"Distance Learning" Degrees?

UnoriginalGuy_2

Several Universities (e.g. London, Open, etc) offer these Distance Learning Degree courses at various prices and schedules. Has anyone taken one?

Was the material provided good? Any hidden costs? Does your degree certificate contain words like "Distance Learning" or look suspect? How time/schedule intensive was it?

I'm really just interested in experiences and anecdotes on these courses. If anyone can answer any of my specific questions then even better

Needless to say but it is a LOT of money to throw at something and I just want to be sure.

Gingernutmeg

I don't know a great deal about specific Distance Learning courses but your certificate should specify the location of study, according to the QAA guidelines. If it doesn't they're breaking all kind of rules.

dmg24

I did (part of) my Law degree by distance learning at Nottingham Trent University. The course materials and the tutor support was excellent. My degree certificate does not state distance learning.

Gingernutmeg

A degree done in part as Distance Learning does not necessarily need to state that it was Distance Learning (just as 'top-up' degrees don't normally say that), but if it's done in whole then it should. If a university offers a Distance Learning degree which is also taught on campus (ie lets say a university does a BSc (Hons) Computing that's offered as both an on-campus and a Distance Learning degree, and is also taught, via an articualtion agreement, in China or Dubai) - the university must specify, on the certificate and the transcript, the location of study. There are lots of reasons why this has to be so but one of the most common reasons for this needing to happen is if the on-campus version of the course is accredited by an external body, like a Chartered Institute - in general they only assess the content and delivery of on-campus degrees so when it comes ot someone applying for membership, there has to be a way to distinguish between students who on paper may have taken the 'same' degree but in practice may not have.

dmg24

Gingernutmeg wrote: »

A degree done in part as Distance Learning does not necessarily need to state that it was Distance Learning (just as 'top-up' degrees don't normally say that), but if it's done in whole then it should. If a university offers a Distance Learning degree which is also taught on campus (ie lets say a university does a BSc (Hons) Computing that's offered as both an on-campus and a Distance Learning degree, and is also taught, via an articualtion agreement, in China or Dubai) - the university must specify, on the certificate and the transcript, the location of study. There are lots of reasons why this has to be so but one of the most common reasons for this needing to happen is if the on-campus version of the course is accredited by an external body, like a Chartered Institute - in general they only assess the content and delivery of on-campus degrees so when it comes ot someone applying for membership, there has to be a way to distinguish between students who on paper may have taken the 'same' degree but in practice may not have.

My earlier credits were transferred to the DL degree. Furthermore, all of the fellow students who studied solely by DL, do not have DL written on their degree.

You're digging yourself a bit of a hole here ...

sarahetc

Last year I began to study an HNC in Business over 2 years by open learning through a local college and it was absolutely awful - there were numerous mistakes in the coursework, the tutors were extremely unhelpful and regularly took 2 or 3 weeks to respond to emails if they even bothered at all. I had to guess when my assessments were as usually I wasn't notified until a couple of days before they took place.

I passed the first year and to top it all off they have now decided to cancel the course and won't let me complete my second year! I only found this out after chasing the course co-ordinators about another query 3 weeks ago - and they still haven't officially notified me. They have completely wasted a year of my life... so be careful!

lynzpower

I did a Diploma in SocialWork in collaboration with the OU.

60% of the course were modules anyone could do, only 2 were placement that were done in my workplace.

I found the materials ery accessible. If you ahve been out of study for a while it woul d definatly suit. You can take OU at your own pace depending what you can fit into your life. Etc. I knoew someone who stopped for a few motnhs when she had a baby, then started agin in the next intake.

There are disadvantages- can be isolating if you dontunderstand it, crazy amount of volume of papers/ tapes/ CDs/ posters/ videos - a lot more than youd think! I also found ( not to be funny here) some of the materials a bit basic, howeever it is designed to cover all bases.

Gingernutmeg

Not really. It's the area I work in and I know for a fact that location of study should be specified on a degree transcript. Since it's Sunday and I can't be bothered to trawl through the QAA guidelines, the most pertinent information I could find is this circular from the QAA discussling flexible and distributed learning, which is the continuum into which distance learning falls - see the section marked certificates and transcripts. It's slightly out of date but since these are the rules which I work from currently, it's still relevant. There are many different definitions of distance learning - the way it's done in the OU is very different to the way it's done by many other universities so not all distance learning arrangements are the same. However, in general, if a degree is not studied on campus for a significant part of the programme, then it should be specified on the certificate.

eamon

The market leader for distance learning in the UK is the Open University. Tens of thousands of students in the UK, Ireland, Continental Europe and across the globe. Tens of thousands of graduates over the years. Check out their web site for courses offered & prices.
There are other providers but you need to pore over their information packs as many are light on key information such as costs.
As Lynzpower has already said, distance learning is not for everybody. Many struggle with the isolation, deadlines, time management, family, work to name a few. On the other side it is very affordable compared to full time studying in a bricks & mortar institution. If you choose the OU they provide all the course materials. Employers like it as it demonstrates time management skills, personal commitment etc.

Errata

Agree with Linz and Eamon. OU is by it's very nature distance learning and employers would understand that. OU requires commitment, tenacity, self-direction - all things that appeal to employers. Some of the material can be basic, but the trick is - as with all degree work - to read around the sugject as much as possible. It is possible to get through solely on the course materials, but one's own research and broader reading is always profitable.

DebtSniper

Errata wrote: »

OU is by it's very nature distance learning and employers would understand that. OU requires commitment, tenacity, self-direction - all things that appeal to employers. Some of the material can be basic, but the trick is - as with all degree work - to read around the sugject as much as possible. It is possible to get through solely on the course materials, but one's own research and broader reading is always profitable.

Agree with this.

I did a BSc (Hons) in Computing. It requires 360 points (modules tend to be worth either 30 or 60 points each), and I studied 60 points per year. Studying one 60 point module is considerably less work than studying two 30 point modules.

Course materials are varied - web sites, CD-Roms, text books, etc.

Distance learning can be difficult, but most OU courses have group forums similar to those found on MSE. These are invaluable for swapping ideas (but not assignment answers ), providing peer support, and relieving the isolation felt by some students.

Tutor support was good on my courses, and several physical tutorials are usually scheduled per course at various educational establishments around the country. I actually very rarely attended these except around exam time, when I could pick the tutor's brains about likely exam question subjects and technique.

Courses tend to be a mix of optional and compulsory modules. The most difficult part of the degree for me was studying the compulsory modules that I had no great interest in - ie. the maths-intensive modules. Jeez, I have still go no idea how I passed those!

Time management is important, and something you will have to work out to suit yourself. I tended to do most of my study at weekends because I was too tired after work during the week, although I did read some of the course materials during my daily commute. I would budget for at least 16 hours a week for a 60 point module. And you can kiss goodbye to your social life when assigments are due or exams are imminent. :rotfl:

It can be bl00dy hard work. Choose a subject you enjoy.

My degree certificate says: "The degree of Batchelor of Science (Honours) in Computing having been conferred, Paul XXXXX has been granted Upper Second-class Honours". There is no mention of distance learning.