Geography as a higher ed subject tackles issues such as describing human movement, interactions between people groups, as well as the effect of humans on their broader environment. Geography as an academic disciplines is important in combatting climate change and the study of marginalized cultures.

If you see yourself interested in these types of issues, luckily there are many organizations supportive of your educational goals. We’ve pulled out some of the most lucrative of these scholarships below!

ScholarshipPoints.com $10,000 Scholarship

• 10000
• ScholarshipPoints awards a $10,000 scholarship to their members. In order to be eligible for this $10,000 award you must be 13 years of age or older on the date of the entry and be a US Citizen as well as currently attending or planning to attend a college in the United States. For more information and to apply head to their website.
• 13 years of age and older

David Library of the American Revolution Fellowships

• 1,000 – 1,600
• The David Library of the American Revolution Fellowships are scholarships for doctoral candidates and post doctoral students who are from a PHD-granting institution currently writing their dissertation and engaging in research. This is a $1000-$1600 award. To qualify for this award you must be majoring or focusing your career in History, Africana Studies, American Studies, Gender Studies, Women’s Studies, Political Science, Religion, Law, Geography, and others. For more information on how to apply to this scholarship head to their website.
• Doctoral, Post-Doctoral

Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

• 1500
• The Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship is a $1500 award for students who are pursuing geography as their major. To qualify for this award the applicant should be an undergraduate student pursuing a major in geography and attending a college or currently enrolled at a US community college, junior college, city college, or a similar two-year educational institution. Additionally, the applicant should also be planning to transfer to a four-year institution.
• Two-Year College Planning to Transfer to a Four-Year University

The National Hydropower Association Past Presidents’ Legacy Scholarship Program

• 2500
• The National Hydropower Association Past President’s Legacy Scholarship Program is a $2500 award available to college sophomores, juniors or graduate students. To qualify for this award you must be a US citizen or legal US resident as well as be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate program. For more information and to wasw apple sawto the scholarship head to their website.
• Undergraduate, Graduate

The Mel Marcus Fund for Physical Geography

• 2000
• The Mel Marcus Fund for Physical Geography was established to support the travel and logistical costs required for students in field research and physical geography. The faculty member must join the student for the intended fieldwork. This is a $2000 award given to faculty applicants.
• Field Study Award

Henning Graduate Fellowship in Labor Culture and History

• 5000
• The Henning Graduate Fellowship in Labor Culture and History is a $5000 award for graduate students who are enrolled in an accredited university in the state of California. To qualify for this award you must be studying one of the following disciplines: anthropology, art, communication studies, cultural studies, english, ethnic studies, folklore, geography, history, labor studies, literature, sociology, urban studies, and women’s studies. The purpose of this award is to fund and support the innovative study of various philosophies and expressive cultures of people who are working in the United States. To apply to this award you must have a letter of recommendation from your department chair.
• Graduate

The Robert A. Catlin/David W. Long Memorial Scholarship

• 1500
• The Robert A. Caitlyn/David W. Long Memorial Scholarship is for black students are looking to enter into the field of urban planning. The purpose of this fellowship is to build a community of black planning professionals. This is a $1500 award for graduate students or undergraduate students who are attending an Historically Black College and University. To apply for the scholarship, you must submit one letter of recommendation as well as a work of a portfolio sample. Additionally applicants should provide proof of enrollment in a graduate planning program as well as a letter of acceptance to that graduate planning program.
• Undergraduate, Graduate

Undergraduate STEM Scholarships

• 3500
• The Undergraduate STEM scholarships are offered through the Ohio Space Grant Consortium. There are a number of awards in varying amounts including the $3500 award and the $2500 award available from NASA. The $1000 award is available from the university. To be eligible for this award you must be a junior or senior undergraduate student attending a member university in Ohio. Students should be pursuing a degree in a STEM subject and should be either women or under represented minorities or persons with disabilities. To apply to this award you should submit a person objective statement with your educational and career goals as well as two letters of recommendation.
•  

Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, Inc. Founders Fund Scholarship

• 3500
• The Theodore Gordon Flyfishers Inc. founders fund scholarship is for undergraduate and graduate students who have been able to demonstrate excellence in a field of study related to the environmental field and environmental field. To be eligible for the $3500 reward you must be an undergraduate student or a graduate student entering the first or second year. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and be US citizens enrolled as a full-time four year undergraduate or graduate degree.Some of the eligible majors include: ecology, geography, conservation biology, zoology, and natural resource management.
• Undergraduate, Graduate

AMS Graduate Fellowship in the History of Science

• 15000
• The AMS Graduate Fellowship in the History of Science is an award brought to you by the American Meteorological Society. This is a $15,000 fund which is given as a stipend to support a dissertation on the history of atmospheric or related oceanic or hydrologic sciences. To be eligible for this award the applicant should be a graduate student and hold a permanent resident status of the United States or be US citizens. This applicant should be in the process of completing a dissertation on the history of the atmospheric or related oceanic or hydrologic sciences. The fellowships must be used to support research.
• Graduate

Ohio Space Grant Consortium

• 16000
• The Ohio Space Grant Consortium OSGC provide a $16,000 award for graduate students who are pursuing a STEM-related degree. To qualify for this award you must be a master student who is a citizen of the United States. Women and underrepresented minorities are encouraged to apply. To apply for the scholarship you must submit two letters of recommendation as well as complete an application form. For more information and to apply to the scholarship head to their website.
• Graduate

Community College Scholarships

• 1000
• The Community College Scholarships are brought to you by the Ohio Space Grant Consortium OSGC. This is a $1000 award for sophomores who are pursuing a STEM related course. To be eligible for this award you must be a full-time student demonstrating academic merit and be enrolled in a member community college in the state of Ohio. For more information and to apply to the scholarship head to their website.
• Undergraduate

DESGC Summer Research Internships

• 4000
• The DESGC Summer Research Internships are available to students who are currently enrolled at a DESGC institution. This award is available to members of the NASA Delaware Space Grant Consortium. To be eligible for this award you must be an undergraduate student enrolled in a STEM field: science technology engineering math and geography. This is a $4000 award.
• Undergraduate, Graduate

• 5000
• The NASA DESGC Undergraduate Tuition Award is brought to you by the NASA Delaware Space Grant Consortium. If you are pursuing a STEM degree then you are eligible for this $5000 award. Additionally applicants must be US Citizens attending the DESGC consortium institution.
• Undergraduate

Abraham Anson Memorial Scholarship

• 2000
• The Abraham Anson Memorial Scholarship is for undergraduate students enrolled in a college or university in the United States. The applicant must be pursuing a major in remote sensing, surveying and mapping and geospatial science or technology. This is a $2000 award. To apply for this award you should submit two letters of recommendation from a faculty member or a professional that has knowledge of your work as well as a statement of purpose. For more information and to apply head to their website.
• Undergraduate

Robert N. Colwell Memorial Fellowship

• 6500
• The Robert N. Colwell Memorial Fellowship is awarded to a graduate student who is enrolled in a college or university in the United States or Canada. The student must be a graduate student at the PHD level in order to be eligible for this award. This is a $6500 scholarship for a student who is pursuing a PhD in remote sensing or another geospatial information technologies program. To apply for this award you should submit two letters of recommendation as well as a statement essay. Additionally, applicants submit a course listing outlining courses taken, your internships, and professional work experience as well as technical papers and other research documents.
• Graduate

AWG Minority Scholarship

• n/a
• The AWG Minority Scholarship Association for Women Geoscientists offers a scholarship for a full-time student who is attending and pursuing an undergraduate degree in the field of geology, geochemistry, geophysics, hydrology, meteorology, physical oceanography, planetary geology or earth science education. To be eligible for this award you must be a female who is African-American, Hispanic, or Native American enrolled at an accredited college or university. To apply for this award you should submit two letters of recommendation from faculty at the school as well as a signed and completed application form with unofficial copies of your SAT or ACT scores as well as a letter signed by your academic advisor stating that you plan to major in the geosciences. For more information and to apply to the scholarship head to their website.
•  

University of Delaware Graduate Student Funding Opportunities

• n/a
• The University of Delaware Graduate Student Funding Opportunities Award is from the American Meteorological Society (AMS). This award goes to graduate students pursuing marine science and policy or geological sciences and geography. The purpose of this award is to encourage competitive students to engage in research. The applicant must be in a masters or PhD program. The amount of the award varies. For more information and to apply to the scholarship head to their website.
• Graduate

National Cancer Institute: Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program

• n/a
• The National Cancer Institute Colon Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program is brought to you by the American Psychological Association APA. The amount of the award varies and as for candidates who are seeking to train in the field of cancer prevention and control. To be eligible for this award applicants should have an MD, PhD, or JD or another doctoral degree related to cancer prevention. the applicant should be a permanent Resident of the United States or an Irish citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a citizen of the European Union currently employed on the island of Ireland. The amount of this award varies. To be eligible for this award you must have fewer than five years of postdoctoral experience at the time of the award.
• Post-doctoral

The National Hydropower Association Past Presidents’ Legacy Scholarship Program

• 2500
• The National Hydropower Association Past President’s Legacy Scholarship encourages students to become part of the US Hydro power industry. The award funds individuals from a variety of fields including: IT, forestry, animal sciences, communications, geography, and other areas. To submit an application for this $2500 scholarship head to their website.
• All

Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

• 1500
• The Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship offers two $1500 scholarships to students who are attending junior college, community colleges, city colleges, or similar two-year colleges and universities. These scholarships are funded by Darrell Hess who is the author of McKnight’s Physical Geography: a Landscape Appreciation. The purpose of this award is to help cover educational expenses. To be eligible you must be a US citizen and attending a US community college who is able to demonstrate financial need.
• Community College

AWG Minority Scholarship

• 6000
• The Association for Women Geoscientists offers the AWG minority scholarship. The scholarship goes to a full-time undergraduate student or high school student who is entering one of these fields: geology, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrology, meteorology, physical oceanography, planetary geology, or earth science education. To be eligible for this award you must be a woman who was an African-American Hispanic or Native American.
• Women, Minorities

AAGS Joseph F. Dracup Scholarship Award

• 2000
• The National Society of Professional Surveyors NSPS offers a number of scholarships each year to individuals companies and organizations. To be eligible for these awards you should be professionals or students involved in surveying, mapping, geographic information systems, and other related fields. The amount of the awards varies and ranges from $2000-$5,000.
• All

Oklahoma State University Geography Scholarships

• $500-$2500
• Oklahoma State sponsors a number of geography scholarships including the John F, Rooney Junior outstanding junior scholarship. This award is presented through the department of geography at OSU and is a one time award for $2500. The Robert E. Norris Memorial scholarship is presented to an outstanding first year graduate student for the amount of $2500. The Robert E. Norris research award is a $1500 reward for qualifying travel expenses to be used by students who are in conducting field research. The department offers a number of awards ranging from $500-$2500. For more information and to apply head to their website.
• Undergraduate

Humboldt State University Geography Scholarships

•  
• The Humboldt State University Department of Geography and Environment and Spatial Analysis offers a study abroad scholarship. This award is given to students of Humboldt University. The Gilman scholarship program is part of the US Department of state Bureau of education and cultural affairs implemented by the Institute of International Education. To qualify for this award you must be an undergraduate student who is a US citizen able to demonstrate financial need. For more information and to apply to this opportunity had to their website.
• Undergraduate

University of Montana Geography Scholarships

•  
• The University of Montana WA Frank College of Forestry and Conservation Geography offers a number of awards and funding opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. Among the awards includes the Kang scholarship. The Purpose of the Kang scholarships are to provide funding for students majoring in geography at the University of Montana. The awards are given based on academic merit as well as financial need. Additionally the University of Montana offers the Hannes’s earring in Montana Association of geographic information professional scholarship among several others. For more information and to apply to these various awards And to learn about their programming head to their website.
• Undergraduate, Graduate

Related Resources: 

Best Paying Jobs With a Geography Degree

The post Top Scholarships For Geography Students appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Physics

The area of study most closely related to your astronomy major is physics. Although students are encouraged to earn a bachelor’s degree in either astronomy or physics before applying to a master’s in astronomy program, having a minor in physics can be enough to satisfy graduate school prerequisites. Some of the classes you might take for a minor in physics could include introductory coursework in mechanics, electricity and magnetism and thermodynamics, fluids, waves and optics. Don’t be surprised if your minor curriculum also encompasses one course or a sequence of courses in modern or contemporary physics.

While a physics minor is certain to be relevant to your astronomy graduate studies and career, not all schools allow astronomy majors to minor in physics because the coursework is too similar.

Math or Statistics

In fields like physics and astronomy, you may find that you need to do a lot of mathematical calculations. It’s never a bad idea to build up your math skills when you want to work in the sciences.

If you minor in mathematics, you can expect to take a full sequence of calculus courses. This requirement may not change your curriculum too much, since astronomy majors often have to take Calculus I, II and III courses anyway. Your further minor coursework might fit into branches of mathematics such as number theory, linear algebra, abstract algebra and general algebra.

Alternatively, you might opt to minor in statistics, the branch of mathematical science that applies quantitative methods to analyzing and interpreting data that pertains to real-world problems. Minoring in statistics might mean taking introductory coursework in probability and statistics and a series of classes in statistical methods for data analysis, as well as elective courses in probability and numerical analysis.

Statistical analyses are often performed with the help of computer software, so if you plan to minor in statistics, you should be comfortable working with computers and, potentially, taking a course in computer coding using a language like R, SQL and Python.

Chemistry or Biology

You know you’re comfortable in the study of science, but you want to expand your horizons. A minor in chemistry or biology, two other major natural sciences, might do the trick. Chemistry is the branch of science that is concerned with chemical matter, properties, interactions and processes. Biology is the scientific study of living organisms.

Minoring in chemistry might encompass taking coursework in general chemistry, biochemistry and elective chemistry topics. A biology minor will likely include classes in genetics and microbial science, as well as electives drawn from areas like animal biology, plant biology, cellular biology, population biology, clinical biology and interdisciplinary biology topics.

In specializations like astrochemistry and astrobiology, astronomers can combine the study of astronomy with one of these other science disciplines.

An Area of Interest

If you’re already majoring in astronomy, you don’t necessarily need a specific minor to make sure that you’re set up for graduate study. Your major coursework should provide you with enough knowledge of astronomy and physics concepts and practices to succeed in earning your master’s degree. Don’t be afraid to use your elective courses to pursue a minor in a field that interests you, even if it doesn’t relate directly to astronomy.

There’s no harm in choosing a minor purely for your own personal growth and interests, especially if your major is already in a field that will help you with your career. In some cases, pursuing a minor that doesn’t have obvious connections to astronomy can be valuable in your professional career, as well.

You might develop your reading and writing skills by majoring in English, literature or creative writing. Studying business can be an asset if you pursue industry work rather than academic research. Minoring in a foreign language to become bilingual can expand your employment prospects and allow you to communicate with fellow scientists from other nations. Through a minor in psychology, sociology or anthropology, you can better understand people – as individuals, in groups or as entire cultures – and learn how to effectively respond to their thoughts, fears and behaviors. Whether you’re applying for an industry role or writing a grant proposal, this knowledge of people is valuable in a career as an astronomer as well as in your personal life.

You may think that soft skills like communication, problem-solving, interpersonal skills, teamwork and leadership skills are less important for scientists than technical skills, but successful scientists have these skills, too, the American Chemical Society reported.

Additional Resources

Will I Be Considered for a Master’s in Astronomy If My Undergraduate Wasn’t in Astronomy?

Other Than Astronomy, What Are Majors That Will Help Prepare Me for a Master’s in Astronomy Program?

When Applying for a Masters in Astronomy, Is It Better to Have a B.A. or a B.S.?

What Degree Do I Need to Be an Astrobiologist?

What Degree Do You Need to Be an Astrophysicist?

The post What Are Some Good Minors When Thinking About Further Study in Astronomy? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

American Legion Auxiliary Non-traditional Student Scholarship

• 2000
• This scholarship was created for non-traditional students who have been away from classes for an extended period of time.
• To be eligible students must be a member of either the American Legion Auxiliary Sons of the American Legion, or the American Legion. Applicants must also experienced a period of time, usually around a year, without being enrolled in a school.

Association for Non-traditional Students in Higher Education

• Varies
• This scholarship thrives to include non-traditional students who truly want to help their community and push their leadership abilities above and beyond. Although this award is greatly about supplying scholarships it is also to celebrate the successes of the stents.
• Applicants must be not-traditional who have and intend to help the community around them. Students must be active.

Osher Reentry Scholarship Program

• Varies
• In 2008 this scholarship was created with the idea that some students have to balance both work and college therefore they try to cater to each student as an individual.Applicants needed to be out of school for a minimum of five years.
• Candidates need to have a minimum of a five year gap without education along with returning to work toward an undergraduate degree completion.

Adult Students in Scholastic Transition Scholarship

• Varies
• This scholarship is non-discriminating. It is for adult learners who are in a transitioning phase of their life such as being a single parent or are a displaced homemaker.
• Candidates must be over the age of 18, be an undergraduate student, and must attend college on a full-time basis to be considered.

Denny’s Single Parent Student Scholarship

• Varies
• Denny’s Single Parent Student Scholarship is for Hispanics that are a single parent. It aids them financially with enrolling in an undergraduate degree in business, entrepreneurship, or marketing in the United States.
• Applicants must be Hispanic, a single parent, have financial need, be a citizen of the United States, and agree to publicly participate in anything regarding this scholarship. Students must also maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship

• Varies
• The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund was created to help single parents who intend on taking courses that can improve how much they make. This award is used to fill in any cap that has arisen financially.
• Students must be Arkansas residents, a single parent, maintain a minimum of a 2.0 GPA, and have a high school diploma or GED.

Women’s Independence Scholarship Program

• Varies
• Unlike many other scholarships, this one is for victims intimate domestic and sexual abuse.
• Applicants must be separated from their abuser at least one year and no longer than seven years. Students must of been working with a domestic abuse agency for at least six months prior to applying for this scholarship.

Jeanette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund

• 2000
• This scholarship is for women who are at least 35 years old and are low income. This award gives women who may have a difficult time landing financial aid an opportunity to have a college education.
• Women who are a minimum of 35 years old, are low income, studying technical or vocational education, and must be a permanent US resident.

Linda Lael Miller Scholarship for Women

• 1000
• The Linda Lael Miller Scholarships is unique as the award can also be used for for things like child care or paying off student loans. This scholarship wants to help make it possible for women to attend college by breaking down barriers that make it difficult.
• Candidates must be a minimum of 25 years old, have obstacles such as transportation or child care, and be a resident of either Canada or the United States.

Talbots Women’s Scholarship Fund

• 1000
• This scholarship is great for women who have been out of high school for at least 10 years. It’s ideal for women that are at a traditional point in their life and find that their age, or gap of education, makes it hard to get financial aid.
• Qualifications include being out of high school for at least 10 years, attending an accredited university or vocational-technical school, and supply a self written essay along with transcripts. Preference will be given to applicants who have great leadership abilities, community participation, and solid work experience.

Possible Woman Foundation International

• Varies
• Possible Woman Foundation International is for women who are planning on returning to school for a non-traditional roles including stay-at-home mothers.. It also helps line these women up with successful people in their given career path.
• Applicants must be going back to school or first beginning in their older years with plans of studying a non-traditional role.

Boomer Benefits Scholarship

• 1000
• This scholarship is for people who are at least 50 years old who want to prepare for the next phase of their life acceptable health insurance. Once a year a scholarship is given to the baby boomers that want to take advantage to this new Era in their life by bettering themselves.
• Contenders should be a minimum of 50 years old, maintain a 3.0 GPA, aspire to help the community around them. Preference will be based off of community service and academic performance.

ScholarshipPoints $1,000 Scholarship

• 1000
• This scholarship can be utilized by all United States citizens who will be attended college at least part-time.
• All United States citizens who will be going to college at least part-time qualify for this scholarship. Applicants must also not be associated with Edvisors Network, Inc or eligibility will be lost.

Make Me Laugh Scholarship

• 1500
• The Make Me Laugh Scholarship can be utilized by students as young as 13. This award wants the applicant to simply follow directions as closely as possible.
• Students must be at least 13 years old, live in the United State or currently or will be enrolled an accredited two or four-year college or a vocational-tech school.

Niche No Essay Scholarship

• 2000
• The Niche No Essay Scholarship is available for both U.S and International students. It is easily completed through an online application.
• All candidates must apply online. They need to also be international or U.S students. The scholarships are not based off o fage, religion, sex, or race.

The Illinois Organization of Mothers of Twins Club, Inc. Scholarship

• 250
• This scholarship is for both fathers and mothers that are residents of Illinois who have birth children that are in multiples such as twins or triplets.
• To qualify, applicants must be residents of Illinois who are either a mother or a father of birth children who are in multiples such as triplets or twins.

Achieving Your Goals Scholarship

• 1000
• The Achieving Your Goals Scholarship shows more and more sides of situations that we all encounter as we all experience things differently. Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or law program. Students must write a 750-word essay that shows how a certain situation or experience has affected your life.
• Applicants must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or law program. Students need to write a 750-word essay and an official transcript.

Student Pilot Scholarship

• 1000
• This scholarship is for female students that are going to attend a certified flying club, flight school, or CFI to obtain a private pilot certificate.
• Female students who plan on obtaining their private pilot certificate from a certified flight school, flying club, or CFI are eligible. It’s a necessity for students to have completed at least one solo flight along with passing the written test.

Shout It Out Scholarship

• 1500
• This Scholarship can be utilized by students as young as 14. The applicant must be enrolled in a higher education institution or plan on being enrolled by 2026. A panel of judges will review all essays submitted based off of originality,creativity, and the essay in whole.
• Candidates must be a minimum of 14 years of age. Students need to currently be enrolled, or be enrolled by 2026, in a higher education institution. Each application submitted will be judged based off of originality,creativity, and the essay in whole.

