Economists, as defined by the Labor Department, study how society distributes scarce resources such as land, labor, raw materials, and machinery to produce goods and services. They conduct research, collect and analyze data, monitor economic trends, and develop forecasts.The Work:

Economists conduct research and prepare data for analysis. They research issues such as inflation, interest rates, and employment levels to come up with data that can be processed to forecast economic change in the future. They prepare their reports by using charts and graphs or tables to illustrate the results of their research. There are many specific areas for work as an economist such as being an organizational economist, industrial economist, labor economist or monetary economist to name a few.

Training:

To become and economist, you will need to earn at least a bachelors degree in economics. (more…)

Civil engineering is among the oldest branches of the vast field of engineering. Civil engineers create, construct, and maintain all types of public systems and structures, and are literally the backbone of any city or town. Civil engineers are often responsible for any of the following tasks:

design and/or construction of road systems, municipal buildings and centers, airports, as well as water supply and sewage systems that include tunnels, bridges, dams, and filtration structures. The general field of civil engineering is an umbrella under which there are many sub-fields, including structural engineering, building construction, environmental engineering, transportation, and geotechnical engineering (soil and rock mechanics). If you are currently working as a Civil Engineer, you know that there are a variety of jobs available within the discipline. And if you have a graduate degree in Civil Engineering, you know that the career prospects are even broader. It has never been easier to earn a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering. Online programs offer a great deal of convenience and flexibility. By earning your Civil Engineering Master’s degree online, you give yourself the chance to expand and develop your knowledge and scope of the field, and thus broaden your career possibilities.

Civil Engineers often find employment near cities that house major industrial and/or commercial hubs. In areas such as these, engineers are needed to design and build safe transportation systems, water and sewage systems, as well as maintain, repair, or replace current roads and municipal construction (bridges, tunnels, etc). Because employment opportunities within the field of Civil Engineering depend on the geographic area and need for specific work, it is important to be as competitive a candidate as possible when looking for employment. Earning an online graduate degree in Civil Engineering will give you an edge, even if you are currently employed in the field. The career opportunities are seemingly limitless in the field. A Civil Engineer can hold a managerial post, ranging from construction site manager working out in the field to a city engineer designing and implementing roads and structures on computer-based interfaces. There are also many types of support positions available for a Civil Engineer, including working as a designer, conducting research to further scientific knowledge and design methods in the field, and, of course, teaching. Many of the higher-ranking (and higher-paying) positions in the field of Civil Engineering are made available to those who hold a Master’s degree or higher. (more…)

For those of you who do not know what an online MBA program is, it is a degree program in business administration that you pursue online after you have received your bachelor’s degree in college. The Masters of Business Administration is quite a popular course for business students all across the globe. The program is considered to be a major step for someone who wants to pursue a successful business management career.

The business graduate degree is probably popular because it has great value to people in the fields of business and administration. No matter what profession or industry that you are in or what state of the economy your country is in, a business administration degree will be able to benefit those who are in positions of business and management, particularly those who are in executive and managerial positions.

MBA programs are best suited for those people who have a few years of similar work experience. Therefore, if you have been working in the field of marketing for approximately 4 years, then you would be considered to be a good candidate for an MBA. Many undergraduates decide to pursue an MBA degree as soon as they finish college. This is probably not the greatest idea just because they do not have the work experience to adequately apply what they learn in class. (more…)

PRESS RELEASE Spellings Announces Academic Competitiveness and National SMART Grants Data Results Over 360,000 students nation-wide benefiting from these new grants U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the first year national data results from the Academic Competitiveness (AC) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (National SMART) Grants.

Results show that in the first year, $233,038,410 in Academic Competitiveness Grants were awarded to 299,089 students nation-wide, and $195,544,735 in National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grants were awarded to 60,976 students.

“Math, science and critical foreign language skills are the new currencies in our global economy, and we must continue to work hard to inform students about the money available for them if they take classes in these fields,” said Secretary Spellings. “These grant programs will not only enable more students to attend college but also better prepare our students for a globally competitive workforce.” (more…)

Nursing degree programs are among the most popular courses offer through online. The flexibility of learning schedules and taking the courses online from any locations are among the key booster that enabled the growth of the demands in nursing degrees. But, there are still some biases against the validity of online nursing degree programs, out of which the 4 major misconceptions regarding the same is discussed in this article.

1. Online Nursing Degrees Are Not Recognized.

The misconception might be caused by fake online nursing degree program that really damage the reputation of this degree. The fact is online nursing degree programs are recognized and is compatible with the traditional class-based nursing degree program as long as the online colleges or online universities that offer online nursing degree programs are properly accredited by any of the six regional accrediting bodies funded by the US Department of Education or any of the 52 recognized national accrediting bodies. Hence, the key factor is “accreditation”. There are no differences at all with other traditional nursing degrees if you get an online nursing degree from a proper “accreditation” online nursing school.

