Online education is a type of educational instruction that is delivered via the internet to students using their home computers. During the last decade, online degrees and courses have become popular alternative for a wide range of nontraditional students, include those who want to continue working full-time or raising families. Most of the time, online degree programs and courses are offered via the host school's online learning platform, although some are delivered using alternative technologies. Although there are subtle dissimilarities, the main difference between online and traditional learning is the fact that online education liberates the student from the usual trappings of on-campus degree programs including driving to school, planning their schedule around classes, and being physically present for each sequence of their coursework.

If this sounds drastic, it really isn't. The truth is, the education methods and materials provided in online degree programs are often the same as those provided for on-campus programs. According to Robert Monroe, Director of the Online Hybrid MBA at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, the best online education programs actually mirror their on-campus equivalent.

Robert Monroe, Director of the Online Hybrid MBA at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business.

"A high quality degree earned in an online format should not fundamentally differ from a campus-based degree," explained Monroe in an email interview. "The only significant difference should be the way that the classes are delivered."

A high quality degree earned in an online format should not fundamentally differ from a campus-based degree ... The only significant difference should be the way that the classes are delivered.

- Robert Monroe, Director of the Online Hybrid MBA, Tepper School of Business

Although online education is often similar to on-campus instruction, it can be delivered in a number of ways. Distance learning is usually offered using one of these methods, or a combination of them:

No matter which type or types of online education one chooses to pursue, the options are typically plentiful. Where online education put down roots in just a handful of college majors, it has since expanded to nearly every field and discipline in academia, with very few exceptions. With that being said, certain fields lend themselves to online learning for various reasons. Across the nation, the most popular degree programs offered online include:

The benefits that come with online learning depend a lot on the individual. While some students simply enjoy the convenience of studying in their pajamas, others must choose online education in order to stay home with their children. Still, the biggest perk that comes with online degree programs has to do with location. Simply put, when you pursue online education, you don't have to uproot your life to do it; you can just stay home.

"The primary benefit of an online program is flexibility," notes Monroe. "In a well-designed online program, students are not limited to programs physically located near their home."

Staying home to pursue a degree can not only make earning a degree possible, but also less time-consuming. For example, students who pursue online degrees may not have to:

At the same time, it allows them to study and take tests at a time and place that works best for them, learn at their own pace, and transition through their courses faster.

Of course, nothing is perfect, and while there are many benefits, online education does have one drawback the lack of a personal connection.

"The primary benefit of a campus-based program, compared to an online program, is the opportunity it provides for personal interactions with your professors and your fellow students," says Monroe. "For many, learning is fundamentally a social activity and these person-to-person interactions are a very important component of their education."

To lessen the impact, many online schools have begun offering a wide range of services that connect students with their peers and instructors. Commonly, those features include online message boards and chat rooms, video conferences, and web-based forums.

To learn more about online programs from an educator's perspective, we reached out to Robert Monroe, Director of the Online Hybrid MBA at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business.

For students who do not have an ideal program located very near to their home, an online (or online-hybrid) degree may make a lot of sense. But it's important to remember that not all online degrees are created equally. Students should consider asking the following questions before pursuing a degree in an online format:

"Is the online program equivalent or better than comparable campus-based programs?" "Does the technology improve or replace student and faculty interactions?" "How much face time and access will students have with professors?" "What degree do students graduate with?" "Do students have access to the same career services and networking opportunities?

If both formats offer the same degree, there can be a several benefits to the online program depending on an individual student's needs. In addition to experiencing more flexibility, students in online programs may also have a substantial competitive advantage in the global workforce due to the exposure and practice working with and through online technologies.

Make sure that you have the time and self-discipline to complete your program. The most successful students in Tepper School's Online Hybrid MBA program become masters at time management. Most students enrolled in online programs are balancing full-time jobs, family or other personal obligations and need to appropriately allocate and budget their time to keep everything in balance.

Part of the problem with online degree programs is that there are just so many to choose from. In addition to fully-online schools that offer programs across the nation, most of our country's largest universities and colleges as well as many small schools have their own online degrees or distance learning programs.

Once you decide which school you want to attend, however, you should take the following steps to enroll:

Sources:1. Interview with Robert Monroe, Director of the Online Hybrid MBA at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, July 6, 20152. The Differences Between Online and Traditional Classroom Educations, Study.com, http://study.com/articles/The_Differences_Between_Online_and_Traditional_Classroom_Educations.html3. Tepper School Online MBA Options, http://tepper.cmu.edu/prospective-students/masters/mba/program-options

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