$1,000 Refermate 2020 Scholarship

• 1000
• For this scholarship entry involves the posting a youtube video along with a 500-word essay. Students 16 years of age and older and are enrolled in a tuition based program are deemed eligible.
• Eligibility requirements include being a minimum of 16 years old, posting a youtube video, writing a 500-word essay, and being a United States resident.

Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship

• 2000
• The Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship seeks students who can follow directions and are creative. Students as young as 14 years old can apply regardless of financial need or academic level.
• Students must be at minimum 14 years old, are currently enrolled or plan on enrolling in an accredited university. Beyond the previously stated qualifications the most important part involved is writing an essay on answering the prompt about Zombie Apocalypse.

”

VMFA Visual Arts Fellowship for Professional Artists

• 8000
• The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts sponsored 12 fellowships last year. However, the number of fellowships given is not set in stone. The VMFA is one of the biggest supporting roles for both art history and visual arts in Virginia. Each qualifying applicant will have their submission viewed and graded without knowing who created it as the judges want to ensure talent is award without the possibility of any other prejudice.
• Qualifying applicants must reside in Virginia for a minimum of 24 months. Students must also be able to show in an exemplary fashion their chosen form of art. Applicants must be professional students and be able to supply work samples
  along with their resume.

”

Diane Endres Ballweg Scholarship

• 500
• Women that are 30 years of age or older that have already obtained a flying certificate are the ideal candidates. However, women who simply want to learn how to fly are also applicable. This scholarship is awarded by Women in Aviation, International to women who are seeking to advance in their licensure and status.
• The ideal application must be a woman who is no less than 30 years old, has a desire to learn how to fly or are seeking to advance in their rank from a previously completed flying certificate. Only women who are members Women in Aviation, International can apply.

Wings Over 35 Scholarship

• 500
• This scholarship is for students that plan on obtaining a private pilot license caters to individuals, both international and U.S., who are at minimum 35 years of age.
• Applicants must be at least 35 years old, be members of WAI by November 1, and already hold a third-class medical certificate. The candidates must be able to show financial need.

AAUW Career Development Grant

• 7000
• American Association of University Women Educational Foundation awards this scholarship to women who have already obtained their bachelor’s degree. It was created to help students further their education or change careers.
• Applicants must already have acquired their bachelor’s degree and be U.S. citizens or legal residents. Preference will be given to African American women, women who are seeking a nontraditional specialty or their first advanced degree, along with AAUW members.

2020 Overcoming Adversity Scholarship

• 1000
• Kopfler & Hermann are personal injury attorneys who witness people fight through difficult and often tumultuous situations on a day to day basis. Therefore they created this scholarship to help students who have experienced some degree of hardship in their life. They mustn’t only experienced, but also overcome said adversity.
• All applicants must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and hold an undergraduate, graduate, or GED. Another requirement for the 2020 Overcoming Adversity Scholarship is to write a 500-1000 word essay on a personal adversity that has been overcome.

Education Matters $5K Scholarship

• 5000
• This scholarship can show how the desire to succeed in school can oftentimes overcome individuals who struggle to speak up. Applicants must be a minimum of 14 years of age and successfully write at least a 250-word essay on the pre-chosen topic of choice.
• Candidates must write a minimum of a 250-word essay on the pre-chosen topic, be at least 14 years of age, and be a legal resident of the United States to qualify.

UW-Eau Claire Blugold Promise-Sundstrom Scholarship

• This award is for Non-traditional students who graduated from a Wisconsin high school. Preference will be given to candidates who came from Durand High School.
• Candidates must be non-traditional and first generation along with having graduated from a Wisconsin high school. Students must have no more than 30 college credit hours, exhibit financial need, and show leadership and extracurricular involvement. Durand High School graduation are preferred.

Worthy Women’s Professional Studies Scholarship

• 1667
• Women who are at least 30 years old and plan on furthering their education is what the Worthy Women’s Professional Studies Scholarship was intended to be created for.
• Students must be 30 years of age or older. Another eligibility requirement is that the selected applicants must plan on growing their educational portfolio along with enhancing their general professionalism in regards to higher education.

Top Ten List Scholarship

• 1500
• The Top Ten List Scholarship is relatively limitless in regards to who can apply. The student has to write an essay with the top ten reasons as to why they deserve this award.
• Applicants must be 14 years of age or older. They will also need to be enrolled, or plan on being enrolled, in an accredited university or higher education institution.

FACT “Second Chance” Scholarship

• 6250
• This scholarship helps college freshmen who never excelled academically or athletically but want to attend college. Some finalists may get interviewed by the Federation of American Consumers and Travelers (FACT) Scholarship Committee as they want to chose students who truly want to further their education.
• Appropriate contenders haven’t attended school full–time since 2007. Students must also either be members of the Federation of American Consumers and Travelers ( FACT) or are the child or grandchild of a member.

”

Imagine America Adult Skills Education Program (ASEP)

• 1000
• The Imagine America Adult Skills Education Program focuses on helping students who have decided to attend a career college. Although this award is often viewed by high schoolers, students must be a minimum of 21 years of age to actually be able to qualify and use this scholarship.
• Students must be a minimum of 21 years of age, a high school graduate, and will be enrolling in a career college. Previous recipients of any other IAF scholarships or awards do not qualify.

”

I Have a Dream Scholarship

• 1500
• This Scholarship can be utilized by students as young as 14. The applicant must be enrolled in a higher education institution or plan on being enrolled by 2026. A panel of judges will review all essays submitted based off of originality,creativity, and the essay in whole.
• Candidates must be a minimum of 14 years of age. Students need to currently be enrolled, or be enrolled by 2026, in a higher education institution. Each application submitted will be judged based off of originality,creativity, and the essay in whole.

Sweet and Simple Scholarship

• 1500
• The Sweet and Simple Scholarship is available for just about everyone 14 years of age and older. This scholarship can be utilized by students with or without financial needs along with students who may not have the best academic standing.
• Students need to currently be enrolled, or be enrolled by 2026, in a higher education institution. All candidates have to be at least 14 years old and submit an essay. Each application submitted will be judged based off of originality,creativity, and the essay in whole. There cannot be more than one person per address apply.

UW-Eau Claire Ken and Mary Smith Veteran Scholarship

• 1000
• The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire gives both current and former military students as long as they/are honorably discharged.
• Applicants must be current or former military as long as they’re honorably discharged and go to the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire. Although financial need is considered it is not the main focus. Preference will be given to those who show leadership ability and strong morale.

UW-Eau Claire Donald P. Weber Veterans Memorial Scholarship

• 1000
• This scholarship is for Wisconsin veterans who are enrolled or will enroll into a University of Wisconsin institution.
• U.S. veterans who are residents of Wisconsin are applicable. Students must attend a University of Wisconsin institution. All applicants must maintain a satisfactory GPA. Consideration for financial need will occur.

Superpower Scholarship

• 2500
• The Superpower Scholarship is a relatively open award that can be applied to by anyone that is a minimum of 13 years old.Each application submitted will be judged based off of originality,creativity, and the essay in whole.
• Candidates must be at least 13 years old. Each application submitted will be judged based off of creativity,originality,and the essay in its entirety. Students need to currently be enrolled, or be enrolled by 2026, in a higher education institution.

UW-Eau Claire Charlotte L. Grinsel Scholarship

• 5300
• The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire gives awards to veterans who are majoring in chemistry, biology, or physics. There is just one scholarship available a year.
• Veterans who attend the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire that major in chemistry, physics, or biology are eligible for this scholarship. Applicants need to obtain 2 letters of recommendation along with the application form.

All About Education Scholarship

• 3000
• This scholarship aims to find the most creative of writers by asking applicants to answer the question(s) supplied by the sponsor in a creative, honest, and original way. The ideal candidate would be able to convey their answer both distinctively and in a very well-rounded approach.
• Candidates must be at least 14 years of age and be both a legal resident and citizen in the United States. Students can apply to the scholarship regardless of their financial need or academic standing.

Christian Connector $2,500 Christian College Scholarship

• 2500
• This scholarship is based entirely around Christianity and finding a an appropriate Christian college. Unlike many awards, Christian Connector draws the winner at random. This scholarship also offers a variety of colleges along with providing information so the recipient can make a well informed decision.
• Recipients must be able to enroll full-time into a Christian college within 16 months of getting the award. Both U.S residents and international students who plan on attending a Christian higher education institution qualify.

Fifth Month Scholarship

• 1500
• The Fifth Month Scholarship is available for students who are a minimum of 14 years of age. The applicant must be enrolled in a higher education institution or plan on being enrolled by 2026. An annual $1,500 non-renewable scholarship is available.
• Each application submitted will be judged based off of originality, and creativity. Applicants must be at least 14 years of age. Students need to currently be enrolled, or be enrolled by 2026, in a higher education institution

Christian Connector “Your RoadMap” $2,000 Christian College Scholarship

• 2000
• This scholarship is for students that are going to enroll full-time in a Christian college. Recipients are selected at random.
• Both U.S residents and international students who plan on attending a Christian higher education institution qualify. As long as students will enroll full-time into a Christian college within 16 months of being selected applying is encouraged regardless of financial need or acedemic standing.Recipients

Do-Over Scholarship

• 1500
• Education Dynamics sponsored this scholarship of an non-renewable $1,500 award for the recipient. It’s highly encouraged to submit an application regardless of academic standing or academic need.
• Students that are a minimum of 14 years of age are currently enrolled, or will enroll by the fall of 2026 are recommended to apply. Academic standing and financial need are not included in the majority of the judgement process .Each application submitted will be judged based off of originality,creativity, and the essay in whole. There cannot be more than one person per address selected.

Flavor of the Month Scholarship

• 1500
• This Scholarship can be utilized by students as young as 14. The applicant must be enrolled in a higher education institution or plan on being enrolled by 2025. A panel of judges will review all essays submitted based off of originality,creativity, and the essay in whole.
• Candidates must be at least 14 years old. Each application submitted will be judged based off of creativity,originality,and the essay in its entirety. Students need to currently be enrolled, or be enrolled by 2025, in a higher education institution. There cannot be more than one submissions per address.

SPROWT Scholarship for Women

• 2500
• Granite Bay Cosmetic Surgery is who sponsors the SPROWT Scholarship for Women. This scholarship is for female residents who are included as being non-traditional per the The National Center for Education Statistics judgement scale.
• Applicants must be female, residents of California, and be a non-traditional student as decided by the criteria of The National Center for Education Statistics.

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Kathy Johnson Outreach Scholarship

• 600
• The Kathy Johnson Outreach Scholarship is a scholarship for non-traditional who are either undergraduate or post-baccalaureate students that are studying in some type of wildlife science. Additionally, all applicants must attend a higher education institution in Oregon.
• To meet eligibility requirements each student must attend an Oregon college, be considered non-traditional, and must study any field that related to wildlife sciences. Applicants must submit Application form, personal statement, 3 personal references, their resume, and a letter of recommendation.

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Larry McDonald Scholarship

• 500
• This scholarship is for adults who are part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community who are either working on their graduate or undergraduate degrees. It’s for recipients who are going through a purposeful change in their life by taking classes in humanities or the arts. Larry McDonald Scholarship applicants need to live in Clark County, WA or Oregon, OR.
• Candidates need to be adults who are members of the LGBT community who are planning on studying the arts and/or humanities. Students must also live in Clark County, WA or Oregon, OR. Applicants must be prepared to attend an interview and produce proper paperwork along with the ability to show financial need.

Saline County Single Parent Scholarship

• 500
• This scholarship is open to single parents who live in Saline County, Arkansas. It was created to help these parents better their financial situation so they can attend college.
• Eligible students are residents of Saline County, Arkansas, are single parents, and are on the undergraduate level. Students must also participate in an interview and be at or near the poverty level.

Cross County Single Parent Scholarship

• 500
• This award was created mainly for single parents who need supplemental income in Cross County, AR. The Cross County Single Parent Scholarship exists through donations with the intent that applicants will be studying a vocationally oriented undergraduate course.
• All applicants must live in Cross County, Arkansas and be a single parent. Recipients must also plan on studying a vocationally oriented undergraduate course. At each and every semester a reapplication must occur.

Desha County Single Parent Scholarship

• 500
• Single parent households who are trying to further their education in hopes to better support their family can be difficult to keep in a higher education institution. With that being said, the Desha County Single Parent Scholarship directly helps financially in this type of situation. Applicants need to be able to prove their financial need and recertify each semester.
• Students must live in Desha County, Arkansas and be a single parent who can demonstrate financial need through appropriate documents. Applicants must be high school graduates.

The post 50 Top Scholarships For Non-Traditional Students appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

There are very few things that everyone likes. But movies happen to be one of them. While we certainly have very different tastes in what we like to watch and how we like to view it, pretty much everyone loves to lose themselves in a good film. Some people take it a step further and identify as true film buffs; they love to watch films from across all genres, read the most incisive film reviews, and think about a film’s formal and artistic elements as they watch. If you’re interested in understanding cinema, not just enjoying it, you may be interested in a degree in film studies.

Just as literature and art history subject these fields to study, criticism, and analysis, a degree in film studies covers the history, thought, and implications of film. A degree in film studies offers students the opportunity to learn about the history and genres of film worldwide, to learn about the film industry and its place in modern society, and to understand the formal elements of cinema. They also learn hands-on filmmaking techniques like screenwriting, lighting, and directing. The skills gained in a filmmaking degree program may not make you the next Hitchcock or Lucas, but they have a range of applications in the modern workplace, from marketing to media. Read on to learn about the field of film studies, what film studies degrees are available, and about the pros and cons of a degree in this field.

Jump To:

• What is Film?
• What is Film Studies?
• What is the Difference Between Film Studies Degrees and Film Production?
• What Classes Will I take for a Degree in Film Studies?
• What Degrees in Film Studies Are There?
• What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in Film Studies?
• What are the Pros and Cons of a Film Studies Degree?

What is Film?

The importance of cinema can hardly be overstated. Whether we’re talking about films, TV, or YouTube, the art of moving pictures encompasses over a century of innovation, creativity, business, and culture. Having an overview of the field is essential too finding your place in it.

No single person can be said to have invented motion pictures; many early versions of film technology grew up in the late 1800s, as people experimented with techniques for sequencing and projecting images. Just before the turn of the century, Edison Studios, founded by Thomas Edison, made major headway in the world of early films, producing hundreds of short films (most only a few minutes long) which were shown to a paying public.

Films evolved by leaps and bounds over the next thirty years, quickly moving from a novelty to a fully-fledged art form, with an important place in the American economy and psyche. Movies developed incredibly innovative and well-developed tropes and genres throughout the 1930s, even as America suffered under the great depression. As President Franklin Roosevelt observed, “during the Depression, when the spirit of the people is lower than at any other time, it is a splendid thing that for just 15 cents, an American can go to a movie and look at the smiling face of a baby and forget his troubles.” Movies have continued to grow in technological sophistication and branched into ever-more numerous genres, but this principle has remained the same; movies have a deep place in our hearts.

Film takes up space in our wallets as well as our hearts. Worldwide, the film industry rakes in $41.7 billion at box offices, and $136 billion when home entertainment is taken into account. When taken as a whole, the industry supports jobs in a mind-boggling array of sectors: studios, screenwriters, actors, film production companies, cinematography, animation, film production, film festivals, movie theaters, distributors, directors, film crews, animators, and more. Movie critics and media writers also play an important role in connecting the viewing public to the movie industry and its products.

What is Film Studies?

The discipline of film studies is almost as old as film itself. The first schools providing formal instruction in cinematic arts appeared in the 1920s, as feature-length films were first coming into prominence. These programs focused on the technical end of film: directing, editing, lighting and so forth, and later came to include some theoretical grounding as well. As films grew in popularity, film reporting and criticism became increasingly important, and people began to subject films to the same academic scrutiny as literature and art, resulting in the start of film studies. The field of film studies is defined as an academic discipline covering the historical, critical, and theoretical approaches to film. It is considered by many to be a branch of media studies, and is separate from the newer but related field of television studies. In film studies, people critically examine formal issues of a film such as:

• narrative structure
• artistic values
• cultural content
• economic role
• political implications

In other words, film studies is all about thinking of film as a form, asking questions like “why does this film’s cinematography have such an emotional impact?”, “what cultural biases does this film reflect?”, or “what is this screenwriter saying with their choice of narrative structure?” In addition to interpreting individual films, students learn to critically consider and analyze cinema as an institution.

What is the Difference Between Film Studies Degrees and Film Production Degrees?

There’s lots of overlap between degrees in film studies and degrees in film production, both in terms of coursework and in terms of career prospects.

A degree in film studies provides training in the academic discipline of film studies. In a program of this type, the emphasis is on film theory, film history, and film criticism, as students learn to formally analyze cinema, its artistic qualities, and its role in society. They also get exposure to the basic principles of film production, photography, and screen writing. These classes help students in a film studies program understand the process behind films.

How, then is film studies different from film production? In a degree in film studies, the emphasis is on the technical side. Some theory and criticism classes are also included alongside these technical courses in order to provide a context for making technical and artistic decisions. Students in a program of this type study topics like:

• Audio production
• Screenwriting
• Film editing
• Cinematography
• Pre-production
• Visual Effects
• Advanced Lighting
• Post-production

The difference between Studies Degrees and Film Production Degrees is not completely cut and dried, however. The content of each of these programs can vary by school. Some schools, for instance, offer a film studies degree that’s heavy on classes in film production. Some film production programs offer a lot more classes on film theory and history than their peers. And some schools offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Film Studies, focused on technique, as well as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in film studies, focused on theory.

What Classes Will I take for a Degree in Film Studies?

Film studies degrees usually represent some balance between classes in the theory and practice of film. As discussed above, the focus of film studies programs varies widely between schools, and the curriculum for each school will reflect that particular school’s focus.

Some schools offer a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) or master of fine arts (MFA) in Film Studies, which is a professional degree that is highly focused on the practice of film making, along with some courses in theory and criticism. In a BFA or MFA in film studies program, you can expect to take courses in scriptwriting, lighting, directing, sound, and so on (as in a film production degree). But most schools offer undergrad film studies degrees as liberal arts degrees, degrees designed to produce students who are well-rounded critical thinkers with a broad base of knowledge about the world. As a liberal arts degree, a BA in film studies will require about half of a student’s classes be in general education, with classes in a range of topics like history, science, sociology, math, and psychology. The remaining half of the course load will be in classes specific to the film studies major.

Typical courses titles for a degree in film studies include:

• Introduction to Film Studies
• Trans-cultural Chinese Cinema
• International Cinema
• French Cinema
• German Cinema
• Spanish American Cinema
• Film, Literature, and Politics of the Third World
• Film Analysis
• Film Theory
• History of Cinema
• History of Animation
• Gender and the Cinema
• Documentary Film

Many schools also require students to complete a senior project, thesis, or capstone seminar in film studies before graduating.

What Degrees in Film Studies Are There?

You can earn a bachelor’s in film studies (usually as a BA), master’s in film studies (Master of Arts, or MA) or even a PhD. Most degrees in film studies are conferred at the bachelor level. Bachelor’s degrees take four years to earn, on average, though accelerated programs exist that condense the coursework into just three years. An undergraduate degree in film studies, as discussed above, usually includes a large general education core, and prepares graduates for entry-level work in a wide variety of fields where critical thinking matters.

A bachelor’s in film studies can also lead students deeper into the realm of academia, and be a stepping stone to a master’s in film studies. A master’s degree usually takes two years to earn; those who want to speed up their degree timeline can enroll in an accelerated master’s program, which can be as short as 18 months. A master’s is a graduate degree, and focuses entirely on the film studies discipline, with no general education classes. In addition to graduate level classes, you can expect to complete a senior thesis, a research based project completed under the supervision of a thesis advisor.

A PhD in Film Studies is the highest possible degree in the field, and shows an elite level of scholarship. A graduate with a PhD in film studies can be said to have a broad basic knowledge of every area of the field, as well as intensive knowledge of one particular area. To earn a PhD in Film Studies, you’ll take graduate-level classes in film studies and related areas, then work with a doctoral advisor to select a very specific area of film studies that has not yet been researched. You’ll spend several years conducting original research and writing up your findings before defending your dissertation before a panel of experts and finally publishing your findings. The entire process can take as few as two years, but more often takes 5-7 years.

What Jobs Can I Get with a Film Studies Degree?

It’s no secret the film industry is fiercely competitive. The Guardian reports that in 2009, 12.5% of film studies graduates with full-time jobs worked in the art/design/culture sector. Of those in the film industry, 2.1% became directors, 1.2% became video/film recorder operators, and 1.4% became broadcasters. Abut 34% of film studies graduates took positions in retail/hospitality, likely as “day jobs” to augment their income from creative work on the side.

In short, a degree in film studies doesn’t necessarily prepare you for a career in filmmaking, though it certainly can. A film production degree is a better fit for this field, where hands-on skills mean everything, and industry connections forged at student film internships matter greatly. Instead, a film studies degree develops an array of soft skills that are transferable to a number of jobs.

Film Studies graduates can be said to be generally knowledgeable about the world, thanks to their liberal arts background. As The Hill has reported, formal study in the humanities produces graduates who are better problem-solvers and decision-makers. And while much has been made of the increasing need to STEM graduates, research conducted at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education determined that the demand in the workforce for non-routine analytical skills taught in a science degree program has increased more slowly than the demand for social skills. These in-demand “soft skills” include:

• conflict resolution
• organization
• coordination
• negotiation
• social perceptiveness

And while STEM graduates do get paid more than humanities graduates, that salary difference does not tend to exceed $5,000 per year in most fields. Research conducted by Douglas A. Webber, an economist at Temple University, showed that top the 75th percentile of humanities graduates earn about as much as the median computer science or business graduates over their lifetimes.

In addition to the communication and social skills listed above, film studies majors have well-developed critical thinking, research, and analytical skills. Altogether, these soft skills can be applied anywhere that people come together to communicate and solve problems. Good fields for a graduate of a film studies degree program include media, marketing, project management, and education. And while there are not an abundance of job openings for film and television critics and writers, those that exist are likely to go to film studies graduates.

