Within an ever-evolving job market, ensuring that you have the right skills to compete is important. Technological advancements seem to continue to catapult businesses forward, and even the most motivated professionals are likely doing all they can to keep up. One way to enhance your career opportunity is to further your education with a higher education degree. Due to recent developments and the world becoming more adept at collaborating remotely, higher education is no longer synonymous with studying on campus.
If you already have a busy lifestyle or full-time job, chances are that you do not have time to commute to a university campus. Undertaking a degree program from a university with online learning options, such as University of Phoenix, could help you slot your studies into your existing routine.
Since completing a degree requires both time and financial investments, you need to know whether the programs you’re considering are right for you. And there’s a lot of information to sift through.
When considering your higher education options, this question is simple: is a degree from University of Phoenix worth anything? To help you learn more, we will delve into what employers may demand of today’s professionals, the University of Phoenix’s accreditation, key considerations when evaluating higher education providers, and what University of Phoenix has to offer students who enroll in their online programs.
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Do Employers Respect Online Qualifications and Degrees?
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 12 million students were enrolled in online courses in 2019. Undertaking a distance learning course presents a myriad of advantages to students, including flexibility in both schedule and pace. However, one of the biggest concerns students have is whether prospective employers will respect their degree once they have completed it. Since the aim is to broaden career horizons, it’s paramount that their studies prove to be worth their time.
The numbers speak for themselves. According to a 2018 survey from Northeastern University, 61 percent of human resources professionals believe online learning is equal to or greater in quality to more traditional studying options. The same review revealed that over one third of professionals believe that online education will be better than other forms of education thanks to technological advancements. Over half of the people surveyed also believed that most advanced degrees will be completed online in the future.
Of course, what prospective students are really concerned about is whether a hiring manager will overlook their online degree. A massive 71 percent of organizations confirmed that they had hired a professional with an online degree in the last 12 months, according to the Northeastern University survey.
If you earn a degree online, it’s important that you understand how to showcase its value to potential employers. Keep in mind that hiring managers are looking for skills applicable to the job at hand. They want to know that you are well-versed in your given field and can easily take to the demands of the role. You may also want to include a link to the university’s accreditation.
Advantages of University of Phoenix Degree Programs
When choosing to participate in an online degree program, selecting the right university at which to study is a big decision. Since 1989, University of Phoenix students have been learning skills, online, to help enhance their careers. While most employers give merit to online degrees, per the Northeastern University study mentioned above; the question remains: is a degree specifically from University of Phoenix worth anything? Ahead of applying to your chosen university, it’s worth understanding the experience at University of Phoenix and some of the biggest advantages it offers students.
Course effectiveness, student engagement
One of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to online learning is that it’s not as rigorous, or effective, as traditional learning. Contrary to this argument, in 2010 the Department of Education found that “students in online conditions performed modestly better, on average, than those learning the same material through traditional face-to-face instruction.” As part of a metaanalysis review, the experts stated that online learning approaches tend to be quite effective across a broad range of learners and content types. This suggests that taking an online course could lead to higher results for students over the course of their studies toward degree completion.
Additionally, online education is not on-your-own education, at least not at University of Phoenix. The University offers a whole host of learning resources to students that are “always on,” things like Phoebe, a 24/7 chat assistant who can answer many questions students may have, as well as My Phoenix, a always available student portal, along with ongoing support from academic advisors who stay in regular contact with students, and other engagement tools that are focused on student success. Plus, the University recently introduced Career Services for LifeTM that provides students with access to career support tools such as assessments, career coaches, resume review and more from their first day of class to first day of retirement.
Institutional Accreditation
Before choosing a higher education provider, make sure that they have proper accreditation. University of Phoenix has both institutional and programmatic accreditation. This can be a great assurance that both you and your future employer can trust that your education meets high industry standards put forth and enforced by the accrediting entities.
Since 1978, University of Phoenix has held accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and its predecessor. The independent body is one of only six regional accreditors in the United States. With the solid aim to “advance the common good through quality assurance of higher education as the leader in equitable, transformative and trusted accreditation in the service of students and member institutions,” HLC holds universities to high standards.
Boasting more than 1,000 trained professionals, known as the Peer Corps, HLC works to ensure the quality of each university it accredits. The volunteer adjudicators take a close look at each educational provider and hold them to quality standards. Additionally, HLC aligns with federal guidelines recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Programmatic Accreditation
In addition to institutional accreditation, University of Phoenix also holds a number of programmatic accreditations. These accreditations are an extra level of assurance that applies to specific degree programs within the University. Programmatic accreditation is often peer-evaluated, meaning experts in the field review the courses in the degree programs. The accreditation has a keen focus on the course’s content as well as how well students can apply it in the working world. For example, the experts may measure a certain degree program against the existing professional practices. The overall aim is to help ensure that degree programs prepare students for careers.
