Online education has come a long way since the days of correspondence courses, and earning a degree online from Missouri University of Science and Technology is more than just sitting alone at a computer. Don’t believe it?
Neither did Gabriel Rodriguez.
A native of Puerto Rico and a family caregiver, Rodriguez knew that a traditional education was out of the question. He needed a rigorous degree program with flexibility to allow him to travel between Caguas, Puerto Rico, and Jacksonville, Florida.
He found that through Missouri S&T, and learned:
1. You don’t have to be an on-campus student to benefit from hands-on experience
If you thought career planning services were only available to students who attend class on campus, think again. Missouri S&T offers its full range of career services to all students, regardless of location.
“At S&T, I knew I would get the closest experience to an in-person education possible while being an online student,” he says. “The program allows long-distance students to participate in classes live via Zoom, which was nearly impossible to come by at other institutions.”
Since joining S&T’s online industrial-organizational psychology program, Rodriguez says he regularly networks with his peers and has formed strong relationships.
“I was a graduate research assistant for a semester, and I won second place during the 18th annual ISC Graduate Research Symposium, presenting my work online,” he says.
Then in August, Rodriguez returned to classwork after a three-month human resources internship at The Hanover Insurance Group in Worcester, Massachusetts.
“I wanted to learn as much as possible and ask questions, so that is exactly what I did,” Rodriguez says. “Working in a corporate role for the first time showed me that I have the capability to do so, and working in HR for the first time showed me that I am made for this line of work. I am more confident than ever that I will succeed.”
Rodriguez returns to The Hanover Group in October on a part-time basis, and after he graduates, the firm has a full-time job waiting for him.
“I am incredibly grateful to have had these opportunities as a long-distance student,” Rodriguez says. “I know I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish these things anywhere else. If anyone else is interested in industrial-organizational psychology and requires an online education, Missouri S&T is the place for you. Full stop.”
More surprising facts about online learning at Missouri S&T:
2. You earn a real degree, remotely
The graduate degree earned through Missouri S&T’s online education program is the same, whether students attend classes online or on campus. Online programs feature the same courses as those taught on campus. Students can attend live and interact with their professors and classmates or view the recorded lectures and materials later. This is graduate education that fits your schedule.
3. You don’t have to take the GRE or the GMAT
While most graduate degree programs require students to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), Missouri S&T offers more than 60 online graduate certificate programs that let you start earning college credit that counts toward the total master’s degree requirements. Earn a B or better in each certificate course, and you can continue in S&T’s master’s degree program without having to submit GRE or GMAT scores.
S&T offers graduate certificates in:
- 15 engineering fields
- Business administration
- Economics
- Education
- English and technical communication
- Explosives technology
- Geology and geophysics
- Geotechnics
- Information science and technology
- Mathematics and statistics
- Psychological science.
4. You don’t have to write a master’s thesis
Missouri S&T offers over 15 master’s degree programs through online education. Fourteen of our online graduate programs are among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report rankings.
The majority of S&T’s master’s degree programs require no thesis, but for those currently working in or looking for a research-intensive career, limited thesis options are available.
Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. To learn more about online education at Missouri S&T, visit distance.mst.edu. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit mst.edu.
