Online Education for the Military: What Kind of Online Education Opportunities Exist?
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Guide to Online Education
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Online Education: Military Online Education
Introduction to Online Education
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Guide to Online Education > Online Education Basics > Types of Online Education > Online Education for the Military
One of the benefits of serving in the military is the opportunity to earn money for college. Ironically, the demands of serving can often negate the ability to actually attend class. Whether deployed to a foreign land, afloat on a carrier in the middle of the Indian Ocean, or even stationed at a military base far from campus, it can be impossible to attend class. Long work hours, reassignments, and relocations can make it a challenge for even those stationed close to a university to attain their educational goals.
Few things could be more frustrating for a servicemember than working tirelessly to fulfill military duties, mustering the energy to go straight to class, studying in the wee hours, preparing for exams amid maneuvers, and then being relocated before earning enough credits to graduate! Enrolling at another university at the next duty station--only to have to re-take those same courses because the previous credits did not transfer-- is worse.
The servicemembers opportunity colleges address that concern. SOC is a consortium of colleges and universities on, or accessible to, military installations throughout the US and abroad. They have agreed to accept one another's credits so that students do not have to be re-evaluated each time they transfer schools. This means that highly motivated service members can have the opportunity to complete their degree no matter how many times the military may relocate them. Their adult family members are eligible, too.
The SOC program allows students to receive credit for what they already know! Learning from the student's MOS, military schools, and independent study is evaluated and awarded credits toward degree completion. Students who work well independently may wish to study on their own and take tests for course credit in lieu of enrolling in a class through CLEP exams, DDSTs or ECEs.
For more information, select a SOC program specific to your branch of service:
Quick Facts:
Limited academic residency. SOCAD colleges and universities require no more than 25% of a degree program in residence at the home college, and courses taken from the college anywhere in the world at any time during study for a degree to count toward residency.
A formal agreement between college and student. Soldiers are required to have a Student Agreement (SA) or documented degree map in place by the end of their second class taken at the home college. The SA or documented degree map lists the classes that will advance a Soldier toward a degree and includes appropriate credit for any previous college courses and nontraditional learning, Army Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), military training courses, and shows results of national examinations).
Credit transfer guarantees. SOCAD colleges and universities guarantee to accept in transfer courses listed in the transferability tables of the SOCAD-2 and SOCAD-4 Handbooks, which are used as manuals for the SOCAD system by college and military counselors. Listed courses are transferred among network colleges and universities without course-by-course prior approval for individual students. SOCAD colleges and universities also guarantee to accept college-level General Education elective courses in specified course areas. These guarantees are in effect only when a SOCAD Student Agreement has been issued and only for transfer back to the home college.
Three program-delivery options. Soldiers can complete degrees at SOCAD colleges and universities with courses offered in classroom settings, via distance learning, or by learning assessment. Students can combine these options in completing courses outlined in their SOCAD Student Agreements.
Completion after military service. Soldiers can complete degrees and certificates/diplomas after leaving the Army.
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