If you’d like to stay with the academic discipline of film studies itself, you’ll want to earn a master’s or PhD in films studies. A graduate degree is required to teach at the postsecondary level, and a degree from a highly-ranked school is especially important for landing a job in academia. A master’s in film studies can make you eligible to teach film studies at the college level, but a PhD is preferred, and is the only way to get on the track to a tenured position. If you choose to pursue a career in academia, be aware that teaching positions don’t open up frequently in this field. You’ll need to be prepared to wait until a professorship in film studies opens up (usually when another professor retires), and possibly relocate in order to take it.

What are the Pros and Cons of a Film Studies Degree?

Based on what we’re covered, there are obvious advantages and drawbacks to a film studies degree, and just as easy to see that this degree is not right for everyone. It’s easy to highlight some of the difficulties potentially posed by a degree in film studies. The biggest of these is that a film studies degree does not lead to a clear career path, apart from teaching film studies itself. While a degree in film studies will give you lots of marketable skills, it will be up to you to market them but showing potential employers how your communication, research, analytical, and critical thinking skills can serve you on the job. Employers, too, may not be as familiar with film studies as they are with other humanities degrees like English or Sociology. You will likely need to use your skills in communication and analysis to connect the dots between film studies expertise and the ability to excel in a field like marketing or media.

If you decide to remain in the academic discipline of film studies by going on to teach, you’ll also face challenges. Namely: job scarcity. Each school only has a few teaching jobs open in film studies when compared with departments like business, engineering, or psychology. These tend to open up only infrequently, and competition for them is fierce. You’ll have difficulty getting a foot in the door without a PhD, and even then, a position (especially in a location you’d like) is not guaranteed.

On the other hand, there are a number of excellent reasons to go for a degree in film studies. For one, this interdisciplinary degree will expose you to a variety of topics, from art history to politics, all in the context of film. This, along with the general education core included in all liberal arts degrees, will make you a well-rounded thinker with a grasp of many topics. You’ll also develop in-demand soft skills like research, analysis, collaboration, negotiation, and project management.

Apart from the practical reasons to pursue a degree in film studies, the most compelling ones may be personal. Those who are passionate about film want to pursue their passion by studying the subject as deeply as possible. And in today’s flexible career landscape, a degree is not necessarily a road map. In fact, The Washington Post has reported that only 27% of Americans hold jobs related to their college major. Given that, film buffs may want to seriously consider a degree in film studies.

Further Reading:

• What Does an Animator Do?
• What are my Degree Choices to be a Film/TV Producer?
• 10 Creative Careers That Won’t Require You to Be a Starving Artist
• 15 Degrees That Are Perfect for Becoming Your Own Boss
• Top 50 Degrees for the Future
• 23 Fastest Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs
• What Can I Do with a Bachelor’s Degree?
• 25 Best Online Bachelor’s Degrees for 2019
• 50 Best Online Degrees for 2019
• What degree do I need to be an Art Director?
• Top 15 Liberal Arts Schools in America
• What Degree Programs Can I Major in at a Liberal Arts School?
• What is the Median Salary for an Animator?
• What Can I Do with a Graphic Design Degree?
• What is the Benefit of Having a Degree in Web Design?
• What Degree Do I Need to Become a Lighting Designer?
• What Can I Do with an Art Degree?
• 100 Most Affordable Online Colleges & Degrees 2019
• 23 Fastest Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs

The post What Can I Do With a Film Studies Degree? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Institutional Accreditation

There are several accreditation organizations for colleges and universities, as well as the programs each offer. The most common is regional accreditation for public, private, and non-profit degree-granting two and four-year learning institutions. There are eight regional accreditors divided as follows: West, Northwest, North, South, Middle or North Central, and New England. The independent accrediting agencies oversee nearly 3,000 institutions and assure quality education through designated standards to over 17 million students.

 Regional vs. National Accreditation

National agencies typically accredit vocational, technical, or career-based, for-profit schools, for example, the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. One of the differences between regional and national accrediting agencies is the transfer of credits earned. Most regionally accredited institutes will not accept credits from nationally accredited institutes and vice versa. However, most nationally accredited schools will accept degrees and courses taken at regionally or nationally accredited schools.

Specialized and non-traditional institutions such as vocational colleges, technical colleges, religious colleges, and online universities are under the purview of national accreditation agencies.

Programmatic Accreditation

Programmatic Accreditation, as the name implies, accredits individual programs, departments, and schools within institutions that have already received accreditation. In the U.S., there are sixty-one accrediting agencies and professional associations. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredits schools offering degrees from associate to doctoral in child education and child development.

The NAEYC Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs announced in the summer of 2019 that it granted first-time accreditation to early childhood degree programs at six institutions of higher education. As of this date, there are 206 institutions with accredited programs in 40 states.

NAEYC Accredited vs. NAEYC Recognized

There is a clear distinction between the above two. The former is the highest level of educational quality assurance. The courses and study plan comply with the Professional Preparation Standards of NAEYC.

Recognition means the program aligns with the same professional standards. Undergraduate and graduate early childhood degree programs submit an electronic report as part of a review by the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP).

A team of reviewers from the NAEYC conducts an onsite three-day visit to the school before granting accreditation. There is no site visit for recognition status.

The reviewers submit their report to the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs, an arm of the NAEYC. The Commission renders accreditation decisions regarding early childhood degree programs at institutions of higher education.

What about Childhood Development Accreditation?

There does not appear to be an agency devoted to accrediting programs for child development. A review of the 206 institutions with NAEYC program accreditation reveals degrees such as Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Child Development, AAS in Early Childhood Education, AAS in Early Care Education, Bachelor of Arts in Child Development, B.S. Ed. Early Childhood Development and Learning, B.S. Child Study, B.S. in Early Childhood Education, Master of Education (M.Ed.) Child and Family Studies, and Master of Arts in Teaching-Middle Grades (MAT). You can find all of these examples listed at the NAEYC Directory.

Childhood Education vs. Childhood Development

There are differences between these two disciplines. The first term refers to a child’s education from pre-kinder through high school. Within those years, there are areas of specialization, particularly in the childhood years, as they pertain to this topic.

Child development assumes an approach that involves a child’s abilities, both physically and mentally. The professional in this role will address the child’s behavior, social interactions, and cognitive skills.

Therefore, education can vary with the area of focus, i.e., education or development. However, there is an overlap in childhood education and development. Concordia University/St. Paul, for example, offers a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development online (NAEYC accredited program). Their curriculum covers education, social, and emotional developmental issues. A sampling of the classes is Human Diversity, Child Social and Emotional Growth, Children’s Play, Early Childhood Education Practices, and Writing for Educators.

Another example is the undergraduate program at Central Michigan University’s College of Education and Human Services. Within this college, the Department of Human Development and Family Studies offers a major in Early Childhood Development and Learning. This program has NAEYC accreditation.

Is Accreditation Important?

One way to answer the question is to glance at online job sites with postings in the child development and education field. Most jobs we looked at do not stipulate that your degree must have programmatic accreditation. Careers in education will require the respective state’s teaching license or certification. California, as an example, requires early childhood educators to have a child development permit issued by the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

Additional Resources

Do different states have different versions of certification for jobs in Child Development?
How long does it take to get a Masters in Child Development?
What are the differences between an online and campus Master’s for Child Development?
What are some of the best schools for an Online Masters in Child Development?
What are the professional organizations for people in Child Development?
Are there Master’s programs in Curriculum and Instruction?

The post What is the difference between Institutional and Programmatic accreditation? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Does a Physician Assistant Go to Medical School?

Prospective PAs often ask, “Do physician assistants go to med school?” It’s a reasonable question to ask. After all, PAs have to learn the basic science underlying medical diagnoses and interventions, as well as train for and develop the skills for clinical practice – just as doctors do.

The answer to this question depends partially on what specifically you mean by “medical school.” Medical schools and schools of health sciences that offer Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degrees for physicians may also offer PA programs. In this sense, a PA may technically graduate from a “medical school,” but they are still earning a master’s in physician assistant degree. Similarly, medical schools and schools of health sciences may offer doctoral degrees in psychology and master’s degrees in public health administration, biomedical sciences, behavior analysis, mental health counseling and other subjects related to medicine.

However, if you’re using the term “medical school” to refer to an MD or DO program that prepares you for a career as a medical doctor – as people most often do – then you would be mistaken in thinking that a PA is completing the same program as a physician. PAs and doctors go through separate programs of study to prepare for their careers. A medical school curriculum typically refers to the coursework and clinical training required to earn the MD or DO degree. Even though there is a good deal of overlap between the curriculum of a physician assistant program and medical school, there are also significant differences.

Medical school and PA school aren’t interchangeable. A graduate from a PA program isn’t qualified to become a medical doctor, and graduating from medical school does not make you eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE), which you must pass in order to become licensed in the United States. Only graduating from an accredited physician assistant program will qualify you to take this exam, according to the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

If a practicing PA decides they want to become a doctor, they have to go back to school to accomplish this. However, some medical schools now offer accelerated MD or DO programs for students who have already completed a physician assistant degree, The Houston Chronicle reported. Students in these programs still have to spend three more years in school but don’t have to start from scratch. 

PA School vs. Med School

On a day-to-day basis, physicians and physician assistants perform many of the same duties in clinical practice. Physician assistants aren’t the same as medical assistants, who may perform administrative tasks alongside more basic clinical tasks, such as taking patients’ vital signs. PAs are licensed medical practitioners, and although they work under the supervision of doctors, they are qualified to order tests, formulate diagnoses and administer treatments.

Still, there are significant differences in the overall responsibilities that doctors and physician assistants have, as well as the level and degree of expertise needed to work in these occupations. The two biggest differences between physician assistant school and medical school include the level of degree required and the curriculum of lecture and laboratory coursework and clinical experience.

A Different Level of Degree for PA vs. Medical School

One of the primary differences between physician assistants and doctors is the level of education and training required to work in these occupations.

To become a fully qualified medical doctor or physician, you need to complete a doctoral degree in medicine. For physicians, either an MD (a traditional allopathic degree) or a DO (a more holistic osteopathic degree) will do, and either educational path prepares the student for licensure after they pass the USMLE or COMLEX-USA licensing exams.

Physician assistants, on the other hand, don’t need a doctorate at all. Instead, they typically pursue a master’s degree, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Ambitious PAs sometimes choose to go back to school to earn their Doctorate of Physician Assistant or Doctor of Medical Science degree, but doing so isn’t necessary for most physician assistant careers. Instead of conferring the status of medical doctor, doctoral physician assistant programs prepare you for PA leadership roles such as senior PA, lead PA for an ambulatory practice group, chief PA for a hospital department, medical science liaison or C-suite executive. A doctorate in physician assistant studies may also prepare you to work in non-clinical roles in research and academia.  

Comparing Master’s and Doctorates in Medicine

Generally, a doctorate degree program requires more advanced, extensive and lengthy study than a master’s degree program. Schooling for PAs is considerably shorter than for doctors. Earning your master’s degree in physician assistant studies can take two years or three years, while students pursuing their MD or DO will spend four years on their graduate education. Although the difference of only one or two years may seem small over the course of a lifelong career, consider that students of both PA programs and medical school programs have already spent four or more years pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

RELATED: How Long Does It Take to Become a Doctor?

This difference in the time it takes to earn a PA degree vs. a medical school degree is further highlighted by the amount of post-graduate training required for the career. Once PAs graduate with their master’s degree and pass the PANCE licensing exam, they can acquire a license to practice medicine and begin to work as a fully qualified physician assistant. PAs don’t undergo internship and residency training that new doctors must complete, which can last between three and seven years, according to the BLS.

The Cost of Education and Training for PAs vs. Doctors

There’s also a substantial cost difference between master’s in physician assistant programs and MD and DO programs. The $70,000 to $90,000 average cost of a physician assistant program may not seem like a bargain – until you compare it to the $200,000 to $300,000 average cost of medical school, according to BeMo Academic Consulting. The sheer length of the degree program isn’t enough to fully explain the massive difference in the cost of these two educational paths.

Although doctors make considerably more than PAs, medical students often have to take on hundreds of thousands of debt, and they don’t earn full doctor pay during their residency years. Even though MD and DO graduates who pass their licensing exams are officially considered doctors, first-year residents earned an average salary of just $60,000 as of 2018, the American Medical Association reported – but they work up to 80 hours weekly. In comparison, the national average salary for entry-level PAs in the United States was $101,664 as of 2021, according to Salary.com.

The NCCPA reported that the median number of hours worked by all Certified PAs was around 40, and even in medical specialties known for having long hours, like cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, the median number of weekly work hours was 48.

Similarities and Differences Between Programs for Doctors and Physician Assistants

When physician assistants practice medicine, they perform many of the same job duties and procedures that a full-fledged physician would do. To acquire the skills to perform these tasks, aspiring PAs study some of the same subjects in their master’s degree program as medical school students complete while going for their MD or DO degree. PAs have to start with the basics, like graduate-level courses in anatomy and physiology. These introductory classes may have a lot in common with the foundational coursework a student pursuing a medical doctorate would complete.

However, the courses in a PA program may not be as comprehensive or go into the same depth of knowledge that you would find in medical school. A doctoral degree is a more advanced level of education than a master’s degree, and so the coursework required to earn a medical degree is going to be more advanced than that required for a master’s degree in physician assisting. This general principle holds true even as PA students get deeper into their programs, taking classes such as evidence-based medicine, physical diagnosis, pharmacology and professional practice.

Students in both PA programs and medical doctorate programs also complete both courses and clinical experiences in a variety of medical specialties. In both types of programs, classroom learning is a bigger part of the earlier half of your studies, and clinical rotations make up the bulk of your education and training later on in your curriculum. Because a PA program is shorter in duration, this may mean that physician assistants are typically going out into the healthcare world and gaining real-life clinical experience in their second year, while their peers in an MD or DO program are still largely confined to the classroom.

Clinical rotations for both physician assistant students and medical students usually encompass a variety of medical specialties, including family medicine, inpatient internal medicine, ambulatory medicine, orthopedics, surgery, emergency medicine, behavioral medicine, women’s health and pediatrics.

Both the didactic and clinical portions of an educational program for PAs and physicians are challenging in different ways. 

Choosing PA vs. Med School

If you’re still wondering whether physician assistant or doctor is the right path for you, there’s a lot to think about. Either way, you need to invest in an advanced education and to have a passion for treating and caring for patients in clinical practice. Being a doctor confers more responsibility and comes with a higher earning potential, but this profession comes with a much bigger investment of time and money. Physician assistants can prepare for their career more quickly and will less expense, but throughout the course of their careers, they will generally have to work under the supervision of a licensed physician. However, PAs often have less of the non-clinical responsibilities that can distract medical practitioners from the part of the job they really enjoy.

If you decide to pursue a master’s in physician assistant studies, there’s a lot you should do in preparation. For one thing, you’re going to need to complete standardized admissions testing to get accepted into your intended degree program. Depending on which physician assistant school you choose to apply to, you may need to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test or the Physician Assistant College Admission Test (PA-CAT), which was first launched in 2020.

The GRE, which is used for graduate school admission to programs in a variety of subject areas, covers general content related to quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and analytical writing. Like the MCAT (the Medical College Admission Test), which aspiring doctors take to get into medical school, the PA-CAT is a test with more specialized content. The questions you would encounter on the PA-CAT would cover topics in general biology, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, anatomy, physiology, general and organic chemistry, behavioral sciences and statistics.

It’s also a good idea to research the top physician assistant schools. Although attending any accredited master’s degree program in physician assistant studies is sufficient to put you on the path to PA licensure, some schools may be a better choice than others – or simply a better fit for you. Some factors to consider when choosing a master’s in PA studies program include affordability and pass rates on the PANCE licensing test.

Whether you choose to be a PA or a physician, you will be working with healthcare practitioners in both roles. Physician assistants work under the supervision of a doctor and collaborate with doctors on a patient’s healthcare team. Doctors frequently work with PAs even if they aren’t personally responsible for supervising them, since the demand for healthcare services is too high for doctors alone to fill this need. 

Additional Resources

Is Getting Into a PA Program More or Less Competitive Than a Med School?

Does a Potential PA Take the MCAT or a Similar Entry Exam?

Why Would Someone Become a PA Instead of an MD?

Top 25 Medical Schools

The post Do PAs Go to Medical School? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Understanding Accounting Math

All day, every day, accountants work with numbers. You naturally need to be comfortable working with numbers to be an accountant. However, even though basic math skills are important in this profession, you don’t need what the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) refers to as “complex” math skills. You’re likely to take math classes such as statistics and college algebra in an associate’s degree program in accounting, but you don’t need to take advanced levels of calculus or other highly difficult mathematics coursework. The math involved in work as an accountant generally means adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, although you also have to be comfortable working with decimals, fractions and percentages.

Unlike mathematicians, accountants don’t do math for the sake of advancing the field of mathematics or even to solving real problems. An accountant’s primary goal is to report and interpret financial data, and math is simply the tool used to achieve that goal.

The Case for Critical Thinking as an Accountant

Just as being good at math may not be as central to success in accounting as you might expect, non-technical skills like critical thinking may be more vital than you would think. The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), one of the organizations that accredit accounting degrees at the bachelor’s degree level and above, identify developing intellectual curiosity and a creative capacity to think independently as two of the most important goals of an accounting curriculum. Among the curriculum standards set by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) are the development of the skills to think critically and analytically, raise issues and questions, analyze information, interpret data, assess risks and effectively communicate thoughts and findings. Critical thinking is just as important a skill for accountants as mathematics, according to O*NET.

Why do these non-math skills matter so much? The field of accounting has grown ever more complex. Technical accounting skills are no longer enough to excel in this field, according to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Today’s accountants need to have strong analytical skills, communication skills and collaboration and interpersonal skills. As the basic technical tasks of accounting have become more commonly and extensively automated through bookkeeping software programs, the role of an accountant has shifted, according to Accounting Today. Instead of crunching numbers, accountants focus more on sharing their insights on strategy gleaned from analyzing financial data in ways beyond what a typical accounting software program would do.

Many of the core tasks accountants perform rely at least in part on their critical thinking skills. Analyzing financial data and using those findings to advise companies on how to approach changes in business operations, cost-cutting measures, financial commitments to growth and the navigating of economic trends, for example, requires as much skill in thinking, strategizing and decision-making as it does in running numbers. Critical thinking is equally important to strategizing with management to improve a company’s approach to taxes, budget generation and resource usage.

How do you develop these strong critical thinking skills? Today’s accounting courses aim to give students the opportunity to cultivate this ability, but unlike technical accounting skills, you can also practice this capability in courses outside your major. In fact, the content and lessons covered in general education courses in the liberal arts and sciences and the humanities can strengthen your ability to think critically about information and to communicate questions, opinions and analytical conclusions.  In this way, it isn’t only your math and technical accounting courses that prepare you for success in your career, but rather your entire college education that makes you more insightful, analytical and methodical.

Other important skills for accountants include active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, writing and judgment and decision-making, O*NET reported.

Additional Resources

How Much Math Is Required for a Degree in Accounting?

What Are the Most Important Topics to Excel at in Order to Be a Top-Notch Accountant?

What Are the Best Skills to Have to Be a Successful Accountant?

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Tax Accountant?

What Are the Highest-Paying Jobs With an Associates Degree in Accounting?

The post Is Being a Good Accountant About Being Good at Math or at the Critical Thinking Needed to Be an Accountant? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Working as a Historian

Historians are professional scholars in the field of history. Their job duties include researching and analyzing information from historical sources to better understand historical developments and learn from the past. Historians can work in a surprisingly wide range of industries and employment settings, including public-sector entities, and private-sector companies, nonprofit organizations and historical associations and even individuals, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. Depending on their specific job role, a historian might write books about their findings on historical matters, work with the historical documents and artifacts in museums or consult on government land use matters or entertainment projects with a historical focus.

The majority of historians are employed by the government in some capacity. The federal government is the largest single employer of historians, accounting for 22 percent of the 3,300 jobs that make up the field, the BLS reported. Another 20 percent of historians work for local government entities, and 16 percent work for state governments. The professional, scientific and technical services industry employs 18 percent of the field. Opportunities to work as a consulting historian, either as a self-employed independent contractor or as part of a consulting firm, are growing, according to the American Historical Association.

Despite the pervasive misconception that historians can’t make a living, this small profession has a median wage well above the average, $63,680, and a job outlook that’s on par with the average growth rate for across all occupations, the BLS reported.

A Career Curating, Preserving and Managing Information

If you would like to work in a place where history comes to life, you might enjoy a role as a curator or archivist at a museum or historical site. Both of these related but distinct roles involve working with historical artifacts, documents, records and more. A curator’s job duties emphasize acquiring collections of historical items, while archivists focus more on the preservation of specific kinds of historical documents, according to the BLS.

There are far more jobs for curators, of which there are 13,700 working across the United States, than for archivists, of which there are only 7,800. Although museums and historical sites employ the most curators and archivists, just 42 percent of these occupations work in those fields, according to the BLS. Another 23 percent of curators and archivists work for government and 17 percent work in educational services.

Another option is to utilize your skills in research and your knowledge of sources and documents as a librarian. Librarians have extensive knowledge of how to conduct research and find information, and they are comfortable working with a variety of sources and publication types. If you aspire to work as a librarian, you will need to first pursue graduate studies in library and information science.

For curators and archivists, the BLS reported a median wage of $54,570 and $53,950, respectively. Librarians make somewhat more money, with a median salary of $59,050. Librarians also have a slightly better job outlook than curators and archivists.

Working in Education

History is a popular academic background among educators at all levels of study. Aspiring elementary school teachers may double-major in education and history. Tenured college professors at prestigious universities usually have a Ph.D. in history.

Naturally, studying history gives you the required familiarity with the content that you would cover as a history teacher, but it also accomplishes so much more. As you work through your undergraduate history curriculum, you will develop strong communication skills that will help you effectively express ideas to your own future students. Your skills in evaluating sources and analyzing and interpreting data will help you assist students in learning the rudimentary concepts of research, such as identifying credible sources and creating well-reasoned arguments backed by reliable evidence.

