Remember Online Classes? They Are Still Popular

Students who want a SUNY Oswego degree but lack the ability to attend in person can achieve their goals remotely

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, online classes became more widely available and more popular among college students worldwide. Students who wanted to begin or continue their studies despite the lockdown could log on and keep learning.

The trend extended to SUNY Oswego.

“During COVID, they increased 500% in terms of applications,” said Karen Archibee, academic planning coordinator at SUNY Oswego.

As a fortunate side effect of the pandemic, many educational institutions continue to offer a much wider array of online classes than they did before the pandemic..

Archibee said that even some students living on campus apply to some online classes. This can help students’ schedules remain more flexible for work, interning or other responsibilities.

Oswego has also shifted from offering only enough classes for part-time enrollment to an education delivery model boasting greater full-time availability.

“We’re moving to a four-year model to accept first year students,” Archibee said. “We don’t have online classes for each major.”

But it seems like that’s the goal for Oswego and other institutions.

Transitioning to more online classes has also helped increase SUNY Oswego’s reach around the globe.

“I have noticed that online classes are still popular post-pandemic, both for traditional students and our online learners that are joining us from all over the US and the world,” said Jacqueline Wallace, associate director for Career Education and Career Services.

In addition to degree-seekers, Oswego’s online programs also appeal to people who want to improve their employability, receive a promotion in their current career or transition to a different industry.

“There’s more conversation around micro credentialing and certifications to help people advance in their career,” Wallace said. “COVID has taught us and provided us opportunities to create more accessible spaces and more robust spaces in online learning.”

She added that online classes can also help students learn at their own pace.

Students who want a SUNY Oswego degree but lack the ability to attend in-person can achieve their goals remotely. Between their in-person and online programs, Oswego offers more than 120 undergraduate, graduate and professional based programs and 70 minors.

Select Oswego’s 100% Online Bachelor’s Degrees

• Broadcasting and Mass Communication, BA

• Business Administration, BS

• Criminal Justice, BA

• Integrative Professional Studies, BA/BS

• Public Relations, BA

• Wellness Management, BS

Select Oswego’s 100% Online Master’s Degrees

• Biomedical and Health Informatics, MS

• Business Administration, MBA

• Career and Technical Education, MS Ed.

• Educational Leadership, CAS