The following is a sponsored post for Excelsia College Online.
Tertiary education is often viewed as simply the next step for fresh-faced high school graduates. However, with the level of diverse programs and courses available these days, this isn’t necessarily the case.
A whole host of fantastic postgraduate and Masters degrees exist specifically to help professionals take their career to the next level, and it’s working.
Take the Master of Business Administration (MBA), for example. Graduates of this popular program are proven to have higher earning potential and better chances of scoring that dream job. Likewise, graduates of the MBA are better equipped to deal with real-world business scenarios, problem solve business needs, as well as have deeper and more insightful knowledge of their studied field.
Based on these merits alone, you’d think that every passionate professional would be leaping at the chance to gain more qualifications, right? Unfortunately, many are still missing the boat because of preconceived (but mostly incorrect) ideas about the practicality of balancing work life and study.
The good news is, with the evolution of online capabilities in education, studying a postgraduate degree has never been more accessible. Online courses have received some unfair criticisms over the years, but with the technologies available to us now, and the focus from renowned universities and educational institutions to move curriculum online, there’s never been a better time to delve into distance education. [adrotate group=”4″]
Work to your own schedule
Undoubtedly one of the main benefits of studying online is the flexibility. You’re provided with all of the resources you need – lectures, course material, academic readings, online assistance from teaching staff, assessments, etc – and then you mould your course to suit your personal schedule.
You can listen to lecture recordings on the drive to work, read through notes over your morning coffee; whatever your preferences, you have the freedom to make your coursework best for you.
Boost your qualifications without sacrificing your career
While you’ll still have to invest time and effort in completing your degree, online education makes it possible to continue working your day job without interruption. That means you can take positive steps in advancing your skills, knowledge, and ultimately your career without negatively affecting your current work commitments.
Location is everything
Without the need to physically be on campus, the world of studying opportunities is cracked wide open. Essentially, you can choose your preferred university without having to make your decision location-dependent, and you can also rest assured you won’t be spending money (and time!) on all those costs involved with travel and parking.
It also opens the opportunity to study from remote locations; for a lot of people, online study has made the possibility of tertiary or postgraduate study a reality.
Time management, self-discipline and the myth of autonomy
Whether you study online or on-campus, these are all things you have to be good at if you want to complete a postgraduate degree. Time management and self-discipline, in particular, are critical in any type of study, at any level.
Some people believe that the lack of on-campus contact means they will be left to their own devices and will have to rely on only themselves to answer questions, generate discussion, or for motivation to keep going. This simply is no longer the case.
Online learning has evolved to be just as interactive as on-campus studies, offering students live chats, discussion boards, social networking platforms and dedicated support systems to stay engaged and motivated.
Taking your career to the next level is no easy feat, but the reward far outweighs the pain. If you’re willing to invest the time and energy into studying online, the benefits you’ll see as a result will more than likely exceed your expectations in the best possible way.
