Free Online Business Classes, a Smart Addition to College Degrees and Career Goals

Business leaders might be inspired to enroll in free online classes in management since the reality TV series, "Undercover Boss," debuted. In the CBS-TV series, business leaders work alongside employees, learning how their decisions affect others and where the problems exist within an organization. They also identify the unsung heroes who help make their companies successful.

"Leadership is a relationship, a partnership, and employee engagement isn't just a soft and fuzzy topic but has bottom line implications," Professor Michelle Buck was quoted as saying in a March 2010 Bloomberg Businessweek article. Buck, who is among the faculty at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, cited Gallup Organization information showing that the impact of employee engagement in 2006 cost the economy $300 billion. "One of the biggest responsibilities of leaders," Buck noted, "is to set other people up for success."

Colleges and universities and private companies offer free online courses in management that could help enhance an individual's skills, as well as his or her contributions in the workplace. Business leaders might want to participate in free management courses themselves or enlist staff members. There are free management courses for new managers, as well as those who want to sharpen their skills.

When it comes to instruction, free management courses might come in the form of reading materials, such as those offered by Learnthat.com. The website, established by a former infrastructure and technology management consultant, contains tutorials and training dating back to 2004. Free online courses offered on Learnthat.com include Employee Goal and Performance Planning and Dealing with Conflict in the Workplace.

The Sloan School of Management at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) makes available free online courses that include audio and video components, making use of technological offerings such as podcasts and YouTube. MIT's free management courses, largely from the 2002 to 2009 undergraduate and graduate semesters, cover topics such as people and organizations and communication for managers. Some free online courses address recent issues, such as global markets and social responsibility, which might help managers enhance workplace innovation.

In a graduate Sustainable Business Laboratory course at MIT, for example, students learn how reducing a company's ecological footprint might provide opportunities for new products and services, reinventing existing offerings and resolving problems in new ways, the MIT website shows. A search for free management courses in English on the worldwide OpenCourseWare Consortium website returned more than 230 college, university and technical school offerings, including those from MIT, the University of California-Irvine, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Delft University of Technology. The latter institution, based in the Netherlands, offers a course in water management in urban areas.

Managers might also consider free management workshops and seminars that large corporations offer, in some instances to customers and partners. AT&T earlier this year offered its customers opportunities to phone in for a workshop related to marketing opportunities in the Technology Age. Business owners particularly might turn to the U.S. Small Business Administration, which offers free management courses such as Technology 101 and How to Prepare a Business Plan.

While free online courses might not provide credits toward degrees, they can contribute toward lifelong learning needs that educators have said are becoming increasingly important. Those who participate in free management courses might also receive certificates. President Barack Obama has reportedly demonstrated support for free online courses.

Money, earning and saving, in business is usually the bottom line for most and that's where online finance degrees affect that bottom line. Business is a combination of effort and know-how and college degrees for those influencing the spreadsheet are more common with the convenience of distance learning.

Selling Classes Online - Announcing 3 Steps to Grow Your Online Classes Sales

Online classes are becoming more and more popular these days as they are very convenient and very flexible. These are perfect for people who are looking to earn another degree but are unable to attend regular classes. People who usually sign up for these programs are looking for career change, career advancement, or that fulfillment in finishing a program they have started at another college.

Typically, online classes are offered by universities to meet the needs of students who are unable to attend proper schooling. However, anyone who has specialized knowledge on certain field that can help online users in improving the quality of their lives or in advancing in their chosen career can design an online class. You can teach about internet marketing, website designing, starting a home base business, etc. Since these services have higher perceived value compare to other information base products (ebooks, audio products, newsletters, reports, etc.), you can charge your students anywhere from $5,000-$12,000 depending on your chosen subject.

Here's how you can grow your online classes sales:

1. Since you are operating over the internet, it is but logical that you create your own website where you can talk about your online classes, communicate your credibility, and where you can entertain your potential clients. To increase your site's conversion rate, make sure that it is visually appealing and very informative. Your visitors must find enormous relevant information about the subjects that you would like to teach.

2. These days, when the competition is getting stiffer by the minute, it is not enough that you have a business website. To attract more attention online, it would help if you can set up your own blog where you can post up-to-date information about your business, your products, and about yourself. You can also use your blogs as mediums in building ongoing communication with your target market.

3. There are so many ways on how you can promote your online classes online but the best one is by hosting a mini-class that will allow you to give your potential clients a sneak peek on what they can expect during your actual class. Launch a free online class and talk about some issues that are truly interesting to your potential clients to boost your sign up rate. Keep in mind that your goal here is to convert these people to buying customers so it is important that you impress them all the way.

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New Online Classes and Courses - Keeping Pace With the Growing Demand

Colleges and universities are adding more online or distance learning classes and programs to keep up with the growing demand from the public for an online option. As more and more working adults seek degrees or to advance their degree, colleges and universities are forced to provide the product the student is looking for. The online degree options are opening doors for many students who would not have been able to attend a traditional or campus-based college.

Recently Kaplan University added several new programs to its menu of offerings, in an attempt to meet this new demand. According to David Klinefetter PhD, (provost from the university), "our rigorous programs, which offer flexibility to working adults, prepare students to enter or advance in some of the fastest growing career fields." Kaplan is now offering Master's degrees of science in management, higher education, nursing administration, and nursing education. Kaplan is also now offering Bachelor's degrees in psychology, health science, nutritional science, health and wellness, and global travel and hospitality management. Kaplan has also added the following certificate: crime scene technician.

The City University of New York is now offering a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, to its repertoire of online courses.

