Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Phillip Jones
accredited online degrees seem to be gaining more acceptance in the workplace. Both current and prospective employers are becoming more open to quality distance learning programs. The New York Times reports:

"While every employer is different, Susan Kryczka, director of distance education at Boston University, said that most treat online degrees as equivalent to degrees obtained by attending classes in classrooms.

Ms. Kryczka said that many employers would cover online education as part of existing tuition reimbursement programs, provided that employees could prove that the online degree pertained to their current job.

Once employees have completed their degrees, she added, many are rewarded with additional compensation for advancing their education...

When employers are considering job applicants, online degrees are also becoming more accepted. Bob Leber, director of education and work-force development at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va., says that when employers are evaluating prospective employees, most don't ask applicants to specify how they obtained their degrees, just where they obtained them."

That's good news - both for new online students and graduates of virtual programs.