When thinking about a master degree online you should simultaneously be thinking about the residency requirements of the program. Unbeknown to many, not all online degrees are exclusively online. Some time is needed to be spent in the lab or classroom.
That said, you may well wonder why you should bother with one that has this requirement. Quite a few valid reasons come to mind. Increased networking opportunities are definitely an advantage of a master degree online that entails classroom engagements.
It is easier to facilitate networking when you put people in the same room. This is the advantage of programs with opportunities like these. There are also academic benefits from this increased interaction.
Naturally it is much better to be able to ask for help from people who are in the same room as you. Among other factors, there is greater speed at which knowledge is shared. Because of the convenient and self-paced online environment, people tend to take their own time responding to you.
Some courses just function better with residencies. Probably this is because they are centered on experience. There is great focus on practical experience in some programs and so the programs that offer online students a fair amount of lab opportunities would be ideal.
Knowledge sometimes is the prevailing factor; and where this is the case then physical class time is not a priority. Some programs really can deliver all the information you need online. Residencies take a backseat in such cases.
Should you see the benefits of a residency, you need to consider just how much time you can commit to it. The requirements vary for each school. Some ask you to perform virtually half the course online and half of it offline.
Time being a huge factor, those who don’t have too much to spare will seek out programs that are not too demanding residency wise. Only a few days per semester are required by some programs. Just one semester out of the whole course is the full residency requirement for some programs.
Hybrid versions take up as much of your time on campus as they do off it. Be sure that whatever you choose is in line with your realistic capabilities. After all, a lot of people pick an online program to spare themselves the trouble of having to go to campus, among other things.
A major concern when looking at residencies involved in a master degree online program is how far you are from the institution’s physical classrooms. You will be inclined to take lower residency requirements should you be too far from the institution's base. This can spare you a lot of effort as well as travel costs.
