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Choose a Business Degree for a New Future |  |
Pursuing Success: Earn an Information Technology Degree
October 3, 2005
by Edward Castro
Business Programs Columnist
The Bureau of Labor Statistics believes that 8 of the 10 fastest growing occupations between 2000 and 2010 will be computer related. If you're interested in taking advantage of this fact, you need more than a course in information technology. You'll need to pursue a degree in information technology online or offline.
While many companies don't expect their information technology workers to have a degree, the ones that do generally pay more, have more advancement opportunities, and offer a more professional working environment. For those students interested in pursuing an information technology degree online or through traditional degree programs, there are plenty of options.
A Community College Course in Information Technology
There are plenty of students who choose to avoid four-year college IT programs or a degree in information technology online. While taking one course in information technology at a time through a community college is cheaper, it could take six years or more to acquire the skills necessary to enter even an entry level IT job. A community college course in information technology is a great way to update your skills, but a less than ideal way to prepare for an IT career.
A Degree in Information Technology Online
If there is a better degree program to pursue online than IT, it hasn't been invented yet. The availability of online degree courses has increased in recent years and according to a report released by the National Center for Education Statistics, there were more than 2 million enrollments in college-level, credit-granting distance education courses in 2001. While data doesn't single out how many of those students were taking a course in information technology, chances are many did. Studying for a career in information technology using many of the basic skills required by an IT professional seems like a great idea.
Myth Conceptions of Online Only Degrees
A "degree mill" is about the only real danger that you might run into if you choose to pursue a degree in information technology online. These online con games award diplomas for a fee. A few years ago the number of degree mills forced many employers to believe candidates with an online only degree to be unskilled and unworthy of consideration. While a recent Vault.com study found that 77 percent of hiring managers say that online degrees from established university is more acceptable than a degree earned through an Internet only university, much of the damage done by degree mills is fading. As more traditional and quality institutions begin to offer IT degree programs online, they will become more common and widely accepted.
Blinded By Science: Degrees of Separation
In the early years of the dotcom explosion, most information technology professionals probably didn't have a degree in a computer-related field. While it is still possible to gain computer knowledge through a course in information technology, a degree is still the only way to develop the skills required by most IT jobs today. Today, no matter whether you choose an Associate, bachelor’s, or graduate degree in information technology online, each prepares IT professionals for different levels of information technology jobs. Now all you have to do is decide which IT job is right for you.
About the Author
Edward Castro has an extensive experience as a creative media writer. His client portfolio has included such notables as Hewlett-Packard, Sony Computer Entertainment, Shockwave, AtomFilms, GameBlast and Mervyn’s California. In his current position, Ed is developing the marketing strategy of an Internet start-up company specializing in Japanese trade goods.
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