Legitimate Online Degree?

MacGirl80

Hi there,
When I was growing up ( in the Cretaceous Period:eek: ) there were correspondence courses and about 20 years ago there were alot of ads for DeVry university on TV.
I was thinking of going back to school. Does anyone have any experience with online degree courses? Do they have flexible timescales, as in would you be able to hold down a job and do a degree?
Do they have to be completed in a certain amount of time, like the traditional 4 years?
How they compare to traditional university night class experience? Do employers or future schools care how I get my degree?
Thanks do much in advance!:beer:

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

The University of London External programme is reliable authorative and the businesss.
http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/.
I did the Economics Extra Mural Diploma and matriculated into Essex University into their reputable Government and Sociology Departments as a Mature student.

Dunroamin

I've never heard of DeVry University - are you in the States?

emsywoo123

Open university?

LunaLady

DeVry is in the US. Is that where you are based?

MacGirl80

I was in the US many years ago.

MacGirl80

One of my colleagues mentioned getting a masters in public administration to diversify my options and suggested. I was also considering getting an MBA. My undergraduate degrees are in completely different fields, but I have years of practical experience in business and various levels and also as a manager.

heretolearn_2

Lots of uni offer part-time/distance learning degrees now.

Also lots of dodgier sounding colleges offering degrees accredited by someone else. Personally, I'd avoid those.

Look at the real unis. Also Open University.

There are quite a lot of distance learning Masters degree options out there now, including MBAs.


How they work on time scale is not completely flexible. You still have to complete assignments/each course on time. But with some (OU especially) you can spread out the actual courses. Most will combine with a certain amount of face to face tuition, although this may be optional.

I'm currently doing degree through OU, have fit it around work at one course a year (so 6 years in total) but am doing two courses this year to get it finished more quickly but had to cut my work time down for 4 months during the course overlap period. But I do know people who work full time and do 2 courses, which is equivalent of full time study and full time work. It comes down to how determined/organised/motivated you are and how much social life you want to have (almost none :-( this year for me).

I'm looking at doing a Masters from Cambridge next, which is a 2 year part time course and a mixture of online, combined with several weeks face to face tuition. The 'live' stuff is batched over weekends and a couple of weeks solid work, very intensive, but it's designed so people can work full time and do it, just sacrificing weekends and I think 3 weeks annual leave for it. And of course working in your own time - but to a timetable/deadline - in between.

So unis are quite flexible with their arrangements for working students now. But I don't think you'll find one that lets you do a degree totally as and when, each course has to be done to their timetable, you can't drag it out over as long as you want.

You can fit it in around work, but you have to be good at self-motivation.

MacGirl80

thanks Heretolearn, that is really interesting, the idea that a school will offer degrees accredited by others. I have come across a lot of spam and fake and dodgy sites.

heretolearn_2

I'd recommend doing one direct with a proper uni myself. It'll cost you just as much at a college/private college, and I think they are less regulated as to quality. I know a privately owned college that offers degrees and personally I wouldn't let them train my dog.

Many unis offer distance learning options.

If a Masters is a thought - Bangor (yes I know not exactly top of league table, but its a uni) is well known among all us OU students as being much cheaper than the English based ones, and I know a few students who are lined up for a Masters there this year, all distance learning. In fact I think generally the Welsh/Scottish unis tend to be cheaper, and if it's distance learning it makes no odds where they are.

I can recommend OU for quality of courses/teaching/flexibility. For example although we have deadlines for work it is possible to get a couple of extensions (usually) for some of your assignments, if you have a good reason. I've had quite a few this year. It's no longer a cheaper option though, which used to be an important factor for most, so look around.

MacGirl80

Thanks for that. Although it doesnt have the same ring to it an MPA http://www.getarealdegree.com/degrees/masters-in-public-administration/ might help me diversify my options or set me apart from other applicants when looking for a job with the city council.