While Halstvedt’s work in marketing paid well, it wasn’t fulfilling, and the prospect of pursuing a degree in social work seemed to make sense given her newfound direction. “I wanted [to have] a positive impact on people,” she says. A quick survey of master’s degree programs in social work led Halstvedt to the online program at Boise State University. There was an on-campus program available at a school not far from Halstvedt’s home, but the tuition was double that of Boise State, and the in-person format wasn’t ideal given that she and her husband both were juggling full-time work, while raising their 3-year-old child.

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Halstvedt’s situation is somewhat typical of most students who choose to complete a master’s in social work (MSW) online, says Shelley Hall, who teaches in the online MSW program at the University of Central Florida. “Typically, they are more nontraditional students,” she says. “It might be a second career, or the students have been working in the field and are ready to go get a master’s degree. They juggle a lot.”

Many programs, like Boise State’s, require no on-campus commitments and work with students to help them find placements for each of their fieldwork requirements in their local communities, according to Jennifer Obenshain, the program coordinator for the university’s online MSW. “If students plan to work in that community when they graduate, it prepares them to serve in that community.” 

That approach is particularly helpful in rural areas, Obenshain says. Online programs make a rigorous master’s curriculum a lot more accessible to students living in remote areas, while also providing the communities where students live with freshly minted social workers. 

And that’s particularly timely now—as the need for mental health professionals is stronger than ever, says Dan Gizzo, a clinical psychologist who runs the Mental Health Scholars Academy at Kaiser Permanente, a California-based health care consortium. “I do think that’s creating more opportunity for behavioral professionals, nationwide, outside of our system, as well,” he says. “I think these are areas that are poised to grow and be in demand.”

As for Halstvedt, she completed her MSW in 2018 and has since been working with teens in the LGBTQIA community. She spoke to Fortune about her decision to complete her coursework online and provided some advice for individuals considering the same.

An online MSW program offers flexibility

Fortune: What were the factors influencing your decision to complete your degree online?

Halstvedt: I was married, and I’d just had my child. With the online element schooling, it felt possible. It wouldn’t have been had I attended a traditional classroom, especially living in Billings. You have to be practical.

How did you balance your personal life with your studies?

My husband was working full-time. He was very supportive. With an MSW, there is a field component. That piece is pretty intense. Not everyone can work at that capacity, but if you can do it online, it is great for self-driven individuals. He helped me with the field experience portion of it. And I was lucky enough to have childcare I trusted. I was working full-time, and I did my program full-time. I was also an adjunct at the local university. With enough support, though, I was able to do it.

What did you find most helpful to manage your time?

Google Calendar! I could invite family to my due dates; it felt like there was accountability to my work. I have a very fantastic support system. Not everybody has that. I feel really lucky.

Online MSW programs help build your local professional network

How helpful was the school in pairing you for your two placements in fieldwork?

The great thing about Boise State, they were invested in helping us find our fieldwork placements. I felt advocated for at a different level. I had a fantastic experience.

In what way?

In 2018, there was a series of wildfires in Montana. The budget was cut for health and human services, so my placement organization closed. At the last minute, Nicole Lang, the assistant director of field education at Boise State, was calling around so I could graduate on time. You want to stay on schedule. I had things lined up. I loved that about Boise State. They were invested in helping me follow my plan.

Top considerations for prospective online MSW students

How have you leveraged your MSW since graduation?

The beauty of an MSW is that you can use it in so many places. For me, part of the joy was seeing what interested me. I gravitated toward working with children and teenagers; behavioral interventions. That grew into therapy. That is where my path led me. That is still the realm I’m in. I’m interested in working with children and teens, and found I was able to be helpful to teenagers more. I started with LGBTQIA teens in rural Montana towns. That’s where the need was, and I found I enjoyed the work.

What aspects of the MSW education have stuck with you the most?

I chose an MSW for the social justice element. I find in my work now with LGBTQIA teens the social justice element has been more of—not an approach—a mindset. It’s not using a technique, it’s coming to life utilizing the social justice element. It was really emphasized in our program.

What is the most important piece of managing an online degree in your experience?

You have to have a pretty high degree of executive functioning; be able to gather up these due dates and know how far along you should be on many projects. If project management is difficult for you, you need to be willing to learn it. I believe online education is for everyone outside of that. The education is the same. The content is good. It’s about learning how to organize.

Check out all of Fortune’s rankings of degree programs, and learn more about specific career paths.