Best accredited online degree programmes

Traditionally, students all around the globe have been pursuing their degree courses on-campus. This way of studying has its pros and cons. Recently, institutions around the world started offering online degree programmes with the support of digital technologies. As a result, many accredited online degrees are being promoted to offer students a choice for their mode of education. It is easy to take online courses with faster internet technologies and modern integrated communications systems. Further, the adoption of online degrees got a momentum  with unexpected  outbreak of the coronavirus and forced lockdown to contain the pandemic. Now, an online degree is considered as equally important as an on-campus degree. 

An overview of online degree programmes

An online degree is an online academic course that awards an online degree certification when a student fulfils all the passing criteria for all the course subjects. They can pursue these degrees after they have cleared their 10+2 examinations. University Grants Commission (UGC) has granted recognition to near about 60  institutions to offer online courses.

How can I pursue a degree entirely online? 

First of all, you need to select a UGC-entitled university which offers your choice of an accredited degree programme. Then apply for the programme, and once you are offered admission, all you need is a computer and a good internet connection to attend the courses. It is fairly simple. An online degree can be a great idea if you have constraints like time/location or if you have to support your family or other responsibilities. Here are some of the benefits of pursuing an online degree:

• Flexibility of location and time: You can attend the courses from the comfort of your home or anywhere you want. The universities offering these online degree programs set up multiple class schedules to offer time flexibility.
• Lower cost: Online degrees cost less than on-campus bachelor’s and master’s courses because of the absence of infrastructure costs, rent and other utilities.
• Earn while you study: You can have the opportunity to earn while you are pursuing your online degree. Since the class schedule is flexible, you can take up a part-time/full-time job to earn money.

UGC-entitled online degree programmes in India

If you are wondering which online degrees are accredited, here are some of the UGC approved online degree courses in India: 

S. No.	Online Bachelor’s Programmes	Online Master’s Programmes
1	Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)	Master of Business Administration (in Finance, HR, Marketing, etc) (MBA)
2	Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)	Master of Computer Applications (MCA)
3	Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)	Master of Commerce (MCOM)
4	Bachelor of Arts (BA)	Master of Arts (in Journalism and Mass Communication, English, Political Science, etc) (MA)
5	Bachelor of Science (BSc)	Master of Science (in Business Analytics or Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics etc) (MSc)

Best online colleges in India

Below is a list of institutions which offer the best accredited online degrees: 

Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ)

Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) is a University Grants Commission (UGC) recognised institution with NAAC A+, WES, ICES, AICTE, IQAS and ICAS accreditation. MUJ offers UGC entitled online courses on Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com), Master of Business Administration (MBA) with eight elective subjects, Master of Computer Applications (MCA), Master of Commerce (M.Com), and Master of Arts in Journalism & Mass Communication. MUJ has a diverse set of students from more than 100 nationalities. MUJ also offers free access to Coursera to its online postgraduate students. Recruiters from more than 100 Fortune 500 companies have partnered with MUJ to hire employees. Offered through Online Manipal, the students can access MUJ’s course material that includes readings, concept videos, recorded lectures, quizzes, an e-library with thousands of e-books and journals, and discussion forum. The mentorship from the first day of admission and placement assistance help students attain job as soon as they graduate.

Amity University

Amity University is a UGC-entitled institution with NAAC, WES, WASC and QAA accreditation. Amity University offers online courses on Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), Bachelor of Arts (BA), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Computer Applications (MCA), Master of Commerce (Financial Management) and Master of Arts (Journalism & Mass Communication). Amity University offers customised mentorship from an industry expert to each of its students. It also offers the opportunity to connect with recruiters from top companies via their virtual job fair. 

Alagappa University

Alagappa University is a UGC recognised university with NAAC A+, AICTE and NIRF accreditation. Alagappa University offers online courses on Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com), Bachelor of Arts (BA), Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with various programme specialisations, Master of Commerce and Master of Arts (Journalism & Mass Communication or English and Tamil). Some of the features of the university are its renowned faculty, cutting edge technology and well-researched curriculum.

Chandigarh University

Chandigarh University is a UGC recognised university with NAAC A accreditation. Chandigarh University offers online courses on Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com), Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication (BA), Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Arts (Liberal Arts), Master of Commerce, Master of Arts in Journalism & Mass Communication and Master of Science (Data Science). Chandigarh University offers a corporate mentorship programme to its students with more than 350 mentors from top multinational corporations.

Jain University

Jain University is a UGC recognised university with NAAC accreditation. Jain University offers online courses on Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Commerce (BCOM), Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Computer Applications (MCA), Master of Commerce and Master of Arts. They offer a wide range of electives to choose from to their students in each programme. They offer online placement services to their students Jain University offers its students more than 16000 online courses on LinkedIn Learning. 

Lovely Professional University (LPU)

Lovely Professional University (LPU) is a UGC certified institution that offers online courses on Bachelor of  Arts (BA), Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com), Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Computer Applications (MCA), Master of Commerce, Master of Science and Master of Arts (English, Economics, Political Science, History and Sociology). LPU organises placement support services for its students which consists of online workshops, mock interviews and special classes where students are trained in interviewing skills, soft skills and logical reasoning.

