Entering the Field through Training Programs

If you have a high-school diploma and want to enter the field of emergency medical care with a minimal amount of education, look for emergency medical technician (EMT) training programs. These programs are generally offered at three levels–basic, intermediate, and paramedic. These programs prepare you to take the state licensure examination, which is required to work as an EMT.

Associate’s Degree Is Top Degree for Paramedics

Paramedics, who have the highest level of training, often find that an associate’s degree in EMS or paramedic technology with a paramedic certificate is the best degree in emergency medical care. Usually offered through vocational and community colleges, an associate’s degree provides future paramedics with the foundational knowledge they need in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, and advanced medical skills.

The Baccalaureate: The Best College Degree for the Next Generation of EMS Professionals

Among emergency medical services (EMS) professionals, there is a call for EMTs entering the field to obtain a higher level of education through bachelor’s degrees. Why? Because, they argue, the next generation of EMS professionals will need:

• Knowledge of both the practical and theoretical underpinnings of EMS
• Knowledge of and experience with evidence-based medicine
• The ability to think and read critically, communicate effectively, and analyze complex situations and systems

While your specific major can be less important than the skills you develop, the best degree programs offer concentrations in EMS.

Master’s Degrees Are Best Degrees for Aspiring Managers

Master’s degrees are increasingly sought by experienced EMS professionals looking to work in EMS management, operations, and finance. Following is a list of the top degrees in emergency medical care at a master’s level:

• Master of Public Health (MPH). Some MPH programs offer a concentration in public health preparedness, which is a top college degree if you want to work in EMS management.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA). This can be the best degree for those seeking to work in EMS systems operation, planning, or finance.
• Master of Public Administration (MPA). This degree is considered a basic degree for city department heads and city or state executive positions.

Top Degrees at a Doctoral Level

EMS professionals seeking to obtain the highest degree of education will find options at a doctoral level.

• A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in health science, medical psychology, or public health are top degree choices for advanced EMS researchers and teachers at a college level.
• A Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) can lead to a high-level career in EMS administration, teaching, or practice.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, emergency medical care could be a good career choice: employment is projected to grow 9 percent from 2008 through 2018. EMS professionals with advanced education and certifications should have the best job prospects.

Selecting the best degree in nursing to reach your career goals is vital if you want to set yourself up as a competitive job applicant. Consider the following top degree programs for a range of nursing careers.

Best Degree Programs for Certified Nurse Assistants and Licensed Practical Nurses

Nursing assistants and aides can often obtain jobs with merely a high school diploma. Certified nurse assistants (CNAs), on the other hand, are formally certified assistants who must complete approximately 75 hours of coursework and an examination (requirements vary by state).

Some CNAs go to college to become licensed practical nurses (LPNs).The top degrees for LPNs are state-approved training programs or associate’s degrees that typically take one to two years to complete, usually through a community or vocational college.

BSN is the Top College Degree for Registered Nurses

While registered nurses can enter the workforce with an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or diploma, a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) is the degree for those wanting the widest range of job opportunities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that nurses receiving training through a bachelor’s degree program may be better equipped to handle the complexities of the nursing field.

Best Degrees for Nursing Specialties

A BSN also offers the best degree for registered nurses who want to pursue additional education to become advanced practice nurses (APNs). APNs hold master’s degrees, usually a master’s of science in nursing (MSN), as well as certification specific to their area of expertise. An MSN is the best college degree for nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse anesthetists (CNAs), clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), and certified nurse midwives (CNMs).

An MSN is also usually required for heads of nursing and nursing directors, although some may obtain positions with a master’s in business administration (MBA) and nursing experience.

These nursing specialties are some of the highest-paying in the field. According to a survey by the magazine ADVANCE for Nurse Practitioners, NPs earned an average of $81,397 in 2007 and their data show impressive wage gains over a 10-year period. Compare that to the mean annual wage of $63,750 for all RNs in 2009 reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and its clear higher education in nursing pays off.

The Doctorate: The Highest Educational Achievement

A doctorate in nursing can assume a couple of forms. A doctor of nursing practice (DNP) is a practitioner’s degree, generally designed for nurses working in the field as APNs or top administrators. A doctor of nursing science (DNSc), on the other hand, is a research degree that best prepares nurses for positions in academia and in research facilities.

Choosing the top degrees in nursing for your intended career helps ensure that you have the training you need for a long and successful career. Whichever nursing path you choose, it is hard to go wrong: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that most nursing occupations are still in high demand, and predicts excellent employment growth through 2018.

