{"id":2174,"date":"2025-02-09T09:00:06","date_gmt":"2025-02-09T17:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2174"},"modified":"2025-07-14T09:11:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T16:11:46","slug":"how-to-choose-best-online-degrees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/how-to-choose-best-online-degrees\/","title":{"rendered":"How to choose the best school for online degrees"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"An

Oregon State University is a leader in delivering high-quality learning experiences to learners around the world \u2014 and Oregon State faculty help lead the innovative development process of rigorous online courses.<\/p><\/div>\n

5 factors to help you determine what \u2018quality\u2019 really looks like for online learners<\/h2>\n

In the not-too-distant past, earning a degree online from an accredited university was a bizarre concept. The early days of the internet were dominated by chat rooms, pirated music downloads and that weird dancing baby<\/a>, so the notion of colleges offering full academic programs via \u201cThe Net\u201d seemed outlandish.<\/p>\n

Now? There are so many institutions offering degrees online that your options are seemingly infinite, and it takes ample research to know which ones you should consider applying to.<\/p>\n

This is a good thing.<\/p>\n

It means you have a greater variety of reputable schools to choose from, plus more information at your disposal as you explore which programs align with your goals and standards.<\/p>\n

And it means institutions like Oregon State University have put many years\u2019 worth of effort into designing online learning experiences that engage and challenge students in transformative ways. At Oregon State Ecampus, we\u2019re committed to infusing every online course with the level of quality you deserve.<\/p>\n

But what do we mean by \u201cquality\u201d? It\u2019s an important question to ask \u2014 and it\u2019s an important one for us to answer. Knowing this information will help you determine which online education provider best meets your needs.<\/p>\n

To guide you along your fact-finding mission, here are five specific things to look for as you evaluate the quality of an institution\u2019s online learning experience.<\/p>\n

1. The institution is credible<\/h3>\n

This starts with a simple, verifiable fact: Is the school accredited by an agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education? If yes, that\u2019s great. Check that box.<\/p>\n

Enrolling online at an institutionally accredited university like Oregon State<\/a> will help ensure that the course credits, degree or credential you earn will be honored by future employers or if you apply or transfer to another institution nationwide.<\/p>\n

Beyond accreditation, determine whether or not a school is well-respected within the landscape of online teaching and learning. Also, is it new to distance education? Building a high-quality infrastructure to deliver learning experiences online takes considerable time and collaboration.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

5 factors that contribute to ‘quality online education’<\/h3>\n

Any institution you consider applying to should possess these five traits and standards of excellence:
\n1. Credible
\n2. Rigorous
\n3. Innovative
\n4. Designed for online
\n5. Student-centered<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

One trait that distinguishes Oregon State is the fact that, for more than 20 years, online students have been able to choose from the same offerings, learn from the same expert Oregon State faculty and earn the same degrees and credentials as OSU\u2019s on-campus learners.<\/p>\n

2. The online courses are rigorous and challenging<\/h3>\n

For many years, a common misconception stated that online learning was easier than face-to-face learning because learning online requires little effort on the student\u2019s part.<\/p>\n

This was \u2014 and is<\/em> \u2014 a myth.<\/p>\n

Online learning is not inherently easier than face-to-face learning. In fact, numerous studies over the years have shown no significant difference<\/a> in learning outcomes between online and in-person courses and that learning online is as effective as<\/a> in-person education.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, you should expect to be challenged in the online classroom just as much as you would be in a face-to-face setting.<\/p>\n

How does this play out in Oregon State\u2019s online courses? It starts with the fact that OSU Ecampus courses have identical learning outcomes as the university\u2019s on-campus classes. The difference is the delivery method, not<\/em> the content or quality of the course.<\/p>\n

Additionally, all Ecampus online courses are designed by Oregon State faculty to meet research-based, quality standards as defined by the Quality Matters<\/a> organization.<\/p>\n

3. There is a culture of innovation<\/h3>\n

Innovation is not about fancy technology or offering bells and whistles. It\u2019s about introducing a new idea or creating a solution that positively impacts student learning.<\/p>\n

