Jobing Education

Online Degree Programs for Nursing Jobs in Arizona

jencarpenter — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 23:06:45 +0000

If you’re looking for more advanced nursing jobs in Arizona, you may want to consider one of the many online degree programs available. Visit http://azjobs.cancercenter.com to see some career opportunities.

If you already have a degree in nursing and want to further pursue the research and science aspects of the job, then you may be able to get an online Ph.D. in nursing. There are a number of online nursing programs that will prepare you for careers in education, research, or health policy.

These degree programs offer courses that are similar to those at campus-based schools, such as research, theory development, leadership, and ethics. The majority of classes are taken through course management systems and video conferencing.

In order to make sure there is enough interaction among students and faculty members, many online degree programs encourage you to participate in residencies. You also will have to take any exams on-campus or at various proctor sites.

There are two tracks to gaining an online Ph.D. in nursing depending on the level of degree you have previously attained.

BSN – Ph.D. in Nursing Track – This track is aimed at nurses who have already obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The 79-credit program lasts four terms with coursework ranging from nursing and science coursework to faculty-supervised research.
MSN – Ph.D. in Nursing Track – This more advanced track is meant for nurses who already have a Master of Science in Nursing degree. The 64-credit program takes three terms to complete and focuses on advanced scientific nursing foundations such as nursing science philosophy, theory development, clinical research methods, and supervised research.

Radiology Jobs: Where to Get the Best Education

jencarpenter — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:19:02 +0000

There are many schools that stand out above the rest when it comes to preparing for radiology jobs (Click here).

The field of radiology covers many occupations, including radiology technologists and technicians, radiation therapists, and radiologists. Each job plays an important role in using radiation to prevent, identify, and treat various health issues.

Radiology technologists perform imaging examinations, such as x rays, to diagnose medical problems. Radiology technologists perform tests using such methods as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and mammography.

Radiation therapists use complex machines called linear accelerators to administer radiation treatment to cancer patients. These employees generally work as part of a broader oncology team to address cancer within a patient.

Radiologists are medical doctors who have chosen to specialize in radiology. They interpret diagnostic imaging created by radiation technologists and technicians and oversee radiation therapy, among other things.

Applicants for radiology technologist or technician jobs should have at least an associate’s degree, while radiation therapists should have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in radiation therapy, and radiologists should have a Doctor of Medicine with a specialty in radiology.

Some states also may require these employees to become licensed and undergo pre-employment background checks before they can work with the public.

According to Education-Portal.com, some of the top schools for careers in radiology include:

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Michigan State University
University of Washington – Seattle Campus
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
University of Wisconsin – Madison
University of California – Los Angeles
University of California – Davis
Indiana University – Indianapolis
University of Iowa
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Pittsburgh
Harvard University
University of Pennsylvania
University of Colorado Denver
University of Vermont
University of Rochester
University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of California – San Francisco
Oregon Health & Science University
University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester

Many of these schools may offer a variety of education options when it comes to earning a degree in radiology. Be sure to check with each school you’re considering to make sure it fits your needs as a student.

Training for Family Therapy Jobs

jencarpenter — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:38:52 +0000

If you’re considering family therapy jobs (Click here) among your future career options, it’s important to know what type of education you will have to obtain, and where you can get the best education to prepare you for the future.

Family therapists deal with various psychological problems within a family. They may work with individual family members or a whole family unit to figure out what problems exist within the family structure and how those problems can be addressed.

The amount of education required to become a family therapist varies from state to state, but most candidates are required to have the minimum of a master’s degree. In addition, all states require family therapists to obtain the proper license before they can begin practicing.

Many colleges and universities throughout the country offer degree programs in marriage and family therapy. These programs are usually found within a school’s psychology, psychiatry, counseling, or education departments.

