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Online Degree vs. Traditional
Roger_Dooley
Founder 6083 replies100309 threads Senior Member
To get the ball rolling in this new forum, it would be interesting to get some feedback from individuals who have either earned an online degree or are in a position that hires degreed individuals. We know from surveys that the credibility and acceptance of online degrees varies - what has your experience been? (Lets limit the discussion to legitimate degrees that require a typical set of courses to be completed; it's more or less a given that mail order diplomas or degree programs without academic requirements will fool relatively few employers.) If you are a degree holder, do you mention that you earned it online on your resume? Have employers grilled you about it, or accepted it without comment?
If you are a hiring manager, how do you view online degrees? Does your company have a policy on them? How do other managers feel about them?
54 repliesIf you are a hiring manager, how do you view online degrees? Does your company have a policy on them? How do other managers feel about them?
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Replies to: Online Degree vs. Traditional
Thanks for this forum. I am very interested in finding out more about highly selective colleges which allow both on-line and in-person classes in the same semester, as I think it is a helpful option, especially for patients who have health challenges that may cause them to miss many days of class.
Now that my S is leaving for college and I'm entering "empty nest" I've given some thought to earning an online degree, too...but my friend's experience makes me think I'd be better served by dealing w/the logistics of earning a degree from a brick-and-mortar school, even if I take a course or two online...
The challenge for the recruiter is to understand the rigor (or lack thereof) in the online degree program. It's a new enough area that many may have difficulty in distinguishing between legitimate and demanding programs and those with looser standards.
It may take the entry of "brand name" colleges to legitimize online degrees in the minds of recruiters. If a candidate showed up with an online degree from Yale (not yet available, unfortunately), the recruiter would most likely presume that reasonably high standards were upheld in granting the degree. I don't think we are that far away from all the top schools offering a variety of distance degrees.
As I proceeded through the program, it was necessary to visit my school district main office and the techs there were very pleased at the projects I had to complete and the level of preparation I had. I could easily work downtown if I wanted to give up my summers off (no way!) and I am called on a few times a year to conduct training.
So, to summarize, the exclusively online delivery of the degree has actually been a positive, given that the delivery method tied in with my degree area. How much easier it is to design online courses, delivery methods and online communities having experienced it all firsthand. Perhaps that would make my experience the exception, but I thought it applicable here nonetheless.
I believe that you are correct, the GWU brand had a lot to do with the acceptability of my online degree. I believe, also, that it also points up the fact that it is extremely important that you DO select a rigorous, hightly respected program that is closely aligned with your goals if you want it to be an advantage in the workplace.
If, however, you choose a program that is "easy" and doesn't require a great deal from you in terms of effort, time, or money, well, you get out what you put in.
I guess some key factors would be,
1) Well recognized name, particularly a bricks & mortar university
2) Rigorous program with controlled testing and good prof/peer interaction.
3) Optional (or required) campus participation.
Most employers wouldn't know about #3 unless the applicant discussed it, but it might add credibility. Some executive MBA programs, for example, meet periodically in person but do most of the work offsite.
It's a pretty good bet if the degree is from someplace you never heard of and they are willing to waive most courses based on your life experience, the degree won't meet the sniff test.
However, since my degree with look like everyone else's I am toying with the idea of just not even mentioning that I finished my BS on line. But, I do not yet know how that will work out. Where I live, folks are easily five years behind the times with things that are more modern with schooling.
When I earn my BS, I am thinking of just stapling a copy of my degree to my resume. Would that look weird?
The online portion of the program is only used to check grades, order books, download weekly assignments and syllabus, organize and update your class schedule, and they have an awesome online library that has literally everything you could ever want.
They also have an online writing lab and math lab where you can send in your homework before it's due and they'll check it for grammar and punctuation.
I thought the program was very rigorous. I also got the same books that traditional university students get and there is a ton of homework, for those of you who think it's a degree mill. Every week one individual paper is due (ranging from 350-2500 words depending on the course). In addition, one team paper is due (ranging from 1500-2500 words). In addition there is a team presentation due with powerpoint slides and assigned reading each week which is then discussed in class the following week
I have to tell everyone that this program was no walk in the park. This was 4 years of very hard work.