How do you identify innovation in an online education provider? You can start by looking for universities that are doing things that others aren\u2019t. Is there a specific program that is offered by only one or a few institutions? Can you find a school that is known for its pioneering contributions to the field of online teaching and learning?<\/p>\n

When students in STEM disciplines faced barriers because certain lab experiences were not available online, Oregon State developed in-house solutions from the ground up. Working hand in hand with OSU faculty and departmental partners, Ecampus co-created a first-of-its-kind 3D virtual microscope<\/a> for biology labs and an interactive chemistry lab platform<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Both won national awards for innovation, but that\u2019s a footnote to the larger story. Said one OSU chemistry student after taking the online lab: \u201cI would not have been able to take this class without the use of the online lab system and would not be able to progress further in my degree field.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\"Samantha\"Play\"<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

In close partnership with Oregon State faculty members, the OSU Ecampus staff delivers innovative, cutting-edge learning experiences that didn’t exist until we created them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

4. The classes are specifically designed for online<\/h3>\n

Classes that are offered online should be built to be delivered online from start to finish. This is a simple concept, but it\u2019s not a common practice.<\/p>\n

Because the online classroom is its own unique teaching and learning environment, an online class deserves its own unique development process.<\/p>\n

At Oregon State, we develop and redevelop every single online course \u2014 nearly 2,000 of them \u2014 in a collaborative, in-house process between OSU faculty members and Ecampus staff. Before that process can even begin, instructors take part in an extensive faculty training and development program.<\/p>\n

Each faculty member works closely with an Ecampus instructional designer and multimedia developer to design their course. And each class is customized to align with the instructor\u2019s subject matter expertise as well as best practices in online teaching.<\/p>\n

This comprehensive process differs greatly from the emergency remote learning that many students experienced on Zoom during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, OSU takes a unique approach that aims to produce a high-quality course intentionally designed for the online realm.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. Students are the focus \u2014 always<\/h3>\n

Even as an online learner, you should feel a sense of community from and with your university. The distance between you creates some inherent challenges to engagement, but a learner-centered approach can overcome those challenges.<\/p>\n

What does this look like in practice? With Oregon State Ecampus, you\u2019ll have access to a full suite of services that includes dedicated enrollment specialists who can answer application, admissions and financial aid questions; academic advisors who support your every step and a student success team that offers one-on-one coaching sessions, free tutoring, course registration guidance, and exam proctoring assistance among other resources.<\/p>\n

Putting students at the forefront is not a trailblazing position to take. But as an online learner, you deserve a team of professionals that understands<\/a> and can meet your unique learning needs.<\/p>\n

These learner-centered tactics will help create an authentic sense of engagement with your classmates, instructors and support network no matter where you live.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the student support resources that I used the most included the success coaching,\u201d said Katharina Staudt, who earned a business administration degree online. \u201cThey were amazing and helped me find my internship, which just made me feel like they really cared from day one to the end of my degree.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Keep exploring and moving forward<\/h2>\n

Now that you\u2019ve had an introduction to what high-quality online education looks like, you’re ready to enter the next phase of the journey. Learn more about Oregon State\u2019s online degrees and programs, and discover how we uphold these quality pillars.<\/p>\n