The median wage for the education, training and library occupations was $50,790 as of May 2019, according to the BLS. The BLS reports median wages of $59,420 for elementary school teachers, $61,660 for high school teachers and $79,540 for postsecondary teachers.

Preparing for Law School

Many students use their broad, reading- and writing-intensive undergraduate degree in history to prepare for law school, according to U.S. News & World Report. Aspiring lawyers must be comfortable doing a great deal of reading and precisely – if formally – conveying their thoughts in writing, which is something a history curriculum will certainly train them to do. Studying the past and its influence on modern issues also helps students to build the critical thinking skills that attorneys must have to understand all angles of a legal matter and identify the arguments they use handling any given case.

The skills to delve into historical sources and theories also can be put to use in direct ways as a lawyer, such as researching case law to understand how trends in the law have changed over time and how those patterns impact the arguments in a specific case.

Lawyer is perhaps the highest-paying career path for a history major, with the BLS reporting a median salary of $122,960. However, you definitely need an advanced education for this occupation, which requires law school and passing the Bar Exam.

Additional Resources

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Curator?

Is a History Degree Useless?

What Are the Four Historical Thinking Skills?

What Skills Will I Have After Getting a Degree in History That Will Be Useful When Looking for a Job?

What Degree Do You Need to Be a Lawyer?

20 Non-Law Firm Jobs with a Law Degree

The post What Are Some Career Opportunities for Me With a Degree in History?         appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

“I really think that if we change our own approach and thinking about what we have available to us, that is what will unlock our ability to truly excel in security. It’s a perspectives exercise. What would it look like if abundance were the reality and not resource constraint?” — Greg York

That York quote is indicative of many neglected aspects of our society, but it certainly applies to Cyber Security.

First things first: you deserve massive respect for taking the time to read this. It means you want to earn a degree and enhance or redirect your career, and you’re willing to do the legwork to make it possible. Not everyone can say that.

Here at Degree Query, we’ve worked diligently to offer you a litany of resources that will help you decide on and choose educational and career paths. We’ve covered so many different disciplines and urge you to explore all of your options.

But you’re here for the highest paying degrees and jobs in Cyber Security, so let’s get to it!

Cyber Security is now among the most essential and understaffed sectors of the American economy. In recent years we’ve seen Facebook hacked, compromising data from 50 million users. Hackers stole data of 143 million Americans from the records they took from the credit report agency Equifax. Hundreds of millions of these records were sold on the black market. Experts found that the attack was entirely preventable if Equifax had taken the proper measures to protect their users’ data. These were major (albeit brief) news stories. They’re indicative of a much larger problem. In 2018 experts estimated that cybercrime would cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2021. In 2017, it cost humanity $3 trillion.

Most organizations that rely on digital information (virtually all of them) either want to build or have contracted out their cybersecurity and information assurance work to qualified professionals. That’s where you come in. By completing a Cyber Security program, you’ll get the training necessary to fill these vital, highly demanded roles. Just how much demand is there? We’ll go into further detail in conclusion, but The United States Bureau of Labor Studies reported there were 112,300 Information Security Analysts in 2018. This is predicted to jump by 32% between 2018-28, creating 35,500 new roles. This is just one position within Cyber Security.

So what do Cyber Security professionals do? Many things, but chief responsibilities and requirements include:

• Designing secure systems and networks.
• Preventing unauthorized access to any digital properties, whether that’s organizational information, systems, networks, or other resources.
• Working effectively within organizational limitations.
• Taking charge of disaster recovery and investigations after security breaches or systemic failures.
• Helping organizations reach their goals through Information Assurance or Cyber Security.
• Have an understanding of and experience in at least some of the following: data analysis, fundamental scripting/programming, networking, system administration, cryptography, IT systems, and policy, legal, ethics and compliance issues.

These are broad strokes, and there are more specific responsibilities depending on your particular role in the field. Whatever path you choose, it begins with a degree program in Cyber Security. To do this work, you’ll need at least a Bachelor’s degree. The disparity between demand and supply, and the intricate, complex, and essential nature of the work mean Cyber Security offers high pay to qualified workers. Let’s use the example of Information Security Analysts (more on them later). Their 2019 median wage was $99,730 annually. The top 10% of these workers made over $158,860 that year.

In this guide, we’ll inspect high paying roles in the field and the degrees that qualify you for them. We’ll share the work we’ve done at Degree Query on Cyber Security and Information Assurance, and we’ll explore applicable employment and payment statistics. Before we dive in, ask yourself and consider the following as you read this guide, and search for a Cyber Security degree:

•  What are your career and educational experiences? What are your natural strengths, and where do you need improvement?
•   What are your innate talents and ingrained skills?
• To succeed in Cyber Security, you’ll need a certain amount of natural computer science aptitudes. That means strong logic and problem-solving skills, along with resilience in the face of omnipresent obstacles. A knack for math proficiency will also be instrumental.
• What’s your ideal position in Cyber Security? What responsibilities and competencies would you want to fulfill? What degree does it require?
• Many jobs in the field require a Bachelor’s, but some demand a graduate degree. A Master’s in Cybersecurity correlates to far higher pay.
• What are your long and short term goals? How will a specific degree program help you achieve them?
• What delivery format would you like to use to earn your Cyber Security degree?
• There are Cyber Security programs online, in-person, and in hybrid forms that combine the two. Because so much of the labor is done virtually, Cyber Security lends itself to online learning.
• How much time do you have for a Cyber Security degree daily, weekly, and in total, before you complete it?
• Different programs will take longer or shorter to complete. Many have different delivery schedules to allow motivated students to finish quicker, let busy students take their time, and work around professional adults’ schedules.
• How much can you spend on a Cyber Security degree?
• There are cheaper and more expensive CS degree options, but the cost of a degree in Cyber Security may be prohibitive for some students.
•  If you need to borrow money, where will you borrow it from? How much will you need?
• Always prioritize public, low-interest loans over private, adjustable-rate ones.
•  Where do you want to study and live, before, during, and after earning your degree?
• Cyber Security professionals are demanded throughout the country and world. However, let’s say you want to work for the government. By selecting a Cyber Security program in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area, you’ll have opportunities to network with government agencies, and likely professors or faculty that have connections to government jobs.
• Is the program you’re considering certified by the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cyber Defense CAE IA/CD? Schools that receive this designation from the NSA and DHS have demonstrated collaboration, research, outreach, and multidisciplinary scientific education about information assurance and cyber defense.
• What specializations or focus areas does a Cyber Security degree offer? How would a specific specialization help you achieve your career goals?

This is just a taste of the issues to consider when searching for a degree. Add any others you feel are useful and try to answer them for prospective programs or your overall goals and parameters throughout your degree search.

By writing out answers to these questions, you’ll elucidate your objectives, needs, and how useful individual programs are for you.

Let’s look at some of the highest-paying jobs in the field:

What are the Highest Paying Jobs in Cyber Security?

Computer Network Architects: In these roles, you’ll work with various systems, including computer networks and data communication systems, to ensure their security and functionality. You’ll model, analyze, plan, develop networks and communication systems, implement them, and measure their effectiveness. Throughout, you’ll work within whatever resource parameters your organization provides and will likely advocate and achieve improvements. People in these roles work for organizations of all kinds and sizes. They understand the technical and business aspects of an organization and work with a variety of peers and junior employees. BLS reports that Computer Network Architects made a 2019 median salary of $112,690.

Cybersecurity Engineer: People who work in these positions protect organizations and their systems from hacks and other cyber-attacks. They guard data, build systems to protect it, and stay on top of the latest means of unauthorized entry that cybercriminals use. They may also work on breaches that can occur from systems failures or natural disasters. People in these roles must liaise with other professionals, some with technical experience and others without. The approximate average salary for these roles is $106,000 annually.

Software Developer/Engineer: Software Engineers or Developers design, create and monitor software and its applications. They might directly program, supervise programming, monitor performance, and evaluate productivity. They might also design and implement new features and programs into existing software. They consult with staff and superiors to guarantee software meets organizational goals, report on results, make recommendations to fine-tune software, and much more. In Cyber Security, they work to built new software and tools that can protect digital information. BLS found the median pay in 2019 for Software Developers was $105,590 annually. (Learn more about which degree is best for a software engineer.)

Vulnerability Analyst/Penetration Tester: People in these positions find weaknesses in networks and software then assist in correcting them. They create risk-based mitigation tactics for operating systems, networks, and more. They review and approve requirements that govern information security protocols for organizations.  They also scan networks to find where network attacks would be most effective and assess individual workstations, servers, and network hosts to determine their vulnerabilities. An approximate average salary for these roles is $103,000 annually.

Systems Engineer: Systems Engineers supervise and monitor systems and their infrastructures. This means installing, configuring, assessing, and upholding software, operating systems, and other system management tools. They guarantee the highest levels of system functionality and infrastructures are available given organizational resources and limitations. In short, they build, maintain, and problem-solve an organizations’ digital infrastructure. People in these roles demonstrate stellar technical abilities and exhibit elite levels of availability, performance standards, and of course, security. An approximate average salary for these roles is $77,000 annually.

Information Security Analysts: People in these roles analyze, plan, and enact the security measures required to protect organizational computer networks and systems. They monitor networks and systems for attacks, mitigate them when they occur, then investigate the bad actors and how they were successful. They research the latest trends in cybercrime and IT security tools and methods. They recommend security upgrades to senior staff, install and use software like firewalls and data encryption programs to enhance cyber security, and much more. According to BLS, the 2019 median pay for these roles is $99,730 annually.

Now let’s look at the various levels of Cyber Security degrees:

What Degrees Lead to High Paying Cyber Security Careers?

Associate Degrees in Cyber Security

These degrees require two years to complete and will give you a foothold in the world of Cyber Security. You’ll study the vulnerabilities of software and hardware, prepare for certification exams, and likely prepare to continue your education at the next level. Courses might include Computer Forensics and Cyber Law, Network Security, Security Administration, Microcomputer Operating Systems, Networking and Computer Systems Technology, and much more. Graduates will be ready to sit for several certifying exams, work in entry-level Cyber Security positions, or continue their education through:

Bachelor Degrees in Cyber Security

These four-year degrees will prepare students for most entry-level positions in Cyber Security. They might include specializations in areas like Forensics, Information Assurance, Network Security, Investigation, or Cybercrime. Sample courses might consist of Disaster Recovery, Networking, Criminology, Information Security Planning and Assessment, and Computer Forensics. Most Cyber Security positions require a Bachelor’s degree as the baseline education necessary for entry. Graduates of these programs can work as Digital Forensic Experts, Cyber Security Analysts, Network Security Administrators, among other positions.

Master Degrees in Cyber Security

As mentioned, far higher pay in the field correlates with Cyber Security graduate degrees. In these one to three-year programs, you’ll prepare to enter elite positions in Cyber Security. You’ll learn how to protect networks, computers, and other infrastructures from internal and external threats. You’ll work on theoretical issues and practical problems. Sample courses might include LAN/WAN Security, Cryptography, Introduction to Cyber-Terrorism, Information systems Security, Firewalls and Proxies, and more. Students must write and defend a graduate thesis as part of these programs. Graduates will have incredible agency in their career options within Cyber Security.

Doctoral Degrees in Cyber Security

If you want to work in the highest levels of Cyber Security research, management, or education, these are the degrees for you. In these five to seven-year programs, you’ll achieve elite competencies in the field. You’ll study the latest issues in Cyber Security, and methods for preventing or mitigating cybercrime. You’ll do crucial research, and likely publish your findings in scholarly journals. You’ll probably specialize in a specific area of Cyber Security, like forensics, criminology, or identifying looming cybercrime threats. Candidates will write and defend a doctoral thesis on an original topic within the field. You can opt for a Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy) or DSc (doctor of science) in Cyber Security. The former is far more theoretical and research-based, while the latter is also heavy on the research but prizes technical chops. Graduates will have their pick of Cyber Security positions in academia, governmental agencies, and private corporations.

Now let’s explore the work we’ve already done to help you in Cyber Security:

How Can We Help You Find a Cyber Security Degree?

Here at Degree Query, we’ve worked tirelessly to provide you a nexus of resources that can help you find a degree and career in specific areas you’re interested in. We’ve ranked schools, written guides like this one, looked at jobs and answered common questions on Cyber Security, and many other disciplines. Here’s a taste of the work we’ve done on Cyber Security:

Common Questions on Cyber Security
What are good subjects to double major or minor with Cyber Security?
What kind of security clearance would I need for most Cyber Security jobs?
What Is the Career Outlook for Cyber Security?
What is the hiring process for Cyber Security?
Is there a clear career path to get into Cyber Security?
What is a Master’s Degree in Cyber Security Engineering?
What Degree do I need to work in Cyber Security Law?

What Is the Benefit of a Degree in Cybersecurity vs. Network Security?

How Advanced a Degree Do I Need to Work in Cryptography?

Guides on Cyber Security 

How to Learn to Program
What Can I Do With a Cyber Security Degree?

Rankings of Cyber Security Degree Programs

The 20 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Cyber Security
50 Best Online Master’s Degrees 2019
100 Most Affordable Online Graduate Schools of 2019
Online Degree Rankings For 2019

This is just some of the work we’ve done on Cyber Security. If you find any schools or programs through our work that you’re interested in exploring, reach out to their support staff directly. You can ask curricular questions, refine your application based on their suggestions, and much more. Before we close out, let’s look at pay and employment outlook in the field:

Fast Facts on the Highest-Paying Cyber Security Degrees and Careers

As you know, Cyber Security is a crucial, complex, and extremely undersupplied sector of our economy. Working in this field won’t be easy, but people who complete Cyber Security degree programs will have several advantages over the general workforce populace.

These include the high demand for qualified professionals, the growing need for improved Cyber Security nationally and globally, the shortage of students entering Cyber Security positions compared to the need for them, and the increasingly destructive efforts of cybercriminals.

So let’s talk business. Individually, how much can you earn in Cyber Security, and where are the most job openings today and in the next decade. We’ve profiled three common positions in this area, but there are many others and will continue to be as Cyber Security grows and develops.

All of the following information comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Computer Network Architect:

• The 2019 median salary for these roles was $112,690, or $54.18 per hour.
• In 2018 there were 159,300 people in these roles, which was predicted to jump by 5% between 2018-28. This increase would create 8,400 new jobs.
• The top 10% of Computer Network Architects earned over $168,390 in 2019. Areas associated with higher pay include working for insurance carriers, computer systems design work, and management roles.

Software Developer/Engineer:

• In 2019 Software Developers/Engineers had a median salary of $105,590, or $50.77 per hour.
• There were 1,365,500 people in these roles in 2018. This was expected to jump by 21%, creating 284,100 new positions.
• The top 10% of earners in these roles made more than $161,290 in 2019. Higher pay correlated with those working for software publishers, manufacturing, and finance, and insurance.

Information Security Analysts:

• In 2019 the median salary for these workers was $99,730, or $47.95 per hour.
• There were 112,300 of these jobs in 2018. This was predicted to increase by a whopping 32% between 2018-28, creating 35,500 new jobs.
• The top 10% of ISAs earned over $158,860 in 2019. Areas associated with higher pay include finance and insurance, computer systems design and related services, and information careers.

There you have it! Remember, there are many other positions within Cyber Security. These are just the ones that you can find robust and reliable data on. By earning a Bachelor’s or above in Cyber Security, you’ll be set up to work in many different positions.

We hope you’ve found this guide thoughtful, constructive, and a useful means to decide whether Cyber Security is right for you if you’ve used it to make an educational or career plan, even better! Please check back soon to see our frequently updated content. Have a great day!

For Further Reading: 

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Policy Analyst?

The post Highest Paying Degrees in Cyber Security – Majors & Careers appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Critical Thinking and Reasoning

If there’s one set of skills most closely associated with degree programs in liberal studies, it’s critical thinking and analytical reasoning. Critical thinking means more than being able to run statistical analyses of data, although that skill is certainly valuable, as well. To be able to think critically about both quantitative and qualitative matters, you have to develop a way of thinking that involves asking insightful questions and coming up with answers that are both logical and creative.

Humans are naturally inquisitive creatures – just ask any parent of a small child currently going through a phase of constantly asking “Why?” However, adults tend to stop asking questions like “Why?” In school, this may be because students are conditioned that learning is equivalent to memorizing information, rather than truly seeking to understand it. In the workplace, employees often fear that asking questions is a weakness.

By not asking questions, though, we limit ourselves. Asking “why?” allows for innovation and breakthroughs. Questioning why things are the way they are – and how they could be different – is what allows us to work smarter rather than harder and accomplish new things rather than the same old thing.

One way you develop your critical thinking skills is through reading and argumentation – things you can expect to do a lot in the course of your graduate liberal studies coursework.

Written and Oral Communication

It doesn’t matter how profound your thoughts are if you can’t express them. Another versatile skill that you develop when pursuing a master’s degree in liberal studies is the ability to communicate effectively.

People often associate communication skills with writing skills. While writing skills are extremely important in a liberal studies program and in numerous career paths, communication skills extend beyond simply being a good writer. You also need to be a good speaker. The best communicators also develop the active listening skills that allow you to understand where an audience is coming from – even if they have an opposing viewpoint – and address their thoughts and opinions.

In a liberal studies program, you have the opportunity to improve all aspects of your communication skills through both written assignments and class discussions.

The Ability to Make Interdisciplinary Connections

Perhaps the biggest gain that comes with pursuing a master’s degree in liberal studies isn’t a skill so much as it is a change in perception. When you devote your studies to one area of focus, you’re not truly seeing how the issues, concepts, practices and methodologies of that field are situated in relation to other related fields. The cross-discipline focus of a liberal studies graduate program allows you to see the world in a different way and make connections between and across disciplines.

RELATED: The 20 Easiest Bachelor’s Degree Online Options

This shift in perception can help you better understand not only the field in which you work but also the information you come into contact with every day. You become better able to understand the causes and effects of current events and the forces at work in matters of politics, religion and economics. You become a more informed global citizen. In your personal life, being able to make connections even among things that don’t seem related at first glance can help you become a more intellectually well-rounded person and a more perceptive friend, parent, romantic partner, and more. This perceptiveness can help us perform better in every role we carry in our personal and professional lives.

How this change in perception affects your work depends on your occupation. If you work in a field like programming or engineering, making these connections can help you better understand what a company or client is looking for in a project beyond the technical specifications. This knowledge allows you to build a better rapport and more effectively exceed expectations for the work.

If you work in a social science or a branch of the humanities, being able to pull from different knowledge bases can help you make more profound connections about your research findings. An anthropologist might be able to put their findings in a sociological context, while a historian can make more meaning out of examining a work of art because their liberal studies coursework included topics in art or art history.

In the real world, each distinct academic discipline has the potential to affect each other, and many career paths combine elements of different fields. Being able to make connections extends to fields like business, technological innovations and legal matters.

Additional Resources

Are Companies Interested in Someone With a Liberal Studies Degree?

Since Liberal Studies Is So General, What Kind of Skills Go Along Well With This Degree When Applying for Jobs?

What is the Value of a Liberal Arts Degree?

People Say That Companies Want Critical Thinkers and Writers for Many Positions and That an Associate’s Degree in General Education or Liberal Arts Will Help for Something Like That. Is This True?

The post What Skills Do I Gain With Liberal Studies?     appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Whether a state of the art lab or a field hospital at a disaster site, medical technology ranges from basic tools like a stethoscope, or a blood pressure detector, to MRI machines that can image your brain. Behind the scenes, skilled laboratory professionals provide cutting-edge diagnostics on-demand to help support medical objectives.

Additionally, the world of medical records has become one of our greatest assets in providing quality health care. Digitizing patient records has allowed specialists from diverse fields to collaborate and bring about better health outcomes. Health studies of unseen proportion in previous times can be compiled rapidly. And health care practitioners can keep tabs on long-term health trends within patients to support longevity.

The new world of health care is fascinating and for people with many conditions, exciting. But it comes coupled with a need. A drastic shortage of medical technology professionals threatens to undermine quality health outcomes, and yet provides a great incentive for individuals interested in the field. With great opportunities for advancement, and relatively high earnings for the level of degrees required, medical technology degrees have never been a better choice.

In this guide we’ll cover the below topics on medical technology degrees as well as careers you can enter once you’ve obtained your degree.

Jump To

• What Medical Technology Degrees Are Available?
• Can I Pursue a Medical Technology Degree Online?
• What Can I Do With a Degree in Medical Technology?

Don’t see what you’re interested in? Be sure to check out DegreeQuery’s additional coverage of medical technology related topics below:

• Top 50 Online Medical Degrees
• What degree should I get for medical school?
• What degree do I need to become a Medical Examiner?
• What degree do I need to be a Biomedical Engineer?
• What Can I Do With a Health Care Degree?
• What Can I Do With a Degree in Medicine?
• What Can I Do With a Degree in Nursing?
• Top 10 Highest Paying Science Careers
• Top 25 Medical Schools
• What Classes Will I Have to Take for a Degree in Biomedical Engineering?
• What is a Bachelor’s Degree in Bioinformatics?
• What is a Master’s Degree in Bioinformatics?
• What is the Benefit of a Degree in Healthcare Informatics vs. Healthcare Administration?
• What is the Benefit of a Degree in Nursing Informatics vs. Nursing Administration?
• What Is the Benefit of a Nursing Degree Vs a Sonography Degree?
• What Is the Difference Between a Chemical Engineering Degree and a Biomedical Engineering Degree?
• What Is the Fastest School for a Degree in Engineering Technology?
• Which Degrees Can Prepare You for a Career in Telehealth or Telemedicine?

What Fields Are Included in Medical Technology?

As you likely know, technology plays a huge role in many aspects of health care. And due to the complex and particularly unique use cases for many technologies in health care settings, individuals who specialize in a certain type of healthcare technology are needed in a major way.

