Popular Online Graduate Degrees

Students are enrolling in online degree programs in every subject, but some fields are enjoying especially high enrollment.

  • Business Administration: One of the most popular fields in which to get an online degree is in business administration. Advanced degrees in business administration – offered as either a doctorate or a master’s degree – are perfect for those interested in running their own business or becoming upper-level management in a large company.

    Taking courses in marketing, public administration, and accounting, students who enroll in graduate programs in business administration will have the skills to manage a company’s workforce, products, and revenue.
  • Criminal Justice: A popular field for online degrees at all levels is criminal justice. Professionals looking to develop or advance a career in crime-related professions – such as forensics, corrections, immigration, or homeland security – are good fit for a master’s or doctorate degree in criminal justice.

    These degree programs will build a theoretical framework for understanding the causes of crimes and principles of rehabilitation. Graduates of these programs can look forward to careers in research, as well as playing a role in the administration of programs to prevent or deter crimes.
  • Education: People interested in many facets of education, including K-12 teaching and education administration, should consider a master’s or doctorate degree in education. Master’s degree programs focus on researching and implementing the best teaching techniques in elementary and secondary education.

    Doctorate degree programs, on the other hand, address adult learning and higher education. Students of both degrees will gain experience writing curriculum, assessing data, and developing leadership skills.
  • Liberal Arts/Humanities: The liberal arts and humanities are broad categories that include the study of all literature, arts, and history. Essentially, liberal arts encompasses all of the aspects of culture, though people who receive graduate degrees in liberal arts focus on one aspect of culture such as English literature, art history, or philosophy.

    Master’s and doctorate degrees are available online in every discipline of liberal arts. Often, people who hold these degrees go on to teach the subject in high schools, colleges, or graduate programs. Those who teach at the highest levels of education -- at the university and graduate school level -- also dedicate large portions of their time to scholarship, contributing to the research and writing in their fields.
  • Psychology: The study of human behavior, psychology is incredibly diverse field, and people who hold master’s or doctorates degrees in psychology have the choice of developing careers in many different specializations. For example, a master’s degree in psychology would qualify someone to work as a counselor, a consultant, or a research assistant discovering new theories for addressing mental illness.

    Furthermore, graduate students in psychology learn about every kind of mental distress from grieving the death of a loved one to treating chronic illnesses such as schizophrenia.

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