Outside US & Canada?
Choosing Between Online Bachelor's Degrees
By Clare KaufmanQuestion
I am a bank manager in Albania and would like to get an online bachelor's degree in management or a BA from an accredited university in USA or Canada. But, in order to do so I would like to have some good information about which university to choose. First, I need to know how things work for international students with or without previous college history. What processes do I have to undergo in order to be enrolled in any university? What are the requirements I am asked to fulfill as a prospective international student? Are there big differences between universities offering online degrees in fees, paper works, accreditations etc.?
Answer
There are significant differences among U.S. bachelor degree programs, particularly those offered online. It's crucial to research your options before choosing the program that's best for you. Consider the following criteria:
- Is the online degree offered by an accredited institution? You can find a list of accredited schools at the U.S. Department of Education's website.
- What is the quality of the education? How comprehensive is the curriculum?
- Who are the instructors? What are their credentials in the field?
- Does the program require campus visits? Many programs require some face-to-face interaction on campus, or exams administered at an approved U.S. site.
- If you plan to continue working in Albania, how is the degree recognized there? Does the reputation of the program matter?
As you suspect, tuition fees vary widely from school to school. A school's reputation can be a huge factor in the expense, so you may want to steer clear of 'brand-name' schools. For American students, name recognition is almost more important than the degree itself, and many are willing to pay for it; in your case, I expect the degree is more important than the particular institution.
Admission requirements can also vary from school to school, but most require a secondary school degree and academic entrance exams. International students need not have any college experience, but they will probably need to present an equivalent secondary degree from their home country, with coursework in science, mathematics, humanities, and English language. The crucial entrance exam for foreign students is the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), which evaluates your proficiency in reading and writing English. Some also require the TSE, the Test of Spoken English.
There are a number of online resources for evaluating different online programs and their admissions requirements. A good general information site for international students is eduPass.org, which provides a broad overview of the American college system and the admissions process.
Clare Kaufman is a freelance writer specializing in education and career advice. She has a graduate degree in English.