While you may begin your study with a more general degree, you can also specialize early in one of the following disciplines. The major fields of medical technology degrees and jobs are listed below:

• Medical Records Technologists
• Information Technologists in Medical Settings
• Laboratory Support Technologists
• Radiologic Technologists
• Phlebotomists
• Surgical Technicians
• MRI Technicians
• Dental Lab Technicians
• And many more

We’ll go into what these job positions entail in our what can I do with a degree in medical technology section. But for now we’ll cover the main degree routes to enter into the fields listed above, as well as the minimum degree level.

Degree and Degree Level Required for Entry to Medical Technology Fields

• Medical Records: Health Information Management or Technology, Associates Degree
• Information Technology in HealthCare: Information Technology, Associates Degree
• Lab Support: Clinical Lab Science or Allied Health Science, Associates Degree
• Radiologic Tech: Radiological Science, Associates or Bachelor’s Degree
• Phlebotomist: Phlebotomy Science, Certificate Program
• Surgical Tech: Surgical Technology, Associates Degree
• MRI Tech: MRI Technology, Certificate or Associate’s Degree
• Dental Lab Tech: Dental Technology, Associates Degree

What Medical Technology Degrees Are Available?

As you can see in the above section, there are a wide range of degree types available to entering into medical technology fields. Additionally, a range of vocational or certificate programs can prepare you for careers in topics such as phlebotomy or as an MRI technician. These programs can be completed even more quickly than associates degrees.

Due to the range of degrees we’ll be considering, let’s work through a few of the basics by degree level. Then we can briefly look at the unique subject matter covered in each particular degree.

Vocational and Certificate programs typically last between 6 weeks up to one year. These courses of study require very few general education requirements. As such students may complete their program much more quickly than an associates degree. Additionally, all coursework is generally focused on career-centered knowledge.

These are no degree programs, though they are often pursued at community colleges. In many fields where a vocational or certificate program is the main entry requirement, students should look for systemically accredited programs. An example of this can be seen in MRI tech programs that are accredited by the American Registry of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.

After many certificate or vocational programs, students must sit for some form of licensure exam from a state or national governing body. For this reason, it’s important to thoroughly study all materials throughout the program and keep them in your memory (or brush up some on specifics) for the exam.

Associates degree programs typically take between 1.5 and 2.5 years. These 60 credit hour programs grant successful participants an associate of art, science, applied science, or technology degree. Though there are slightly different focus areas for each of these degree types, programs typically follow a similar format.

In associate’s degrees, unlike in vocational or certificate training, students are required to complete general educational requirements as well as major courses. General educational requirements may or may not be directly related to your major course of study. Their aim is to ensure that you have acquired a baseline skill set worthy of the degree being pursued. In most cases, general education requirements include course work in the following:

• Literature
• Writing
• Basic Computer Skills
• Data Literacy
• Social Science
• Natural Science
• Mathematics

Upon completion of a sizable portion of general education requirements, students in associates degrees begin to take their major coursework. In most programs, students may be admitted to the college or university and begin their general education courses before even choosing a major. If you think you may be interested in an associates degree in medical technology, you can go ahead and begin on general education courses when you see fit.

Associates degrees are known as some of the best “bang for your buck” degrees. This is because they are the entry requirement for many jobs, offer vocational-specific training, and have low or no tuition costs in some districts. Check to see what community costs in your state or district are, and you may find that you are in a free community college location. Once you’ve completed an associates degree, it’s also transferable to a four-year institution as long as you attended a regionally accredited institution.

For a handful of the degrees listed in the previous section, bachelor’s degrees are the preferred entry point. Typically speaking, general education requirements within bachelor’s degrees are very similar to those in associates degrees.

Overall, bachelor’s degrees require 120 credit hours for graduation, and typically offer around three times the number of major courses offered in an associates degree.

One thing you should be aware of is that in the previous section we listed the requirements to enter into a field within medical technology. In most of the fields above there’s definitely room for advancement, particularly if you gain a more advanced degree. Within medical technology settings, graduate degrees including MBAs focused on health care informatics and health care administration degrees can be great choices for further advancement.

Now that we’ve covered elements that many medical technology degrees share, let’s take a look at what makes each degree unique. Below we’ll outline some of the key courses within each medical technology degree we’re covering today.

• Associates in Health Information Management: med tech, anatomy and physiology, health terms, computer applications, legal issues in health, CPT coding
• Associates in Information Technology:scripting, economics, business systems, project management, cyber security, networking
• Associates in Clinical Lab Science: microbiology, hematology, immunohematology, clinical chemistry, parasitology, mycology, others
• Associates in Radiologic Science: anatomy and physiology, medical terms, physics, radiography, image production, clinical courses, radiobiology, others
• Certificate in Phlebotomy Science: CPR, first aid, anatomy and physiology, phlebotomy
• Associates in Surgical Technology: medical law and ethics, pharmacology, medical terms, surgical techniques, pathophysiology
• Associates in MRI Technology: anatomy and physiology, radiological technology, imaging, pharmacology, physics
• Associates in Dental Technology: oral anatomy, dental infections, dental technology, prosthodontics, imaging, surface restoration, creation of dental ceramics

Can I Pursue a Medical Technology Degree Online?

By and large, medical technology programs are applied technical certificate or degree programs. This means that a good deal of the coursework in these programs deals with teaching you how to operate specific pieces of technology. And a great deal of this learning is hands-on or in lab settings.

This means that a good number of medical technology programs are primarily offered in-person. The good news, however, is two-fold. First, because there is demand for medical technologists nearly everywhere, in-person medical technology degrees exist in nearly every corner of the nation. Secondly, for associates and bachelor’s degree programs, only a fraction of your courses will be hands-on. For theoretical or general education courses, many colleges and universities offer options to take online courses.

WIth all that said, many medical technology degrees are offered in a hybrid format. This means that you’ll take some coursework online and some in-person. Additionally, degree programs in fields such as allied health, information technology, and health informatics are often offered online.

What Can I Do With a Degree in Medical Technology?

Getting a degree is great. But what we all really want to know is what you can do with it. Many medical technology degrees and certifications are vocational or job-centered. This means that they prepare you for a specific job. While there are a few outlier degrees, many of the degrees we’ve talked about at least start you out in a specific position.

Below we’ll work through some of the most common positions medical technology graduates move into.

Medical lab technicians are some of the most well known medical technology positions. These technicians primarily work in government or private labs that are often within designated laboratory complexes or part of hospitals. These technicians are skilled at performing a wide variety of tests, primarily on bodily fluids. Whenever you get your throat swabbed or blood taken to see if you have an infection, these samples are more often than not sent to a medical lab technician.

There are over 300,000 medical lab technicians in the United States alone. And they’re expected to see employment growth at a faster rate than average. Earnings for medical lab techs are good, particularly for a role that just requires an associates degree to get started. The average salary for lab technicians is presently $52,000 a year.

Phlebotomists work in blood donation centers, hospitals, doctors offices, and other settings. They’re primary task is to help draw blood or administer shots to patients. This may include explaining the procedure that is about to take place, and helping patients who have adverse reactions to this sort of procedure.

There are presently over 120,000 phlebotomists in America. And the number of job openings are expected to rise faster than average for other careers. Earnings are quite strong for phlebotomy considering the main requirement for entry into the field is a non-degree certificate often taken at a community college. The average salary for these positions is presently $34,000.

MRI technicians also known as radiological technicians, work in doctor’s offices and hospitals. If you’ve ever had an X-Ray or MRI performed, chances are it’s been done by a MRI technician. These professionals hold an understanding of basic anatomy and physiology as well as the advanced equipment used to image body parts.

There are over 240,000 MRI technicians in the United States. And job openings are set to rise faster than the average for all other jobs. Earnings are very strong for a job that requires an associates degree, with average earnings of $61,240.

Medical records technologists generally specialize in one or several of the main health care record systems. These important information systems allow medical record technicians (or technologists) to save and manage medical records. Due to the massive volume of record keeping, as well as the sensitive nature of medical records, medical records technologists are important assets to whatever health care organization they are a part of.

Presently there are over 200,000 medical records technologists in the United States. The entry degree for this position is an associate’s degree. And average earnings for this position are presently $40,350.

Dental technicians, not to be confused with dental hygienists, help to measure, construct, and fit dental devices including braces, prosthetic implants, and dentures. These technicians are skilled with both knowledge of oral anatomy and dental technology, but must also be good at working directly with patients. Demand is strong for these positions that typically require an associates degree for entry. Average earnings for dental technician positions is presently $36,690.

Information technology professionals are one of the most “open ended” positions we’re looking at today. While there are information technology professionals at every level within medical organizations, they also work in a wide range of other fields. This makes associates and bachelor’s degrees within the field particularly versatile.

Typical IT professionals within a larger health care organization may focus on one aspect of technology, say, networking technology within a hospital. Within smaller practices, a single information technology professional may manage all IT concerns for the organization.

Unlike some of the other degrees we’ve covered, that prepare you for a single position, information technology positions within larger health care organizations can lead all the way up to the executive level. This makes IT degrees one of the best ways to move “up the ladder” from a medical technology perspective.

While earnings vary greatly depending on career level and level of responsibility, IT professionals in many locations can expect to make over $60,000 a year with an associates degree and some certifications.

Don’t see what you’re interested in? Be sure to check out DegreeQuery’s additional coverage of medical technology related topics below:

• Top 50 Online Medical Degrees
• What degree should I get for medical school?
• What degree do I need to become a Medical Examiner?
• What degree do I need to be a Biomedical Engineer?
• What Can I Do With a Health Care Degree?
• What Can I Do With a Degree in Medicine?
• What Can I Do With a Degree in Nursing?
• Top 10 Highest Paying Science Careers
• Top 25 Medical Schools
• What Classes Will I Have to Take for a Degree in Biomedical Engineering?
• What Degree do I need in Radiologic Technology?
• What is a Bachelor’s Degree in Bioinformatics?
• What is a Master’s Degree in Bioinformatics?
• What is the Benefit of a Degree in Nursing Informatics vs. Nursing Administration?
• What Is the Benefit of a Nursing Degree Vs a Sonography Degree?
• What Is the Difference Between a Chemical Engineering Degree and a Biomedical Engineering Degree?
• What Is the Fastest School for a Degree in Engineering Technology?
• Which Degrees Can Prepare You for a Career in Telehealth or Telemedicine?
• Exciting Jobs: The Top 15 Jobs for Adrenaline Seekers

The post What Can I Do With a Medical Technology Degree? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them – James Baldwin

History in academics is the study of primary and secondary sources about past events.

In a world that prizes instant gratification and comfort, historians work to understand the patterns that led us to our current society, power structures, and predicaments. Through studying history people learn about the impact of theirs and others actions, better understand themselves, other people and culture at large, and work to share their knowledge in ways that make the world a better, more thoughtful and less destructive place.

The crises of the past have a habit of rearing their heads again and again throughout human society. In the late 1920s and throughout the 1930’s rampant speculation and a high loss of confidence in markets and the economy at large led to a steep drop in spending, consumption, and investment that shocked the world. Prices across the economy fell, and people hoarded money, avoiding markets and banks. It’s hard to estimate how many people lost their jobs, homes, families, and lives as a result of the Great Depression. One major cause of the catastrophe was a severe lack of regulations on banks and financial markets.

Almost 80 years later the world economy was rocked by a similar crisis, in which limited regulation on corporations, financial markets, banks, and other powerful institutions led to incredible risks being taken throughout the American and global economy. Money was lent that would never be paid back, and in general, both physical and speculative assets were wildly overvalued.

Unlike the Depression, where the hoarding of money led the value of gold to go through the roof and a massive deflation; as a result, the Recession heralded inflation. Neither crisis led to a substantial change in wealth inequality.

In both of these crises massive wealth inequality exacerbated the devastating impacts on people across the world. In both cases, an understanding of history and the dangers involved with wildly unchecked risk by powerful financial institutions and government might have prevented or at least mitigated the crisis. Not since 1928 and 1929 was wealth inequality so pronounced as in 2007 and 2008. During those years of the Great Recession and the Depression half of the unemployed people went without a job for more than six months.

Historians raise awareness. They protect us from ourselves, from the bad decisions we’ve made over the centuries, and at their best try to help humanity find a better way to behave and organize ourselves.

In this guide we’ll explore your options among history degrees, including the various specializations and levels of study you can do, and look at the work we’ve done at Degree Query to help find the best history degree for you. While going through it, you might want to ask yourself the following:

• What are your most important career goals, and how can a history degree help you reach them?
• What degree level have you reached so far in higher education? What position are you hoping to fill, and what degree level do you need to qualify for it?
• You don’t have to know exactly what you would do in history, but you should think about where you might work (teaching, writing, government, or somewhere else).
• How much can you pay in tuition for a history degree you’re looking at, and how much money do you need to borrow to pay for one?
• There are a lot of costs associated with getting your degree. These depend on what school you want to go to, the delivery formats and prices it offers to in and out-of-state students, as well as the scholarships and loans you could qualify for, among many other factors.
• It’s also always best for you to pick a school that you can pay for rather than having to borrow money. However, if you have to borrow money to pay for school (like many people do), try to only select public loans instead of private ones. You should also confine your school search to colleges and universities that are properly accredited, priced, and non-profit over expensive, for-profit institutions.
• How much time do you have for earning a history degree daily, weekly, and overall before you complete it? Different schools convey their degrees through many different formats.
• What’s the best delivery format for you in a history degree program? Would you like to go to school full-time, part-time, online, on-campus, or in a mix of online and on-campus education?
• Where do you want to live and work after earning your history degree? Depending on where you go to school you’ll likely build regional connections to positions, although history is a more transient field than some other disciplines.
• What is your current career and educational experience? How would a particular history program build up your strengths and soften your weaknesses?
• What are the available specializations or focuses in history programs you’re considering? How would a specialization or focus of a history degree benefit your education and help you reach your career goals?

These are just some of the things you should consider while searching for a degree. If you can, write down other questions, considerations, and parameters you’re looking for in your education to enhance these questions and make them more reflective of your wants and needs.

Before we dive into the specific history degree levels and specializations, let’s look at what you’ll get out of these programs:

History Degrees Build Up Your:

• Analytical Skills: Through examining conflicting details of the past you’ll learn how to sift through accurate and false information, something that pays dividends throughout your life.
• Problem-Solving Skills: What could have happened differently if other decisions were considered? What would you have done differently if you were in a position of power or influence at a pivotal point in history? You’ll explore these questions and much more to learn how informed decision-making can shape the world.
• Research Abilities and Experience: You’ll do extensive research with a variety of primary and secondary sources in many different mediums and learn to distill what you find in a digestible way. On that note:
• Verbal and Written Communication Skills: Studying history involves significant explanation, exploration, and arguing. You’ll learn how to make your findings understood and convincing to a range of people with vastly different experiences.
• Ability to Work Alone: Historians are often solitary people, and do a large amount of their research, writing and instruction preparation by themselves. These degree programs will teach you to manage your time and effort without overbearing supervision.
• Ability to Change Your Mind: You’ll realize the value of recalibrating your opinion when presented with new information. History is littered with people who refused to change course until it was too late, and you’ll learn from their mistakes.
• Appreciation of Others: You’ll combat your siloed experiences by engaging with people from all over the world and throughout time to gain a more thorough, compassionate perspective that will help you throughout your life.

There are many other aptitudes and skills that history degrees build up. With the help of your peers, friends, family, and professors, you’ll gain a much better understanding of the world currently inhabit and how it developed. Here at Degree Query we also want to help you in your search:

How Can We Help You Find the Best History Degree for You?

Here at Degree Query we’ve put our backs into helping you find the best history degree for you (or one of the many other disciplines we’ve written about). We’ve ranked jobs, schools, and degree options. We’ve answered a host of common questions about higher education degrees, reported on environments and trends in higher education. We’ve also built tools like our interactive compare careers matrix that was created to help you figure out what the best educational path is for you. Here’s some of what we’ve written that looks at history and adjacent and the schools that offer them:

Rankings

• Top 50 Degrees for the Future
• Top 50 Degrees For Changing The World
• 50 Best Online Master’s Degrees 2019
• 25 Best Online Bachelor’s Degrees for 2019
• 50 Best Online Degrees for 2019
• Easiest Online Master’s Degrees

Frequently Asked Questions

• What Undergraduate Degree Do I Need to Earn a Master’s Degree in Library Science?
• What are the best degrees to get?
• What Can I Do with an American Studies Degree?
• What Can I Do With An Anthropology Degree?
• What Can I Do With an English Degree?
• What Can I Do With a Creative Writing Degree?
• What Degree Do I Need to Be a Curator?

To explore your options throughout education please check out our Compare Careers Matrix. We’ve also done a lot more writing on degrees related to a History education like Economics, Education and English studies. If you find any schools from our content that seem like a good fit for you, you can always email their support staff directly to request more information about the programs you’re interested in, find out what their application requirements are and how you can help your chances of being accepted into them.

Now let’s look at the different levels of history degrees and what they’ll get you ready to do:

What are the Different Levels of History Degrees?

History degrees generally come in four forms: Associates, Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral or Ph.D. degrees:

Associates in History

These programs generally take two years to complete and cover both American history and global historical civilizations. You’ll explore economic trends, political systems, cultural and religious influences, and much more to get a better grasp of how past events developed. You’ll learn how to do basic research with primary and secondary sources, and report on your findings. Associates in History are often offered by a community or junior college that allow students to save money and time on tuition and residency, earn pertinent credits towards further degrees and often have partnerships that encourage transfer into four-year programs to complete Bachelor degrees in History.

Bachelors in History

In these four-year programs you’ll delve deeply into the early and middle ages through modern societies. You’ll study American, Asian, Middle Eastern, African, and European cultures and events. You’ll likely explore colonialism, warfare, eras like The Renaissance, treatment of minorities throughout history, and much more. These programs can often be combined with a teacher education program for those interested in teaching history at the elementary or secondary levels. Graduates can go on to teach, write, pursue jobs at think tanks, museums, or go on to further in their education at the graduate level.

Masters in History

These programs take one and a half to two years to complete. Graduates will be ready to work as academics, researchers, or in museums or other historical organizations. You’ll explore African, Asian, American, Middle Eastern, and European history in extreme detail, along with areas like environmental, public, or military history. You’ll contextualize events, do extensive research, measure data empirically, and write about your findings for academics and the public. You’ll likely write and defend a thesis based on original research, or complete some other culminating experience before graduating. You might take a foreign language to enhance your ability to study and write about different cultures, and you’ll likely have a specialization or concentration based on your interests in the field.

Doctorates in History

In doctoral history programs you’ll spend three to five years in a comprehensive, theoretical and research-based program that will prepare you to teach, research, work at museums and other historical organizations, or write at the highest levels on topics you’ll build expertise in throughout the program and its culminating thesis (plus that thesis’ defense). Courses will cover languages, literature, politics, art, historical events, and much more. You might specialize in areas like U.S. History, Middle Eastern History, Ancient History, among many others. Some programs may require you to build fluency in another language as part of your studies.

Now that we’ve explored the different levels of History degrees let’s get into the different specializations and focuses that are available to you in these programs.

What are the Available History Degree Specializations?

History is extremely broad, and there are generalists and specialists in the field who are happily working in many versatile positions today. If you’re interested, you can refine your education within history by specializing in one of the following areas (among many other options):

Economic History

In these degrees you’ll study how global, national and local economic systems developed, what they impact, who controls and regulates them, and much more. You might explore the economic history of a specific country more deeply than others. You’ll compare different economic systems like feudalism, capitalism, socialism, communism, and how they interact with each other on a global stage. You might become an expert in a specific era of economic history, like the Industrial Revolution.

Ancient History

Here you’ll go deep into the past to understand long lost civilizations and bring their experiences, wisdom, and traditions into the present day. You might carefully study a specific culture, country, or empiric society from the past, and find ways to do original research and writing on cultures and civilizations that no longer exist. This is fascinating, hard work, and you’ll be fighting to get your hands and eyes on source material all over the world.

Cultural, Continental, or National Specific History

You might choose Asian, American, European, African, or Middle Eastern history, or a specific country in those continents, and plunge into it in these programs. You might also choose a more particular aspect of history related to pop culture, infrastructure development, specific time periods, etc. In these programs learning a foreign language can be instrumental to broadening the source material you can consume directly.

Social History

These specializations take a macro approach to history, looking at movements and social trends throughout the past. You’ll look at how people moved behind ideas, instead of just exploring leaders and famous events. You might explore primary source material from regular people, look at how specific populations were impacted or took charge during social movements, look at different labor classes or even focus on something particular like child labor in the early 20th century. These programs are known for examining history from the ground up.

Military History

Here you’ll look at wars, tactics, and try to make sense of why they happen, and how the victors achieved their successes. You’ll examine weapons, technology, decision-making, and much more. You’ll deeply understand military theory and how it’s changed throughout the past. You might also explore and engage with reenactments that bring back famous battles and wars to our time period through elaborate recreation.

Political History

In these programs you’ll look at leadership, political events, movements, and ideas, the constitutions and organizations of governments, and what led into all of it. You’ll take a top-down approach to history, and be prepared to work in government, academia, for a think tank, or other political organization.

Public History

This is the area for you if you want to work in historical societies, museums, to preserve landmarks and ancient artifacts, oral history, and other related fields. You’ll often find yourself out of traditional academic settings, but still educating the public on its past in unique ways. Preservation and exposure to hidden wonders is the name of the game here.

Intellectual History

Philosophy and history meet here in a specialization where thinkers, their ideas, and the ripples of their thoughts echo throughout the past, present, and future. You’ll focus more on tangible ideas than theoretical philosophy, like the history of books and reading, among other foundational ideas and concepts that molded society and culture. You’ll explore political, cultural, and social contexts and how they digested diverse ideas throughout the world.

There are many other areas of history that you can study or specialize in, but this is a good representation of top options. Now before we wrap up the guide let’s explore some of what you can expect to make after earning a degree in history.