If computers are your passion, you may be looking for the top degree programs to enter the field of information technology. Whether you aspire to become a computer scientist, software engineer, or network administrator, choosing the best degree helps ensure that you are setting yourself up for a rewarding–and lucrative–career.

Best Degree Programs for Information Technology Professionals

Because information technology encompasses a wide range of professions, choosing the best degree for your intended occupation is important for setting yourself up as a competitive job applicant. Regardless of the field you choose, you generally need some level of college education: Most employers look for relevant training through coursework or certifications.

Entering the Field through Associate’s Degrees and Certifications

If you are interested in working as a computer support specialist, network administrator, or computer programmer, associate’s degrees may be the best degrees for entering those professions with the least amount of education. Alternatively, some computer support specialists acquire training through certifications, which are offered through specific vendors and which build expertise in specific systems and software packages.

Bachelor’s Is Top College Degree for Many Information Technology Occupations

You can increase your chances of securing a job in computer programming, network administration, and computer support with a bachelor’s degree, the best degree for obtaining most entry-level positions in information technology. A bachelor’s degree in computer science or mathematics could also qualify you for an entry-level job in fields like:

• Computer software engineering
• Database administration
• Computer and information systems management
• Computer systems analysis

A bachelor’s degree in engineering, on the other hand, is the top college degree for computer hardware engineers.

Graduate Degrees in Information Technology

At a master’s level, your career options expand significantly, particularly for information technology jobs that involve working as part of a management team or advising management-level staff. A master’s in business administration (MBA) with an emphasis in technology is often the top degree for jobs in computer and information systems management and computer systems analysis.

A variety of other master’s-level degrees can make you a competitive candidate for mid- or senior-level information technology jobs. Top degrees in information technology include master’s degrees in software engineering, network administration, and information technology, which could enable information technology professionals to advance to management-level jobs in computer software engineering and database or network administration.

Doctorate Is Best Degree for Computer Scientists

Creators and inventors may aspire to work as computer science researchers. A PhD is the top degree in information technology, and the best degree for those wanting to work as computer scientists. At a PhD level, computer scientists often work in research laboratories and as professors at colleges and universities.

Information Technology Job Outlook

Regardless of the degree path you choose, you may be wondering whether your education will pay off. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that most information technology occupations are expected to remain in high demand and should have strong job growth. Furthermore, as a group, information technology jobs pay nearly twice as much as the national average–$76,290 as of May 2009, nearly double the annual mean wage of $43,460 for all occupations.

Job opportunities increase for candidates with bachelor’s degrees in accounting, the top college degree for those seeking to work as full-fledged accountants. A candidate with a bachelor’s in accounting might find employment as a tax accountant, auditor, or general accountant.

CPA Is Top Degree in Accounting

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that accountants who obtain certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) on top of a bachelor’s degree should have the best job opportunities. If your objective is to become a CPA, the best college degree is one that prepares you with the additional coursework you need to obtain CPA certification. While requirements for CPA certification vary from state to state, most states require a certain number of coursework hours beyond a bachelor’s degree, experience working as an accountant (usually two years), and completion of a four-part examination.

Graduate Accounting Degrees

Some financial managers, such as controllers, treasurers, and finance officers, hold backgrounds in accounting. If this is your accounting career of choice, the best degree may be a master’s in business administration with a concentration in accounting. These credentials may best position you to work as part of a management team.

If a bachelor’s and master’s degree aren’t enough for the career you want, consider the pinnacle of educational achievement: the PhD. If you aspire to teach at the college level, a PhD is your top degree option. Accountants with PhDs are widely sought by universities and colleges to train those seeking an education in accounting.

No matter which accounting career and education level you choose, you are likely to find yourself with excellent job prospects. The BLS projects that by 2018, there should be approximately 279,400 new jobs for accountants and auditors and 212,400 new jobs for accounting, bookkeeping, and auditing clerks. Whichever degree you choose, you can rest assured that you are setting yourself up for a career that is in demand.