Explore 100+ programs<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 5<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>At Oregon State Ecampus, we’ve devoted 20+ years to infusing every online course with the level of quality you deserve. But what do we mean by \u201cquality\u201d? It\u2019s an important question to ask (and answer), so here are five specific things to look for as you evaluate the quality of an institution\u2019s online learning experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2175,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6,9,672,657,676],"tags":[591,223,130,549],"class_list":["post-2174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-ecampus","category-faculty","category-learning-experience","category-resources","category-why-osu","tag-ecampus-at-a-glance","tag-faculty-development","tag-online-teaching","tag-quality-matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/P0121-CDT-Utility-article-Quality-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-z4","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":818,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/teaching-online\/","url_meta":{"origin":2174,"position":0},"title":"Exploring the world of teaching online","author":"Julie Cooper","date":"March 12, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Through Ecampus, instructors provide learners across the globe with access to the high-quality courses and programs they\u2019ve come to expect from the nationally renowned online education program. Learn what Oregon State faculty and Ecampus staff recommend to first-time online instructors who are ready to begin their collaboration with Ecampus.","rel":"","context":"In "Archives"","block_context":{"text":"Archives","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/archives\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Two Oregon State faculty are seated in the distance with tall lights and a camera on a tripod in the foreground.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Advice-story-1.jpg?fit=638%2C410&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Advice-story-1.jpg?fit=638%2C410&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Advice-story-1.jpg?fit=638%2C410&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":738,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/us-news-top-10-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":2174,"position":1},"title":"Oregon State’s online bachelor’s programs earn 4th straight top 10 ranking from U.S. News","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"January 9, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Driven by the expertise of its faculty and an award-winning faculty development program, Oregon State University has been named one of the nation\u2019s 10 best providers of online education for the fourth straight year by U.S. News & World Report. In a report released today, Oregon State Ecampus is ranked\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Archives"","block_context":{"text":"Archives","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/archives\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Valley Library quad at Oregon State University is photographed from a high vantage point. There are clouds in the sky and the sun is shining brightly through trees at the edge of the quad.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/valley-library-quad-web.jpg?fit=638%2C425&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/valley-library-quad-web.jpg?fit=638%2C425&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/valley-library-quad-web.jpg?fit=638%2C425&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2669,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/quality-matters-endorses-oregon-state-online-teaching-principles\/","url_meta":{"origin":2174,"position":2},"title":"Quality Matters endorses Oregon State University\u2019s Online Teaching Principles","author":"Grace Hall","date":"October 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Made freely available via a Creative Commons license, the Online Teaching Principles help educators deliver online courses aligned with QM\u2019s research-supported Standards. ANNAPOLIS, Md. \u2014 Quality Matters (QM), the international leader for quality assurance in online and innovative digital teaching and learning environments, announces its endorsement of the Oregon State\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A person uses a laptop while writing with a pen in a notepad.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/note-taking-laptop.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/note-taking-laptop.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/note-taking-laptop.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/note-taking-laptop.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":418,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/olc-faculty-award\/","url_meta":{"origin":2174,"position":3},"title":"Ecampus recognized for \u2018outstanding\u2019 faculty development program","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"August 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"By Tyler Hansen Aug. 16, 2014 Oregon State University\u00a0Ecampus has been named the recipient\u00a0of\u00a0the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Award for Excellence in Faculty Development for Online Teaching. Ecampus was honored\u00a0\u201cfor delivering a comprehensive, responsive, flexible, and effective faculty development program that helps faculty take their online teaching to the next\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Archives"","block_context":{"text":"Archives","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/archives\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/oregon-state-logo-600x400.png?ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2131,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/online-course-development\/","url_meta":{"origin":2174,"position":4},"title":"What are the keys to effective online course development?","author":"Karen Watt\u00e9","date":"September 26, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"How do you create robust and engaging online courses that bring Oregon State's faculty expertise to students worldwide? A deep dive into the course development process reveals a number of things. Each course development is a custom build, and we pursue quality throughout every stage, ensuring that students are presented\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A person holding a dry erase marker writes on a white board, which has various sticky notes placed on it.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/instructional-design-news-220919-G72A9476.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/instructional-design-news-220919-G72A9476.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/instructional-design-news-220919-G72A9476.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/instructional-design-news-220919-G72A9476.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1307,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/affordability-conference-at-osu\/","url_meta":{"origin":2174,"position":5},"title":"Regional conference on affordability for online students coming to Oregon State","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"December 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon State University is hosting a regional conference in February 2020 with a focus on improving student success and affordability for online learners. The event brings the Online Learning Consortium to OSU\u2019s Corvallis campus for a one-day event in the Memorial Union. Scheduled for Feb. 7, OLC Collaborate \u2013 Oregon\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The front of the Memorial Union building on Oregon State University's Corvallis campus.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/memorial-union-osu.jpg?fit=744%2C496&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/memorial-union-osu.jpg?fit=744%2C496&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/memorial-union-osu.jpg?fit=744%2C496&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/memorial-union-osu.jpg?fit=744%2C496&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2174"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2174\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}