Distance learning graduate programs are designed so that students live and study in their own home-town and attend school through Internet access and short on-campus residencies. Here are some programs that are designed in this way. I have listed them in order of their longevity, with the most recent of them first.
Capella University: This accredited school offers online, distance learning programs for undergraduate and graduate students. It has a wide range of academic departments including Business and Technology, Education, Human Services, Psychology, and Public Service. It seems to be very business-like and well organized. It has been in operation since 1993.
Oxford Graduate School: This is a christian university focused on the integration of religious values in society. It is an accredited D.Phil. program with very strong emphasis on research (D.Phil. is the title of the doctoral degree from Oxford University in England). It uses a combination of on-campus residencies, reading and research seminars, and online study. Students take a series of courses designed to prepare themselves for their dissertation research. It is a small and very personal school that has been in operation since 1981.
University Of Phoenix: This is an accredited classroom and online undergraduate and graduate university. It offers programs in Business, Education, Psychology, Nursing, Technology, and Criminal Justice. Doctoral programs require some on-campus residencies along with the online courses. It was founded in 1976, and has been focused on distributing university education opportunities closer to the adult learners home.
Walden University: This is an accredited on-campus residency and online course university for undergraduate and graduate degrees. It offers programs in Business Management, Counseling, Education, Health and Human Services, Psychology, and Public Health and Policy Administration. It has been in operation since 1971.
A search will help you find many more distance learning graduate programs. I wanted to provide a range of options to help you find the kind of program which best fits your own educational goals. I decided to only show a limited number of accredited schools which have been operating for a long time.
I would suggest that you limit your program search to accredited schools. A non-accredited school might have an excellent program and you might learn exactly what you need to learn for your own personal educational outcomes. But, if you get a Master's degree from a non-accredited university, your coursework might not be accepted if you choose to study for a doctorate. And, it is possible that your career might be affected by having a graduate degree from a non-accredited university. There are so many options for you within the realm of accredited programs, that it might not be worth the risk to attend one.
Most of the schools in this list are massive with thousands of students. This offers you the advantage of well-conceived, proven courses and a clear path of content for growing your knowledge in your chosen field. Another advantage for these large schools is that they already have recognition and acceptance in the academic and business fields.
I listed Oxford Graduate School as an example of a small, accredited doctoral program. The advantage in a small program like this one is that you get a direct and close relationship with the faculty. This kind of program offers you the opportunity to develop your program focus based on your educational and career outcomes.
