As most of the traditional courses are now available online, we next look at what degrees and classes are usually not available online.

Some of the most common applications of online classes are those that offer certificates or what is called certificate or associate programs. These are short-term courses where the end in view is not a bachelor’s degree, but rather just offer a compartmentalized instruction which can be an end in itself already, or may be used to fulfill requirements for higher degrees.

As you pursue higher degree programs, your online options become fewer and fewer; both in choice of schools, and academic offerings. There are several reasons for this but the main one is that academic and structural requirements become more stringent, thus, those with the capabilities to handle the requirements become fewer and fewer. Therefore, beyond the certificate and associate programs, with each upward tier you pursue, there will be fewer, but more specialized institutions as well as programs for you to choose from.

Should your interest be in a field that was not formerly considered mainstream, such as Culinary Arts, or Personal Services, that are now becoming more and more accepted as a personal or career path, an online program will usually be offered only in combination with on-site or on-campus instruction. This is because of the nature of those fields, which requires a certain degree of interaction, which somehow makes a fully online course offering a little more difficult.

For highly specialized fields such as Medicine or Dentistry where the degree issued is a Medical Degree, don’t expect to find a legitimate institution offering a 100% online degree program anytime soon. As these programs require a high level of skills transfer which can only be taught face to face, the current state of technology is still inadequate at this point to even consider it happening in the short term.

Another area which is not usually offered online are those that appeal to only a small niche market. Since the thrust of the internet is to connect as many citizens of the world as possible, and since online education is built around this paradigm of multiplicity, certainly the areas of emphasis shall revolve around those that will cater to the widest possible audience and then gradually narrow down to specific market segments.

If the class or degree you want is not that readily available now, it probably will be sometime in the future either when the market expands, or when technology achieves a state of convergence compatible with the requirements of traditionally on-campus programs only.