The crucial consideration is accreditation. You need to ask by whom the school is accredited. Any legitimate accrediting association must be recognized by (or at least seeking recognition from) the Council for Higher Education Accredition http://www.chea.org and/or the U. S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov . There are six regional accreditation agencies: the Middle States Association, the New England Association, the North Central Association, the Northwest Association, the Southern Association, and the Western Association. There are also two national accrediting agencies: the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools and the Distance Education and Training Council. While national accreditation is equally as legitimate as regional accreditation, there are some perception issues that often make it difficult to transfer credits from a nationally accredited school to a regionally accredited school. In particular, the national accrediting agencies historically evolved from accrediting short-term training programs and have only more recently gotten into accrediting programs of a more academic nature. But, once you understand accreditation and how it works, you’ll be in a better position to make decisions on colleges online or on ground. Good luck!

I just answered a similar question a few minutes ago. If the college’s distance learning program is accredited, they must meet certain qualifying standards to receive accreditation. In terms of academics, then, an accredited distance learning program is just as credible as a traditional college.

The largest online college program that I know of is University of Phoenix, but there are others. Do a web browser search and see what you come up with.

I teach for a university that offers on site and on line courses, and I have done both. The on line are more difficult, as the students have to be self-motivated.

My school is Franklin University in Columbus, OH. It is regionally accredited, which is more stringent than national accreditation. Look for that when selecting a school. Employers know about fake degrees — and which ones aren’t.

There are some real open universities like IGNOU(India)with useful distance learning programs with compulsory contact class sessions.Such online programs are useful as a continuing edn. for serving professionals for getting an edge in their career advance!

on line degrees can’t be used by freshers/youth for any benefit while applying for jobs!.

The main users of high sounding on line fake or honorary casua degrees such as PhD,DSc(USA),DLitt ,MBA(USA)etc… (not earned), are small time business men,fraudulent finance firms and private commercial educational promoters like Chairman,CEO,MD etal., for quick publicity & marketting.They buy the degrees and spend for a bogus convocation in a star hotel for their own publicity. Nobody dare to ask them their field of research,copy of their thesis or the name of university.

There is no easy way to outwit hard work necessary to earn an accredited degree.

Open University is a very popular and quite a credible one.

read my posting…about online school and job hiring

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aqs9CsmVDfbUMEEL6A6oI8PHxQt.?qid=20070709091417AAB0LBF