Online Courses vs. Degree: Choosing the Right Path to Enter the Industry

College education is one of the most expensive investments a person will make in their life. It is really important to understand that the path you take at this crucial point contributes heavily to your future success. Here comes the confusing question. Should I go to a university? Or Should I just attend some online courses? Online Courses vs. Degree. Does my financial situation allow me to access a university education without pushing me into shouldering the crippling burden of student debt?

There are many things to consider when we come to the debate of Online Courses vs. Degrees, especially in the case of IT and computer-related subjects. Of course, you are not going to become a doctor or a football player by taking online classes. But for students aiming to go into computer science and information technology-related professions, this is certainly a choice. But choosing between a traditional degree and an online course is certainly a difficult one to make. Let’s compare all the factors that come into play before deciding between Online Courses vs. Degree.

Learn the basics of programming from experts! Join today!

Online Courses vs. Degree: Choosing the Right Path to Enter the Industry

A degree and an online certificate course have similar intentions for a student. Improvement of skills and knowledge of the subject. But each of them does it in different ways and to different extents. They can be earned through educational institutions or online training platforms. Each of them has pros and cons. It is the objective and plan made by the student for their career path that makes the choice between them easier.

In the case of an online course, they are prepared with the intention of having more focus on scope than a degree program. They provide the students with a skill set or training that might help get them a job much faster. This is advisable for people who don’t want to spend much money or time studying but still want to gain skills. A degree’s curriculum is much more comprehensive. Let us look into the details of a degree as well as an online course before making conclusions on the subject Online Courses vs. Degree.

What is a Degree? What are the Different Types of Degrees?

A degree is an academic qualification which is awarded to an individual by an educational institution or a university. The degrees are classified according to their levels. The different types of degrees are listed below.

Associate degree

Usually, the goal of this two-year degree is to get students ready for entry-level jobs in a specific field.

Bachelor’s degree

The most popular kind of undergraduate degree is this four-year program. It offers a broad base of knowledge in a certain discipline.

Master’s degree

This two-year degree is designed for students who have completed their undergraduate studies with more specific types of knowledge and training in that field.

Doctorate

A doctorate is the highest level of an academic degree, and it requires many years of research and studies.

Advantages of Getting a Degree

There are many advantages that a person can gain from earning a degree. Some of them are mentioned below.

• A student with a degree has a higher earning potential than one who doesn’t.
• Possessing a degree drastically improves your job prospects and competence in the job market.
• Having a degree certainly opens the doors to opportunities that you may not have if you do not possess one.
• Completing a degree will certainly improve your range of knowledge.
• Having a degree will give you a sense of personal satisfaction and security when thinking about the future as a degree is going to be relevant always.

Disadvantages Of Getting a Degree 

Like everything else earning a degree also has some drawbacks. Some of them are listed below.

• Degrees are expensive. And the tuition fees continue to rise in many countries. Joining a degree is going to leave a significant dent in your finances. Some may even fall into student debt.
• Degrees take years to complete. Time commitment and schedules are very important in a degree.
• Joining a degree will help you to network if you wish to go into academics or research field.

What Is an Online Course?

An online course is often used to refer to a short-term certification course that is made to instruct the learner on a specific skill that might be in huge demand in the present job market. Many online courses are related to technology-related things like programming, cybersecurity, web designing, digital marketing etc. They may take from a few weeks to a few months and help a candidate enter the job market in a short period. They often have hands-on as well as project-based curriculum that teaches how to work with the skills rather than the theory part. Online courses are gaining popularity among students even though the idea is relatively new to us.

Want to become a developer? Click here to register for the Entri programming courses!

Advantages Of an Online Course

There are many benefits to joining an online course. Some of them are listed below.

• Improvement in practical skills.
• The cost of an online course is more on the affordable side than a college education.
• An online course is convenient for many people because of the short-term commitment.
• Joining an online course will help you in network building if you wish to go to or continue in the tech or corporate sector.
• Most online courses come with career counselling as well as placement assistance which is very useful for beginners.

Disadvantages Of Online Courses

The disadvantages of the online courses are listed below.

• Since online courses are short-term, they may come with an intensive workload. The students may have to devote lots of hours for that short period to their studies.
• Unlike traditional degrees, online courses may not always be accredited by the national authorities. This makes it difficult or impossible to transfer credits to a degree program and sometimes people even doubt its credibility.
• The theoretical knowledge provided in an online certification is very limited to nil. This might make it difficult for a person to get jobs that require a deeper understanding of the subject.

Join the best programming course of the year 2024! Register today itself!

Things To Consider Before Choosing Between Online Courses vs. Degree

Certain things need to be considered before choosing between a degree and an online course. Some of them are listed below.

Period of Commitment Online Courses vs. Degree

The time you have to devote to the studies is an important factor differentiating between the Online Courses vs. Degree. A degree will certainly take three years of study. If it is an honours degree or professional degree then it will take 4 years to complete. This includes regular classes, assignments, unit tests, lab work, lab exams, semester exams, workshops etc. If you want to earn a master’s in, say, Data Science, it will take you two years to complete. This is not an adjustable situation for someone who has less time to spare, say someone working full-time.