1. Keller Graduate School of Management operates in several states but has an extensive online MBA program as well as Masters Degrees in Information Management, Network Management, Public Administration and several other fields.
2. University of Phoenix offers an extraordinary number of graduate programs online – an MBA Program and six affiliated business majors alone.  There are sixteen Masters in Education options and Doctoral programs as well – and the list goes on in Technology, Psychology and Criminal Justice.
3. Capella University is a for-profit institution that has worked hard at developing quality, accredited graduate programs.  Their Masters and Doctoral degree options are offered in Human Resource management, Information Technology, Education, and an entire division devoted to Psychology.
4. Villanova University Online has an impressive choice of four Masters in Engineering programs that include Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Water Resources & Environmental Engineering.
5. Argosy University Online offers Masters and some Doctoral Degrees in their Colleges of Business, Health Sciences, Education and Psychology & Behavioral Sciences.
6. Michigan State University has 45,000 students on campus and a growing number of distance learners taking advantage of their Masters Degree programs in Criminal Justice, Public Health, Education, and – a unique online offering – a Masters in Physics.
7. Grand Canyon University has an extensive online graduate program emanating from its Phoenix, AZ campus.  They offer an MBA program with eight specialization options, fifteen options for a Masters in Education and options in their Nursing and
8. Penn State University World Wide Campus is without question the finest distance learning program operated by a major U.S. University.  Their Masters Degree options include an MBA program, five degrees in Education, a Masters in Public Administration and a mixture of management degrees for a variety of careers.
9. Western Governors University has four Masters Degree in Education leading to teacher licensure and twelve specialty Masters programs for previously licensed teachers.  They offer an MBA program and graduate work in Nursing & Health Sciences as well..
10. Virginia Tech Online offers Masters Degree programs in Information Technology, Instructional Technology, Agriculture & Life Sciences and seven other areas of study.
11. Boston University has online Masters Degrees available in Criminal Justice, Art Education, and Occupational  Therapy.  There are four additional online graduate degree options
12. Florida State University Online has grown into a substantial extension of the school with an MBA program, Masters Degrees in Criminology, MIS, Nursing, Instructional Systems and Special Education.
13. Indiana University/Bloomington has developed the state’s most compelling graduate programs online.    Degrees include the MBA, Masters in Supply Chain Management, Instructional Systems Technology and Finance.
14. Argosy University Online offers an MBA program, both Masters and EdD doctoral programs in Education, Health Services Management and Psychology.
15. Oregon State University has entered the distance learning arena with some interesting graduate programs.  You can obtain an online Masters in Radiation Health Physics, a Masters of Health Physics, a Masters in Education and Certificates in fields such as Fisheries Management and Water Conflict management.

We elevated two criteria to assemble our list: one is affordability and the other is online availability.  In evaluating the online programs we looked at accreditation and a couple of distance learning college ranking systems that we believe are unbiased.

1. University of Californian at Berkeley is ranked fifth in the nation overall for economics with a department that has produced generations of bachelors degree graduates and also five Nobel Prize winners.
2. University of Minnesota Economics Department has over 400 undergraduate students annually, many of whom take advantage of the internships in industry, in local or state governments.
3. University of Michigan offers an economics program that stands alone, but from which graduates can move into further academic endeavors in law, business, urban planning and natural resource management.
4. University of Wisconsin is tied for thirteenth in the nation for best economics department, one of the University’s fastest growing academic discipline – and costs $8,300 per year for state residents.
5. University of Maryland/College Park has an Economics Department that offers upper level courses in Money and Banking, International Economics and the Economics of Poverty and Discrimination.
6. Penn State Department of Economics is ranked among the top twenty five nationally and offers five important undergraduate courses in economics through its online World Campus.
7. Ashford University offers several business administration options at its campus in Clinton, Iowa and offers a Bachelors in Business Economics online.  The school is accredited by the The Higher Learning Commission, a commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
8. Strayer University offers a Bachelors of Science in Economics at its twenty five campuses and through its online program.  The school is accredited by the Middle States Commission for Higher Education and approved and licensed by each of the states in which it operates.
9. University of Illinois/Springfield is offering a four year campus program for a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and an Online Economics Degree as well.
10. Capella University offers accredited degree programs in Finance at the Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate level.

• Kaplan University has a range of bachelors and masters criminal justice degrees, many of which are focused on management opportunities in the field.
• Herzing University offers a bachelors in criminal justice both on campus and online.
• Virginia College also has a bachelors degree in criminal justice available on campus at one of thirteen campuses and online as well.
• Everest University offers an online bachelors program in criminal justice. Affiliated Everest College has a certificate program in the field.
• Harrison College has fourteen campuses in Indiana where you can earn an associates or bachelors degree in criminal justice.
• ITT Technical Institute has criminal justice degree programs on its 100 campuses and online as well. They offer both the traditional course of study and training in degrees in cyber security as well.
• Rasmussen College’s School of Justice Studies has a criminal justice bachelors program with four areas of concentration.
• Westwood College has an online criminal justice degree program oriented to the law enforcement career.
• University of Phoenix has two basic bachelors offerings: Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Administration and a Bachelors’ in Organizational Security and Management.
• South University has both a bachelors and masters degree option in criminal justice at its multiple campuses. The masters in criminal justice is available online.

