Do you have a passion for understanding the Bible better? Would a master's degree or a Ph.D. make you a better leader? Wish you had paid more attention in your undergraduate Greek course?

If you've thought about getting more education, but those thoughts are quickly dismissed when you consider quitting your job, moving, or even giving up weekends and summer vacations, think again. The solution is distance learning.

Seminaries and universities have made great strides in delivering high quality education to students who are unable to attend classes on campus. Distance learning options range from study-at-home manuals to high-tech multimedia Internet courses. "Our programs are delivered in a manner that time zones and locations are no longer the hindrances that they once were," says Bruce Winston of Regent University.

Want to know how to take advantage of these opportunities? We asked experts to educate us on common misconceptions about distance learning.

Misconception 1: "To continue my education I have to quit my job and relocate." A little investigation into programs reveals a range of residency requirements from none to a few days a year. "Trinity has no residency requirements," says Steve W. Selby of Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary. "Some students study at a distance by choice while others do so out of necessity."

Columbia International University has a basic rule that about a third of any degree is done in residence, usually through intensive courses offered in June and January. Students come to campus for two weeks and then continue the rest of their courses online. "Immersion suits a busy pastor better than moving and taking a class two nights a week," says Dr. Shirl Schiffman of Columbia.

Dallas Theological Seminary has extension sites in six cities, as well as study-at-home and online courses. You can even get a master of arts in biblical studies by combining online courses and courses at extension sites.

Bachelor's degrees can be completed entirely through distance education at Oral Roberts University (ORU). They also offer master and doctoral degree programs that combine online and distance education courses with intensive modular courses on the university campus.

Misconception 2: "Most schools require you to take a full course load and finish within a couple of years." Knowing that ministers and church workers already have a full load, many schools have designed their programs to be accomplished over a number of years. At Regent University students have five years to complete the master of arts degree and seven years to complete the master of divinity degree. Students can submit an academic petition to request additional time.

Columbia Biblical Seminary allows students five years to complete a degree after declaring it. Trinity and ORU do not currently hold students to a time limit.

Misconception 3: "Distance learning courses are different than those offered in a standard classroom." Not according to Venita Doughty, director of educational technology at Denver Seminary. "The content of the online courses is almost identical to the classroom classes. Also, the same requirements for admissions and registration must be met."

"We are very concerned with it being the same quality as on-campus instruction," says Schiffman of Columbia. "I work closely with professors to ensure the breadth and depth of the content for online courses. I make sure that distance learning team standards, as well as the academic standards, are the same as you would find in the classroom. "

"At ORU distance education students follow the same degree plans as those pursuing their degree plan in residence," says David Fulmer of Oral Roberts University.

Misconception 4: I won't have the interaction with professors and fellow students that I would have from attending classes. For dialoguing with other students and professors, online classes may actually be better than live classes. Online classes typically have a "chat board" or "threaded discussion" where students and teachers post questions and discuss topics. In some cases participation in online discussions is mandatory.

Dallas Theological Seminary requires their online students to post projects and reports for their classmates to see. Then students must post an analytical response to their fellow students' reports. Up to 30 percent of a student's grade is based on the "dialogue" with other classmates. This encourages interaction, and also forces students to analyze and synthesize information, using higher levels of thinking than just memorizing facts.

"They have a sense of being a group even though they are from all different places, including overseas," says Shiffman, who observes students dialoguing online with classmates they met during their two-week intensives on campus.

In most cases, students are given the professor's e-mail, fax, and phone numbers. Contact information is often given for assistants, administrators, and the librarian (in case a student needs to have items from the library shipped to their home).

Misconception 5: They won't take credits from my past school, or I'm afraid that a future school won't accept credits earned online. Transferring credits from an accredited school shouldn't be a problem (check with each school, as accrediting bodies can differ). "Transferability of courses is determined by the receiving school," says Bill Gartrell, registrar at Denver Seminary. The key is to do your research and understand those issues before committing to a degree program.

Misconception 6: They don't have the courses I need. Most schools offer dozens of distance learning courses, and some have nearly a hundred. These include courses for advanced degrees, special interest classes, and classes for no credit. Some offer the ability to purchase just the class materials (remember that Greek class you barely passed?). Currently, about 90 percent of students enrolled in distance learning programs are pursuing a degree, but institutions expect that number to decrease as casual learners increase.

Is it right for you?
Do you enjoy interacting with a computer? Are short bursts on campus better than attending a class twice a week? Think about how you learn best and then research educational offerings just as you would if you were going to attend the campus. Don't limit yourself to schools within driving range; look nationwide for schools that best fit your educational goals. Look at the mission and vision of the school. Examine course offerings. Talk to recent graduates. The great thing is that you can do your research without leaving home. (See below for a list of websites and phone numbers to get you started.)

All our experts agree that there is an incredible need for continuing education and now technology has opened up opportunities for busy professionals to continue their growth without giving up their busy schedules.

Jennifer A. Schuchmann is a management consultant and freelance writer in the Atlanta area (jschuchmann@bellsouth.net)