According to Education-Portal.com, the 20 largest schools that offer family therapy programs include:

Arizona State University
University of Florida
University of Central Florida
Michigan State University
Florida State University
Brigham Young University
University of Southern California
University of Iowa
Texas Tech University
Nova Southeastern University
East Carolina University
Western Michigan University
University of Akron Main Campus
Drexel University
University of Louisville
Syracuse University
Northwestern University
Saint Cloud State University
Wright State University-Main Campus
Appalachian State University

The schools above are ranked based on size, but there are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right college or university, including tuition costs and student benefits. The convenience aspects of an individual school, such as whether or not they offer online education options, also may be a factor.

Top Schools for Business Office Jobs

jencarpenter — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 18:43:58 +0000

A number of schools rank above the rest when it comes to preparing for business office jobs (Click here).

Bloomberg Businessweek recently released its list of the Best U.S. Business Schools for 2010. The rankings are based on three surveys of MBA grads, three surveys of MBA recruiters, and a review of faculty research published in 20 top academic journals.

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business was ranked first again this year. About 91 percent of the school’s students were offered jobs within three months of graduation and those graduates earned an average salary of $102,000 per year.

The top 10 business schools include:

Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago
Harvard Business School at Harvard University
The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
Graduate School of Business at Stanford University
Fuqua School of Business at Duke University
Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan
Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley
Columbia Business School at Columbia University
Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

If none of these schools fit your requirements, or you prefer to earn your degree virtually, there are many online education options available to students. Many of the schools listed above offer online course options, and there are a number of other schools that solely provide online degrees.

Graduate Degrees Becoming the New Bachelor’s

amandaholt — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:53:07 +0000

Graduate Degrees Becoming the New Bachelor’s

Find out why more and more people turning to advanced degrees after earning their Bachelor’s.

In the past 50 years, the number of people earning bachelor’s degrees has increased by over five fold. Although more than 2/3rds of workers 25 years old and older do not hold bachelor’s degrees, the competition for higher paying jobs is getting quite stiff. For most, the expense of college is mitigated primarily by the hope that such an education will result in valuable (and profitable) job opportunities. In the working world, this concept is predicated not only on the idea that an education gives students the skills necessary to do certain kinds of work, but that such an education, in and of itself, will set the student apart from their competitors and allow them to demand better salaries and benefits. Mix in the current recession, many would-be workers are setting their sights on higher education, not only as a viable option, but also out of growing necessity.

Here are the reasons why the value of the bachelor’s degree may be decreasing, and why higher education continues to become more important in America.

1. The Ubiquity of the Bachelors Degree Is Reaching a Tipping Point

For an employer, perceived value in potential employees is absolutely essential in hiring employees. With an increasing number of job seekers, and a decreasing number of jobs, many employers (just like colleges employ for admissions), are forced to create cutoffs or benchmarks for candidates they are willing to interview.

Since 1950, the population of individuals with bachelor’s degrees has gone from 5% to 27%. Today, there are around the same number of people holding bachelor’s degrees as there were people who held high school diplomas in 1950. As the percentage of degree holders climbs higher, an inverse trend will be seen in the perceived value of such a degree. At some point, obtaining a higher degree will be absolutely necessary for survival in the job marketplace, just as obtaining a bachelors degree has grown ever more necessary in professional fields over the past few decades.

2. Bachelors Level Knowledge vs. Marketplace Needs

In the past decade, many top institutions have come to emphasize educating “the whole student.” These initiatives are focused on making concerted efforts to focus on the value of offering a comprehensive education that teaches the individual to become a lifelong learner, rather than a specialized expert.

This broad perspective on education is seen extensively in a large percentage of liberal arts programs. Many see this type of teaching as more “graduate school prep,” than preparation for the working world. Teaching students how to learn, and giving them a good basis for knowledge is certainly an important goal, but doesn’t necessarily accommodate the primary goal of most students, being the procurement of employment after graduation.

3. Increasing specialization of skills needed.

As lower skilled and manual labor jobs decrease in availability, the education held by these blue-collar workers is no longer adequate to obtain an ideal job. In order to adapt, these individuals have turned to higher education opportunities. This trend has caused a boon in the lower cost, more flexible education alternatives many online degree programs offer.

