Today’s topic for class discussion is whether or not employers look down on online degrees. In 2010, will we see employers weighing online degrees equally with those from traditional colleges and universities?

Over the weekend, Dave Copeland of Boston.com wrote that, while distance learning isn’t for everyone, online classes can help students balance work, school and family. Additionally, the fact that traditional brick-and-mortar institutions are growing their online class offerings validates the cost-effective and flexible mission of online universities such as University of Phoenix or Kaplan.

So, what do we do to help employers who may not perceive the degree as the equivalent to a traditional degree? To put this into perspective, consider the growth of online degree programs:

The National Center for Education Statistics expects the number of students enrolled in distance learning courses to reach 18.2 million by 2013, up from 3.1 million in the 2000-01 academic year. About two-thirds of all post-secondary schools now offer courses online, and many offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs that can be completed without ever setting foot on campus.

Employers need to be more informed about the accreditation of these schools, the interactions that occur among peers and professors, and the quality of online programs out there. The fact is, only 16% of today’s college students are the traditional 18-22-year-old full-time undergrads. As access to higher education changes, so will the education and qualifications of the candidate pool; so is it safe to say that perceptions from employers will have to evolve as well? Is it only a matter of time?