Engineering Degrees

You may be wondering how a formal education program that seems to require so much hands-on instruction can effectively be delivered online, especially in a complex area such as engineering. However, online education programs that prepare students for a wide variety of engineering fields have proven that where there's a will, there's a way.

Online engineering degree programs usually work in one of two ways. One way is to provide a blend of online and campus-based classes. This typically works by the university providing the liberal arts content and foundational basics online, while offering the engineering content traditionally. For instance, ITT Technical Institute offers all of the general education courses leading up to its Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering Technology online, while the core classes in software engineering are completed on campus.

The second way is fully online. This is accomplished by the university providing a means for students to perform lifelike engineering simulations in engineering core classes over the Internet or through CD-ROMs, which are similar to tutorials. Other times, the university connects you to internship opportunities nearby where you can receive real-life engineering training. Either way, you'll likely never have to set foot in a traditional classroom.

Just like in traditional engineering degree programs, the courses in online engineering degree programs are taught by qualified faculty who not only hold advanced degrees, but also have extensive practical experience in various engineering fields. Online engineering programs, as well as the universities that offer them, must go through the same accreditation process as those at a traditional universities. Accreditation is a strong indication that an online degree program meets the same quality standards in instruction that you would expect from a traditional degree program. Engineering degree programs are offered from a wide variety of universities at the associate, bachelor's and graduate degree levels. Therefore, you can be assured that you will not have to sacrifice a challenging educational experience by choosing to obtain your engineering degree online.

You also won't miss out on some of the traditional classroom experiences when you choose an engineering degree program. You will still be able to collaborate with online classmates through group projects and discuss assignments with your professors and classmates using live chat, e-mail, discussion boards and sometimes even video conference.