When choosing online religion classes, consider both your need for taking the classes and the religion or religions that you want to study. Other things to consider include school accreditation, the credentials of course instructors, and the quality of the software used to present the online religion classes. Other logistical issues, including the cost of the courses as well as any obligations to attend synchronous meetings or to attend meetings in person, should also be researched and considered.
Your first consideration should be your need for taking online religion classes. In situations where you are taking the classes purely for enrichment purposes, you’ll typically have a lot of flexibility in choosing a course provider. If you are hoping to apply your classes to a degree program, you will need to check with your college or university to find out whether these courses can be used as transfer credit. If you are not already enrolled in a degree program, you should check the accreditation status of the religion course provider. While simply being accredited does not necessarily guarantee that a school’s online religious classes will transfer to another institution, accreditation can certainly increase the chances of a successful credit transfer.
Think about the religions or religious topics that you want to study. Once you identify your interests, you should review course catalogs to find schools that teach classes on those subjects. Another consideration is the perspective of the school teaching the course. Some schools will teach their online religion classes from a relatively neutral position, while other schools, perhaps those that are religiously affiliated, may have a bias when teaching about other religions. Learn more about the instructors of any courses that you are interested in to find out about their academic specializations and credentials for teaching online religion classes.
Tuition costs can vary widely between online schools. If you are taking classes for academic credit, you can typically expect to pay more than you would for courses that are part of a continuing education or enrichment program. In situations where cost is a factor, asked each school about its financial aid programs and whether there are any scholarships available. Other things to consider are the quality of the online learning platform offered by each school and the responsiveness of its administrative staff. Finally, if scheduling flexibility is important to you, find out before enrolling if you will ever be expected to attend meetings on campus or participate in a synchronous class or meeting.
