Not so long ago, pursuing an advanced degree meant you had to put your life on hold and dedicate yourself 100 percent to an on-campus program. But if you were working and raising a family, you likely could not relocate near a campus, spend precious time commuting to and from class, and commit to an inflexible schedule.

Take Jennifer Bigus, 44, of Rochester, Minn., a software engineer at IBM. “I wanted to enroll in a master's program in Instructional Systems Design at Florida State University, but because I had roots in Minnesota, two kids in high school, and a time-demanding job, I couldn't see how. When I found out the program was offered via distance learning, I decided to sign up.”

Distance learning has become a widely accepted method of providing instruction to students who are separated from their instructors. For thousands of students like Bigus, distance learning has also become the only viable method for pursuing a master's or bachelor's degree.

Bigus, who's been working towards her degree since the fall of 2003, expects to complete her 11th and final course early next year. When she does, she’ll get a diploma exactly like the ones handed out on campus. Exactly? "Yes, exactly,“ says Larry Dennis, director of the Office for Distributed and Distance Learning at FSU. "There’s no difference between a distance learner’s degree and one earned by someone who attends classes on campus. And no distinction is made on the student's transcript or diploma."

According to a survey by the Sloan Foundation, in the 2002-2003 academic year, 49 percent of public colleges and universities in the U.S. offered fully online degree programs.

Why the sudden upsurge in distance learning?

“Advancements in technology, particularly the Internet, are what’s allowing students to become distance learners -- people who get a formal education without even setting foot in the classroom,” says FSU's Dennis. “Distance learning has really opened a lot of doors, not only at our school but across the country.”

The degree offerings are diverse and growing. Florida State’s Distance Learning program offers bachelor’s programs in computer science, interdisciplinary social science, nursing and software engineering. Master’s programs are available in adult education/human resource development, business administration, communication disorders, criminology/criminal justice, educational leadership, information studies, instructional systems/distance learning, mathematics education, nursing, risk management/insurance, science education, special education, and social work.

“All institutions that offer online learning programs have students and faculty," says Dennis. "What I think sets us apart is the fact that our online bachelor’s programs include mentors, whose job is to guide and stay connected with these students, and our master's programs have a low student-teacher ratio, so graduate students have frequent interaction with the faculty. Many of our students report that they've made lifelong friends and established strong bonds with their instructors through their distance courses."

Bigus agrees. “Even though I’ve never set a foot on the campus or attended a football game, I feel a real connection to the school -- especially members of my online community,” says Bigus. “I’ve really gotten to know the other people in my classes.”

In many FSU courses, e-mail, discussion boards, and group collaboration create a sense of community among students and instructors. “We take advantage of the technology to overcome the distance and to create connections,” says Dennis.

Feeling connected is a great motivator for student success. “We have a course completion rate of 90 to 95 percent, which is really unprecedented in higher education,” says Carole Hayes, student services and external relations coordinator in the school’s Office for Distributed and Distance Learning. “That goes to show you that our students are high achievers who want to learn.”

Many employers offer their workers tuition reimbursement for attending degree programs such as FSU's. To learn more about Florida State University’s Distance Learning programs, log on to learnonline.fsu.edu.

Courtesy of ARA Content