By Jim Cline

AMHERST, Mass. (abc40) -- Online diplomas are becoming more and more popular and colleges are adding more courses to meet the demand.   

There are circumstances creating more demand.   

Close to 80 percent of college students around the nation live off campus, and while an on-campus experience is desirable for many, there are many others who find that learning from a distance can be desirable.   

Jay Gladden, the associate dean at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst says there are students in Connecticut who take one course live, face to face, and another online because it will save them the drive twice or three times a week.

Driving takes time and, with the price of gas hovering around $4 a gallon, it also takes money.  

UMass went on line with courses in 2001 and is one of the largest programs in the country with more than 145,000 students a year in more than 30 countries.   

Holyoke Community College went online in 1999 with 36 registrations.  There were more than 2,000 this year.