Aug. 16--With more students heading back to school to gain new skills for a tough job market, online degree programs are becoming increasingly popular.

But are they a good investment?

There are some challenges with online degrees, such as the perception by some people that they are of limited quality. But a lot of employers are hiring people from online institutions, said Bruce Chaloux, director of student access programs and services and the electronic campus for the Southern Regional Education Board.

For the rising numbers of students who have families or work part- or full-time jobs to pay for higher education, the flexible schedule of an online program can look attractive, Chaloux said.

"We need to reach them where they need to be reached, rather than come to campus" he said. "There is a lot of renewed attention at the state and national level, and I think this will be an exciting time in the next few years and online will be a significant player for success towards degree completion."

The struggling economy has drawn many adults back to school, Chaloux said.

"There is a huge adult population with some college and no degree, leaving them without credentials," he said. "There is a growing emphasis to get students to return and get degrees."

A large portion of that enrollment growth is occurring in distance education, he said. Enrollment in online classes at universities has grown 20 percent annually over the last five years, he said.

"It has now become a commonly accepted way of delivering instruction," he said.

As the University of North Texas, Texas Woman's University and North Central Texas College expand their online classes and degrees, they are competing against online campuses such as the University of Phoenix.

TWU officials are talking about how the school will compete for local students online, said Dr. Ann Stuart, TWU's president and chancellor.

"We're looking at the proper mix [of online and campus education] for our school," Stuart said. "It will be a mix, that's a given, and the students want it. The physical campus will always be important."

UNT has redesigned several of its classes, putting together multimedia courses for undergraduate students in core classes to engage them, said Philip Turner, a professor of library and information sciences.

"I hope we will see a move toward classes that utilize these emerging technologies," Turner said.