Running head: ACCEPTABILITY OF ONLINE DEGREES The Acceptability of Credentials Earned Online for Obtaining Employment in the Health Care Professions

A national survey of health care administrators was used to assess the acceptability of a job applicant’s qualifications that included a degree earned either online, partly online, or in a traditional program. A questionnaire was sent in response to job advertisements that were posted in newspapers from 38 metropolitan areas throughout the United States. The respondents were asked to select one of three hypothetical applicants for an advertised position and provide written explanations. The applicant with a traditional degree was overwhelmingly preferred over the applicant holding the degree earned online or partly online. Analyses revealed no statistically significant relationships between acceptability of the type of degree and the respondents’ prior experiences with online courses or their ages.