History Degrees in Conclusion

On behalf of everyone at Degree Query we’re hopeful you’ve found this guide useful, illuminating, and inspiring. Go forth and find the best history degree for you using the tools and parameters we’ve shared. Now let’s talk business.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics writes that historians earned a median pay of $61,140 annually in 2018. There were 3,300 of these roles in 2016, which was expected to grow by 6% between 2016-26, netting 200 new jobs. The standard entry-level education for these roles was a Master’s degree. Keep in mind that people who graduate with history degrees work in many different positions throughout the economy, and can be found writing, teaching, and curating in a number of different environments.

In May 2018 the lowest 10% of people in these positions made less than $29,270, and the top 10% were paid over $110,670. some of the areas associated with higher pay in this field included the federal government, local governments, state governments, and professional, technical, and science services.

Remember that if you find a program or school through our content that you think is a good match for you, it will be instrumental in your search and your chances for being accepted if you reach out directly to their support staff. You can ask about application process details, how to shore up your qualifications to better your chances of acceptance, and much more.

Best of luck!

The post What Can I Do With a History Degree? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Liberal arts cover a range of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, economics, literature, natural and physical sciences, political science, and many more. Middlebury College, in Vermont’s Champlain Valley, offers a choice from more than 45 departments and programs.  Many of the college liberal arts programs have curricula grounded in humanities, arts, natural sciences, and social sciences. Pomona College is another example of a school with numerous majors and minors from which to choose. Their list exceeds 47 departments and programs.

Liberal arts programs allow academic diversity. Its purpose is to expose students to an array of subjects, some of which are mandatory. The Liberal Arts B.A. at Carleton College has requirements in writing, international studies, a second language, and quantitative reasoning. In addition to the latter, you study algorithms, statistical analysis, and logic. The writing requirement encourages students to create concise, coherent, and compelling reports.

Carleton students do not choose a major until their sophomore year from a list of 33. The choices include African/American Studies, cognitive science, computer science, English, mathematics, philosophy, religion, and more. Therefore, there are bachelor’s degrees in general liberal arts, and within a particular subject (major) within the liberal arts program. The degrees are available as either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science.

Founded by Catholic nonprofessionals, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in Merrimack, New Hampshire, only has one program. Since 1978, the school teaches men and women to live according to religious values. Their one program in liberal arts has produced teachers, artists, lawyers, business executives, and computer analysts. Their curriculum offers you to branch into philosophy, humanities, mathematics, theology, or classical languages.

Thomas More College believes the value of preparing students for life through a liberal arts program exceeds the need to create graduates versed in only one discipline.

The merit of the liberal arts program is in the emphasis on written and oral communication, reasoning, analytical skills, and critical thinking. How important are these areas?

The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU), in 2008, surveyed 301 employers to see which skills college graduates lack.

73% of employers see colleges and universities as deficient in emphasizing communication (written and oral) and critical thinking/analytical reasoning.

A significant perception by employers is that brief digital messages result in poor communication. The inability to converse in a workplace setting with a team or a job interview is evident. The deficiency in communication skills extends to ineffective written reports.

Another study concludes that liberal arts education may prepare graduates for employment than their counterparts in career-specific disciplines, such as engineering and accounting. In a 2013 survey of 815 employers by the Collegiate Employment Research Institute (CERI) at the University of Michigan found that A&S (Arts & Science) graduates scored high in the category of work attitude and behavior.

A further statistic in this report illustrated that liberal arts (A&S) graduates rated better than non-A&S students in oral and written communication!

Regarding the overall positive impressions of students entering the workplace, non-profit and educational organizations view A&S graduates more favorably. In contrast, for-profit companies and governmental agencies see A&S graduates as more prepared to join the workforce. The latter could be due to the higher percentage of technically skilled personnel in for-profit corporations. The report also concluded that the more technical the position, the higher the employer’s expectations are for new hires.

Some respondents to the CERI survey did undermine the value of the liberal arts degree. There were few criticisms to the curricula. The thrust of the critical comments was that the A&S students did not receive sufficient courses in business, technology, or engineering. In order to appease the minor negativity, it would be prudent to include a business, accounting, science, or finance class in your study plan. Some respondents suggested adding economics and computer programming to liberal arts courses.

Employers observed the A&S students lacked career direction. Graduates in engineering or economics or IT usually have a definitive career in mind. Due to the various classes and, perhaps, dual majors, the liberal arts student has less of a link from college life to work environment. The absence of focus on where you see yourself in five or ten years can be detrimental in a job interview.

Therefore, job seekers from bachelor’s degrees must be able to express why they took certain classes and how these translate to the prospective place of work. How you prepare for interview questions is the key to boosting the value of your degree. Other elements are summer jobs, internships, extra-curricular activities, membership in associations, and any leadership roles. Emphasize why you think the involvement in these examples makes you a better candidate for hire.

Additional Resources: 

Top 15 Liberal Arts Schools in America

What Degree Programs Can I Major in at a Liberal Arts School?

What Jobs Can I Get With a Liberal Arts Degree?

What Can I Do With a Liberal Arts Degree?

The post What is the Value of a Liberal Arts Degree? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Becoming a registered nutritionist in the US can seem like an intimidating process, particularly for those with a non-traditional path or place of education. Paying attention to the right steps for licensure, as well as any required or desired nutritionist certifications, is an important part of pursuing a career as a nutritionist.

Dietitian vs. Nutritionist

Though the terms are often used interchangeably, in the US a dietitian and a nutritionist are not the same things. As you explore licensing as a nutritionist, it is important to understand their differences.

Dietitians: A career as a dietitian is more regulated than a career as a nutritionist. To become a registered dietitian (RD), professionals must complete an undergraduate degree at a program accredited but the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Professionals must also have completed an ACEND approved practice program, typically 6-12 months in length and passed the national exam administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Continuing education for RDs is also required.

Beginning in January 2024, the CDR will change the degree requirement for RD eligibility from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree. Click here for more information related to this upcoming change.

Nutritionists: Technically, in the US there are no certification or educational requirements to become a nutritionist. The term nutritionist is usually used more broadly or more generally. Nutritionist is not at “protected” title (like doctor), so it can be used freely used regardless of one’s educational background. Many practicing nutritionists do have a similar educational path as an RD, but that does not guarantee that they are a licensed dietitian.

A certified nutrition specialist (CNS) is a protected title and does have requirements and experience attached to it. It is discussed in further detail below.

Nutritionist Certifications and Credentialing

Certified Nutrition Specialist

For the nutritionist who wants a protected and recognized certification, the pursuit of a CNS license is important. The Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists (BCNS) offers two designations for nutrition professionals, a certified nutrition specialist (CNS) and a certified nutrition specialist-scholar (CNS-S).

CNS: To achieve a CNS credential, candidates must possess an accredited advanced degree in a clinical or healthcare related field, like MD/DO, public health, or biochemistry. Candidates must also complete 1000 hours of supervised practice in nutrition. Supervisors must meet certain requirements to be considered qualified as well. Candidates must also pass the CNS exam. It can be taken before all requirements are complete, but certification is not granted until all educational and scholastic requirements have been accomplished. Recertification is required every five years after the completion of 75 continuing education credits.

CNS-S: Candidates for this credential must possess a doctoral degree in a related field. They must also have completed (at least) three years of full-time professional experience in the nutrition industry, academia, writing, research or clinical practice. Lastly, they need to have completed any combination of these five achievements: publication in peer-reviewed journals, written chapters in nutrition texts or references, established nutrition related patents, written a non-professional nutrition book that has been approved by the BCNS credentials council, or other comparable scholastic works. Candidates must also pass the CNS exam. It can be taken before all requirements are complete, but certification is not granted until all educational and scholastic requirements have been accomplished. Recertification is required every five years after the completion of 75 continuing education credits.

Either of these credentials opens the door to work in a wide variety of settings for nutrition professionals, including hospitals, private practice, clinics, academia, and community health.

NASM Certification (FNS & CNC)

This is a common certification pursued by many nutrition professionals. The NASM certification is offered by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. These certifications focus on health and nutrition as they relate to fitness, sports performance, and sports medicine.

The CNC certification, which is a newer option, is considered the “better” option. It combines both nutrition and health coach information and requires recertification every two years.

Holistic Nutritionist Certification

Because this is a newer field of nutrition, many states do not regulate the use of this title. However, one can proceed through the following holistic nutritionist credentialing steps.

• Complete an educational program approved by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP)
• Acquire at least 500 hours of work experience in holistic nutrition
• Pass examination by the Holistic Nutrition Credentialing Board

AFPA Health & Wellness Certification

This certification by American Fitness Professionals and Associates teaches its students how to apply nutrition information for best fitness, weight management, and overall health maintenance. There is an AFPA examination at the end of the program, however, there are no required prerequisites to sign up for the exam. The certification can be completed 100% online.

ISSA Nutritionist Certification

This certification, offered by the International Sports Sciences Association, is relatively new. The certification educates on both nutrition and the science and psychology behind nutrition coaching. Typically, students complete a combination certification in both certified personal training (CPT) and nutrition.

International Considerations

International nutrition professionals do have some considerations they must take into account. First, they must understand the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist. In the US, any professional may make the claim of “nutritionist.” However, if an international individual would like to be an RD, their training and education may allow them eligibility for the US RD credentialing examination without any additional hours, education, or work needed. This situation is most common if the two countries have professional reciprocity with each other.

If there is no reciprocity, an international professional needs their academic degree validated as equivalent to a US degree program. They must also complete the required ACEND supervised practice for eligibility. Once eligible, these professionals must pass the RD examination like anyone else.

Making Choices and Moving Forward

There are a variety of factors that will play into the decisions you make in pursuit of a career in nutrition. Your passions, your existing education, your finances and your place of academic origin will all play a role in deciding how you want to define yourself and how you want to make that happen. As you make your decisions, stay aware of the US’s proper use of terms, accreditations, and credentialing examinations to ensure you are appropriately on track for the professional title you want.

Laura Mansfield

Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) | Sacred Heart University

Associate’s Degree of Nursing (ADN) | North Seattle Community College

Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Marketing, Sales | University of Washington (Seattle)

December  2019

More Articles of Interest:

• What Undergraduate Degrees Are Good For a Career in Nutrition?
• What is the Difference Between a Dietitian and a Nutritionist?
• What Areas are Covered by Nutritional Science?
• What Postgraduate Degrees are Available in Nutritional Sciences?

The post If I Got My Degree in Another Country, What Do I Need to be Licensed as a Nutritionist in the United States? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

The GRE and Engineering School Admissions

Before 2020, it was common for engineering schools to require applicants for master’s in petroleum engineering programs to include graduate entrance exam scores in their applications. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test has historically been the standardized test of choice for engineering programs, including programs in petroleum engineering, as well as graduate programs outside of engineering.

The GRE test is the most widely accepted graduate admissions exam worldwide, according to its publisher, Educational Testing Service (ETS). During the 2018 through 2019 testing period, 532,826 people took the GRE General Test, according to the ETS. That’s more than double the number of people (242,714) who took the GMAT, the next most widely known graduate admissions exam, in 2018. The GRE General Test is a separate exam from the GRE Subject Tests, which are available in the subjects of chemistry, biology, physics, psychology, mathematics and English literature. Although math and all of the natural sciences have a place in petroleum engineering, programs usually only ask that applicants take the GRE General Test, not any of the GRE Subject Tests.

In the pre-pandemic days, the GRE was so entrenched in the graduate school admissions process that many engineering schools encouraged prospective students to apply to a master’s in petroleum engineering program only if they had achieved a minimum recommended score. This score might be specific to the quantitative reasoning section of the test, the verbal reasoning section, these sections combined or the cumulative score on the entire test, including the analytical writing component. Students who did not meet this minimum score would be unlikely to get into the program, and some schools would give notice that an application that doesn’t meet the minimum GRE requirement would not be considered, period.

The Pandemic’s Effects on Graduate Admissions Exams

The GRE, which is delivered by computer, used to be taken at designated testing centers. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced testing centers to close, it left students – and engineering schools – in a difficult situation. Students who had intended to take the GRE General Test in preparation for their application to graduate school were suddenly unable to do so.

Different graduate schools and academic programs chose to respond to this unprecedented event in different ways – in some instances, even within the same university. Some schools put in place a temporary waiver of this longstanding admissions requirement, with the intention to revert to their original admissions requirements as soon as possible. Other academic institutions have contemplated doing away with the GRE requirement entirely, a change that some academic and educational professionals have encouraged, according to Inside Higher Ed. Some programs continued to require GRE scores, and by March 27, 2020, ETS had begun offering an option to take the GRE at home, according to Poets & Quants. Taking the GRE at home requires you to meet specific equipment and environment requirements, including the use of a microphone and speaker to communicate with the proctor and the use of a webcam that displays a view of the entire room to the proctor.

IMAGE SOURCE: Pixabay, public domain

While the option to take the GRE at home may have been born of necessity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the new home-administered format is a permanent offering that test-takers can continue to choose even as testing centers reopen, according to the ETS.

The Future of GRE Scores in Petroleum Engineering Graduate Programs

Many programs are no longer using the GRE in their admissions requirements, according to the  American Association for the Advancement of Science. This trend has resulted from a combination of the changes to admissions requirements brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and from concerns over whether the test is fair to students from different backgrounds. Admissions teams that have become used to evaluating the strength of prospective students’ applications without having GRE scores to consider may have determined that they don’t need this added factor to identify strong candidates.

The pandemic has been a contributing factor. However, the decline in the GRE’s inclusion in admissions requirements was already so noticeable by May 2019 – months before the pandemic began – that the American Association for the Advancement of Science reported on the “wave of graduate programs” that were discontinuing their use of the test. Still, programs that require a great deal of technical knowledge, like engineering, may be slower to consider doing away with the GRE permanently.

Since many engineering schools still require the GRE, you should expect to take this exam. Before you begin your exam preparations in earnest, find out if your desired program still requires GRE scores or if it has followed the trend of dropping this requirement.

Additional Resources

How Long Does It Typically Take to Get a Master’s in Petroleum Engineering?

Is the Work for a Master’s in Petroleum Engineering Too Intense to Be Able to Hold Down a Job While Studying?

What Classes Will I Have to Take for a Degree in Petroleum Engineering?

The post Due to the Pandemic, Are Schools Generally Requiring the GRE as Part of the Application Process? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Fortunately, there are many alternative roads one can take to fund a doctoral degree. Depending on your finances, you could qualify for financial aid. Another great option is a scholarship. By applying to scholarships in your area of study, or that were created to help people with specific backgrounds or identities, you can at least partially fund your doctoral education. Earning your Ph.D. gets a lot easier when you know you have the money to pay for it.

On this list, we’ve compiled 55 scholarships that can be used by doctoral students. Many are intended for people living in individual states, are from specific backgrounds, or are pursuing particular degrees. Here at DegreeQuery, we’ll be posting more resources that compile scholarship opportunities, so keep your eyes peeled. Without further ado, here are 55 Scholarships for Students Getting a Ph.D.:

ACLS Fellowship

• $65000
• For those with a Ph.D. for two years who haven’t had supported research leave for at least three years. For professionals doing post-doctoral study in humanities and humanities-related social sciences.

Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Fellowship

• $40000
• Must be studying applied physical sciences, engineering, or mathematics. Need a minimum of an A- average during the last two years of undergraduate work. Can be renewed for up to 5 years.

J. Clawson Mills Fellowship

• $20000
• This scholarship is aimed at students doing research or study at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Requires a short application, and mature scholars with demonstrated ability are preferred.

Henry Luce Foundation/ACLS Dissertation Fellowship in American Art History

• $20000
• Need to be a U.S. citizen, Ph.D. candidate that’s completed all requirements except the dissertation, and have a dissertation topic looking at the history of visual arts in the U.S. Submit your application through the American Council of Learned Societies (ALCS) website).

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Fellowship in Electrical History

• $17000
• This scholarship is intended for students with an undergraduate degree in engineering, the sciences, or the humanities. They must be in a full-time graduate program or doing post-doctoral research in electrical history.

Harry S. Truman Scholarship

• $13500
• For U.S. citizens or nationals studying government or public service. A total of $30,000 can be awarded over years. Students must be within the top quarter of their class and maintain a B average to reapply for more funding through this scholarship.

Huntington Fellowships

• $12500
• Intended for those holding a Ph.D. or pursuing one at the dissertation state. Must be working in American history, American literature, art history, British history, British literature, or the history of science. Must demonstrate strength of project, ability, and how the Huntington Library would be utilized.

The National Federation of the Blind Scholarship

• $12000
• This scholarship is for people who are legally blind in both eyes who are studying full-time in an accredited degree program in America or Puerto Rico. A part-time student may be considered. Scholarships are awarded based on personal essay, proof of blindness, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and an interview. Financial need is not a requirement for this scholarship.

Joseph Collins Foundation Scholarship

• $10000
• This is for medical students studying in general practice, neurology, or psychiatry. Chosen based on financial need, interests outside of medicine, strong character, and attendance at a school east or contiguous to the Mississippi River.

Regents Health Care Scholarship for Medicine and Dentistry

• $10000
• For US citizens and NY residents (with some applicable refugees). Must be enrolled in an approved NY medical or dental school. Priority given to economically disadvantaged minorities, or students in state-sponsored programs like Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK), or College Discovery. 100 scholarships are distributed, 80 in medicine and 20 in dentistry, with varying amounts awarded.

M. Elizabeth Carnegie Scholarship

• $10000
• Must be a U.S. citizen and black registered nurse and member of a nursing organization who’s enrolled in a doctoral program in nursing or related field. Selection based on academic record and evidence of service.

O.H. Ammann Research Fellowship in Structural Engineering

• $10000
• Must be a National American Society of Civil Engineers member in good standing. Student must be studying structural engineering.

Community Action Grant

• $10000
• Must be a woman and U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Intended for a student who has a proposed activity or project that will have a direct impact on communities and relates to education of women and girls.

Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture Doctoral Scholarship

• $$5,000-10,000
• Need to be a doctoral student specializing in Jewish studies, with priority given to students with approved dissertation topics. Need to reapply to maintain the scholarship.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fellowship

• $8000
• Need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident living in Virginia for at least one year before the deadline. Applicants must be enrolled full time at an accredited arts university studying crafts, drawing, film, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, video, graduate art history, and submit 10 slides of artwork for art, three films for film/video, or three research papers for art history.

AGC Education and Research Foundation Graduate Award

• $7500
• This scholarship is for students in civil and construction engineering. Must be enrolled or have graduated from an ABET or ACCE-accredited construction or civil engineering program. Must be enrolled or planning to enroll in a full-time construction graduate/doctoral degree.

Trent R. Dames & William W. Moore Fellowship

• $6000
• Given for a research project on new applications in geotechnical engineering or earth sciences that apply to political, environmental, social, and economic issues.

Bound-to-Stay-Bound Scholarship

• $6000
• For U.S. or Canadian citizens that have been accepted but not yet begun a degree program in library science. They must work in children’s services for a year after graduating. Leadership qualities, academic record, and desire to work with children are all considered.

Frederic G. Melcher Scholarship

• $6000
• Similar to the scholarship above. Must work in children’s services for a year after graduating a library science degree.

SR Education Group Graduate School Scholarship

• $5000
• Any student who has graduated from a graduate program in the past 5 years is eligbile for this award. Students will rate and review their program, and only four students will be chosen.

Suburban Hospital Casey Scholarships

• $5000
• For nursing or allied health professionals or students getting a BSN or higher. Minimum 2.5 GPA required, and there’s a work requirement at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, MD after graduating.

Albert W. Dent Scholarship

• $5000
• Full-time minority students entering the fall term of their final year of class for a graduate or doctoral degree in healthcare management can qualify. Need to demonstrate financial aid and be a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives

General Mills Inc. James Ford Bell Graduate Scholarship

• $5000
• Students studying food science or food technology can qualify for this scholarship. They must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA

Institute of Food Technologists Graduate Scholarship

• $5000
• Students who have a demonstrated interest in research, a 3.0 GPA, and are researching food science or food technology can qualify for this scholarship.

CTA Scholarship for Dependent Children

• $5000
• For a student who is claimed as a depenedent on the taxes of an active or retired California Teachers Association member. Recipient can reapply.

Freeman Fellowship

• $5000
• Also must be an American Society of Civil Engineers member in good standing. For students pursuing hydraulic construction.

Foundation Scholarship Program

• $5000
• For a Latino student studying math, engineering, or science. Reapplication required to renew the scholarship.

L. Gordon Bittle Memorial Scholarship

• $5000
• For an active member of the California Teachers Association pursuing a career in public education. Can reapply for continued support.

Graduate Student Scholarship

• $4000
• Must be a full-time graduate or doctoral student in communication disorders and/or sciences. Students are selected based on achievement and potential. Need to be in a program accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Council on Academic Accreditation. One scholarship is awarded for a minority student, one for a foreign minority student, and one for a disabled student.

Graduate Student Scholarship for a Minority Student

• $4000
• Similar to the grant above, but only for a student who is a U.S. citizen, a minority, and in full-time study at a graduate or doctoral program on speech-language pathology and audiology.

John and Muriel Landis Scholarship

• $4000
• Intended for a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with financial need studying nuclear engineering and nuclear science. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply.

George A. Strait Minority Stipend

• $3500
• Aimed at students who are minorities with law library experience. Must be studying at an accredited library or law school.

Alan F. Henry/Paul A. Greebler Scholarship

• $3500
• For U.S. Citizens or permanent residents studying nuclear engineering, nuclear science, or reactor physics. Also must be sponsored by an ANS entity.

Robert A. Dannels Memorial Scholarship

• $3500
• Handicapped students are encouraged to apply to this scholarship, intended for students studying nuclear science and technology. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident sponsored by part of the ANS organization or a member in it.

Verne R. Dapp Memorial Scholarship

• $3000
• Applicants need to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents that are studying a degree related to nuclear science. Students must be sponsored by local section, division, student branch, committee member or organization member of the American Nuclear Society.

ANS Graduate Scholarship

• $3000
• For a U.S. citizen or permanent resident in a degree related to nuclear science and technology. Need to be sponsored by an ANS local section, division, student branch, committee member or organization member.

