We have witnessed the evolution of higher education over the last one year (thanks to COVID-19) with many institutions offering various online degree programmes either through their own platform of by associating with EdTech companies like Coursera, EdX, etc. making it easy for individuals to earn a degree from the comfort of their homes.

As is the case with any new opportunity, there are many players who rush to capture the market share which provides a great variety and options for the end customers who in this case include students and working professionals.

As is the case with most online services offered, we find many credible organisations along with many whose credentials are not verified. Now, this is a big dilemma for aspiring individuals who are wanting to pursue their further education for career growth and profile building.

So, how can we verify the credibility of online degrees before we enrol? The following are some of the parameters to include in your checklist.

Accreditation

Accreditation is among main parameters that make a difference to your learning experience. Accreditation can in terms of national accreditation agency or from global accreditation bodies.

Recognition & Approval

It is also important to verify if the online degree is recognised and approved by the respective government.

Ratings

There are many international agencies like QS rankings that rate the institutions and the experiences offered by them. These ratings can be a good parameter on which we can rely on.

Realistic Timelines

Never fall for claims that you can complete an online degree in a short duration. Always look for the total number of credits on the program (there are a minimum credits required to complete a program at each level) and verify the timelines accordingly.

Though these are not the only parameters to be considered you can fairly understand the credibility of the program using these parameters.