www.rledu.org: The Distance Learning Connection - Brief Article

All Hands, Dec, 2000

So, you've talked about going back to college and getting that degree you've wanted for years, but with work, duty, deployments and everything else, there just hasn't been time.

Well, all of your lame excuses have just been tossed out the window. With classes now being offered online at some of the most prestigious universities in the country, there is little or no reason why you can't go for that degree.

Sounds kind of sketchy, you say? Well, what if I told you that colleges like University of Michigan, Penn State, Johns Hopkins and even Harvard offered courses and degrees on the internet?

It's true and it's just a mouse click away.

No longer do you have to be burdened by conforming to everyone else's rigid schedule to earn a college degree. Do it in your time, at your home, on your computer.

All it takes is the time, self-discipline and the dedication to pace yourself and get the work done. But be warned, no one will be nagging you to turn in assignments or get the reading done. It's all on you.

Having said all that, are you up for the challenge? Are you finally ready to pursue the degree you want? Yes? Well let's go to it!

Your first stop needs to be at www.rledu.org. It is the best and most comprehensive of the distance learning sites that I have found.

The site rledu.org provides a one-stop portal to the most innovative distance learning programs at some of the most respected schools in North America. The site directs students to participating institutions' distance learning course information.

Such schools in rledu.org are members of the Association of American Universities and are classified as "Research Universities I" by the Carnegie Foundation, which means they offer a full range of baccalaureate programs and give a high priority to research. There are currently public and private universities that qualify as "R1" institutions.

When you click on one of the schools listed under "participating universities" the site gives a list of each course and program offered by that school. Clicking on the specific course gives you the following information: web address of the course, how the course is delivered (i.e., the web), the scheduled start date, the type of credit (graduate or undergraduate), the subject category, a comprehensive course description and finally, the cost of the course.

You will be amazed at the wide range of courses offered. For those with the green thumb, sign up for Turfgrass Management at the University of British Columbia. Those with dreams of being a power broker might click on Business Administration at Indiana University. And for you pet lovers, there's always Canine Genetics at Cornell University. There is a course or program at this site for everyone.

Information on admission and registration must be obtained from each institution. Students who wish to take any of the courses listed on the site and transfer the credits to another learning institution, should become familiar with the transfer policies of the receiving school.

A great page to visit on the site is the "showcase." Each month, this section highlights a few schools and their programs that represent excellence in distance learning.

All in all, this site is your one-stop shop for distance learning. With no more excuses left, isn't it time you went out on the Web and got that degree?