Many online programs require a certain amount of physical attendance in a classroom.
This is mainly because a master’s degree requires in-depth instruction in a complex field of study. This is known as a residency requirement.
If your online master’s degree has a residency requirement, make sure you live close enough and are able to fulfill it. Here are the different types of residency requirements.
No residency means that the online master’s degree can be earned completely online. All coursework will be conducted on the internet, with the exception of exams. In most programs, written exams are administered by a licensed proctor.
Limited Residency means that you’ll have to take part in seminars from time to time. These seminars are usually on weekends, nights or during the summer. In some programs, the seminars will last a week or two.
Substantial Residency means that you will have to attend regular semester classes at some point in your online master’s program. Certain classes simply don’t translate to the online environment. This may be due to the technical or hands-on nature of the work. Most online master’s degrees that have substantial residency require one or two semesters-worth of physical classroom attendance.