Online Degrees in Virginia

Online Associate Degrees - These are generally two-year degrees and may open the door to growing entry-level positions in the state. For those interested in basic roles in business operations, an associate degree program in accounting helps train students to analyze transactions, prepare journal entries and manage payroll. Graduates may be better qualified for junior-level positions as bookkeeping, auditing, and accounting clerks. These careers are expected to grow by about 17 percent statewide from 2010 through 2020, according to the Virginia Workforce Connection (VWC, 2012).

To browse schools offering online associate degree programs in Virginia, click here.

Online Bachelor’s Degrees - Bachelor’s programs usually offer a more in-depth education than an associate degree, imparting students with highly adaptable skills that may be useful in many careers. For example, a bachelor’s degree in health care administration trains students in understanding various health services policies, financial billing reports, and patient management systems so they can smoothly run medical facilities. Graduates of this program may qualify for jobs as health information managers, hospital admissions coordinators, and medical office supervisors. According to the VWC, careers in medical and health service management are expected to grow about 21 percent statewide between 2010 and 2020.

To browse schools offering online bachelor’s degree programs in Virginia, click here.

Online Master’s Degrees - Students earn master’s degrees by completing a program that demonstrates highly developed knowledge in a particular field or topic. A master’s can help graduates expand their professional skill set or gain knowledge that may allow them to switch to a new one. Human resource professionals, for example, may pursue a master’s degree in human resource management in order to develop skills in leadership and organizational behavior, and progress to a more senior-level role.

To browse schools offering online master’s degree programs in Virginia, click here.

Online Doctoral Degrees - These programs typically include two to three years of coursework, followed by a thesis proposal, research and defense. Doctoral degrees are usually earned by individuals who wish to move into careers as researchers or postsecondary teachers. For those interested in community services, a Ph.D. degree in social work can provide advanced training on research methodology and data gathering, as well as leadership performance. Among other career options, graduates with this degree may have the opportunity to work with local organizations in policy analysis and development to improve social care in underserved communities.

To browse schools offering online doctoral degree programs in Virginia, click here.

Public Universities

• Old Dominion offers several online certificate and degree completion programs, including a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Students in this program can learn the current theories used in the field, and the curriculum includes topics in criminal behavior, cognition and clinical psychology. To satisfy the admissions requirements for any of Old Dominion’s online transfer programs, prospective students will need to have completed at least 15 credit hours of general education courses from a community college or other postsecondary school.

• Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) has a number of fully-online and hybrid programs, including a master’s in addiction studies. This is an international joint program between VCU, King’s College in London, and the University of Adelaide in Australia. The program’s goal is to prepare students to become leaders in addiction policymaking careers -- both in national and international settings. The program is designed to be completed in 12 months for full-time students and 24 months for part-time students.

Private Universities

• Liberty University offers many online programs at each degree level, such as the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Health Care Management. Students can learn human resource, financial and management skills to help them serve the health care industry as clinical managers, health information managers, or nursing home administrators. Liberty University also allows undergraduate students to earn a maximum of 30 school credits for on-the-job experience or training. These count as transfer credits, and don’t go towards the number of credit hours that need to be completed at Liberty University.

For more information on degree options, please browse through the online colleges below. A counselor will contact you to discuss specifics and answer any questions you may have.

Sources:
Liberty University
Lumina Foundation, Virginia, 2012
Old Dominion University
Study of the Economic Impact of Virginia Public Higher Education, 2009
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Workforce Connection