• Argosy University offers the Master of Arts in Sport-Exercise Psychology degree at three California campuses, in Atlanta and in Arizona. Online courses are also available.
• Capella University has a Masters in Psychology study track with specialization in Sports Psychology, available on campuses and as an online psychology degree option.
• Walden University has a graduate program in Health Psychology that offers both masters’ and doctoral degrees. Health Psychologists practice in a variety of settings including fitness and health facilities.
• Boston University offers its sports psychology program through the Education Department, in the form of a Master of Education (Ed.M.) with a specialization in Sports Psychology.
• University of the Rockies provides a Master of Arts in Psychology, Sports and Performance Psychology both on campus in Colorado Springs and online.
• University of North Carolina/Greensboro’s Department of Kinesiology offers a graduate program in Sport and Exercise Psychology with both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.
• West Virginia University has a College of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences that offers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in Sports and Exercise Psychology.
• Florida State University has M.S. and PhD. degrees in Educational Psychology with a major in Sports Psychology.
• Ashworth College offers an online diploma program in Sports Psychology for Peak Performance. An ideal choice for working coaches.

]]> http://www.getdegrees.com/distancedaily/career-training/best-sports-psychology-schools/feed/ 0 http://www.getdegrees.com/distancedaily/college-news/top-performing-arts-schools/ http://www.getdegrees.com/distancedaily/college-news/top-performing-arts-schools/#comments Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:02:12 +0000 Get Degrees Staff http://www.getdegrees.com/distancedaily/college-news/top-performing-arts-schools/ The US News and World Report annual survey of top colleges and universities breaks out schools by many different academic disciplines and ranks them based on peer opinion, research programs, teaching quality, etc. They avoided ranking the best performing arts schools however, and simply listed them as they rose to the top of the overall list based on respect from professionals in the field.

Other sources include arts foundations and websites where opinions from former students and current teaching professionals can be found. What follows is a list of schools that provide top flight education in drama, music and dance – and in the case of Juilliard and a few others, all three.

• Academy of Art University/San Francisco
• Berklee College of Music/Boston, MA
• Boston Conservatory
• Boston University/College of Fine Arts
• Brown University Department of Theater Arts and Performance
• California Institute of the Arts/Valencia, CA
• Carnegie Mellon School of Drama/Pittsburgh, PA
• Cleveland Institute of Music
• Curtis Institute of Music/Philadelphia, PA
• Juilliard School/New York, NY
• Manhattan School of Music
• New England Conservatory of Music
• New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts
• New York Film Academy
• New York University/Tisch School of the Arts
• Northwestern University Theater and Performance Studies
• San Francisco Conservatory of Music
• University of California San Diego Theater and Dance Program
• University of Cincinnati Conservatory
• University of Michigan/Department of Theater and Dance
• University of North Carolina School of the Arts

So while the best ranked schools overall for software engineering, computer engineering and computer science are the usual expensive and highly competitive schools like MIT, Harvard, Stanford, there are many other schools with IT departments that have a high level of excellence in computer programming.

• Penn State School of Information Sciences and Technology: a highly focused program with degrees available both on campus and online.
• University of Illinois: Perl and Linux/Unix are the two most popular courses in the Computer Science Department
• University of Phoenix: Degrees in programming from every perspective – data security, software engineering, systems analysis, etc. Available at 80 campuses and online.
• University of Michigan: An expansive software engineering program with classes in many computer languages and types of software structure.
• Purdue University: Software development is one of four undergraduate areas of focus in the College of Technology.
• University of Washington: One of the top ten IT programs in the country. Twenty certificate programs in information technology, some available online.
• DeVry University: An Information Systems Department with eleven majors, available on ninety campuses and online.
• University of Wisconsin: an on-campus Linux Users Group and Tutorials in C++ and Java – and that’s the extracurricular stuff.
• University of Texas: Offers a software development track for their undergraduate computer science and information science degrees.
• ITT Tech: A well regarded software applications and programming major available at sixty campuses nationwide.