Taking online courses towards a degree?

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
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I've read in a few places about actually taking college credit courses from major universites online towards the earning of a degree. Is this real? Has anyone here done it? And, is the degree real? Like say if i took online courses from college X and got a degree in computer science... would it count the same as just having a degree from college X in Computer science? Also, where are there, or where could i look for decent colleges that do offer this?
 
Feb 24, 2001
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yah, the local Texas A&M branch here offers them. what's even weirder is you can take A&M classes offered in jefferson here over the internet or by teleconferencing. crazy stuff. sitting in a classroom with 30 people, and having 4 tvs and 3 cameras set up in the room. on one tv is the "overhead" or whatever the instructor wants to show everyone (kinda like the football thing when they mark on players), one tv displays students in jefferson A&M, one tv displays those in Mount Pleasant A&M (i think), and another displays students at another one. so 4 campuses taking the same class by the same instructor at the same time. it just boggles the mind. and anyone from any location can ask questions or answer them from the instructor. all real time.

yes keith in mount pleasant? sure just let me put the forumla up on the TV. wild stuff. not really an internet degree but distance ed like ive seen just blows me away.

as far as pure online classes? they are ok, ive taken several. sometimes they can be tough as the instructor thinks "hey, this guy doesnt have to come to class, so ill make it extra hard to make up for it". so not only do you get the thorough teaching from the proff, you also get harder tests. i personally dont like them, i like the interaction between myself and the profs. but for easier classes (introduction to MIS for example) i like em cause i never had to read or anything. no class to have to worry about, just go an take the test. woopy.
 
Feb 24, 2001
14,513
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they are actually thinking of doing a complete online degree. like you never go to a formal class. doesnt sound any good to me. the profs ive talked to about it said it would have to be something extremely easy. like a very basic business degree or liberal arts. sumpin like that. as far as just web classes go, see above.
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
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heh, actually my high school had a distance learning lab exactly the same as the one you mentioned. 4 tv's, 3 cameras.. and the ELMO (drawing board+camera).

another quick question... do you have to get "accepted" for online courses.... like could I just pay a certain college and take their class or do i need to meet normal school enrollment requirements?


My actual intentions would be to simply get some lower level courses out of the way with online courses and save myself some money, then enroll fulltime in school if necessary to finish out a degree. Thx
 
Feb 24, 2001
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hehe elmo that's what we had :) it's still crazy to me that this stuff works like it does, i guess im easily impressed :p

as for your questions about enrollment, i cant help ya, this is a non-compete school. however, i think tuition is like 38$ more for each class because they tack on some "p00ter" fee. like they think that you are going to use the computer labs to do the work instead of doing it at home, sha-right.

remember this is a rink dink university compared to most. veddy small. they are trying to get more courses offered, but most fall into education (the biggest number of students, this place pumps em out), and the rest are scattered business ones, alot of graduate ones.
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
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anyone know if employers would think this was a joke? looks like i could learn some decent computer info through this.. enough for a job at least..
 

wyvrn

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
10,074
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University of Phoenix offers lots of online courses. They also offer a different sort of curriculum, where you take one class at a time for 5-6 weeks until you master it, then on to the next one. They have less class time than the average college class. I was considering going until I saw the price. They are accredited too. Also, their profs. have a minimum of a masters or PHD. And they all have industry experience in their field (teaching is their second job).

I think these types of Universities are only going to get more popular. Technology will change education. I mean, when I went to TAMU, I hate to say it but there were frequently 400+ people in my classes, which consisted of hurredly taking down notes before the end of period. There wasn't time for a lot of questions or interaction, and basically you were learning 90% of the material on your own from online notes or the book. I think online and teleclasses are a welcome break from the monotony of traditional class settings.

BTW I am finishing my degree at a normal state school, because it is cheap. I hope they develop online/teleclasses while I am there.