As more people choose such options, and these individuals become viable in a marketplace of jobs once reserved for a smaller percentage of people. Many who once saw a bachelor’s degree as the end of their higher education journey will find themselves swimming in a sea of similarly qualified peers. The need for some to achieve higher levels of education can be seen most specifically by examining the earning ability & unemployment rates of individuals holding different degrees. Holders of master’s degrees, professional degrees, or doctoral degrees were higher earners, with lower unemployment rates.

4. Commoditization of workers

There has been a dramatic shift in how companies treat their employees. 50 years ago, you could, and would, expect to have and keep a job for decades. Today, turnover rates are reaching all time highs. Hiring and firing is done at an ever increasing pace. A shift has taken place in how employees are treated and viewed by employers.

For many, the workplace is much less of a mutually beneficial relationship, with companies investing in their employee’s future. In today’s kill or be killed economy, what you can bring to the company in terms of earning potential is most likely your biggest asset. Additionally, this means that each credential you possess becomes a commodity for the company you work for to possess as well, an asset to them and their future. The more valuable one makes him or herself by separating from the pack in terms of skills and level of education, the more likely it is for their job to remain secure.

http://www.nobscot.com/survey/index.cfm

5. It’s All About the Connections & Sharing

Getting a job in a tough economy can be just as much about the connections you have as it is about your credentials. Experience and education are extremely valuable, but having fantastic connections can put you on a whole other level. Graduate school can be a great place to create connections that will propel you to the next great job or next great career after school. From professors who are the leaders in their fields, to peers whose goals match your own, there are few greater places where minds gather, ideas are shared, and connections are made than on campus. In most cases the quality of professors is much higher (due to more stringent restrictions) for those getting a post bachelor’s degree.

In addition to this melding of a shared goal and the high propensity for forging important relationships, the integration of students on campus lends itself to personal growth, and a focusing of career goals. Graduate school can be a great place to find out about certain career paths within your chosen industry and to really narrow down what your goals are and what kind of work can truly bring happiness.

6. Work Experience and Verifiable Skills Valued Over Liberal Education

As a byproduct of the more quickly changing industries and required skill sets, practical work experience is increasingly more important. Generalized skills have become more of an expectation, rather than a valued skill. Employers are looking for proof that you can and will be able to perform the tasks they require. Being a “fast learner” or “well organized” will no longer cut it for jobs beyond entry level. Furthermore, the experience of working with leaders in any particular field, and achieving research or being exposed to the cutting edge of such fields can be an extraordinarily valuable resource. What’s important here is that higher education can offer something even more important than the degree itself – and that is the experience of working in an environment at a level that only a University setting can provide.

Entry Level Earnings for College Graduates

amandaholt — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:52:11 +0000

Job Earnings for College Graduates

How much more you can earn with a college degree?

How a college education helps increase your professional pay.

From a general love of learning to a passion for a specific field, there are as many legitimate reasons to get a college degree as there are degree programs to choose from. But will a college degree actually affect how much you make—will it directly increase your professional earnings? The short answer is a resounding Yes.

In today’s competitive job market, employers are willing to pay higher salaries to job candidates who have a college education.

How education directly affects earnings.

Need further proof? Below is a list of the 10 fastest-growing jobs in the United States over the next ten years, along with the average annual salaries for each job.

Medical Assistants ($23,940)
Social & Human Service Assistants ($23,370)
Home Health Aides ($20,670)
Medical Records & Health Information Technicians ($23,890)
Physical Therapist Aides ($20,670)
Physical Therapist Assistants ($36,080)
Network Systems & Data Communications Analysts ($58,420)
Physician Assistants ($64,670)
Computer Software Engineers, Applications ($70,900)
Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software ($74,040)

As you can clearly see, the occupations requiring a college degree almost invariably offer higher salaries, as well as a clear path to promotion and advancement that you won’t find in jobs with lesser qualification requirements.

But don’t stop at a simple comparison of annual salaries. When comparing earnings levels, it’s to your benefit to consider the aggregate—in other words, to compare how much you’d earn over the course of a full career at one job against the smaller total amount of a less-qualified position.

