What if I said you could sit on your sofa in your PJs, with a mug of coffee, a computer screen and a chance to fulfill al dream?

The University of West Florida this fall is expanding online graduate degree programs with the addition of an advanced nursing degree with two specializations, and an MBA program with four areas of emphasis to choose from.

Online graduate degrees come with a variety of benefits, including pay raises, promotions and an expanded knowledge base.

But unlike classroom settings, online programs have the distinct advantage of allowing busy folks to get a leg up in their careers from the comfy convenience of home.

Online classes mean avoiding the commute to class and driving around to find a parking space.

It means never having to spend a moment in a classroom of strangers, listening to a professor’s lecture.

It means earning a degree from a university without ever having sat in one of their classrooms.

UWF has contracted with Academic Partnerships to provide broad-based services in support of the its new online degree programs.

The addition of an advanced nursing degree with two specializations, and an MBA program with four areas of emphasis opens up opportunities to improve skills and advance careers.

The Department of Nursing-UWF will offer:

• Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in Nursing Leadership and Management.
• Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in Nursing Education.

The next application deadline for online MSN classes is Sept. 14, with classes starting on Oct. 14.

The Nursing Leadership and Management track is designed for nurses who seek a supervisory or leadership role in the health-care industy.

The Master’s in Nursing Education prepares nurses to become an educator in an academic or hospital setting. Both programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The UWF College of Business will offer:

• General Master of Business Administration.
• MBA with an emphasis in Accounting.
• MBA with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship.
• MBA with an emphasis in Supply Chain Logistics Management.

The first application deadline for the online MBA program is Sept. 14, with classes starting on Oct. 14.

The UWF College of Business is accredited by ASCSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Fewer than 4.7 percent of business schools worldwide have earned this symbol of the highest standard in management education.

Online education is about increasing opportunities for employment and career advancement.

With a computer, an Internet connection and some self-discipline, you can earn an advanced degree from home, work or anywhere else you choose.

Online degree programs pretty much follow the same methods as traditional learning, with a few caveats.

There are lectures, but they won’t be in person.

There are work assignments, but don’t worry about handing them to an instructor.

Of course there are exams, but you won’t be able to peek at your classmate’s paper.

There may be set time that the class starts, but you don’t have to be there then.

In most cases, you are free to go to class when it fits your schedule. If your get a phone call during class, you don’t have to miss anything. If you get sick, you don’t have to ask for someone’s notes, you just visit the lecture later.

Online students may only step foot on campus at graduation.

Just remember to take your pajamas off.