When I started the program there was roughly 40 people in my class. By the time I graduated only 4 of them made it all the way through. Most of them dropped out by the second or third class and some of them couldn't pass the math courses.
Over the course of my studies I was grouped with other students, many of whom were sent by employers such as Disney and Warner Bros.
After graduation, I picked up some additional courses in marketing at UCLA Extension mainly to see for myself if there was any difference in the quality of education at a brick-and-mortor university than a so-called online university and I'm happy to report that I noticed no significant differences. The only thing better about the UCLA experience is their beautiful campus.
The classes are essentially the same.
My main problem is with non-technical instruction, though I am not sure how one can get a BS in Chemistry or Biology online. I learn from my fellow classmates and from the instructor. I can't do that in an isolated environment.
After obtaining my BSN through this state univ., I took two years off and then started looking for MSN programs. Since I'd moved to a semi-rural area I really wanted an online program. My alma mater didn't have their MSN up and running online, so I looked at many other programs throughout the country. There were similarities in the core classes, but variances in the degree of specialization. Just before I signed up with a mid-western univ. I received a notice from my alma mater indicating they were enrolling students for the online MSN program. The reduced tuition (state univ.) and known quantity of that program drove my decision to enroll there.
I found the online classes to be of the same cailber or tougher than the "live" classes. Students interacted via online discussion forums, e-mail, and phone (when desired). What I disliked most was the group work since there is really no remedy for non-performing peers.
The distance formats for nursing BSN and MSN meet the needs of most RNs who work. The majority of the RNs in this country are educated in community college settings and receive an Associate degree. Many go out into the workforce for many years before heading back to college for a BSN. By then, they have many life and work experiences. They usually prefer a adult learning style and coursework relevent to their job. The distance formats accomplish these well, often allowing the nurse-student to set up their own preceptorships (internships) to accomplish clinical course objectives. It's so much more relevant for a Labor and Delivery nurse to be able to individualize her coursework to that specialty, rather than to take a traditional clinical course that would make her do clinical hours in an adult surgical unit.
On the other hand, there are some distance programs for LPNs to become RNs. Those are much more concerning to me. These lower division course are supposed to be ones in which basic sciences and basic nursing care is learned. I believe that close "live" supervision of that learning is prudent.
So, this is a very long post, but in summary I think the worth of the online degree depends on the school, the individual, and the field of study.
I've seen so many managers at my current job throw resumes in the trash after seeing the 'online' graduate degree listed at the bottom of the resume. In fact, one resume got folded into a paper airplane and was passed around the office. Quite horrible.
Also, stay away from places like DeVry, University of Phoenix, Career America, and other lame rank-and-file universities. Like the poster above, you don't want to have to explain why you attended a university with a bad stigma associated with it.
The exception is for continuing education purposes in the same field AFTER you've earned the graduate degree, but don't desire to get a PHd.
--diode four nine four
Are you solely referring to diploma mill type of places? Or, are you referring to (totally legit) state schools which offer a handful of online degree options as well?
If you will be put into in the position of having to defend the work you have done, then it is probably not an appropriate academic choice. It doesn't matter if you can logically defend what you have done ... right or wrong ... the very fact you are in that position means you have already lost.
You hit the nail on the head ^
For example...
I live in Memphis Tn and attend a private University here called Rhodes College on a full academic scholarship. I have a little working list of Universities to apply to for grad school. This list is rather realistic and humble and open.
One of the universities on my list is the University of Memphis. If I get lucky with obtaining nice employment upon graduation, I can go to the University of Memphis and earn an online masters.
Alright?
And, I will always know in the back of my mind, that the university is on the up and up and that I can go there at any time in order to use the library or even to take some "in class" classes in something nifty. Or, even attend a football game or something. None of the diploma mills have sports teams, eh? Can one say that if they attend the University of Phoenix? No. Can one say that if they attend a school which only exists online? No.
I wish there were laws against these diploma mills. Blessed shame. My worse case scenario is this University of Memphis. And, for a bit over $700.00 a grad class, it is a steal! I wish more folks would look into the Universities of their own city or state before picking a diploma mill.