Navigating Higher Education

In today’s economy, both industry and education have adapted to new trends, with such sectors as healthcare, business, sustainability, and technology identified for projected growth in our region.

Just as adults are enhancing their skills to remain competitive in today’s job market, the world of education has responded with flexible programming options that accommodate the working adult.

Listed below are terms that may be helpful in exploring options for professional development and training.

Program Formats

• Evening/Weekend: Evening and weekend hours are required to complete coursework. Often these programs are offered in an accelerated format.
• Accelerated: A format in a fast-paced model, usually requiring one evening or weekend day per week while concentrating on one course at a time.
• Online: Courses and programs can be completed strictly online. Knowledge of and access to a reliable computer and Internet connection are required.
• Hybrid/Blended: Courses and programs that are offered online and on-campus. Most colleges provide fair warning of what days you must commit to be on-campus to better serve the working adult’s schedule.
• Day: A track that offers daytime coursework which can accommodate 2nd or 3rd shift working individuals.
• Cohort: A series of courses for one group of students, usually with limited seats available. Cohorts are offered for students in high-demand fields, such as nursing and information technology.
• Full-Time v. Part-Time: Full-time is 12 or more credits per semester or quarter; part-time is 11 or fewer credits per semester or quarter.
• Semester v. Quarter: A semester has three available start times per year: fall, spring, and summer; a quarter has four available start times per year: autumn, winter, spring, and summer. All Ohio colleges and universities are transitioning to semesters.

Types of Degrees

• Certificate: Compressed curriculum focusing almost entirely on a specific academic field. Students may also earn a post-degree certificate if they have already earned a bachelor’s degree and want to pursue another major at the undergraduate level.
• Associate Degree: Two-year course of study at a community college, junior college, or technical college; may also be transferred as the first two-years of a bachelor’s degree to maximize tuition savings.
• Bachelor’s Degree: Four-year course of study at a public or private institution.
• 2nd Degree: An option for students who have earned a 4-year degree in one area and are pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in another field. For example, I have my Bachelor of Arts and want to pursue a second degree in Nursing, which would earn me a Bachelor of Science.
• Master’s Degree: Upper-level, graduate track that requires an earned bachelor’s degree. The program can run from 1-5 years to gain mastery of a specific field of study.
• Doctorate Degree: Highest level of academic degree attained after earning a master’s degree. A research, dissertation and/or thesis project is required.