When looking for a master degree online you should be thinking about whether or not you want one with a residency requirement. Unbeknown to many, not all online degrees are exclusively online. Some actually do require you to spend some hours in a physical classroom or lab.
At this point you might be thinking that it is not necessary to even explore the ones that require this time commitment. There are many reasons for picking such programs. Increased networking opportunities are definitely an advantage of a master degree online that entails classroom engagements.
Networking is more easily facilitated by face-to-face interactions. Programs that allow such networking opportunities are advantageous for this reason exactly. There are also academic benefits from this increased interaction.
Getting help is after all much easier when the people who can help you are within reach. This can speed up the exchange of knowledge, among other things. People often take a while to answer when you interact with them online, because the call for response is not as urgent.
Furthermore, some courses are just better off with residencies. The emphasis on experience and practice is a reason for this. If you are taking up a course in a field where practical experience is valued, you should look for programs with a good deal of laboratory opportunities even for online students.
This is not as important in fields where knowledge takes preference. Online delivery of all information is entirely possible for some programs. In that case, residencies are not as important for the student.
You should think about the amount of time you can give to a residency should you be of the opinion that it will enhance your studies. School offer different residency programs with different requirements. Some ask you to perform virtually half the course online and half of it offline.
There are low residency programs for people who cannot afford to give too much time to campus study. Only a few days per semester are required by some programs. Others have single-semester requirements for the entire program.
These programs also have 'big brother' versions that demand a lot of time on campus. You must take your limitations into account though, no matter what program you choose. Online programs are after all, attractive because of the lack of campus attendance requirements.
When thinking about the master degree online program and its residency, a major consideration is of course the distance you need to travel to the physical location of the institution. You will be inclined to take lower residency requirements should you be too far from the institution's base. You can then be spared to cost of your effort and also the travel.