For instance, the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined that people with Bachelor degrees take home over 98% more lifetime pay, on average, than non-college graduates. People with Master’s degrees earn an aggregate of over 170% more. Those numbers are averages, of course, which means that, in practice, when you enter the job market armed with a college degree, you’ll have far more specific ability to affect your pay—you’ll be equipped to chart your own professional course.

Education Benefits for Military Members

amandaholt — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:49:57 +0000

Education Benefits for Military Members

Find out how the US Military can help you with a college education, and how to maximize your benefits.

Free Money for School
One of the biggest perks of serving in the military is the free education. There are several different education assistance programs available. You can use these tuition assistance programs to pay for online degree courses.

Tuition Assistance
Congress has authorized the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Air Force to pay up to 100 percent of tuition expenses for eligible members. Each service has different criteria for eligibility and application process. The money awarded is normally paid directly to the school of choice.

There is also a MTA Top Up program that can help pay for more expensive education courses.

Montgomery GI Bill
The GI Bill helps active service members get as much as $72,900 for education and/or up to 36 months of veteran education benefits. You can use these funds toward degree and certificate programs, as well as other kinds of training. Additionally, the GI Bill offers benefits to Select Reserve Members.

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program
Even family members of veterans may be eligible for education assistance. Qualified candidates can receive up to 45 months of education benefits.

The Army Reserves also offers scholarships and tuition assistance, and there are college loan repayment programs that can help you with your online education costs.

Online Degrees & the Military: Be in the Know

If you’re considering a degree online, you’ll want to get all the education info you can to make an informed decision on where you study and what degree program you choose.

Here are some questions to ask about a given program:

Will Military Tuition Assistance or the GI Bill pay for these courses?
Are they accredited by a recognized accreditation agency?
Does the school offer academic credit for military schooling and military experience?
Is the program flexible enough to meet your needs?
Does the degree program match up with your career goals?
How long will the program take to complete?

If you know everything possible about your online choices, you will be able to find the program that best suits your needs and interests. Use the Request Information link to get brochures and collateral that will tell you more about a given degree program.

Online Education & the Military: A Perfect Match

If you’re an active duty service member of the military, you may be stationed where you can’t regularly attend college classes. Online education is ideal for you: it is convenient, flexible, and virtual.

If you’re in a submarine deep in the ocean, deployed to the Middle East, or stationed on a ship far out at sea, you can regularly attend courses online—all you need is an Internet connection. Because online programs let you decide when to study, you can fit your education around your military duties. Study in the evenings and the weekends, and before you’ll know it, in as little as a year or two, you’ll have a degree!

Who Should I Talk to About My Education Plans?
If you’re in the military or will be released from active duty soon, you know that you can either look for a job or further your education. You probably already know that the education benefits for the military can be helpful, but it’s also important to talk to someone about your education choices. We advise members of the military to consult their education service officer. Their experience can help you make decisions on what kind of career you plan to have. You’ll have more direction about where to look—either at a traditional campus or online degree programs.

The Right Degree for your Military Background

Chances are you have learned some valuable skills while serving in the military. Now you want to continue your studies with an education online that enhances what you’ve learned in the service. Here are some good choices for different skill sets.

IT/Technology
If you use computers in your daily work, you could pursue a degree in computer science, computer engineering, information technology, network administration, or information technology management. It all depends on what you enjoy. Do you enjoy programming to create software? Do you like working with databases? Do you enjoy IT but prefer to manage projects? Look for a program that meets your interests and skill sets.

Medical
If you work in any medical capacity in the military, you have several options for a degree path. You could study alternative medicine, dental hygiene, pharmacy, radiological science or nutrition, just to name a few!

If you’ve been working in a nursing program, earning a nursing degree, or even going on to get a PhD will perfectly complement the experience you have gained.

Law Enforcement
If your military role has you rounding up the troops, you might consider a degree in criminal justice. You can add forensics, psychology, ethics and criminal prosecution to your warehouse of knowledge!

