Online physics courses for credit helps students who want to get a degree and work in the industry. This used to be available only in university and college programs. But now you can get credits on the web. There are some things to keep in mind however.
Overview
Studying the degree on the web does offer benefits. You do not have to deal with the hassle of staying in campus. The schedule is also flexible. The biggest problem is you cannot perform lab tests on the web.
The best option is to combine these Internet courses with some campus instruction / work. If this isn’t possible, you have to get access to the laboratory equipment needed for the experiments elsewhere.
Elements of Web Based Classes
Internet based courses offer a wide range of topics, including optical, atomic and condensed matter physics among others. Many online schools are extensions of universities.
The lessons are comprehensive but obviously it is limited in terms of experimentation. If you look on the web, you will see a lot of universities that provide these Internet classes as extensions.
Features
The course materials can be accessed any time of the day. Once you find a site, you will see the topics offered and the various resources available. Suppose you chose a course like particle physics. You will see an overview of the subject, sections explaining the particles and various related images. Top of the line sites have video streaming or even webcasts.
These may be downloaded or shown live. Email, chat rooms and discussion forums will keep you in touch with online professors and fellow students. Online and campus combinations also offer work for senior students (i.e., assisting the professor).
Tips
Studying online has its perks, but you need to be disciplined as well. The biggest hurdle is motivating yourself to finish the course. Unlike in a real school, there is no supervision. You can start and stop anytime you like. You wont be able to go the professor and ask a question and get instant answers. But the web can help in the research.
For the determined student, online physics courses for credit can be a much quicker way to finish the degree. Since the web is accessible 24/7, you can study even during spring break, the summer or school vacation.
After graduation, you can begin working in earnest and explore some of the unsolved problems in physics.