Organizations offering programmatic accreditation regularly benchmark programs from University of Phoenix against a set of industry-pertinent criteria. Undertaking a degree program that has programmatic accreditation means that future employers can have a high degree of confidence in your education.
Each of the degree programs must live up to the standards set by these accrediting bodies to ensure they adhere to industry standards. University of Phoenix currently holds the following programmatic accreditation:
- The Master of Health Administration (MHA) program holds Healthcare Degree Program Accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
- The Degree Program and Master’s Degree Program in Nursing hold accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
- The Master of Science in Counseling program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the Arizona and Utah Campuses hold Counseling Degree Program Accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
- The Associate of Arts with a concentration in Accounting Fundamentals program, Associate of Arts with a concentration in Business Fundamentals program, Bachelor of Science in Accounting program, Bachelor of Science in Business program, Master of Business Administration program, Master of Management program, Master of Science in Accountancy program, Doctor of Business Administration program and Doctor of Management program all hold Business Degree Program Accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
Experienced Faculty Members
University of Phoenix has intentionally cultivated a faculty of experienced professionals in their fields. Called “Practitioner Faculty,” most have at least 12 years of teaching experience and more than 25 years of professional experience in their prospective career fields. Employing individuals with practical professional credentials has allowed the University to offer real-world experience education to its students.
As of 2021, University of Phoenix had 3,700 faculty members. These esteemed educators ranged from chief executive officers and chief operating officers to district attorneys and judges. The fact that the majority of staff members have real-world industry experience means that they can empower learners to excel in the working environments of today. Offering career-specific insights and guidance on how to succeed, these professionals help their students gain a true understanding of their industry of choice.
On-Demand Student Resources
When you commit to distance learning, confirming that you have the access to the proper learning resources is essential. Often enough, this obstacle is what holds students back from enrolling in an online degree program. However, when you choose to study with University of Phoenix, this becomes much less of a concern. One of the biggest advantages of the University is the sheer amount of resources available to students no matter where they are.
In addition to the course resources that are available online, students at University of Phoenix have access to workshops and Facebook study events. These supplementary sessions allow students to gain a deep understanding of the course materials and also provide them with the opportunity to air out any concerns that they may have. For students who need further support, the University offers a variety of tutoring services, as well as academic counselors and career coaches. There are other tools available 24/7 like Phoebe, our chat assistant, and My Phoenix, our student portal. Students can also access video resources to help them further understand course content.
A Data-Driven Teaching Approach
University of Phoenix has collaborated with Emsi to create a data-driven teaching approach. Armed with the latest information from the labor market analytics firm, the University faculty creates programs that suit the demands of the workplace. Emsi analyzed live job postings alongside government labor sources to create an algorithm to identify the top skills currently in demand in the workforce. For students, that means gaining skill sets they can use to help them find employment after they have completed their degree program studies.
“Adult students want to know if what they are learning is useful and how it applies to their career goals. Our work with Emsi will help ensure our graduates are more career ready and can demonstrate their newfound skills. We want our students to feel empowered with the knowledge that they have the skills necessary to pursue opportunities in their chosen fields,” said Ruth Veloria, chief strategy and customer officer for University of Phoenix.
The Takeaway
Deciding to upskill is a great way professionals can enhance their career path, and, fortunately, it’s never been easier. Enrolling in a degree program at University of Phoenix is a convenient, quality way to gain the qualifications you desire without the requirement of studying on campus or within a rigid academic schedule. These degree programs are being seen by many hiring managers and human resources professionals as competent (per the Northeastern University study), and gaining new skills could help you to increase your employability in the long run.
About University of Phoenix
In 1976, Dr. John Sperling started University of Phoenix to provide adults with more options to achieve higher learning. This educator and entrepreneur understood the economy on a deeper level and quickly recognized that it favored those with the advanced training and skills achieved at a university. Since then, the University of Phoenix has maintained its commitment to helping people enhance their lives through education and strengthening its communities.
University of Phoenix proudly provides students access to quality education, ongoing support and a wide range of resources to help them succeed. With innovative, dedicated instructional design customized for busy working adults and a relentless focus on delivering context-driven instruction by subject area specialists and professionals, University of Phoenix helps students develop highly relevant career skills that can be applied to their current work and life experiences.
University of Phoenix degree programs offer students quality education based on relevant and effective learning approaches. They also include flexible scheduling, a practitioner faculty and a centralized curriculum design, ideal for the modern learner. Find out more about University of Phoenix, programs, initiatives, career prospects, student resources and financial aid opportunities by visiting https://www.phoenix.edu.
