Education is continuing to shape the human mind and access to it determines one’s chances of success in life. Fortunately, the internet age has brought a particularly utile tool for those wishing to receive education from a distance due to complications in their lives; a system that is referred to as ‘online education’ which can branch off to online tutoring and offers various subjects in numerous fields of study, while enabling the student to fully function in their private or professional life. Online degrees in this new system are simply a treasure for the struggling individual and their popularity among the public proves an obvious point: people are always prone to learning and institutions that provide lucrative opportunities to students of all backgrounds are breaking ground in this new style of education.

According to an IBIS World Online Education Australia Market Research Report, online education in the world is growing in popularity among international students as the market has been expanding constantly over the past five years. Although the sector’s revenues have been on a constant decline during the same period, “technological advancements and wider internet access have made the online education model an increasingly viable option for learning and career advancement.”  Several universities have already entered the market with promising and ambitious online programs including Charles Sturt University, University of Southern Queensland, University of New England, Deaking University as well as CQ University Australia. University of New England and University of Southern Queeensland are topping the charts for the highest ratio of online students, offering both Undergraduate and Postgraduate online courses to their students. Therefore, it is seen that with a growing market and aspiring students, educators and institutions alike, online education in Australia is set to bring more innovation into the game in the years to come.

Research shows that with respect to general undergraduate and graduate education, the most popular degree courses in Australia are Business and Management, Medicine, Accounting, Dentistry, Law, Creative Arts and Design, Education, Engineering, Environmental Science and Computer Science/IT. Ranking the given list at number one, Business and Management has also created a significant student buzz in three major Australian Universities, namely Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM), Deakin Business School and La Trobe University, where world class online MBA programs are offered to interested students. On a comparative look, it is seen that AGSM’s MBAX program is significantly tough, requiring either “a strong undergraduate degree (or equivalent) and a minimum of two years professional or managerial work experience, or at least six years of professional work experience,” while ranking 8th in the world. Deakin Business School offers a ‘Cloud Campus’ for MBA education as well as a ‘face-to-face’ program that takes place on the Melbourne campus, ranking 15^th in the world and second in Australia. La Trobe’s MBA program ranks 46^th in the world and relies on “peer-to-peer learning and professional relationships using interactive weekly video conferencing” provided by “a high-performing team of dedicated lecturers” who have direct ties to industry and frequently help their students find employment in favorable positions following their MBA.

Legal Studies are as integral to modern day education as law is to the moder day society and luckily for those seeking online law degrees, there exist two online LLB courses in Australia currently being offered by Australian National University (ANU) and Charles Darwin University (CDU) on Bachelor’s levels. ANU’s online law program is ranked 12th in the world and focuses on international, constitutional, public and private law to provide students with “a unique understanding of current law and practice.” CDU’s online legal program not only provides “knowledge of the legal system and legal principles” but also seeks to “cultivate a capacity for legal research, analysis, and communication,” encouraging its students to “appreciate legal issues of significance to the Northern Territory, including Aboriginal legal issues.” Graduates of the program are provided with various different career options at private or public institutions operating in various different sectors, namely education, industry, military, police enforcement, politics and human rights among others, enjoying the opportunity to not remain as simple solicitors or barristers. Both programs are available online to aspiring students and seek to maximize their students’ learning efforts to prepare them for rigorous careers in law.   

1. Educational Realities
2. educational technology