The Next Phase: Veteran Education

So you’ve finished your service in the military, and you’ve decided to take the plunge and return to school. You’re interested in studying online, but you’re not sure what steps you need to take. Here’s a quick guide:

Get Your Documents in Order: Before you leave your branch of service, make sure you have all your military records as well as proof of your eligibility for tuition assistance. This will save you time and headaches down the road.
Research Career Paths: Now that you’re going civilian, what do you want to do? Do you want to build on the skills you used in your military career or start something new? The Internet is a great resource for any career option under the sun.
Find Your School: Once you’ve decided what you want to study, find where you want to study. Search our site for e-learning programs in your field of study. Likely you’ll have several to choose from. Find the one that perfectly suits what and how you want to study.
Apply to the Institution: Each institute of higher learning has a different application process. Read through the requirements carefully and triple check that you have provided everything you need.
Apply for VA Benefits: Your new school should have a veterans’ coordinator to help you through this process. Again, make sure you meet all the requirements for your application.

Before you know it, you’ll be a college student, studying, learning, and on advancing your career options with an online degree!

Online Nursing Degree Facts

amandaholt — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:47:22 +0000

Facts About Online Nursing Degrees

Getting an online nursing degree starts with asking the right questions.

You finished nursing school, and since then you’ve done rewarding work as a registered nurse for a number of years. Or you’re still new to the field, but have decided that going back to school – perhaps through online courses – will boost your career.

Whatever your specialty, and wherever you are in your nursing career, taking time to consider the benefits of going forward with more schooling to earn a bachelor degree in nursing (BSN) is a solid first step toward realizing that goal.

While you’re mulling your options, don’t overlook the abundance of online courses available in nursing education. From certificate programs to master degrees, online education has as much to offer as courses that can be found at traditional colleges.

But whether you’re entering a brick-and-mortar school, or planning to pursue your degree through an online program, the questions you ask yourself are the same:

What will a bachelor’s degree mean for my career?
What additional skills will I learn?
Will I earn more money?
Can I teach nursing with a bachelor’s degree?
If I choose to go the online route, how will it work, exactly?

First, consider what’s happening in your field. In spite of the lingering recession, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates job growth for registered nurses in the next decade as one of the fastest in any occupation. Through 2016, the BLS estimates 587,000 registered nursing jobs will open, in addition to hundreds of thousands more opportunities to replace nurses who leave the profession or retire. Technological advances in patient care will create many of the new positions as new specialties develop, according to the BLS.

For someone already working as a nurse, earning a BSN would put you in a position to move into the specialties in great demand. They include critical care, cardiology, dermatology, obstetrics/gynecology and oncology.

In addition, having a BSN allows you to be considered for management duties, and fosters the recognition of you as a professional rather than a technical worker. The added expertise that comes with a BSN also translates into higher earnings, either through higher hourly rates or differentials paid for working in certain specialties. According to Nursing Link, a website that tracks industry trends, specialty nursing can yield salaries from mid-$70,000’s (neonatal, gerontology and nurse practitioners) to mid-$90,000s (psychiatric nurse practitioner, nurse researcher).

For many years, the medical profession has been plagued by a shortage of nurses, a situation now compounded by the aging population and their greater need for health services.

Just as dire is the need for nursing professionals to teach prospective nurses. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the lack of qualified nursing faculty is a major reason why so many applicants – nearly 50,000 seeking degrees last year – are turned away from nursing programs. As a result, professionals who have advanced degrees, starting with the BSN, are at the front of the line when it comes to landing those teaching jobs.

Online education for nurses offers the convenience of working around your schedule without sacrificing the interaction with faculty and other students. Many courses offer “virtual office hours” with faculty and chat rooms with classmates to share study ideas and to offer support as you make your way through your classes.

Also, there are many accredited online nursing programs that can provide the training you’ll need for proper licensing in certain specialties, such as public health nursing. For instance, Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida, has developed the largest online program in the U.S. for registered nurses to obtain their BSN, and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Higher Education Means Higher Pay and Employment Security

jencarpenter — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 22:28:36 +0000

Do you know just how important education is when it comes to your future employment and salary?

