Do you treat an "online" degree differently?

[Rilescat]

Hello,

A friend of mine is getting his Masters degree online. I am wondering if it will be helpful to him.

Do you apply any weight difference to a conventional degree vs. an online degree? I am wondering how the real world approaches and/or really accepts an online Masters vs a conventional brick and mortar Masters.

Anyone out there with first hand experience???

Thanks

 

[atom]

...Masters in what? Is it accredited?

 

[minendo]

Depends on where the degree came from. I would not mind picking up an MBA from Purdue online.

 

[Nitemare]

How about those degrees that you pay 15 bucks for in the back of Tabloids?


Think a master's from Stanford will carry a wee bit more wight then a Master's from Strayer's University

 

[Ynog]

I used to get tons of Email asking if I wanted to get a PhD from a prestigious non-accreditied university.
Always an amusing joke.

That said if you are talking about an online MBA from a accredited university, thats well known, then
no its won't be treated differently. Its not like the MBA comes with you took online classes. However
like Nitemare said. If you are talking about a no name school that no one in the World has heard about,
then its going to make a difference, but then again even if you took the classes at that school you would
still be in trouble.

 

[AstIsis]

As everyone has stated, if it is from an accredited online program, then I have no problems with it. Actually, it is becoming more popular since it does allow people the freedom to work and still earn a degree.

 

[Rilescat]

Originally posted by: atom
...Masters in what? Is it accredited?

Yes, fully accredited online college: AIU Online (That is where he is getting his).

or even Phoenix online or any of those either.

 

[Rilescat]

Originally posted by: Nitemare
How about those degrees that you pay 15 bucks for in the back of Tabloids?


Think a master's from Stanford will carry a wee bit more wight then a Master's from Strayer's University

I think this one is costing more like 25,000$

 

[DaveSimmons]

Online version of a reputable school = fine, online-only school = a step down even if accredited, more like a community college or associate degree.

But that's just my opinion

 

[kranky]

It wouldn't count as much to me. I'm not saying it's worthless, but to me it would be "MBA lite". If it costs the same as getting one from a B&M campus, go for the B&M. From a hiring point of view, at least I'd know that the person would have had to complete group projects so is likely able to work with others.

Not to mention that the contacts you make while in school can really be valuable later in life, and you don't get that with an online school.

That's just my opinion, though. I'm sure there are plenty of people who figure an MBA is an MBA, as long as it's from an accredited place. That place (American InterContinental) has such a generic name it doesn't sound real.

 

[JetsFanatic]

How can they tell if it was done online and in a classroom??

I would not see any difference or problem with it.

Even the "instantdegrees" ".com"s are ISO Certified
and let me tell you ISO Certification is very hot right now in the IT world

 

[Toasthead]

Originally posted by: atom
...Masters in what? Is it accredited?

yeah these are two HUGE questions I would want to knwo the answers to.

 

[Frdm51472]

Originally posted by: JetsFanatic
How can they tell if it was done online and in a classroom??

I would not see any difference or problem with it.

Even the "instantdegrees" ".com"s are ISO Certified
and let me tell you ISO Certification is very hot right now in the IT world

Ask. I disregard any education listed on a resume from any of the well known "online" colleges, like Phoenix.

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: Frdm51472

Originally posted by: JetsFanatic
How can they tell if it was done online and in a classroom??

I would not see any difference or problem with it.

Even the "instantdegrees" ".com"s are ISO Certified
and let me tell you ISO Certification is very hot right now in the IT world

Ask. I disregard any education listed on a resume from any of the well known "online" colleges, like Phoenix.

Ignorance is bliss. Perhaps you should take an online course to see what it's like before you disregard it.

 

[kranky]

I rank Phoenix a step higher than the pure online universities. At least you have to do group projects and attend a certain number of classes at their facility.

 

[JetsFanatic]

Originally posted by: dirtboy

Originally posted by: Frdm51472

Originally posted by: JetsFanatic
How can they tell if it was done online and in a classroom??

I would not see any difference or problem with it.

