POPuLAR degrees To GET eaSiLy

Do you want to go back to school, but need some flexibility to make it happen? Check out ten popular degrees you could earn in your free time.

By Andrea Argueta
Are your responsibilities keeping you from earning the degree you've always wanted? Don't put your dreams on hold just yet.
Online degree programs can be a great option for students who need a flexible way to go back to school.
It's certainly becoming a popular education option among students. In fact, during the fall of 2010, 6.1 million students took at least one online course, according to "Going the Distance: Online Education in the United States 2011," a report published by Babson Survey Research Group.
So, why are millions of students choosing an online platform over on-campus lecture halls? Kimberly Vergez, program coordinator of online learning at UC Berkeley Extension, thinks it's the flexibility factor.
"People who are working eight hours a day don't always feel like they are up for driving in rush hour traffic to [go to] school for another three hours," says Vergez.
If you're looking for a flexible way to go back to school, check out these 10 popular degrees you could earn in your free time

Online Degree - Accounting

Is your busy schedule keeping you from developing your number-crunching skills? Consider earning an online bachelor's degree in accounting.
Why it's an attractive option: Online accounting programs allow "students to study at times that are best for them, when they [are able to] learn and can absorb numbers and formulas and practical work more easily," says Dani Babb, an online educational consultant. "Coupled with advances in home spreadsheet software, it's very flexible and can be a high quality degree online."
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What you might learn: An accounting program may prepare you to gather, record, and analyze an organization's financial information. You'll likely take common courses in cost accounting, auditing, and business law, says the College Board, an educational organization that administers tests like the SAT.
Online Degree - Computer Science

Fascinated by computers, but haven't found the time to go back to school? Here's some info you might find appealing: With an online bachelor's degree in computer science, you could actually attend class whenever and wherever you want.
Why it's an attractive option: "Students of the computer sciences tend to be more introverted, and so the online classroom may provide a more 'safe' teaching environment for them," says Babb. "And often I've found these learners tend to speak out more in an online classroom than a traditional one." And if you're more on the chatty side, don't worry; the flexibility of this degree is also an attractive factor.
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What you might learn: With instruction in programming and the theory and design of software, computer science students could learn how to program languages such as C++ or Java, explore what goes on inside computers, and debug programs, notes the College Board.
Online Degree- Psychology

Do you want to discover how the human mind works, but don't know how much room you have left in your schedule for commuting to class at set times? Good news: An online bachelor's degree in psychology doesn't need you to commit to strict class schedules.
Why it's an attractive option: "Many of the online [psychology] programs have the same clinical requirements that the on-ground institutions do, so the rigor can be just as intense as an on-ground program," says Babb. So what's the difference? With an online program, "the non-clinical requirements can be done with flexible hours by each individual at a time schedule that works for them."
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What you might learn: As a psychology student, you could get a sense of how animals and humans learn, think, and act, says the College Board. You may also read up on issues affecting society today, such as violence, eating disorders, and learning difficulties.

Online Degree - Human Resources

Do you want to learn about what it takes to make employees and managers happy? Perhaps you should consider earning a flexible online bachelor's degree in human resources (HR).
Why it's an attractive option: Unlike their on-campus counterparts, online HR majors could have the ease of enrolling in an out-of-state program, and thus learn the HR rules and regulations in different states, says Babb. "This is an advantage that does not occur in an on-ground classroom where the students likely live or work in the same region."
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What you might learn: In a human resources program, you could get a solid grasp of employee issues that may include staffing, training, and safety in the workplace, notes the College Board.