Society has developed in a queasy internet-World Wide Web world. It seem every 5 homes have a computer. This is a big change for 30 years ago. The Internet net has developed in to a great Mecca of learning. Whoever though you could talk with friend in Japan, Russia and Canada with out a telephone.  Whoever though we could buy insurance, major appliances and Automobiles on a personal computer in the confines of your home. Now we can attend school and even college online.

The Christian Educational Industry has adjusted to societies evolution. The ability completes a high school diploma or even a college degree can be complete at home online. Saint Thomas Christian College and Theological Seminary offer an accelerated studies program online. This allows a student to sign online as if they were in class.

The external studies program at Saint Thomas has praise by countless number of pastors, Christian educator and college professor as 2^nd to none. The quality of learning matter and simplistic layout has been the biggest selling point for many years. We decided to take it a step farther and do it online as well. This gave us our online External Studies Program.

Please understand that external studies a non-traditional way of studying is quickly become a traditional way of studies. It is been declare by the experts the way to go.

NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS DEFINED

Cross (1980) defines the nontraditional student as an adult who returns to school full- or part-time while maintaining responsibilities such as employment, family, and other responsibilities of adult life. These students also may be referred to as "adult students," "re-entry students," "returning students," and "adult learners." Because developmental needs, issues, and stressors for adults differ considerably from those faced by younger, "traditional-age" students, all aspects of the college environment must be reconsidered (and often reconfigured) to respond to this growing student population (Benshoff, 1991). Over the last 20 years, the percentage of older students on campuses has increased dramatically. From one-third to one-half of all college students are classified as nontraditional and more than 50% of all graduate students are over 30 years of age (Aslanian & Brickell, 1980). "Adults are the fastest-growing segment of all the population groups in higher education" (Brazziel, 1989, p. 116) and this trend is expected to continue. (ERIC/CAPS, 2108 School of Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1259.)

Distance Learning ? commonly, albeit erroneously, referred to as ?Correspondence Education? - has its roots in England in the mid-1800s.

First introduced by the University of London in 1835, Distance Learning was devised as a simple procedure for enrollment for students who resided and worked in any of the distant colonies of the British Empire. Throughout the years, this concept was emulated and elaborated upon by other educators in England, the Mediterranean, Asia and Africa.

Now as we enter the 21st Century, Distance Learning has never been more available and convenient for students of all ages. The Internet, fax machines, e-mail, group telephone conference calls, CD-ROMs, and other proven technologies and related practices, make Distance Learning not only feasible, but possibly ideal, especially for advancing and furthering your education

Distance study diploma programs have no residency requirements, allowing students to continue their studies from almost any location. Depending on the course of study, students need not be enrolled full time and usually have more flexible schedules for finishing their work. Selection of courses ranges from vo-tech to college prep, and some programs place different emphasis on the types of diplomas offered. University affiliated schools, for example, allow qualified students to take college courses along with their high school ones. Students can then apply the college credits toward a degree at that university or transfer them to another institution.

Taking courses by distance study is often more challenging and time consuming than attending classes, especially for adults who have other obligations. Success depends on each student's motivation. Students usually do reading assignments on their own. Written exercises, which they complete and send to an instructor for grading, supplement their reading material.