Is distance learning degree accepted by employers?

Geralds

I have many queries before i decide if to get my degree online. How do employers view distance learning degrees? Can I get a job with it?

skibster

Geralds wrote: »

I have many queries before i decide if to get my degree online. How do employers view distance learning degrees? Can I get a job with it?

If they're just ticking a box that you need to have a certain degree to get the job, then an online degree is good. But otherwise they may not put as much stock in them as if you went to a brick and mortar university. Though if the degree is an online program by a brick and mortar university, it will likely carry more weight than one from a school that is solely online. Some online universities are more reputable than others (maybe I should say some are more prestigious, or higher ranked than others), so I'd do my homework about which look best on a resume.

montymud

skibster is right - although many people would fiercly argue that distance learning degrees are as 'acceptable to emplyers etc' as uni based degrees, its simply not true. I really don't see what the problem is because I think that people that do OU for example have to work so hard as they get nowhere near the amount of support I did at UofE. My lecturer was of the same opinion - he thought it was a disgraceful attitude to take but it is taken all the same. I was incredibly lucky with my degree. I did a degree in social sciences. It was full time but it was only two full days a week - mondays and tuesdays and the campus was right in my doorstep and of course it was fully funded by the government. What discipline were you thinking about?

Oldernotwiser

I have to disagree on this. Outside very traditional areas like merchant banking, an OU degree is more than acceptable. Employers realise the time and the commitment that will have gone into this sort of study and value these personality traits just as much as the degree, although the OU is ranked within the top 5 universities for teaching quality anyway. I've never known anybody fail to get a job because their degree is from the OU rather than a bricks and mortar university.

Edit: You'd get a more knowledgeable response if you posted this on the Student or Employment Boards as I only came across your post by accident. What a strange question to put under shopping!

Andrew_Will

I earned a degree from an online college and it was the same diploma given to the students who attended traditional classes in the same college. I went for my graduation ceremony too. I have been able to get a job with it and my employers didn't ask if if the college was online or not. But I learned something important is to ensure you get your degree from an accredited college or else it's a big risk. You can get more information from: http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com/

MariaTom

In many cases your degree represents years and years of work, knowledge, and accomplishment. Be proud that you were able to earn it by an independent evaluation process

Emmzi

my employer takes 20+ graduates a year and 2 last year were OU. |We don't discriminate.

SandC

Well if I were employing people I would be very glad of having applicants with OU or distance learning degrees. 9/10 that means they were working full time whilst studying so telling me how diligent and keen to get on they are. Plus they would be coming with lots of work experience already - the major benefit being not necessarily the type of work but that they are used to the working mentality versus the student lifestyle.

Blackpool_Saver

Yes and the OU make people learn grammar, punctuation and spelling too !!

MsChazzer

I did my postgraduate diploma online and part-time, and it's absolutely fine. As SandC says I'm able to show that I could study and work full-time. Although it was a part-time course it was still pretty intensive and required a few hours each night, I think most courses at degree level or above would be like this.

See if you can get a feel for what kind of support you get, I was lucky and our course leader at Robert Gordon University bent over backwards to make sure us online students were supported. We had discussion forums so we could have virtual seminar sessions as well.

Conor_3

You stand as much chance as anyone else with a degree. If you've no real life experience in the subject, you're going to struggle.