Undergraduate students generally range in the 18-22 year-old age group. The University of Phoenix recognized that there were working adult students that wanted to complete their schooling, but were unable to attend classes on a traditional campus. Dr. John Sperling founded the University of Phoenix in 1976 and it is now the largest private university in North America.

Dr. Sperling conducted research and found that adult students (ages 24 and older) were practically invisible to traditional campuses. Dr. Sperling then created his own college to serve these students and by 1989, the University expanded to online learning. The University of Phoenix now has over 200 campuses in 40 states, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, and the District of Columbia. Students have the ability to attend online learning, or they can attend the traditional campuses that offer additional learning. The schools have tutoring centers and social centers that all students, online and traditional, can attend to help expand their education.

The University of Phoenix online is popular among working students and it is also one of the largest online accredited schools. The accreditation process is essential for students since it proves the legitimacy of their degree to employers. The school must meet certain criteria in regards to their resources, training, and teaching. The University of Phoenix has accreditation for most of their programs; the largest programs that are accredited include the following:
Nursing Accreditation - The Nursing program is one of the largest online degrees that the University of Phoenix offers. The B.S. in Nursing and the M.S. in Nursing are both accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Counseling Accreditation - The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs has granted the University of Phoenix the M.S. in Counseling degree program.
Teacher Education Accreditation - The Teacher Education Council has accredited the M.A. in Education until the year 2012.
Business Accreditation - This is the largest program at the University of Phoenix. All degree levels have been accredited through the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs.
Those are just a few of the accredited programs offered by the University of Phoenix. Each program can be studied online or at one of their campuses. The University of Phoenix online also offers certification programs for teachers and other professionals. Working adults are able to continue their education in their work-related field without taking off time to attend a traditional college or University. Companies often sign up for professional courses for their employees. These professional development courses teach employees the latest information about their particular field and they also help to build communication skills and team-building relationships.

The online tuition rate for undergraduate students is generally higher than traditional schooling. The average cost is about $350 per credit hour and most classes are 3 credit hours or more. The University of Phoenix states that the average yearly tuition rate for undergraduate students is about $12,000. Each program has different admission requirements, but all of them require students to have a GED. Some programs will require additional testing before students are granted admission to the online program.

Students looking to apply to the University of Phoenix online must complete a survey specifying which degree they are interested in and wait for a counselor to contact them. Students may also contact the University of Phoenix via telephone and complete the admissions form. After the school has reviewed your form and transferred your records from another college or University, you can begin selecting your course schedule. Generally the school will map out a course schedule for each student that shows them how long it will take to complete their degree. Students can select how long they would like to attend the school and which time periods they need off. Unlike traditional schooling, students only attend courses for 6 weeks at a time. It is up to the student to determine how many credits they want to take during each time block and they also can choose which time blocks to participate in.

The University of Phoenix recommends that students spend 5-10 hours a week on each credit hour. Most students will spend about 20-24 on each course, unlike the traditional schooling that is about 40 hours on each course. Students must participate in learning teams. The learning teams consist of participating in group discussion boards. The professor or teacher of each course will post 4 different questions throughout the week and students must respond to the question and to other student's responses. The learning teams also require students to work with one another on PowerPoint presentations and papers. Each student will create one section of the paper or presentation and the entire thing must be combined. The nice thing about the University of Phoenix online is that students are able to log into the discussion board and access school-related materials at any time.

When student's register for courses; they will pay a fee to access the online resources. The online resources they will gain access to include an electronic library, textbooks, and other materials needed to complete the course. The electronic textbooks typically include hyperlinks and other materials that help students with research papers.

Since the tuition rate is higher than most traditional schools, the University of Phoenix does offer financial aid and scholarship programs. The University of Phoenix participates in the Federal Stafford Student Loan, The Federal PLUS Loan, and the Federal Pell Grant. All financial aid documents will be processed for free and a staff member from the University will contact you if have been approved for a loan or a Pell Grant. Currently about 45 percent of the students attending the University of Phoenix receive reimbursement from their employers. Health care companies reimburse part or all of their employee's tuition cost if the degree they are obtaining will help them in their current job. In order to get started with a loan or Pell Grant information, you must speak with a financial aid counselor at the University of Phoenix. Most applicants will need to provide their recent pay stub, tax return information, other sources of income, and bank statements.

Despite the large student body of the University of Phoenix, they also have a large faculty. In order to be a professor at the University of Phoenix, you must have a masters or doctorate degree. Most of the school's faculty members are part-time because they teach their courses online. Each professor has yearly training programs and they undergo a series of tests and training programs before they are hired. There are currently 1,500 core faculty and 20,000 associate faculty members.

Students that are interested in starting with the University of Phoenix online need to evaluate a few things. First, the University of Phoenix recommends that each student take a look at their financial situation and make sure they can afford to attend the school. Since the cost of traditional undergraduate school averages around $3,000 per semester, students can expect to pay around $4,000 for 12 credit hours. Always speak with a financial aid representative before you invest in schooling. Since most companies will reimburse their employee's the University of Phoenix encourages students to check with their employers before paying tuition.

The second thing students must consider is the amount of time they can dedicate to their studies. Since students are not required to attended traditional class, they must take the initiative to log into the discussion boards and participate. Each student is responsible for responding to discussion questions from the professor and fellow students and they are also required to log in on a daily basis. The University of Phoenix recommends that each student spend at least 5 hours outside of class studying the material. Since there is not formal testing, students will be tested on their ability to properly answer discussion questions and complete the assignments. Proper writing skills are a must if a student wishes to pass a course.

Enrolling at the University of Phoenix will help individuals become attractive to other companies or to their own company. Earning a degree will allow employees to move up the pay scale and earning a degree online will help you do it in your spare time. Students do not have to waste time and money driving to a college campus and spending allotted time in classrooms. Instead, they are able to log on for as long as they want and at any time of the day. During hard economic times, online schooling is a wonderful investment because you are still able to keep your job and earn your degree. The degree can be your ticket into a new job if your company goes under due to a poor economy.

Unlike other online learning schools, the University of Phoenix was created to help working adults. Counselors are there to help students create class schedules that work around their jobs and home life. Students have the option to take on a full-time schedule or they can opt for a part-time schedule. Either way, it is important to pace yourself and spend time participating in your schoolwork if you expect to earn your degree through the University of Phoenix online.