Even the "instantdegrees" ".com"s are ISO Certified
and let me tell you ISO Certification is very hot right now in the IT world

Ask. I disregard any education listed on a resume from any of the well known "online" colleges, like Phoenix.

Ignorance is bliss. Perhaps you should take an online course to see what it's like before you disregard it.

DITTO

 

[astroview]

Half the usefulness from an MBA is the connections. That said, I don't put much stock in any online degree. I have known people who have taken online classes and they were a joke b/c they didn't pay attention or care about it.

If you really care, take night classes at a local real university.

 

[Rilescat]

Originally posted by: astroview
Half the usefulness from an MBA is the connections. That said, I don't put much stock in any online degree. I have known people who have taken online classes and they were a joke b/c they didn't pay attention or care about it.

If you really care, take night classes at a local real university.

See...that's the problem around here. The "local real university" is 150 miles away. Not goina happen if you have kids/wife, and a job you have to worry about during the day.

 

[CPA]

I am getting a CS Bachelor's degree from ACCIS. It's accredited, the classes are relatively the same as a B&M school, I have to get a B in every computer science course otherwise I have to take the class over, and the assignments, while open book, are just as challenging as when I went to college and got my Bachelor's in Administration (Accounting). Explain to me why this is different/worse than a "well known" college, other than the connections.

 

[AstIsis]

Most people who are getting an online degree have "real world" job experience. They don't need traditional college to make business contacts due to the fact that they already have them.

I went to the traditional "brick and mortar" school and did not make any contacts worth having...those have come in the course of my career.

I have looked at the course materials for the online schools and personally think they are just as good if not tougher then most traditional schools.

Which ever way a person chooses to get their degree, more power to them!

 

[astroview]

If he has no other choice b/c of the 150 miles issue, then I understand. I guess I'm coming from the angle that I have at least 5 universities within 30 minutes of me where I could get a degree if I wanted to. If someone in my position chooses to get an online degree, I'd question why. Is there a laziness factor or stupidity/failure factor where they couldn't meet any admissions criteria?

Although I believe that if they can pass some sort of standard exam like a CPA exam after the online classes, based off of what they learned from the online classes, I'd be much more willing to overlook the online university angle. Thus if your friend could get some certifications of some sort, be it business or technological b/c of those classes, then the online degree won't be as bad. What exactly is he studying?

 

[Rilescat]

Originally posted by: astroview
If he has no other choice b/c of the 150 miles issue, then I understand. I guess I'm coming from the angle that I have at least 5 universities within 30 minutes of me where I could get a degree if I wanted to. If someone in my position chooses to get an online degree, I'd question why. Is there a laziness factor or stupidity/failure factor where they couldn't meet any admissions criteria?

Although I believe that if they can pass some sort of standard exam like a CPA exam after the online classes, based off of what they learned from the online classes, I'd be much more willing to overlook the online university angle. Thus if your friend could get some certifications of some sort, be it business or technological b/c of those classes, then the online degree won't be as bad. What exactly is he studying?

He is getting his degree in IT security. I wonder about what you say in refernce to the certs. I don't know anyone that came out of there degree field and was able to get a certification (MCSE, CNA, etc). Everyone I know that is certified has lots of in the field experience, whether they have a degree or not.

 

[Rilescat]

Originally posted by: CPA
I am getting a CS Bachelor's degree from ACCIS. It's accredited, the classes are relatively the same as a B&M school, I have to get a B in every computer science course otherwise I have to take the class over, and the assignments, while open book, are just as challenging as when I went to college and got my Bachelor's in Administration (Accounting). Explain to me why this is different/worse than a "well known" college, other than the connections.

Very cool. Wish you luck.

Have you asked your employer what their impression of an online degree would be? Did they offer a raise if you completed the program?

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: kranky
Not to mention that the contacts you make while in school can really be valuable later in life, and you don't get that with an online school.

You can make contacts in online classes as well (at least the ones that have group projects). I know of some people that have made contacts across the country because of online classes.

 

[pyonir]

Also, a lot of schools that have both Online and On-ground programs, the degree will not say it was necessarily achieved online.