James F. Schumar Scholarship

• $3000
• Must be studying material science/technology for nuclear applications, and be sponsored by local section, division, student branch, committee member, or member of ANS

Memorial Education Fellowship

• $3000
• Designed to assist a woman living in Massachusetts for at least five years. Fields of study change annually.

Catholic Daughters of the Americas Graduate Scholarship

• $3000
• Intended for a female student enrolled in any college or university program. Recipient chosen based on reasons for applying, undergraduate transcript, autobiography, and leter of reference from a college or university.

CastleBranch-GNSA Scholarship

• $2500
• Nursing students with a 3.5 grade point average and higher are eligible for this award. They also must be a member of the AACN Graduate Student Nursing Academy (GNSA) (membership is free)

Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship

• $2500
• Must be a member of the NAACP and under 25 to qualify. Undergraduates need to be full-time students with a 2.5 GPA, graduate students need a 3.0 GPA

AASA Educational Administration Scholarship

• $2500
• This scholarship is for students with a outstanding background in school administration. It’s intended for students who want to make school superintendency their career.

Rudolph Dillman Memorial Scholarship

• $2500
• Must be a U.S. citizen studying in America and legally blind. Must be studying education/rehabilitation of the blind. Application includes personal statement, transcript, and three reccomendations

Educational Opportunity Fund Grant

• $2500
• Applicant must demonstrate financial need, live in New Jersey for at least 12 months and attend a New Jersey college or university. Must demonstrate academic achievement.

Scholarship Incentive

• $2200
• Need to have at least a 2.5 GPA, show financial need, and be enrolled full-time in a program in Delaware or Pennsylvania. Applicants from other states can qualify for the scholarship if they study a discipline that’s not available in Delaware.

Olive Lynn Salembier Reentry Scholarship

• $2000
• Applicants must be women who have been out of the engineering job market for at least two years. Must be in an ABET-accredited engineering program, engineering at SWE-approved colleges and universities, or computer science in a CSAB-accredited program or at an ABET-accredited or SWE-approved institution, and have a 3.0 GPA

Julia Kiene Fellowship in Electrical Energy

• $2000
• Must be working towards an advanced degree in the electrical industry, including communications, education, electrical engineering, journalism, marketing, radio/TV broadcasting. Must demonstrate vocational promise, academic excellence, financial need, and strong character.

Walter Patterson Scholarship

• $1750
• For students enrolled at a Broadcast Education Association (BEA) institution, studying broadcasting. Chosen based on academic record and contributions in the field.

Educational Leadership Graduate Fellowship

• $1500
• Members of Phi Delta Kappa in any full-time educational program can qualify for this scholarship. Requires an essay, transcript, recommendation, and PDK membership

Library Degree for Law School Graduates (Type I)

• $1500
• Must have graduated from an accredited law school and be a degree candidate at an accredited library school. Students are chosen based on financial need.

Desk and Derrick Educational Trust Scholarship

• $1500
• For students with a 3.2 GPA who are studying any area related to allied, energy, or petroleum industries. Financial need required and renewable with reapplication

Sarah Bradley Tyson Memorial Fellowship

• $1000
• Given to women in leadership in cooperative extension work, and/or initiative in scientific research. Extensive application to qualify.

H.S. and Angeline Lewis Scholarship

• $1000
• Must be a female resident of Wisconsin who’s related to a veteran. Need a 3.2 GPA and to demonstrate financial need.

Delta Gamma Foundation Memorial Scholarship

• $1000
• Intended for legally blind students who is studying/working in the education of the visually impaired or rehabilitation of the visually impaired. Applicants are chosen on their character and academic record.

Child Welfare Scholarship

• $1000
• Must be a relative of a veteran in Wisconsin. Need a 3.2 GPA, demonstrate a financial need, and be studying education or special education

The post Scholarships for Students Getting a Doctorate or Ph.D. appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Public History Career Opportunities

There’s an important distinction between teaching and education. Teachers educate students primarily in the classroom, but it’s also possible to work in a job role in which you educate people of all ages in the lessons we can learn by studying the past. Non-teacher roles that involve sharing your historical knowledge fit into the field known as public history or applied history.

Public history encompasses all of the ways people apply historical knowledge to practical, real-life situations in the public sphere, according to the National Council on Public History. In particular, public history career opportunities include jobs relating to museum curation and archives management, cultural resource management and historical preservation and interpretation. Although these careers may sound similar, there are important nuances in the focus and job duties they entail. For example, while archivists tend to work primarily in preserving and maintaining documents and records, while curators are involved in the acquisition, management and care of a wider variety of exhibits and collections, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Public historians may work for the government or for nonprofit or commercial organizations that focus on history. They might also work for themselves or independent historical consulting firms. Consulting historians may work on all kinds of projects, including those pertaining to land use and preservation and other areas of public history, according to the American Historical Association. Even roles like policy adviser and community activist can sometimes fall under the broad umbrella of public history career opportunities.

All told, more than half of all historians work for the government. The federal government employs 22 percent of the field, while local governments hire 19 percent of historians and state governments employ 15 percent of this workforce, the BLS reported.

Job Roles in Journalism and Creative Media

History continues to influence current communication, including stories of both the fictional and non-fictional varieties. As such, having a background in history can help you work in fields like journalism, writing and film.

On the journalism side, having studied history can give you context when writing about longstanding issues like racism and sexism. Graduate students of history also develop strong skills in conducting research, interpreting information and developing arguments based on evidence, all of which are valuable when you report on news in a journalistic capacity. You might also use these skills when writing non-fiction books such as biographies or writing the screenplay for historical documentaries.

Film and media producers also rely on professionals with historical knowledge when they are producing a story of historical fiction. Your history degree may qualify you for job roles that include researching the factual and technical details that will appear in works of historical fiction, whether the story is told in the form of a film, television show or series, podcast or radio show or book. In such a role, you might be called upon to advise directors, producers and costume designers on the historical aspects of how a scene or a character’s wardrobe should look to achieve a degree of historical accuracy.

Studying history entails a lot of reading and a lot of writing, which results in the student improving their writing and communication skills.

Business Careers That Emphasize Historical Knowledge

You might not think there would be much space on the corporate ladder for workers who are more interested in historical events than sales quotas and the ups and downs of the stock market. However, history students who have spent years learning how to research information are excellent candidates for research and analysis roles in the fields of business and finance, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Business analyst and similar roles, such as management analyst, are popular choices for history students who pursue a business career. Management and business analysts identify ways to improve an organization’s operations, which they come up with through research and critical thinking. Having some knowledge of historical events and their impacts on cultures and societies is valuable for management and business analysts, according to O*NET.

Entrepreneurs often have a background in history. Even if their companies do not relate directly to the study of history, the skills they develop in their studies – such as research, argumentation and communication – help them start and run a business.

Opportunities in Law and Politics

Two important fields in which a knowledge of history is an asset are law and politics. Understanding the development of laws and court decisions can help attorneys, paralegals and others working in the legal industry better make professional decisions about legal matters, including how to proceed with a legal case.

In politics, it’s important to know the history of legislative development and the historical impact of legislation. Seeing how laws have evolved and how legal changes have affected individual behavior, the economy and technological innovation can help lawmakers address problems effectively and avoid unintended consequences of the laws they write.

Not everyone with an interest in politics wants to be in the limelight as a politician. With a history background, you might also work as a political scientist, studying and interpreting political trends over time or advising politicians on relevant historical matters.

Additional Resources

What Are Some Career Opportunities for Me With a Degree in History?

Is a History Degree Useless?

What Skills Will I Have After Getting a Degree in History That Will Be Useful When Looking for a Job?

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Curator?

The post What Career Opportunities Do I Have, Other Than Teaching, With a Master’s in History?     appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Hacking the Applicant Tracking System Algorithm

Is the only thing standing between you and your dream job your resume? It’s a frustrating experience shared by millions of job seekers. You’ve undergone training, satisfied previous employers and refined your skills, but you’re still sitting in silence as recruiters fail to reach out. It’s enough to drive even the most stable person bonkers. Instead of driving yourself crazy wondering why your job hunt is unsuccessful, maybe the culprit is your resume format. Did you know the biggest hurdle in landing a job interview may be a computer algorithm?

While many of us are familiar with traditional resume formats, such as functional and reverse-chronological, few understand how your chosen format may be responsible for a lack of recruiter interest. This is because the majority of hiring managers employ the use of a digital screening algorithm. Known as applicant tracking systems, or ATS, this software scans applicant resumes for specific keywords and phrases designated by recruiters.

Designed to enhance applicant screening, ATS optimizes the entire hiring process by eliminating unqualified resumes from the start. Leveraging algorithms to prescreen applicants may seem like a beneficial approach to the grueling challenge of reviewing resumes, it’s not perfect. CIO magazine reports that as much as 62 percent of businesses who employ ATS admit this advanced software disqualified otherwise qualified candidates.

Optimize Tech Support Resume Format for ATS

With over half of all companies who leverage ATS as part of their hiring process admitting that this program eliminated qualified candidates, it seems beating the competition isn’t the only challenge you must overcome. Applicant tracking systems may help save hiring managers time, but they pose a unique hurdle for job seekers. In our current digital age, the best resume format isn’t just about layout and font, but ensuring your resume is properly scanned by ATS programs.

Avoid using serif fonts, such as Times New Roman, as ATS programs have difficulty reading it, which may result in your application being rejected. The best format for tech support resumes is one that focuses on experience and skill in a layout that’s easy for ATS programs to scan and evaluate your qualifications. The first step is making sure your resume format clearly labels each section. Tech support resumes should consist of standard headers, such as work experience, summary and skills.

Pepperdine University covers a variety of ATS tips, which include a job-specific qualifications summary with relevant skills, achievements and work experience. Regardless of your experience or specializations, be sure to include keywords pulled directly from the job posting. Remember, the ATS program determines your eligibility based on how closely a resume matches keywords and phrases found in the job description.

Tech Support Resume Layout Guidelines

While employers have unique requirements for their tech support workers, the ability to handle support tickets and satisfy customer inquiries is paramount. To satisfy both ATS and human readers, resume format should be clean and free from excessive designs, such as graphics, text boxes and tables. Instead, format your resume so vital information is under appropriate headings and delivered in concise bulleted lists.

The challenge for tech support resumes is showcasing your technical abilities alongside your customer service talents. Reverse-chronological resume formatting is the most common layout for tech support professionals. Essentially, this format begins with your most recent, or current, employer and then lists additional experience from most to least recent. This format is also easiest for ATS programs to understand. Avoid dramatic stylistic choices, which often result in your resume being rejected by ATS programs.

Attract Attention With Quantifiable Data

The biggest mistake made in tech support resumes is filling each section with generalized claims and technical jargon. Avoid this rookie move by replacing overarching claims with quantifiable information. Instead of reporting you exceeded expectations, explicitly detail how these expectations were exceeded. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers offers a solution for quantifying your accomplishments by asking yourself if what would have happened if you didn’t do a specific task. On average, you have less than 25 seconds to impress a hiring manager with your resume.

Choosing the best tech support resume format is more about understanding how your resume is handled once submitted. Whether scanned by an ATS program or read by a human, the most successful tech support resumes are those that use a simplified layout filled with relevant and quantifiable information. While the job hunt is not something many look forward to undertaking, adjusting your approach based upon how resumes are used in the hiring process will push you closer to the job of your dreams.

Related Resources:

What is Technical Support?

Is There a Difference Between Tech Support and Customer Support?

Do Many Companies Allow Their Programmers to Work Remotely?

Is it Better To Specialize in One Area or Being Competent in Multiple Areas? 

What is the Best Format For My Resume as a Programmer?

What is a Typical Starting Salary for a Programmer?

What is the Hardest Thing about Being a Computer Programmer?

What’s the Difference Between Coding and Programming?

The post What is the Best Format For My Resume as a Position in Tech Support? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Most career fields are not interested in video game proficiency. However, many traits that gamers learn and cultivate are highly valued in the workplace. There are also video game-centric jobs where experience playing games is hugely beneficial. The following is a guide for how to use video games to enhance or advance a career.

Desirable Traits of Gamers

Video games develop certain traits in the people who play them. This does partially depend on the types of games played, although some are relatively universal. Even if gaming can’t be listed on a resume or talked about in an interview, it can still help an individual find and obtain a job.

Perhaps the most important skill video games teach players is to persevere until completing a goal. Nearly every video game presents challenges to the player that they then must overcome by problem-solving and improving their skill level. These challenges usually get more difficult as the player progresses in the game, requiring perseverance to succeed at completing the game and everything it has to offer. This perseverance, which can be applied to real-life situations, is one of the most important traits for getting a job. Job hunting can be a long, demoralizing process. It requires job seekers to improve and not give up until they find the job they are looking for. Once someone has a job, they will likely have goals and deadlines they need to meet. If they don’t succeed the first time, they will need to learn from their mistakes and try again.

Other useful skills games teach include problem-solving and critical thinking skills, per Forbes. Some of the most popular video games, such as The Legend of Zelda and Spyro the Dragon, feature heavy puzzle-solving elements. This teaches players to think outside the box and search for solutions that may not have been readily apparent. Perhaps obviously, these traits are highly sought after by employers. Whether the job involves stocking store shelves or managing high-profile portfolios, problem-solving, critical thinking and improvisation will be needed to excel in the role.

Teamwork is yet another vital professional skill playing video games teaches. While single-player games are still undoubtedly popular, many of them have multiplayer modes and just as many games are primarily multiplayer. Multiplayer games require players to cooperate with other players to achieve a goal or win a match. These other players are human beings and can be just as disagreeable and challenging to work with as interactions with people in the real world, if not more so. Gamers often play with many different types of people and must learn how to work with them to win. This experience can help them work well with others in a professional setting, recognize the strengths of each team member and overall be a more successful team player. Experience leading and working effectively with a team should always be brought up during a job application process, even if only under a section of your resume that includes hobbies.

Working In The Video Game Industry

Many people who enjoy video games have a desire to work in the video game industry and make games of their own. The video game industry has exploded over the last two decades, with more demand for engaging content now than ever. According to Entrepreneur, revenue of game sales in the United States alone back in 2014 was roughly $22 billion. An expansive knowledge of video games will help anyone trying to enter this industry, which can be highly competitive.

Video game companies employ artists, animators, programmers, musicians, writers and other professionals to bring their games to life. Most people with creative or technical aspirations can find a role that suits them in this industry. Some work full-time for noteworthy studios while others work on a freelance basis. It is also possible to create video games on your own thanks to digital distribution platforms such as Steam.

Playing a lot of video games will give someone many tools they need to ultimately succeed in entering this industry. Players will have a better understanding of what makes a good game as opposed to a weak one. This coupled with skills such as programming or writing can lead someone into a fulfilling career. Even someone who has only played video games in the past can have valuable knowledge. They could work on retro games or have a strong understanding of video game history that younger applicants may not.

Other Fields Where Game Proficiency Is Helpful

Will having played video games (now or in the past) help me get a job in other fields? Aside from the video game industry itself, there are other fields where skills developed by playing video games can be especially helpful to job seekers.

In spite of the reputation many gamers face of not having much athletic ability, many studies, such as this one reported by Psychology Today, have confirmed that playing video games improves coordination, which is a critical skill for anyone who wants to play sports professionally. Improved coordination will help athletes in a very real way as they must demonstrate their teamwork and eye-hand coordination, both of which video games boost, during tryouts.

Military, aviation or security careers also sometimes like to see applicants who are skilled at video games. This is especially true for the first-person shooter, flying, racing or action games that essentially simulate the experience of operating vehicles or using a weapon. Because players often need to follow directions and rules when playing a game, these careers, which require similar traits, pair well. Of course, actual hands-on experience will be needed, but pilots practice on flight simulators for a reason, to name one example.

Video games can, either directly or indirectly, help individuals not only get a job but also keep it. Gamers learn many skills and can garner a lot of practical experience doing something that they love and enjoy.

Related Resources:

Is the Field For Compositing Artists a Growing Industry?

Is There Value in Getting a Master’s Degree in Animation?

Which Schools Have the Best Animation Programs?

How Much Math Should I Study if I Want to Become an Animator?

What High School Classes Can I Take That Will Help Prepare Me for a Degree in Animation?

Are There Online Programs That I Can Get a Degree in Animation?

The post Will Having Played Video Games (Now or in the Past) Help Me Get a Job? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

The selection of your degree, as mentioned above, is as vast as the different areas of employment. A shortlist of college majors is information security, IT security, computer science, network security, network engineering, cryptography, systems security, cybersecurity, and more. (Note that the words cyber security and cybersecurity are interchangeable).

RELATED: The 20 Best Masters in Cyber Security Online

Some degrees pair with a related discipline, creating a double major, of sorts. There isn’t a ‘best’ combination of majors or minors. Some pairings provide the education to expand your knowledge into the various facets of cybersecurity. The following is a random selection of bachelor’s degree options:

Cyber Forensics and Information Security

Courses involve the application of IT security tools, as well as the techniques to collect, analyze, preserve, and report on digital network evidence. Students learn about the technical aspect, for example, in courses covering system analysis, database management, digital media forensics, and network defense. Also, you may study security policies, ethical and legal environments of business, and white-collar crime.

The example above is a single major since it is one-degree incorporating coursework in the subjects of cyber forensics and information security. Individuals interested in these disciplines can find several colleges offering them. One example is the Bachelor of Science degree at Keiser University. Graduates of their program are eligible to sit for the Certified Systems Security Professional exam. A vital credential for anyone in the field of cybercrime.

An example of a good double major is in cybersecurity and computer science. These are complementary disciplines; however, they are not synonymous. Computer science involves all things related to computers, such as networks, hardware, system maintenance, programming, design, and applications. Cybersecurity uses computers to prevent, analyze threats, protect systems, and detect hackers.

Mount St. Mary’s University offers a pure double major in cybersecurity and computer science. Their Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and CS is available through the School of Natural Science and Mathematics. The core requirements include a range of subjects, such as network administration and security, UNIX and Windows Systems, data structures, computer security, and cybersecurity electives, among others.

Online enthusiasts may prefer the University of Maryland’s lobal Campus (UMGC) bachelor’s degree in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity. Graduates of this 120-credits program will be versed in operational procedures and technologies to design, administer, implement, secure, and troubleshoot corporate networks. The coursework teaches network security, ethical hacking, Cisco devices, and digital forensics in the criminal justice system. The practical skills learned in this double major will enhance employment prospects in cybersecurity.

Anderson University offers a choice of double majors. You may combine a Bachelor of Arts in Cybersecurity with Computer Science, Criminal Justice, National Security Studies, and Accounting. Criminal justice takes you into criminal law, legal process, social problems, and social deviance. National security deals with homeland security, terrorism, political violence, and U.S. government safety concerns. The double major that includes accounting may interest individuals who want a career in accounting forensics and white-collar crime.

Soft Skills

Most jobs have an array of soft skills employers look for in potential hires. Recent or soon-to-be college graduates should not underestimate the power of soft skills. These skills are those not learned entirely in the classroom. One primary skill is effective communication. Despite your stellar academic achievements, employers desire verbal and written communication. Therefore, a minor in communications teaches students about public relations, advocacy, conflict resolution, and leadership.

Emotional intelligence is another skill that is transferable to the work environment. Industrial/organizational psychologists act as management consultants for corporations to increase self-awareness and empathy among employees. The knowledge obtained with a minor in psychology would apply to work in a group setting and dealing with different personalities.

Mathematics is another possibility as a minor; however, basic math may be sufficient for an entry-level position in cybersecurity. Binary math is integral to the operation of computers as run on binary data. This math specialty refers to the conversion of data into a group of ones and zeros. A course in algebra is also beneficial to understand binary math.

Philosophy may seem like an odd coupling with cybersecurity, but a minor in this subject teaches critical thinking. Some programs have a choice of customizing your interests. For example, chose courses from business, law, science, history, or psychology in your philosophy minor. Graduates typically have the ability to produce concise verbal statements, comprehensive writing skills, and construct arguments.

Conclusion

As expressed, there is not one major or minor that best suits a degree in cybersecurity. As mentioned in the opening, the diverse branches in this field translate to a host of subjects you can major in, double major in, or add as a minor with cybersecurity.

Additional Resources:

How fast can I earn a degree in Criminal Justice?

What is a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice?

What Is the Benefit of a Degree in Cybersecurity vs. Network Security?

How Advanced a Degree Do I Need to Work in Cryptography?

The post What are good subjects to double major or minor with Cyber Security? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

However, flexibility isn’t the only benefit of online learning. An online degree may also be the fastest degree to get.

If you’re thinking, “I need a degree fast,” you’re in luck. Our list of the quickest online degrees includes degree programs at every level – including certificate programs and associate degree to master’s degree and even doctorate programs – that allow students to fast-track their college education.

Some of these programs may be completed in just half the time it would usually take to finish your degree. The fastest online degree programs on our list include 18-month programs degrees and even, at some schools, 12-month degree programs.

Important Things to Know About Fast Online Degree Programs

There are a few important things students who want to get their degree fast should know about quick online degrees. 

Major Options for Online College Are Extensive

If you’re thinking about enrolling in an online school, you can’t just look for “the fastest degree.” You need to choose a major.

Today, many schools offer online courses in just about every subject. Examples of the areas of study you might explore through online classes include:

• Accounting
• Business administrationeas
• Computer science
• Corporate finance
• Creative writing
• Data analysis
• Engineering
• Environmental science
• Fire science
• Forensic psychology
• Homeland security
• Human resource management
• Human anatomy
• Human services
• Laboratory science courses (biology, physics, chemistry, etc.)
• Liberal arts
• Mathematics (algebra, calculus, etc.)
• Nursing
• Organizational leadership
• Political science
• Public speaking
• Social work
• Software engineering
• Supply chain management

Online learning is more of a good fit for some programs of study than others. If you need to develop extensive clinical, hands-on or technical skills in an offline environment, it may not be possible to complete a degree exclusively through online study. Instead, you might learn through online classes combined with simulation and/or in-person laboratory, clinical and fieldwork experiences.

