is one of the high income categories in criminal justice field.

• Criminologist Criminologist primarily involved in research and teaching, criminologists supply a great deal of knowledge to the study of policing, police administration and policy, juvenile justice and delinquency, corrections, correctional administration and policy & etc. According to a 2002-03 survey by the American Association of University Professors, salaries for full-time faculty averaged $64,455. By rank, the average was $86,437 for professors, $61,732 for associate professors, $51,545 for assistant professors, $37,737 for instructors, and $43,914 for lecturers.
• FBI Agent Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents are the Government’s primary researchers, accountable for investigating infringement of over 260 statutes and performing susceptible national security investigations. The average annual salary for a FBI Agent is in range of $40,000 to 100,000.

• Forensic Psychology Forensic Psychologists apply psychology to criminal justice. They frequently deal with legal issues such as news law, and public policies, and are asked to determine the mental state and competency of the defendant at the time of the crime, and throughout the legal proceedings. Psychologists earned between $45,000 and $100,000 annually. (see example job ad at (see example hiring ad at USAJobs - jobsearch.usajob.opm.gov)

• Forensic Science Forensic scientists help to solve crimes by collecting and analyzing physical evidence and other facts found at the scene. They specifically analyze fingerprints, blood, semen, firearms, saliva, and drugs, and may also reconstruct skeletal bones. Experienced forensic scientists earn an average salary of $55000 per year. Federal salaries are usually higher. (see example job ad at (see example hiring ad at USAJobs - jobsearch.usajob.opm.gov )

• Paralegal Paralegals are supervised by licensed attorneys. They offer assistance by completing legal research, preparing notebooks for trial, interviewing clients, helping write legal briefs, reviewing and updating files, and drafting documents. Salary and benefits for paralegals vary according to location, job responsibilities, and the type of law office they work for. Starting salaries usually range from $1,300 to $1,800 per month in smaller towns and law firms. Paralegals employed by the federal government earn an average annual salary of between $20,000 and $25,000, according to their experience and skills.

Summary

The career opportunities mentioned above are not the full job list, there are many jobs related to criminal justice field for you as a graduate major in this area. Please note that the salary figures stated for each job types are for your reference purpose, the figure may vary by hiring locations, degree types, job requirement & etc.