| The rapid growth of the online and distance learning | | | | to find a new and talented workforce to propel these |
| community has given new hope to those who have | | | | industries forward. Online universities are stepping |
| found themselves at a crossroads in life. Many people | | | | forward in greater numbers to provide quality, |
| thinking about pursuing an online degree fall into one of | | | | accredited education for these specialty degrees. |
| several categories. Some have already earned a | | | | Accredited online colleges have met the standards set |
| bachelors degree and find a need, due to career goals, | | | | by National, State and regional accrediting bodies and |
| to return to the classroom to earn a masters or | | | | are recognized by these bodies as worthy alternatives |
| graduate degree. Others had life events interrupt their | | | | to the traditional classroom university setting. |
| collegiate experience and they now are faced with the | | | | Earning an engineering degree online is just as |
| reality of securing their future with an undergraduate | | | | demanding and depends on the online learners full |
| degree. For both of these scenarios, online education | | | | attention and dedication to the coursework as the |
| has taken the lead as a viable option that meets their | | | | traditional model, with several advantages. First and |
| daily work and life schedules. Many will seek a degree | | | | foremost, it fits the online students busy work life. It is |
| online in a field that they had prior interest in or had not | | | | convenient and meets their schedule. Secondly, one is |
| completed fully. | | | | able to devote time to their studies from home or |
| However, still more, contemplate a change completely | | | | even a local library, without the hectic nature of a |
| in their career path, or frankly, have found a new | | | | commute and the expenses associated with being |
| interest for their career. Engineering is one of the | | | | away from home at a college campus for many hours |
| specialty careers that more and more people are | | | | a week. |
| directing themselves towards. With the advances in | | | | Students seeking an engineering degree have the |
| technology we see around us every day an online | | | | freedom to select from many online colleges and |
| engineering degree can take many forms. | | | | universities and from many engineering disciplines and |
| The fields of civil engineering, mechanical engineering, | | | | take their lives and futures completely in their own |
| computer, systems and technical engineering all seek | | | | hands. |