Many students consider furthering their education because they want to change or advance their career.
Online education can meet these needs through full degrees as well as programs that offer smaller credentials. Examples of the latter include digital badges, certificates, nanodegrees and microdegrees.
Before deciding which online credential is best for you, reflect on what you hope to accomplish by earning one. As you research, ask yourself these four questions.
[Discover 10 types of credentials you can earn online.]
1. What are my career goals? Looking into the exact position you hope to obtain can be useful. If possible, speak with your current supervisor to confirm that the role typically requires the specific credential you are considering or if a full degree makes more sense.
An online credential such as a graduate certificate is a great way to gain specific skills and ready yourself for future advancement — and you can complete the coursework on a more flexible schedule.
There are many different career-enhancing certificates on the market. For example, Cornell University offers more than 40 different online professional certificates through eCornell in job sectors such as marketing, data science, leadership and management, human resources, hospitality, finance and health care.
2. How much does the credential cost, and is the benefit worth the price? As with any major decision, it’s wise to conduct a cost-benefit analysis when researching online credentials and comparing to the cost of a degree.
Ask an adviser about the coursework so you understand the required weekly time commitment, and determine whether your potential earnings increase will justify the program’s total cost.
Also keep in mind that while you probably won’t spend money on travel expenses, such as gas, to get to class, that comes at the cost of not meeting your classmates and instructors in person.
[Learn more about paying for online education.]
Some may see massive open online courses, or MOOCs, and other low-cost certificates as ideal alternatives to full online degrees for a more immediate salary bump. While those options are likely cheaper, they may not provide the same long-term salary benefit as a full online degree, so research how to get the greatest professional benefit at the lowest cost in your industry.
3. Are there other ways I can gain skills without paying for a credential? Once you have done a cost-benefit analysis, it can be useful to consider whether an online credential is the only way to get the skills you need.
Depending on your field, pursuing one online may or may not be the best way to go. For example, if you desire to become a K-12 public school teacher, you may seek an online teaching certification from a university, or you could pursue an alternative path toward certification such as substitute or volunteer teaching to gain the necessary knowledge to pass the exam.
4. Can my credentials build on each other? Perhaps you are not sure what online credentials you will need next in your career but you want to start learning more. Pursuing stackable online credentials may be a smart investment.
Universities have created programs that allow students to complete a few low-cost online courses that lead to a certificate. A few additional online classes may give you another certificate. You ma y then be able to apply that completed coursework to a full online or on-campus master’s degree, if you decide you want to go further with your studies.
The takeaway: Be clear about what you hope to accomplish by earning an online credential before you start.
More from U.S. News
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Determine Which Online Credential Is Right for You originally appeared on usnews.com