It turns out education is very important if you want to remain employed and make a good wage. Fortunately more and more people are realizing this, as the number of adults taking the time to get a college degree continues to increase significantly, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The number of U.S. residents with at least a bachelor’s degree increased from 43.8 million during 1999 to 58.6 million during 2009, a growth of 34 percent. As of 2009, 87 percent of adults 25 years and older had at least a high school diploma, while 30 percent had at least a bachelor’s degree.

Aside from becoming better educated, part of the lure for obtaining a college degree is that you’ll have a lower chance of becoming unemployed and a greater chance of earning a better salary, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The difference between simply having a high school degree is astounding. During 2009, 14.6 percent of people with less than a high school diploma were unemployed, compared to 9.7 percent of high school graduates.

For the most part that trend continues, meaning the more advanced degree you have, the lesser chance you’ll have of losing your job. Those who had some college but no degree had an unemployment rate of 8.6 percent during 2009, while those with an associate degree were at 6.8 percent, a bachelor’s degree at 5.2 percent, a master’s degree at 3.9 percent, and a professional degree at 2.3 percent.

The only exception was for those with a doctoral degree, who saw an unemployment rate of 2.5 percent during 2009, which is still much lower than the average rate for those with lesser degrees or no degree at all.

The same trend is true when it comes to pay – the higher-level degree you have, the more money you can expect to earn. The difference between the median pay for those with no high school diploma and those with a doctoral degree is huge – $454 per week compared to $1,532 per week.

During 2009, high school graduates earned a median wage of $626 per week, while those with some college but no degree brought in $699 per week, an associate degree saw $761 per week, a bachelor’s degree made $1,025 per week, a master’s degree raked in $1,257 per week, and a professional degree garnered $1,529 per week.

So if you want to have better job security and earn more money throughout the span of your career, it’s important to obtain a good education.

Online vs. Campus-based Schools

Jobing.com — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:10:58 +0000

How online colleges compare to their traditional counterparts.

Quality learning.

The internet has evolved. Today, with the benefit of what commentators call “Internet 2.0”, the question isn’t whether or not it’s possible to create a classroom learning experience with the technology we have. In the fascinating book The No-Significant-Difference Phenomenon, researcher Thomas L. Russell examines more than 300 scientific studies, and he finds no significant difference between in-class and distance learning. As online schools grow and computers continue to progress, the question becomes more subtle: How do we use internet and computer technologies to enrich the learning environment—to go beyond what can be accomplished in the traditional, face-to-face classroom setting? What are the advantages of studying online?

You’re included.

One main advantage of online learning is its long reach. Those who live in rural areas, for instance—as well as single parents, parents who work full time, and other working professionals—often live in places and have schedules that prevent them from returning to school. As an online student, it’s a snap for you to get materials such as homework, exam schedules, and test scores. If you have internet access and a home computer with average capabilities, you’ve got what you need to take part in an online program, and pursue the degree you want. But this is just one way in which online learning is creating positive change in the world of education.

At your own pace.

In terms of time of enrollment, online universities have the advantage. For students of traditional universities or colleges, the national average for time spent earning and undergraduate degree is in excess of four years. Undergraduate students of online universities can earn their degrees in far less time (average 2-3 years). The majority of graduate-level online programs make it a point to offer an accelerated format. But whatever your level of study, you have the flexibility to work at the pace you want.

Make new connections.

Another benefit of online learning is the robust level of conversation enabled by class discussion boards and student chat rooms. Of course, classroom learning affords this opportunity as well, but few professors take advantage of the chance to join students in a discussion of current topics. With the non-threatening access offered by a class chat room, online professors themselves are more readily available, and students—some of who would be hindered by shyness or reservations about public speaking—have the chance to take part. In the online environment, you can not only discuss and resolve issues that arise in class, but engage your fellow students, discover the way other students think about problems, and have effective dialogue.

Success you can afford.

Earning a degree at a traditional college or university can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Online degrees can be earned for a lot less money. Not only less, but with the same loan and grant benefits that are offered elsewhere. Online schools and universities offer the same competitive financial aid packages that are available to students of traditional schools.