How can online courses enhance your career prospects?

In the conventional higher education system, students face a lot of setbacks, including exorbitant tuition costs, course shortages, and rigid course schedules. These issues are causing students to turn to more flexible and affordable alternatives in higher education, like online courses.

More and more students are enrolling in online courses for the variety of benefits they offer. In fact, a recent report by the Higher Education Statistical Authority (HESA) in the UK reveals the number of people pursuing online degrees from British universities have risen by a staggering 41%.

Contrary to some beliefs, online learning can be just as effective at enhancing your employability as conventional learning. A psychology paper written by Rachel Grieve states that electronic means of education are equivalent to classroom teaching in terms of efficiency.

If you are interested in pursuing an online course and want to know how it can improve your career prospects, read on and find out what you can get from an online course.

Benefits of pursuing online courses

When you search through a university’s online course listings, you might be surprised to see the variety of options available. Whether you want to pursue accounting, nursing, or business management, you can find an online programme that suits your interests and budget. Online education has also legitimised vocational training, with college programmes in different practical or arts subjects now being readily available.

Online programmes are also typically more affordable than traditional college courses, without compromising the quality of the education on offer. Not only do they charge less in tuition fees, but online students typically don’t incur associated costs like commuting to campus or boarding and lodging. Many courses offer study materials free of cost on their online platforms, which further reduces expenses.

Students commonly cite convenience and flexibility as reasons for studying a course online. Online programmes offer you the freedom to plan your study schedule around your commitments or availability. This allows you a greater degree of control compared with conventional on-campus programmes. The availability of course materials online can also save you unnecessary trips to a campus library.

Often, people assume that online courses don’t meet the standards of conventional programmes in terms of student participation or networking opportunities. However, the rate of online student participation is quite high. Many universities also organise networking events for their online students to meet and interact with one another.

Online education has one major advantage - no physical classes. This means that you can study from your favourite armchair, or even from your bed. Online courses allow students to study without leaving the comfort of their home, and help students balance their work life and family commitments along with their education.

Another major advantage of studying an online course is the flexibility to work alongside your studies. Not only can you apply your learning practically, but you can also further your education in your free time. Online courses demonstrate your ambition and desire for professional growth to prospective employers. These courses also help explain any discontinuity or gaps in your CV.

Pursuing even the most basic online course requires you to have computer skills such as navigating learning management systems and programmes. Course projects and assignments can also help you gain technical skills such as incorporating AV content into assignments or creating documents that can be opened by multiple people simultaneously.

These days, universities offer engaging and effective online courses that are accredited by government bodies. This ensures that the courses are standardised and useful for the students, regardless of their academic backgrounds.

If you are interested in pursuing an online course to further your career, London School of Business and Finance offers a wide range of online courses in subjects such as finance, strategic marketing, and an MBA Programme. Click here to learn more about these courses and further your career.