My friend Richard is a Licensed Practical Nurse who recently decided he wanted to go back and earn his RN degree and pursue more challenging, specialized fields in the nursing arena. To do this he wanted to get his Masters in Nursing but like most of us he couldn't afford to quit his job and go back to school full time. Instead, he turned to online programs and is now on his way to obtaining his goal while working full time.A growing number of colleges and universities are offering online graduate degree programs to compliment those who are already in the work force fulltime and cannot afford to attend school in the traditional sense to pursue higher certification.

Online programs offer the same educational opportunities in a non-traditional environment that many people find they enjoy more than a traditional classroom setting.One of the things Richard enjoyed above all was the flexibility. Instead of having to be available at a certain time for a class he could study and review the lecture topics at his convenience. So if he had to work late or was away he didn't miss a class, all he had to do was get on the internet and download the notes to read at his leisure. Thanks to email and online forums he was able to stay in touch with his instructors and even interact with fellow classmates sharing ideas and asking questions.

Now he is looking forward to earning his RN and moving up the ladder - and it wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for e-learning and the power of the Internet.

By: Nic Haffner