Online Schools in Pennsylvania

Online and Hybrid Degree Programs: Bringing Education Home

Beginning at the Delaware River’s natural eastern border, running along the Mason-Dixon Line, and rising to the shores of Lake Erie in the northwestern corner of the state, Pennsylvania is home to more than 100 institutions of higher education. However, today’s students aren’t limited by geography or confined to the walls of a classroom when choosing higher education institutions.

Whether they choose to enroll in community colleges or research universities, students have access to online and hybrid degree programs that can enhance the convenience of pursuing a quality education. Online schools in Pennsylvania enable students to access course materials and complete assignments entirely over the Internet. Meanwhile, hybrid programs combine online elements with face-to-face instruction, offering students schedule flexibility while maintaining their connection to campus. Distance learning has expanded educational opportunities, bringing the classroom to students and working professionals in modern ways.

Pennsylvania Universities Establish Distance Learning Institutions

Some Pennsylvania schools have fully embraced distance learning by establishing their own online education institutions. In 1998, Pennsylvania State University (psu.edu) launched the Penn State World Campus, which specializes in adult education and offers more than 70 online degree programs. As of October 2012, enrollment in the online campus totaled 11,984. One of the programs offered through the Penn State World Campus is a master of engineering management. Designed for working professionals, the online degree program requires applicants to have a minimum of three years of applicable work experience. Students learn in a cohort environment, interacting with their peers as they work through 12 courses in continuous seven-week terms over a two-year period. Graduates receive training that can help qualify them for a variety of engineering positions, including biomedical engineer, a position that the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (portal.state.pa.us, 2010) expects to grow by 62.5 percent between 2010 and 2020.

Philadelphia-based Drexel University (drexel.edu) created its online education program, Drexel University Online, in 2002. By 2010, more than 8,000 students were enrolled in nearly 90 online certificate and degree programs. One of those programs offers a master of science degree in information systems. On average, students spend nine to 12 hours per week conducting online coursework, readings and exams, allowing them to continue full-time employment. Courses are broken down into concise 10-week modules, covering information technology and techniques, preparing students for possible careers in computer and software development. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (portal.state.pa.us, 2010) expects computer systems design to be one of the state’s fastest-growing industries between 2010 and 2020, adding nearly 10,000 jobs and growing at a rate of 18.1 percent. Systems software developers are projected to account for more than one-third of those jobs, with a growth rate of 28.3 percent.

Online Degree Programs: Helping Meet Pennsylvania Employment Demand

Online colleges in Pennsylvania have established online degree programs that can help prepare graduates for growing occupations. Temple University (temple.edu) offers a hybrid advanced clinical doctorate degree in occupational therapy. The program is available to current members of the American Occupational Therapy Association, and is designed to prepare students to work as advanced clinical specialists, program developers and clinical educators. Students are able to combine online coursework with two to three weekend campus visits per year, offering intensive face-to-face instruction on the Temple University campus in downtown Philadelphia. Occupational therapist is projected to be one of the fastest-growing therapist positions in Pennsylvania. The state’s Department of Labor & Industry (portal.state.pa.us, 2010) expects the occupation to increase by 18.8 percent between 2010 and 2020, adding more than 1,100 positions during that time.

As the general population ages and technology advances, information and records management has become an increasingly important element of healthcare. In Pennsylvania, the state’s Department of Labor & Industry (portal.state.pa.us, 2010) anticipates that the number of medical records and health information technicians will increase by 9.8 percent between 2010 and 2020. The University of Pittsburgh (pitt.edu) offers an online master of science degree in nursing informatics, which can prepare graduates to work as medical records and health information technicians. All of the course materials are available online, allowing students to work toward their degree while maintaining a flexible schedule. Curriculum combines elements of cognitive, computer, information and nursing science, as students learn how to evaluate information systems and use technology that can enhance patient care.

Industries for Job Growth in Pennsylvania

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov, 2012) identified education and health services as Pennsylvania’s leading employment industry in 2012, accounting for approximately 1.16 million jobs. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (portal.state.pa.us, 2010), health care and social assistance is projected to be a high-growth industry between 2010 and 2020, with employment increasing by 14.8 percent during that time. That growth rate doesn’t match estimates for mining (51.5 percent) or construction (16. 5 percent), but should total more than 133,000 jobs, while the other industries are estimated to add 13,260 and 35,670 positions, respectively.

Online schools in Pennsylvania can help prepare students for careers that are expected to see future growth. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (portal.state.pa.us, 201) projects double-digit growth for financial examiners (21.2 percent) and personal financial advisors (17.2 percent). Meanwhile, registered nurses are projected to increase by 17 percent, adding more than 4,700 jobs annually. The number of medical and public health social workers is also expected to rise, with 16.6 percent growth estimated between 2010 and 2020, while mental health and substance abuse social workers is tabbed to increase 11.7 percent.

Sources:
State of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State University
Drexel University
Temple University
University of Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Long-Term Industry Employment Projections, 2010
Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Long-Term Occupational Employment Projections, 2010
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Pennsylvania Economy at a Glance, 2012