In the case of online courses or certifications, they will train you in a specific field in a short period. They also have several options that allow flexible study timings like recorded classes and individual mentoring. What you have to know is that online certifications help you gain specific knowledge in a short time. But the knowledge you gain from a degree is more well-rounded.

Affordability of Cost of Education Online Courses vs. Degree

In the case of a degree, the cost of education is much more. You have to cover tuition fees, lab fees, books, meal plans, commutation expenses or lodging expenses if you want to live near the institution. The price charged by most online education platforms is much less than even one of the expenses listed above. The online courses given by some popular educational and research institutions may be in the expensive bracket when compared with other certificate courses. But it is still significantly lower than the charges you have to pay to attend college for a degree.

Knowledge Level and Coursework Online Courses vs. Degree

A degree provides a more comprehensive education than an online course. Degrees offer a wider range of coursework which helps the students to develop a deeper understanding in the field whereas an online course teaches a specific skill. Having deeper and wider coverage of knowledge is essential for adaptability and career growth. We could also say that the knowledge offered by a degree is less focused because it covers a wide range of areas including the ones that are not relevant to your objectives and profession.

Credibility and Accreditation Online Courses vs. Degree

Degrees are most often offered by UGC-accredited educational institutions and universities. We cannot say the same for online courses. An online course offered by a platform might have or might not have accreditation. Make sure that the online certificate you gain will have value in the profession or organisation you are aiming for.

Requirements of Eligibility Online Courses vs. Degree

It is mandatory to possess a high school or junior college certificate to be eligible to join a degree program. In the case of online courses, sometimes they are necessary but sometimes they are not. And if you have sufficient eligibility, you can just join an online course and start your studies. But to join a degree there is a more elaborate procedure. You have to apply for the course you want at several universities and then you have to be accepted by them. This will be done by the admission office according to their predetermined criteria for selection. They might consider your grades, extracurricular activities, and even the quality of the language you have used in the college application. There are no such hurdles to joining an online course. Similarly, to join a master’s course or a doctoral degree, you have to complete your graduation first.

When Is Online Course a Better Option?

If you aim to enter the workforce as fast as possible even if it is in a junior-level position, then online course is your best bet. An online course certification will help you to gain that specific skill quickly and also in a cost-effective manner. If you already have a degree in a field for example in Computer science, then you can add in-demand job skills (like cybersecurity) to your skill set by attending an online course. This will help you to keep yourself updated on the latest developments and be competitive enough to climb up the hierarchical ladder in your company more quickly.

If you already have a degree, then doing various online courses is the key to career advancement. We could say that doing an online course in the latest technologies will future-proof your career i.e. will keep you relevant in the field. This could even help you switch your career to a better one in the same field. This will also help you gain practical in-hand skills that are immediately necessary at your workplace.

When Is a Degree the Better Option?

A degree is the path you have to choose if you have enough time and financial resources to spare. As we said before, a degree will have a more comprehensive curriculum and help you gain more knowledge in the field. Another important factor is that many firms prefer to hire people with a degree rather than someone with just certifications. It should also be noted that senior-level jobs are always open only to people who possess a degree. A degree is also the best option if the firm you want to work for offers tuition fee reimbursement. This will enable you to gain a degree free of cost or at least at a huge discount on the expenses.

Get the best study materials to learn programming! Join the Entri app courses!

Online Courses vs. Degree: Which one to choose?

The decision of choosing an Online Course vs. Degree should solely depend on an individual’s availability of time and money as well as their aims. Ask yourself the questions listed before making the final decision.

• How quickly do you want to earn these credentials?
• Is the curriculum of the said course relevant to your professional aspirations?
• Can you balance the work and studies together?
• Which field do you want to work in? Does that field necessarily require a degree?
• What level of jobs do you want to enter into in the workforce?
• How far do you want to advance in your career?
• Where are you in your career path currently?

How To Choose the Best Online Course?

If you are a student who has decided to join an online course, there are some things that you have to consider before deciding which course you will join. As there a numerous online courses offered by several websites on the internet a student might face the confusion of which one to join. What we have to do is to ensure that the course we choose should be worth the money and time we are investing in it. Some tips to consider while deciding on choosing which course to join are provided below.

Check The Credibility of The Course

The first thing to do here is to make sure that the course you are joining is credible so that it will be useful to you in the future. If you don’t do this, you might end up being scammed. Check whether the course has any accreditation such as AICTE, UGC- DEB, NAAC and AIU if the certificate is offered by an educational institution or University. When it comes to the online course certifications offered by educational websites, check the educational credentials of the faculty teaching the course, and read the reviews left by former students. You should also be aware of the fraudulent sites that might entrap people by imitating famous educational websites. Never give your details or make money transactions without ensuring that you are using the correct website.

Decide The Specialization You Want to Learn

Before you choose a course, you should decide on an area of specialization that you want to pursue. It is always best to choose an area of specialization that comes as a branch or subset or is at least somewhat related to the subject majored in or pursued earlier. Some courses have specific criteria of eligibility that allow only students who studied in certain streams are the only one allowed to join. Some courses allow the students to join without taking their major subject or stream into account. You have to decide your path here, whether is it career advancement or career change.

