In the past, getting your degree from an online course was completely unheard of. Some people would even go on to say that the degree is fake. However, nowadays, getting your degree from an online program has become a new learning model.
This concept is even cemented back when the COVID-19 pandemic hit worldwide. Due to lockdown and home quarantine, many people have opted to attend online courses and get their degrees that way.
Online Engineering Programs
If you’re planning on getting your engineering degree from an online program, you have to know that even though it’s mostly similar to getting your degree by going to school every day, some key differences might catch you off guard when you enroll on an online engineering program.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know before enrolling in an online engineering program. Let’s start.
Enrolling in Online Engineering Courses
Before enrolling in any online engineering courses, you have to review the below points.
- Accreditation: Ensure the program is accredited by a recognized body, such as ABET in the United States. Accreditation ensures the program meets certain standards of quality and rigor.
- Curriculum: Review the curriculum to ensure it covers the areas of engineering you’re interested in. Some programs may have a general engineering focus, while others may specialize in areas like civil, mechanical, or electrical engineering.
- Delivery Method: Online programs can be synchronous (live, scheduled classes) or asynchronous (pre-recorded lectures, flexible study times). Consider your learning style and schedule when choosing.
- Hands-on Learning: Engineering is a practical field. Check if the program includes opportunities for labs, internships, or other hands-on experiences.
- Faculty: Look at the qualifications and expertise of the faculty. Professors with industry experience can provide valuable insights.
- Student Support: Check what kind of support is available to online students. This could include academic advising, career services, tutoring, and technical support.
- Cost and Financial Aid: Understand the total cost of the program, including tuition and any additional fees. Check if financial aid is available.
- Time Commitment: Online programs can be part-time or full-time. Consider how much time you can commit to your studies.
- Technology Requirements: Ensure you have the necessary technology and internet access to participate in the program.
- Career Opportunities: Research the career outcomes of graduates from the program. This could include job placement rates, average salaries, and types of jobs secured.
- Reputation: Look at rankings and reviews of the program. Consider the reputation of the institution as a whole, as well as the specific engineering program.
- Transferability of Credits: If you have previous credits or plan to continue your education elsewhere in the future, check if the credits from the online program are transferable.
- Networking Opportunities: Even though the program is online, there should still be opportunities to network with professors, fellow students, and industry professionals. This could be through online forums, virtual events, or local meetups.
- Admission Requirements: Understand what is required for admission, such as prerequisite courses, GPA requirements, and any necessary test scores.
Choosing Your School Still Matters
Suppose you want to get a top-notch education for your engineering degree. In that case, most big universities nowadays offer online courses for people who don’t want to attend school. But how exactly do you know which school to go to? There are some factors that you have to consider before picking a school to enroll in.
For example, the cost. When you enroll in a big university’s online engineering program, you can expect the cost to be quite high but a higher quality of education. Some online schools could also provide gadgets to help you connect faster and much easier to your classes. However, most schools will let their students buy their laptops or PC for them to be able to connect to their classes.
Luckily, classes are usually held on apps that don’t take up much space. That said, if you’re looking for a Macbook for your classes, you can Shop Macbook Pro at DigiDirect. However, for the most part, the cost of online engineering programs is much cheaper than regular ones. Some online engineering degrees don’t even cost half as much as the cost you get from regular engineering programs.
You could also factor in the grants and scholarships you have before you enroll in a school. However, if you’re wondering if you can opt for online engineering programs with the grants or scholarships you have, for the most part, you can. Most grants and scholarships nowadays also allow online programs for you to benefit from the grant or scholarship.
How Long Does It Take For You to Get Your Diploma?
You might be sorely disappointed if you expect the online engineering program to be shorter. This is because whether you’re getting your diploma by going to school personally or online, it will take you at least four years to finish your degree.
It’s mostly the same, as we said just now. For the first two years, you’ll study generalized subjects and advanced math courses like calculus, algebra, trigonometry, etc.
In the final two years, the courses will be more tailored to the type of engineering you enrolled for. For example, a student who wants to get a manufacturing design engineering degree would have to learn how to use AutoCAD, or a student taking on electrical engineering would have to learn different electrical systems.
How are Online Engineering Degrees Respected in the Workforce?
For the most part, employers don’t care whether you got your engineering diploma from a brick-and-mortar or online school as long as you have proof that you finished it yourself. Most employers nowadays think that people who got their engineering diploma online have skills that are on par with the people who got their diplomas personally.
Due to the convenience and popularity of online programs, many universities are now offering online programs for people who want to stay at home while working for their degrees. Given the advances of today’s technology, the online learning experience is far more engaging than in the past.
How Does the Internship Work with Online Programs
Some employers nowadays allow their employees to work from home, which is far more productive and less time-consuming than working in an office. That said, with internships, employers will also allow their interns to work online and avoid annoying them by going to the office daily.
Usually, the program, if it has local connections, can suggest where to find internships. But if they don’t, you have to find one that allows for online internships, which, thankfully, there are many of them nowadays.
How Hard is an Online Engineering Degree?
If you expect an online engineering program to be much easier, you’re sorely mistaken. The difficulty is still pretty much the same, given that you’re still taking the same subjects and courses.
You can assume, however, that being punctual is much easier in an online engineering program or any online program in general, as you don’t have to spend preparing yourself and traveling to your university.
Final Words
For the most part, there are minor differences between online engineering programs and regular engineering programs. However, online engineering programs are much better regarding convenience and time efficiency. But again, don’t expect online engineering programs to be very different from the regular ones. The time and difficulty is pretty much the same.
