6 Online Degree Courses From Top Universities Of The World

Online education is changing the way we learn in these times as jobs demand people who have the required skills needed for the job role even though schools and colleges often fail to teach them. In such situations, MOOC (massive open online course) websites and other education websites offering online courses come to the rescue. And if the courses offer online degrees, there can be nothing better!

Through these, students and professionals can read course materials, watch lectures including live video session with professors, communicate with peers and mentors, and download additional study materials to learn at the level of Ivy League colleges such as Yale, Harvard and Oxford. Remotely proctored exams are carried out to help you earn that certificate or degree.

Globalization and emerging technologies are deeply impacting the nature of jobs and the learning requirements, further emphasizing on the need for access to high quality education. Online learning platforms provide the required flexibility, allowing access to more applied, and industry relevant quality content at affordable costs.

Here are the six degree courses:

1. Master of Computer Science from Arizona State University

Cost: USD 15,000

This MCS programme is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in computing or related areas who seek a deeper understanding of computing fundamentals in machine learning, cyber security, and big data as well as gaining experience through real-world, industry projects.

2. Master of Computer Science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Cost: USD 22,000

This can be considered as one of the top five computer science Master's programmes in the world alongside schools like MIT, Stanford, and Carnegie Mellon. Students will learn from the same faculty that taught many of today's technology leaders including founders and leaders at YouTube, PayPal, Microsoft, Netscape, and Yelp.

3. Bachelor of Computer Science from University of London

Cost: 9,600-17,000 Pounds (depending upon student's geographic location)

As an online degree with tuition adjusted based on whether the student is in a developed or developing country, this degree will open opportunities for people of all backgrounds and geographies. This programme will help develop core programming skills through creative, design-based projects featuring cutting-edge topics like machine learning, virtual reality, and game development.

4. Global Master of Public Health from Imperial College London

Imperial College London is one of the top ten universities in the world according to QS World University Rankings 2018. Their research-driven, evidence-based approach gives students a comprehensive grounding in skills like epidemiology, the impact of environmental change on health, and the role of innovation in health improvement. By earning this degree, students will develop the skills required to influence health policies around the world.

5. Master of Public Health from University of Michigan

This is one of the world's most respected public health programmes, ranked the #4 school of public health in the nation by US News and World Report. This degree will be designed to provide internationally relevant and accredited training in a variety of public health disciplines, along with specializations ranging from population health to precision nutrition.

6. Master of Applied Data Science from University of Michigan

The job title of 'data scientist' is "sexiest job of the 21st century" according to Harvard Business Review, though it didn't even exist 10 years earlier. Offered by the School of Information, which is ranked #1 in Information Systems, this degree will help students develop a broad set of skills in everything from programming and statistics to machine learning and ethics.

Main reasons behind rising popularity of online courses

1. Millennials want to learn and upskill

The millennials and young professionals today realize the importance of upskilling and staying relevant. For a majority of them, the desire for professional development sometimes outweighs the compensation. With this backdrop, several companies are already taking steps to address the learning aspirations of this demographic.

2. Lack of good infrastructure in education

With many government schools in India running with just one or two teachers, don't have proper infrastructure, trained teachers or amenities to seamlessly impart education to all. In fact, in the future, we will see online classrooms surpass the physical classroom experience, as the mode of delivery of education will evolve.