It is also essential to make sure that the learner has an aptitude for that field of study. Don’t join a course that you might find uninteresting or don’t have an aptitude for just because it is popular and everybody is learning it. This will lead you to lag behind the course work because you may find it boring and even face difficulty in understanding the subject. Please also make sure that the course you are joining is relevant to your objectives, this could be upskilling, professional scope or at least align with your interests or hobbies.

Education Level

After all these things are checked, don’t make the mistake of joining a course that is below your desired level. The course level should always match your present educational level. If it is too low then the whole course ends up being useless to you and if it is too difficult then you will struggle to keep up with the course. So, check whether the course is said to be suitable for high school diploma holders, graduates, post-graduates or professionals. The latest thing among these is work-integrated learning programs which offer classes at weekends or after business hours so that professionals can study flexibly.

Value for Money

The course you are joining should be worth the money you are paying for it. It should cover sufficient parts of relevant portions of the subject and provide study materials along with live and recorded classes. If an online course is charging a fee much above the usual ones charged by educational websites, then it better be taught by a very qualified tutor or the certificate be given by a very prominent educational or research institution. So always compare the fee rates of various websites or institutions giving the same course. The things to consider here are the duration of the course, the learning support provided by the institution and the level of the course. Also, pay attention to holiday discounts given by educational websites for their courses and also the free courses.

Curriculum of Course and Policies of Evaluation

Another thing that needs to be checked before joining a course is the topics that are covered under the Curriculum and the hours allotted to each of them and in whole. Download the curriculum of various courses and compare each other to find the one that best suits your needs. Always check the syllabus and content of the course before joining. Another important aspect is the evaluation techniques used by the course providers. Some courses don’t have exams. Some others have very lenient evaluation policies. Some others have strict evaluation policies which include seminars, presentations, homework, projects, virtual internships etc. Having a good evaluation policy is a mark of the quality of the course. But if you find it too difficult to handle you can choose a course with more lenient evaluation policies.

Course Duration

Online courses can be of varied duration. It may vary from a few weeks to even a few months. The duration of an online course depends on the level of the course as well as the vastness of the topic it covers. Some certificate courses are as short as just a few hours. You should always consider the duration and make sure that it suits long-term as well as short-term professional goals as well as educational goals. You should also have an understanding of the number of hours you can devote to studying every week and have to choose a course accordingly.

Learning Management Systems and Learning Support

Online courses are very different from offline degrees in the way they deliver education. A good online course should preserve all the attributes of an offline class and more but in digital mode. The technical advancements that we have achieved in recent years help us to do this. An online course should allow the following things.

• Allow the students to interact with teachers.
• Allow to interact and discuss with peers.
• Allow the students to learn at their desired pace.
• Allow to refer to previous lectures stored.
• Allow to take exams in remote mode.

Online classes achieve the above-listed goals through an effective learning management system. A learning management system is a specially made software that gives educational support to the learners. The key features of a good Learning management system or LMS are listed below.

• Facilities to provide live lectures.
• Making recorded lectures available.
• Discussion platforms and forums that helps to interact with peers as well as faculty.
• Portal in which students should submit their assignments and other works.
• Virtual labs and simulation tools for practice. This is best for professional and practical skill courses.
• Industry exposure.
• Facilities to conduct exams in online or a remote manner.

Some online courses even provide mentorship and placement support and help the students get placements in popular firms after the completion of the online course. So, always check whether the online course you are about to join offers all this learning support.

Learning Flexibility

The main reason for many people to go for an online course is the flexibility they offer in learning schedules. The course should not have a compulsion for minimum attendance in live classes. The students should be allowed to attend online classes when they can and watch recorded classes when they can’t. The preference should be given to the convenience of the students. Self-paced learning is promoted so that the students can pursue other things also along with their studies. Educational institutions or websites also should offer choices to the students on choosing their examination dates. So always ensure that the flexibility of the online course you choose is as much as that you need. Know in advance whether the course is self-paced or scheduled.

Check the Reviews

Like any product, online courses should also be weighed by the opinions of people who have taken it. Never rely solely on the description of the course given in the brochure. Whenever you find a course that you are interested in always check the online reviews available before joining. The real experience tale of the people will be there in some internet platforms and a quick search will get you the genuine information. But be aware of fake reviews that might be posted by the reputation management team of the website itself as well as the one left by the competing firms to defame the course. Look through many opinions before coming to any conclusions.

Get the best study materials to learn programming! Join the Entri app courses!

Online Courses vs. Degree FAQs

1. Which one is better Online Courses vs. Degree?

It always depends on your objectives. If you have more money and time in hand and want to learn deeply, then a degree is your choice. If you want to be cost-effective and time effective and enter the workforce as soon as possible then an online course is the best option.

2. Does a person already having a degree should do an online course?

This might be helpful for career advancement and promotions. Learning the latest techniques and information through an online course will keep you updated and relevant in the tech field.

Get the best study materials to learn programming! Join the Entri app courses!