Want to go back to school, but not sure your shy personality can handle the large classes, club fairs, and social events on campus?

If you would prefer less face-to-face interaction and want to take classes on your own time, an online education might be a good option to consider.

Tammy Peery, an online English professor at Montgomery College in Maryland, says that shy people may feel more at ease in an online program.

"Introverted students really blossom in online courses," says Peery. "They're able to actively participate without the pressure of other people looking at them. They don't have to be brilliant immediately - they can take their time to craft answers. Without the pressure of a visual audience, many students feel more comfortable talking."

So, for all the shy people out there, here are some flexible online degrees that you can earn from the comfort of your own home.

Online Degree #1 - Business Administration

Want to develop your research skills for the business world but not up for dealing with large lecture halls and big groups of students? With an online degree in business administration, you can advance your business abilities while virtually interacting with fellow students through online discussions or chats.

A bachelor's program in business administration could help you improve your communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills through courses in business ethics and law, operations management, and marketing, according to the College Board, an organization that administers academic aptitude tests.

Related career option: With an online business administration degree, you could learn skills needed to prepare to pursue a career as a market research analyst. This could be a good fit for a shy person, as you'd be working mostly with your computer versus people. In fact, you might actuallyspend a lot of your time researching marketing trends and analyzing data on consumers and competitors, says the U.S. Department of Labor.

Online Degree #2 - Health Information Technology

Ready to learn more about the health care field without having to leave the comfort of your home? You can avoid in-class discussions and face-to-face communication when earning your associate's degree in health information technology online.

According to the College Board, common health information technology associate's degree program courses might cover introduction to coding, health care statistics, and medical terminology. You might also learn about patient confidentiality, health care law, and more.

Related career option: An online associate's degree in health information technology could help prep you to pursue a career as a medical records and health information technician. This is another great career option for those who tend to be shy, since medical records and health information technicians usually work more behind-the-scenes. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, they can help a doctor's visit run more smoothly by making sure that a patient's health information is organized and protected in paper and electronic systems.

Online Degree #3 - Accounting

Are you interested in learning more about calculating a budget but get embarrassed when trying to talk in class? Don't fret. In an online accounting program, you can avoid having to answer questions on the spot - online discussions usually provide more time to develop your responses.

With classes like auditing, accounting information systems, and cost accounting, a bachelor's in accounting can help you prepare to analyze financial statements for individuals or companies, according to the College Board.

Related career option: An online degree in accounting can get you ready for a shy-friendly career as an accountant, where you might interact with numbers more than your co-workers. Your attention-to-detail skills could come in handy when examining and organizing financial reports, or preparing tax returns, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Online Degree #4 - Graphic Design

Eager to improve your artistic abilities without students and teachers constantly looking over your shoulder? With an online program in graphic design, you could work from home in peace and quiet and then email your final product for critiques.

According to the College Board, a bachelor's in graphic design can help you tap into your creative mind through courses like production design, graphic design techniques, and Photoshop® for designers.

Related career option: By earning an online degree in graphic design, you could brush up on your creativity as you prepare to pursue a graphic designer career. By mixing art with technology, you could communicate your ideas through the layout and design for websites, advertisements, or other marketing visuals, says the U.S. Department of Labor. And you might be able to embrace your shy characteristics if you get the chance to freelance or work on your projects from your home computer.

Online Degree #5 - Computer Science

Do you want to put your techie skills to use but aren't necessarily a fan of drawing attention to yourself and asking questions in front of a class? With an online program in computer science, you don't have to worry about raising your hand during discussion time.

You can expect to learn about computer languages and how to create software programs when pursuing a bachelor's in computer science. Common classes in a computer science program might include software engineering, introduction to program design, and computer system organization, says the College Board.

Related career option: Get ready to embrace your shy qualities in the tech world. By earning a bachelor's degree in computer science, you could prepare to spend time with your computer as a computer programmer, where you could write programs in computer languages like Java, test code and fix errors, or update and develop existing software programs, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.





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Degrees Shy People Can Earn From Home - Yahoo! Education