Many busy individuals looking to balance life and work with their pursuit of a degree choose one of the top online colleges for education. These colleges offer prospective students flexibility, competitive tuition rates, and a variety of degree options. Here are a few of the leading online colleges to consider for a degree program in education.
Top Online Colleges for Education
The School of Education at Drexel University was ranked one of “America’s Best Graduate Schools 2011″ by U.S. News & World Report. Offering both masters and bachelors degree programs (such as a BA in Early or Secondary Education), as well as certification programs, Drexel’s online education degrees and courses feature the latest research on classroom pedagogy and educational technology. The best online courses utilize the most innovative methods as an instructional tool for online education, and Drexel even offers a free video iPod to its new students in select degree programs. Regionally accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges & Secondary Schools, Drexel’s tuition rate for the BS in Education program for the 2012-13 academic year is $680 per credit; this program consists of 180 quarter credits (equal to 120 semester credits). Financing options are available as well as federal financial aid.
Ottawa University has been ranked by the Online Education Database as one of the top 15 “Best Online Universities.” Ottawa offers both a Bachelor of Education and Master of Education degree program; the Masters of Education degree option is available entirely online. One unique aspect of Ottawa University is that it offers each student their own Personal Success Coach to guide them through their studies. Additionally, a 4 to 1 online student to faculty ratio ensures that each student gets the personal attention and interaction necessary to succeed. As one of the top online colleges for education, Ottawa University also prides itself on competitive tuition rates: Bachelor level courses are $455 per credit hour; Masters courses are $570 per credit hour. While Ottawa does not offer scholarship opportunities for online students, federal financial aid is available for many students.
Walden University’s Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership offers a multitude of online degree options. With Bachelors, Masters and even PhD programs in Administration, Early Childhood Education, Educational Technology, and Instructional Design, Walden has an online program to meet the needs of any professional educator. Walden’s programs connect online students to leading experts and master teachers in the field of education. Walden also offers its online students a path to certification and other endorsements. Tuition rates are competitive; Walden offers a lower rate for its fundamental education courses ($50 per credit hour) and regular courses for the 2012-2013 year run approximately $290 per credit hour. Walden University offers several need and merit-based scholarships for students entering the School of Education; it also encourages its online students to pursue federal aid.
Capella University offers a variety of online degree and certificate programs for the busy professional. Capella’s offerings focus on advanced degrees, making them ideal for working adults who require flexible programming. Capella’s online–also known as “distance learning”–programs include ED, MA, and PhD programs for people looking to advance their careers in education. Capella offers a Doctor of Education degree (EdD), Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD), and Master of Science (MS) in Education, to name of a few of their programs. Online graduate coursework starts at around $375 per credit, with average quarterly costs totaling around $4500. Students looking for financial aid may apply for a variety of grants, and throughout the year, Capella does offer need and merit-based scholarships. Capella also offers discounted tuition rates to military families.
Western Governors University is also among the top online colleges for education. It’s known as one of the most affordable options for students interested in pursuing an education degree online. The WGU Teachers College, with the help of millions in grant money from the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor, offers challenging, NCATE-accredited online degree programs for aspiring teachers and those already in the field. In fact, WGU was the first exclusively online university to receive this NCATE accreditation. Online students in the WGU Teachers College benefit from both lower tuition and cutting edge technologies. A unique feature of WGU is that it charges tuition at a flat rate every six months, not by the credit hour; typically, students pay about $2900 per six-month term and find that a WGU online degree program is about half the cost of other online programs. In addition to low tuition, WGU offers federal financial aid.