2. No Lab Work to Complete Online Nursing Degree Program.

Most of online nursing degree program required you to complete a certain hours of lab work in order to earn your nursing degree. (more…)

Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning represents the fifth annual report on the state of online learning in U.S. higher education. This year’s study, like those for the previous four years, is aimed at answering some of the fundamental questions about the nature and extent of online education. Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and based on responses from more than 2,500 colleges and universities, the study addresses the following key questions:

How Many Students are Learning Online?
Background: For the past several years, online enrollments have been growing substantially faster than overall higher education enrollments. The expectation of academic leaders has been that these enrollments would continue their substantial growth for at least another year. Do the measured enrollments match these lofty expectations?
The evidence: Online enrollments have continued to grow at rates far in excess of the total higher education student population, albeit at slower rates than for previous years.

Almost 3.5 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2006 term; a nearly 10 percent increase over the number reported the previous year.
The 9.7 percent growth rate for online enrollments far exceeds the 1.5 percent growth of the overall higher education student population. Nearly twenty percent of all U.S. higher education students were taking at least one online course in the fall of 2006.

Where has the Growth in Online Learning Occurred? (more…)

There is a lot to learn about the ancient practice of acupuncture. Most states require students to complete a three to five year program from an accredited acupuncture school and then pass a state board exam in order to become licensed. Some states don’t require licensing. Acupuncture has been practiced in China for at least 2,000 years and some say it’s more likely 3,000 years or so.

Acupuncture school education and training requirements can range from 2500 to 4000 credit hours. For naturopathy schools that offer acupuncture programs see the ‘List of Accredited Natural Medicine Colleges in North America.’ Acupuncture schools may also offer the science and philosophy of acupuncture too. If you have a naturopathic school in your area, give them a call; they will undoubtedly know the licensing requirements.

Acupuncture schools that offer courses in traditional Chinese medicine often include other aspects of traditional medicine, such as anatomy, body therapy, massage therapy, and various sciences. California and a few other states have many acupuncture schools to choose from, while Wisconsin has only one school and some states have none. It’s important to get a good picture of all the treatments that are offered, by the school you’re considering, to acquire the skills you need to be well-rounded and well-versed for your patients. (more…)

If you have done any research on online schools, the main thing that you have probably learned is that you should only attend an accredited college or university. Although this is also true about traditional colleges and universities, the main reason that it is stressed so much about online schools is because there are so many scams in which online colleges lead you to believe that they are accredited, even though they are not.

Here, we will take a much closer look at some of the things that you should be sure to consider when looking for an accredited college or university to earn your degree from.

Why is Attending an Accredited College or University Important?

Attending an accredited college or university is important for a few reasons. The main reason is because you will be able to transfer your college credits to another college or university. You will not be able to do so when you attend a non-accredited college or university. Even more importantly, however, you will also be able to get the job that you are interested in when you attend an accredited college or university. Certain jobs may require you to take some sort of examination or become certified, but only after you have earned a degree or completed so many hours through an accredited college or university. A lot of employers also do research on the school that their potential employees have attended. If you have not gone to an accredited school, you can kiss some jobs bye-bye. Many people are under the impression that accredited schools are less expensive, but in reality, they can be more expensive for some students. The main reason is because you are not qualified for financial aid opportunities when you attend a non-accredited school. (more…)

A career college is a postsecondary institution that provides professional and technical, career-specific educational programs. Most career colleges are for-profit institutions that pay taxes yet receive no direct financial support from state governments. Public, not-for-profit public institutions receive state tax support or not-for-profit private colleges that pay no taxes. Completion of a career college program can range from doctoral and master’s degrees, to bachelor’s degrees, to associate degrees, to short-term certificates and diplomas. Career colleges are owned and operated by private individuals, private investors and public corporations.

What areas of study are offered by career colleges?
Career colleges provide educational programs in over 200 occupational fields, including accounting, allied medical, automotive technology, business administration, commercial art, criminal justice and law enforcement administration, culinary and hospitality management, emergency medical technology, information technology, interior design, legal administration, mechanical engineering, network administration, nursing, radio and television broadcasting, and visual and performing arts.

What is the Career College Association?
The Career College Association (CCA), with over 1,400 members, is a voluntary membership organization for private, postsecondary schools, institutes, colleges and universities that focus on the career oriented sector of higher education. Career colleges educate over two million students each year. (more…)

You Can Be Among the Most-Wanted Job Candidates College graduates with information technology and visual communication specialties will be among the most-wanted job candidates throughout the nation over the coming decade. Whether you earn a degree in information technology, in visual graphics design, or combine both skill sets as a web-based communication pro, the U.S. Department of Labor predicts that recruiters will place you on their radar.

Labor Department Predicts Great Job Opportunity

Among the major design fields, the Labor Department says, college and university grads with degrees or certifications in animation or visual design will have the best job opportunities. You can find online college programs in IT/Visual Communication that lead to associates, bachelor, and master’s degrees in the field. And if you already have either a design or information technology background, you’ll find flexible, accredited online classes that help you advance your career.

Gain the Skills You Need for Real Possibilities in Technology

Information technology/visual communication students study the creation, development, and delivery of today’s rich multimedia presentations, advertisements, websites, training videos, and digital publications for a wide range of corporate and private clients. They work in manufacturing, entertainment, financial services health care, educational, and governmental organizations. (more…)