Florida Atlantic University has developed a plan to increase online college classes from the 5% it offers today to 25% in the next ten years. This is an example of how serious colleges and universities have become about the need to add online college classes and programs in order to meet the unique needs of adult students.

Just click on the following link to get online college degree information. It's fast, it's free, and you're under no obligation. You can get information about many types of online bachelors degree programs from many colleges. They also offer information about programs and schools that offer distance learning online masters degree programs

Online Education Class

You may have heard about online classes, but you may not be aware of how popular and pervasive they have become. In the last few years, it seems as though everyone is online learning or researching something. The Internet provides unprecedented access to knowledge and education for people of all ages.

In addition to the over 3 million college students who are taking at least some of their classes online, there are online high schools, online career training schools and courses and continuing education for adults online.

A 2005 survey by the National Center for Education Statistics found that 44% of American adults, almost 93 million people, were pursuing some type of continuing education.

They also note reported that 32% of these adults had participated in some form of distance or online education. This means that almost 30 million adults were involved in learning or taking a class online.

Why do people take online continuing education classes?

The NCES survey found that 27% of continuing education students were taking work-related courses or training programs, While 21% were taking courses to pursue personal interests, and 4% were part-time students working on a university degree.

Dr Kenneth Hartman, director of academic affairs for Drexel University Online says "Online learning is the fastest growing area in higher education today. As more and more adults look to higher education to expand their knowledge base for promotional or new career opportunities, they will look to online learning as a convenient and viable way to continue their education."

It is now estimated that the average person will change careers 3-5 times during their lifetime. Online classes and training can allow you to prepare for a career change without quitting your job and going back to school. You can take university or college classes online that will count towards a degree, or career training classes, which generally are not transferable to universities.

What kind of personal interest classes are available online?

The second most common reason people take continuing education classes is for personal satisfaction or personal interest. In this area, the choices are tremendous.

Have you always been fascinated by ancient Egypt? Would you like to learn about the history of Egypt, study hieroglyphics and archeological discoveries? For only $149, you can take an interactive online course in Egyptology.

Or have you dreamed of tracing your family tree and exploring your family history, if you only knew where to start? You can take a 4-week online genealogy class that explains records searches, tips, chats and more for less than $30.

Or maybe you've always wished you could speak Italian or Spanish. You can take an online class, complete with instant translation features and become proficient in a short time. Courses are available in 7 languages for under $30.

Are there practical or hobby classes available online?

Oh, yes. There are hundreds of choices in the continuing education or noncredit field, and some of them are very practical and helpful. For example, would you like to learn how to prepare your own taxes instead of paying someone to do it? You can take an online course in Tax Preparation for around $50 that will teach you about forms, filing status, income, credits, pensions and more.

If you are over 50 and want to save some money or just refresh your driving skills, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) offers an online Driver Safety class for around $20. This could get you a discount on your auto insurance and make you feel more comfortable on the road.

Now that spring is on the way, are you thinking of gardens? Perhaps you live in an apartment or don't have much of a yard. You can still have a beautiful garden in containers. The Horticulture Gardening Institute can teach you which plants to choose and how to care for them in their online class "Art and Science of Container Gardening" for around $70.

A more expensive option is an online class in digital photography. While the beginning class is around $300, it is an 8-week class and includes critiques and instruction from professional photographers. If you would like to learn photography on this level, this could be a great opportunity.

Or, if you are mainly concerned with learning how to use the digital camera you got as a gift, you may want to check out "The Art of Digital Photography" at UniversalClass. This class covers areas such as using the camera, scanning images, printing pictures and choosing cameras, along with basic photography for around $99.

If we haven't mentioned an online class that interests you, check out universal class.com, as they have more than 500 classes available and most of them are reasonably priced. You can choose from areas such as cooking, pet care, fitness, web development and many more. (www.universalclass.com)

So, no matter what your educational level or interests, there will be an online class that will be right for you. Whether you use it to get ahead at work, obtain a college degree or simply make your life better through learning something new, online classes truly offer something for everyone.

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Online master’s degree programs provide adults with more learning opportunities

Fresno Pacific University (FPU) will be making its fourth master's degree program online-only. The school says it plans to make the alteration in time for the spring semester, The Business Journal reports.

The accredited master's degrees in educational technology at FPU are available in curriculum and teaching, information technology as well as kinesiology, according to the school's website. These programs, which were originally taught in a classroom-based format, will now be based entirely online. This change will affect students who enroll by January 2011 for the spring semester.

"Our program is noted for its quality," interim dean of the School of Education and director of library media, Jo Ellen Misakian, told the FPU site. "I wanted to keep that quality."

FPU says students will maintain communication with faculty via email and professors will still have conventional office hours online. Degree seekers will also have the opportunity to participate in threaded conversations to exchange information.

The average salary for a student who graduated with a bachelor's degree or higher in 2008 was $45,000 per year, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Online master degree programs give adults the opportunity to further their education and careers.

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Federal grants will give public health workers in Arizona access to online education

The federal government has issued two grants to the University of Arizona, which will help the school begin work on two new public health training centers. College officials say that hundreds of people will receive job training through the school's Zuckerman College of Public Health, the Arizona Daily Star reports.

A $4.7 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will fund the Mountain West Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center, which will offer schooling to public health professionals.

"Many people in public health in Arizona many not have a college degree," says Douglas Taren, associate dean at the university. "They've learned a lot on the job, but this is a way to provide formal training."

The Arizona Public Health Training Center will receive a $3.2 million grant from the new federal healthcare law. Public health employees who help underprivileged people will receive free training by the school on campus or through classes. Furthermore, graduate students will be given stipends and other resources to perform projects with local health departments.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of individuals who have earned a degree in the public health field is expected to increase by 16 percent over the next eight years. 

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