Correspondence courses are a growing alternative to conventional on-campus courses. The main reasons that so many people choose this type of education are that it is more convenient, usually faster, and normally less expensive. There are two kinds of schools that offer correspondence courses: proprietary and postsecondary. Proprietary schools include privately owned, profit-making schools that provide home study courses of a technical or vocational nature. Postsecondary schools include public and private colleges and universities that offer home study courses, some of which lead to a degree. Although most proprietary and postsecondary schools are reputable, there are some which employ unethical practices. It is wise to investigate a school's accreditation or reputation before enrolling in courses. Both types of schools have accreditation agencies which can be contacted. If the goal is to earn a college degree, then correspondence courses may be combined with past credits and experience to earn an external degree. External degrees are growing in acceptance with employers and probably will be universally accepted in the near future. This document includes an annotated list of five books and pamphlets for more information about correspondence courses and external degrees. (DC)