Computer science degrees, naturally, lend themselves well to online instruction. It isn’t hard to find a course – or an entire degree program – in computer information technology, web development, programming or other areas of computer science that can be fully completed through online coursework. You may notice that our list of the fastest online degree programs includes schools that offer computer technology degree options.

On the other hand, nursing degrees, like an RN-to-BSN program, require considerable clinical training that can’t be completed completely online.

Still, if you’re committed to earning your degree online, you have options even in the medical field. For example, prospective students who care more about preparing for a whole in the healthcare industry than about becoming physicians or registered nurses specifically might instead opt for a major in health science or health care management. These fields would allow them to work in areas that don’t require as much clinical training, such as health promotion, public health and healthcare administration.

Fast bachelor degrees are some of the most widely offered accelerated online degree programs out there. You can also find fast online degrees at the associate’s level, the master’s level and the doctoral level, as well as accelerated certificate and certification programs.

Online Learning Isn’t Always Easy

The flexibility and the unique ability to progress at your own pace that distance learners enjoy may mitigate some of the challenges traditional students pursuing on-campus degrees face. However, if you go into your higher education journey expecting to breeze through “easy” online degree programs, you may be disappointed.

RELATED: The 20 Easiest Bachelor’s Degree Online Options

An online degree from a fully accredited school is the same degree that on-campus students earn. That means it requires the same amount of college credits. Often, online students complete the same courses as other students.

Even if there are some changes to the degree requirements for students pursuing their degrees in an online format, students pursuing their degrees online still have to complete as many general education courses and intermediate through advanced major coursework as students studying on campus.

In some ways, online degrees can be more difficult than traditional campus-based programs. You have to be disciplined and self-motivated to make sure you get your work done without the structure of regular meetings in a physical classroom and face-to-face interactions with professors.

In particular, if your goal is to earn your degree faster, you will have to cover more of the curriculum in a shorter time or continue your studies over numerous terms with few breaks.

Accreditation Matters

One of the most important factors in choosing an online degree program is making sure you enroll in an accredited university or college. Accreditation means that the institution has been determined to meet a set of standards of academic quality established by an outside organization.

Ideally, you should focus your online college search on schools that have acquired regional accreditation. The regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) are:

• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Western Association of Schools and Colleges
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

In addition to institutional accreditation, you may also need to look at programmatic accreditation. In certain fields of study, attending a program that hasn’t achieved accreditation from a programmatic accrediting body can have serious consequences. You may be unable to get the license required for the career you want.

The need for programmatic accreditation is most significant in careers that are licensed or otherwise highly regulated, such as careers in the healthcare field.

Who Can Benefit From Choosing Fast Online Degree Programs?

There are more accelerated online options than ever before. This means programs exist that can cater to or accommodate a more diverse student body. The fastest online degrees are a good choice for any student looking to get a degree quickly, including:

• First-time students
• Working professionals seeking career advancement in their lifelong career
• People who are re-tooling for a new career path (career changers)
• Former students who want to finish a degree they started years before

This isn’t an exhaustive list. Self-paced online degrees are a great option for anyone who needs flexibility or wants to benefit from the instruction of exceptional faculty members at a school that is too far away to reasonably commute to for in-person classes.

Each of the fast degree programs on our list is a great choice for someone who is eager to quickly gain the knowledge they need to qualify for popular jobs or increase their worth in the job market.

The Quickest Online Degree Programs

So many programs now offer the opportunity to earn fast online degrees on your own schedule.

How do we begin identifying the quickest degree to get online and the fastest degree programs online? 

Methodology

• Time Until Degree: the estimated time until a bachelors-level degree may be completed if students take advantage of all accelerating program components.
• Accreditation: All of the schools on our list of the … are regionally accredited by one of the seven regional accrediting organizations recognized by the CHEA.

The Fastest Online College Programs by Category

All of the programs below are fast. However, they provide the opportunity to obtain a degree quickly in different ways. Examples range from super-accelerated courses (the fastest) to programs that allow you to transfer tons of credit or shorten your degree based on work experience.

The online programs on our list of the quickest degrees to earn online fit into one (or more) of the following categories:

• Accelerated courses (generally, the fastest degree to get online)
• Fast degree programs online with shorter requirements overall 
• Personalized learning fast online degree programs
• The fastest online degree completion programs

Accelerated Courses

The fastest degree online programs offer a large variety of class start dates throughout the year. They may condense a full semester’s worth of study into a shorter duration. The course lengths available vary across schools, but examples include 5-, 6-, 10- or 12-week course lengths.

Short Total Program Length

Some programs offer a short expected time frame for degree completion thanks to generous transfer policies or alternative program structures.

Personalized Learning

Certain college programs may be completed at an extremely fast pace by leveraging credit for prior knowledge or experience. Students may be able to test out of classes, get credit for portfolios or use other personalized learning experiences to work toward their degrees.

Degree Completion or Bachelor/Masters Completion Programs

Some of the fastest online schools and programs offer an array of degree completion options. Schools also offer combined bachelor’s and master’s degrees in an accelerated and bundled format.

Check out the 30 fastest online degree programs below.

1. Liberty University Online

Liberty University offers a wide range of fully online bachelor’s level degree programs.

Students can accelerate their progress toward a degree through paths to obtain credit by examination, for military training, for professional training and life experience, through MOOCs, and through the submission of a portfolio.

Students at Liberty University can pursue 60 online bachelor’s degree programs and, depending on the program, may choose from numerous minors and concentrations.

View program details.

2. American Intercontinental University

American Intercontinental University offers an accelerated online program that tests students’ prior knowledge for credit. Credit for prior knowledge can be applied to both general education and core courses.

Students who are able to apply the full amount of prior learning credit through transfer credits, standardized tests, challenge exams and professional experience portfolios can reduce the credit hours (and time) needed to earn a degree by 75%. It’s possible for these students to complete their degree in just 9 months.

View program details.

3. Regis University

Regis University’s Center for Professional Studies offers courses in accelerated 5- or 8-week terms. Classes start six times per year.

If you’re close enough to attend some courses on campus, Regis offers a number of accelerated delivery methods, including campus-based, online, or directed study.

Regis University currently offers accelerated online bachelor’s degree programs in the following areas:

• Business administration
• Accounting
• Computer science
• Communication
• Elementary education

Depending on which degree you choose, you may be able to transfer between 66 and 90 credits earned through prior college studies, slashing the requirements for graduation to as much as one-half or even one-quarter.

View program details.

4. Albertus Magnus College

Albertus Magnus College offers a number of accelerated undergraduate courses of study for adult learners.

Students at this school take courses in six- and eight-week terms. To make the maximum progress toward your degree, take as many as three classes at a time.

Adult learners can choose from 16 accelerated online bachelor’s degree programs in fields that range from accounting to humanities and even project management. The school also offers accelerated online certificate programs, associate degree programs and master’s degree programs.

View program details.

5. University of North Carolina Wilmington

At the University of North Carolina Wilmington, accelerated online degrees include business, nursing and healthcare degrees, as well as the Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communication degree.

All but two of the 18 accelerated online degree options are master’s-level degrees. The Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is a bachelor’s degree completion program that requires the RN credential and a minimum of 24 credits to transfer from prior college study.

Similarly, the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy Degree Advancement Program is for registered respiratory therapists with an associate’s degree ant at least 24 credits to transfer.

For all of the accelerated online degrees at North Carolina University, students taking the maximum number of courses may complete the degree in as little as 12 months.

View program details.

6. Lamar University

Eight-week semesters and multiple start dates year-round allow students at Lamar University to move through their curriculum faster.

The school offers online degrees in fields like business, health science, nursing, education and criminal justice.

Aside from accelerating their progress by loading up on courses during each condensed semester, students may be able to apply Prior Experiential Learning Credit to their degree.

View program details.

7. Immaculata University

At Immaculata University, adult professional programs include more than a dozen online options at the associate’s and bachelor’s levels.

A generous transfer policy allows Immaculata University students to transfer as many as 72 credits obtained through prior college study.

It isn’t only formal higher education that can count toward your degree. Students can also get credit for prior learning, which includes training in the workplace, that can take the place of some college credits.

Between these ways of accruing credits and the condensed terms that allow students to finish more course per term, students may be able to finish a bachelor’s degree within two years.

View program details.

8. Colorado State University

Colorado State University’s Global Campus offers a wide variety of bachelor’s- and master’s-level degree programs online.

The accelerated bachelor’s degree programs at the Global Campus of Colorado State University are intended to be completed in as little as three years, saving students a full year of study – and tuition – over a traditional four-year bachelor’s program.

To graduate on this faster-than-normal timetable, Colorado State University students must take 15 to 16 credits of study during each fall and spring semester. Over two or ideally three summer sessions, they complete 6 to 9 credits of coursework, as well.

Year-round study is what allows students to graduate early even if they have no prior college coursework.

Current accelerated options for online students at Colorado State University include the following subjects:

• Business administration
• Communication studies
• Economics
• History
• Human development and family studies
• Interdisciplinary liberal arts
• International studies
• Journalism and media communication
• Languages, literatures and cultures
• Mathematics
• Natural resource tourism
• Political science
• Psychology

View program details.

9. Marquette University

Online learning options at Marquette University have grown considerably over the past few years. The school has added new online options at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

The bachelor’s degree in business communication became Marquette University’s first fully online undergraduate degree program in 2019.

Degrees listed as accelerated by Marquette University are the school’s combined bachelor’s/master’s dual-degree programs. The school offers nearly 30 programs that award multiple degrees. In most cases, these accelerated programs are five-year programs that culminate in both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Not all of the accelerated options offered by Marquette University are available in fully online formats.

View program details.

10. University of Indianapolis

The University of Indianapolis offers Accelerated Adult Learning Programs online, as well as through campus-based and hybrid formats.

Online courses at this school may be synchronous or asynchronous, so prospective students should pay close attention to the sort of online course for which they’re signing up.

The accelerated degree programs for adult learners at the University of Indianapolis include bachelor’s degrees in the following areas:

• Business administration
• Early childhood education
• Liberal studies
• Organizational leadership
• Public health education and promotion

Most of these programs are hybrid programs rather than full-online courses of study. However, the University of Indianapolis does offer the following eight 100% online degrees in the fields of education and health sciences:

• Master of Arts in Curriculum & Instruction (STEM concentration available)
• Master of Arts in Special Education Leadership and Practice
• STEM certificate
• Technology certificate
• Doctor of Nursing Practice
• Master of Science in Aging Studies
• Master of Science in Healthcare Administration
• Master of Public Health

View program details.

11. Thomas Jefferson University

Thomas Jefferson University, which since 2017 encompasses what was formerly Philadelphia University, offers seven accelerated bachelor’s degree programs:

• Behavioral & Health Services
• Business Management
• Health Sciences
• Health Services Management
• Health Studies
• Human Resource Management
• Information Technology

Students complete their coursework through a series of eight-week terms.

Thomas Jefferson University also offers a Bachelor of Science Degree Completion program in 10 areas:

• Building & Construction Studies
• Business Management
• Human Resource Management
• Information Technology
• Leadership in Emergency Services
• Organizational Leadership
• Health Studies
• Behavioral & Health Services
• Health Sciences
• Health Services Management

Undergraduate students can transfer up to 87 credits toward their bachelor’s degree, making Thomas Jefferson University a very transfer-friendly school.

View program details.

12. Park University

The accelerated eight-week courses at Park University facilitate faster program completion.

The school offers online degrees in more than 70 fields of study. The variety of programs available to online students at Park University includes undergraduate minors, certificates, associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees.

View program details.

13. Notre Dame College

Notre Dame College offers a variety of online program offerings at the certificate, associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s levels.

Business, education, criminal justice, psychology, social work and nursing are some of the areas in which online learners can pursue degrees or certificates at Notre Dame College.

A generous transfer policy means that students can generally transfer up to three-quarters of the credits required for a bachelor’s degree, as long as those credits were completed within the past 10 years. It’s possible for students to transfer the maximum number of prior college credits to graduate within 1 year.

View program details.

14. Northeastern University

Northeastern University offers numerous online programs at the certificate and bachelor’s levels. However, the most accelerated options at the institution are the school’s 10 fully online bachelor’s completion programs:

•  Advanced Manufacturing systems
• Analytics
• Digital Communication and Media
• Finance and Accounting Management
• Healthcare Administration
• Information Technology
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Management
• Project Management
• Psychology

Through an extensive Prior Learning Assessment program, Northeastern University helps students get maximum credit toward their degree for professional certifications and experience. The school’s transfer policy permits up to 50% of the credits required for a bachelor’s degree (60 credits total) to be transferred from prior study at other institutions.

Students completing a bachelor’s degree at Northeastern University may be able to earn their degree in as little as 18 months. To do so, they would need to transfer the maximum amount of credits and complete an intensive workload year-round. The PlosOne accelerated master’s degree programs may also be of interest.

View program details.

15. Concordia University – Chicago

Concordia University of Chicago offers five bachelor’s-level degree completion programs:

• Health Care Management (BA)
• Human Resource Management (BS)
• Kinesiology (BS)
• Organizational Management (BA)
• Sports Management (BA)

Transferring as many as 67 credits allows ambitious students to finish their bachelor’s degree in as little as 16 months.

View program details.

16. Southern New Hampshire University

At Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, NH, the eight-week accelerated terms that begin six times per year are a large part of what makes it possible to earn accelerated online degrees.

For example, if you decided to pursue a bachelor’s in accounting degree from SNHU online and doubled up on the number of college classes you took each term, you would be able to graduate almost a year early. The accelerated bachelor’s degrees, of which SNHU offers six in subjects like communication, finance, marketing, nursing and sport management, are among the most popular degrees.

Additionally, SNHU is a great place for online students who are interested in master’s degree programs. The school’s policies allow undergraduate students to take some graduate-level coursework that applies to their bachelor degree. Then, if they choose to enroll in graduate school at SNHU, the individual student can also apply those graduate-level college credits to the school’s master’s programs.

View program details.

17. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst College offers both in-person night classes as well as accelerated online courses for adult learners.

Students may complete accelerated bachelors-level degrees in as little as one year. TheOnline Accelerated BSN (ABSN) can be completed in just 16 months. So can the Elmhurst Management Program, a business administration degree completion program.

View program details.

18. Arkansas Tech University

Arkansas Tech University offers several online bachelor’s degree programs. Students with 90 or more credits of prior college study qualify for the Accelerated Professional Studies degree program.

Under this program, students need just 30 credits of study at Arkansas Tech University to complete their Bachelor of Professional Studies Interdisciplinary Studies degree.

Students interested in graduate study should also consider Arkansas Tech University. The school offers 20 Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Degree programs in areas like the following:

• History
• Journalism
• English
• Teaching/education
• Creative writing
• Foreign languages (world languages and Spanish)
• Health and exercise science
• Kinesiology
• Strength and conditioning studies
• Accounting
• Business administration
• Finance
• Business data analytics
• Business management
• Emergency management/homeland security
• Electrical engineering
• Mechanical engineering
• Computer engineering

View program details.

19. Limestone University

Limestone University offers accelerated evening and online bachelors-level offerings. Students complete each course in eight-week increments.

The maximum number of courses a student can take at once is two. By doing so, full-time students can take up to 36 credit hours per year. That’s roughly one-and-a-half times the pace of traditional college programs.

Other factors that help to expedite the time to degree for online students at Limestone University include:

• Generous transfer policies
• Acceptance of AP credit
• Acceptance of credit through CLEP (the College Level Examination Program)

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20. Western Governors University

Two core features of the online degree programs at Western Governors University help students massively accelerate their progress toward a degree.

A competency-based education means that students with previous experience may test out of subjects. The more assessments you can pass, the closer you are to obtaining your degree.

Western Governors University charges a flat rate subscription fee regardless of the number of credit hours completed. This pricing structure allows highly motivated students to save money. They can take as many credit hours during a single term as desired, with no financial penalties for progressing toward their degree at breakneck speed.

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21. Fisher College

Fisher College offers a number of bachelors-level degree programs fully online and on an accelerated schedule. New accelerated course start dates begin six times yearly. Each course lasts eight weeks.

Fisher College currently offers more than a dozen distinct bachelors-level degrees online. The school embraces alternative degree pathways, such as prior learning assessment (PLA) programs.

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22. Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky University offers a variety of accelerated offerings at associates through doctoral levels of study.

Courses of study are tailored to working adults. With six term start dates spread throughout the year, ambitious students can take numerous courses in a single academic year.

The school currently offers 28 bachelor’s-level online programs of study.

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23. Indiana Wesleyan University

Indiana Wesleyan University is an Evangelical Christian school that offers a number of 100% online bachelor’s degree options. These degrees are tailored to working adults.

Many online programs have five start dates yearly. These frequent start dates allow adult learners to take courses in an accelerated fashion or as they fit into their busy lives.

Students with some college coursework under their belts can use the generous transfer policy to continue their progress toward a degree.

Indiana Wesleyan University now offers more than 160 online degrees, including dozens of online bachelor’s degree programs.

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24. University of Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin system offers a flexible competency-based program that allows students to complete a variety of bachelors-level degrees in a fraction of the time of a traditional degree.

Experience from prior courses, real-world professional work and military experience are all accepted if you can prove your competency. Current Flex program degrees available through the University of Wisconsin include:

• Associate of Arts and Sciences
• Bachelor’s in Nursing (RN-to-BSN)
• Bachelor’s in Biomedical Sciences – Diagnostic Imaging
• Bachelor’s in Biomedical Sciences – Health Sciences
• Bachelor’s in Information Science and Technology
• Bachelor’s in Business Administration

The school also offers flex certificate programs in project management, health care informatics and substance use disorders counseling. Additionally, the University of Wisconsin – Madison offers 40 accelerated programs outside of the Flex programs, although some of these programs are campus-based.

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25. Florida State College at Jacksonville

Florida State College at Jacksonville offers an accelerated schedule. Accelerated, fast-paced courses make it possible for students to work through individual courses faster than traditional sixteen-week semesters.

Students can accrue a large amount of credit for past experience. Prior learning, portfolio assessment, credit by examination and military service are all among the non-traditional ways students can earn credit toward their online degree.

Some of the areas in which Florida State College at Jacksonville offers accelerated learning options include:

• Communication
• Design
• Business
• Finance
• Construction trades
• Manufacturing
• Culinary arts
• Hospitality
• Education
• Human services
• Health care
• Public service
• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Mathematics
• Transportation
• Logistics

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26. Charter Oak State College

Charter Oak State College offers an accelerated environment for students to pursue bachelor’s degrees in a variety of fields that are in high demand.

The school kicks off a new semester five times per year. Course durations range from 5-week super-accelerated courses to traditional 15-week courses.

Procedures through which students may accelerate their degree include a generous transfer policy, CLEP tests, military training, corporate and agency training, the Connecticut Credit Assessment program, and portfolio assessment.

Charter Oak State College offers accelerated online programs in areas like business, health care, public safety and information systems.

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27. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University’s School for Professional Studies offers a wide range of bachelor’s, master’s and bridge programs for busy adults.

Saint Louis University currently offers more than 50 fully online programs of study. These programs include undergraduate minors, certificate programs, bachelor’s degree programs, master’s degree programs and even a few doctorates.

The online degree programs available at Saint Louis University include courses of study in the following areas:

• Analytics
• Aviation
• Biosecurity and disaster preparedness
• Blockchain, cryptocurrency and financial technology
• Brewing science and operations
• Cannabis science and operations
• Computer information systems
• Cybersecurity
• Emergency management/homeland security
• Evidence-based decision-making
• General studies
• Health administration
• Information systems
• Leadership and Organizational Behavior
• Medical cannabis science and therapeutic management
• Nursing
• Nutrition
• Organizational development
• Professional studies
• Project Management
• Security and Strategic Intelligence
• Technology and leadership

Not all of these online degree programs are accelerated, but some are. Many of the accelerated online degrees at Saint Louis University are bachelor’s-to-master’s programs. Accelerated bachelor’s-to-master’s online program options include analytics, cybersecurity, information systems, leadership and organizational development and project management. Through these bridge programs, students take master’s level classes while they are still undergraduates. 

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28. Mercy College

Mercy College, with its main campus in Dobbs Ferry, New York, awards online degrees through more than 50 programs.

In particular, the school is known for its accelerated online nursing programs. These second-degree programs are for students who already have a bachelor’s degree but want to become qualified as a registered nurse. Through the accelerated program, students can prepare to become nurses in just 18 months.

The school also offers an accelerated online degree in organizational management. It’s possible for students to complete this business-related degree in as little as 12 months.

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29. Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University offers hundreds of online bachelor’s degree programs. The school’s four-credit, one-course-at-a-time process allows students to efficiently make their way through the courses required to graduate.

Two accelerated online degree programs also provide opportunities for driven students: a 3+1 and a 4+1 year program. The 3+1 program allows students to finish both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree through four years of intensive year-round study. Students in the 4+1 program obtain a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in five years, because they take summer off.

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30. California Baptist University

At California Baptist University, students can pursue degree completion and accelerated online programs through the Online and Professional Studies departments.

The coursework in California Baptist University Online’s fastest degree completion programs is designed specifically to meet the needs of working adults. The degree programs are a great option for students who need flexible schedules. Transfer students are welcome here, with a generous transfer policy under which students can bring with them up to 100 semester units of prior college study.

Students at California Baptist Univesity can choose from more than 40 total bachelor’s degree and master’s degree programs that can be completed online.

Each semester consists of two different, eight-week sessions. During each session, students can choose their courses and finish a class in a short amount of time.

By taking full advantage of the program’s flexibility to take 12 or more units per semester, online learners can work their way through their degree requirements quickly. This makes California Baptist University one of the fastest degree completion programs out there. Many students finish their degrees within a period of 12 months to 16 months.

View program details.

Our Fast Degree Series

– Fastest Overall Programs
– Fastest Online Associates Degrees
– Fastest Online Bachelor’s Degrees
– Fastest Online Master’s Degrees
– Fastest Online Doctorate Degrees

For Further Reading: 

Top 10 Graduate Degree Programs in Criminal Justice

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