SRM Institute of Sciences and Technology

SRM Institute of Sciences and Technology is a UGC recognised university with AICTE accreditation. SRM Institute of Sciences and Technology offers online courses on Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), Masters of Business Administration -MBA (Finance, HR, Marketing or Business Analytics), Master of Computer Applications (MCA) and Master of Commerce. The QS ratings have rated SRM Institute of Sciences and Technology with 4 stars because of its reputation as a world-class institution and as a preferred talent source.

Read more – Best online universities in India

Career options after an online degree course

Some of the career options that you can pursue after an online course are: 

1. Data Analyst: Data Analysts are responsible for the collection of data, cleaning of raw data, visualisation of cleaned data and communicating the reports to their managers. Their managers use the information in the reports to make data-driven decisions. Some online courses that you pursue to land a job as a data analyst are Bachelor/Master of Computer Application, Master of Science in Data Science, Master of Business Administration in Analytics & Data Science, etc.
2. Human Resources (HR) Manager: HR Managers are in charge of recruitment for a company. For the recruitment process, they screen candidates, interview and recruit them. They are also responsible for granting benefits and monthly salaries to the company’s employees. Some online courses that you pursue to land a job as an HR Manager are Master of Business Administration in Human Resources or Bachelor of Business Administration.
3. Software Engineer: Software Engineers are responsible for understanding clients’ requirements in software and then developing the prototype of the software. To pursue a career in Software development you can study Bachelor/Master in Computer Application, Bachelor/Master in Science, etc.
4. Supply Chain Manager: Supply chain management includes all the processes that take place in transforming raw materials into finished products. It’s the management of the flow of services and goods. To become a supply chain manager, you can pursue a degree in Bachelor/Master of Commerce or Bachelor/Master in Business Administration with Supply Chain Management specialisation.
5. Marketing Manager/Specialist: The marketing department of a company is responsible for the promotions of all the goods and services offered by the company. Some online courses that you pursue to land a job as a Marketing Manager are Bachelor/Master of Commerce, Bachelor/Master of Business Administration (in Marketing), etc.
6. Investment Banker: Investment Bankers act as intermediaries between financial markets and a corporation. To pursue a career in Investment Banking, you can study Bachelor/Master in Business Administration, Bachelor/Master in Commerce, etc.

Online degree programmes that lead to high paying careers

There are lots of degree programmes which can lead to high paying jobs and can be pursued from the comfort of your home. To give an example: If you are pursuing a Master in Business Administration (MBA) in Analytics & Data Scinece with Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ), you can apply for job profiles like Data Analysts, Business Analysts, Data Scientists, etc or if you complete a Master in Business Administration (MBA) in Supply Chain Management, you can apply for positions of Supply Chain Manager or Logistics Manager, etc.

How can I enrol in an online degree course?

To enrol in an online degree course:

• First of all, select the subject of your choice which you want to study.
• Make a list of institutions which offer that course of your choice. Make sure you understand the pros and cons of pursuing a degree in each university to make an informed decision. 
• Select the college/university that offers the degree of your choice and fits into other criteria like budget, flexibility in time, choice of electives, etc.
• Fill in the online registration form for the university of your choice. 
• Submit all the relevant and necessary documents requested by the admissions department of the institution.
• Pay the admission fee for the online degree.
• The institution will confirm your admission and send you the details with further details on payment of fees, the orientation of the programme, etc.

Get accredited online degrees from Online Manipal

Online Manipal hosts online degree programmes form Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) and Manipal Academy of Higher Education. The UG and PG courses from Online Manipal helps students become an expert in their respective domains. Online courses from Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) offer its students a wide range of degree programmes and electives to choose from. For example,  for its Master in Business Administration (MBA) programme, the students can choose from Finance, Marketing, HRM, Operations Management, Retail Management BFSI, IT & FinTech, and Analytics and Data Science specialisations. MAHE, on other hand, offers MBA, M.Sc. in Business Analytics, and M.Sc. in Data Science.  Online Manipal also offers free access to Coursera which can be useful to learn new skills to upscale yourself. Online Manipal  allows its students to pay the fees in semester-wise instalments and also offers scholarship discounts ranging from 10% to 20 % of the tuition fees to students belonging to special categories like defence personnel, people with a disability, etc.

Conclusion

Since 2020, University Grants Commission (UGC) has entitled more than 50 institutions to offer more than 400 online courses to students. These accredited online degree programmes are well recognised by government offices and the corporate world. Find a suitable programme for your future career from the list of accredited online programmes mentioned in this article. Online Manipal  offers a broad list of online degree courses to choose from. For eg: Bachelor/Master of Business Administration (BBA/MBA), Master of Science in Data Science and Business Analytics, Bachelor/Master of Commerce, etc. You will also gain access to Manipal University’s alumni network when you pursue a degree programme with MUJ, besides placement assistance and networking opportunities.