Online Masters Degree - Page 3

ahoymate · ‎05-30-2010

On 7/22/2014 iminthesouthwest said: Mandy- the schools often say that. I was told that, but I sought advice from my professors (I wanted unbiased opinions). I asked multiple profs as a lot of money was on the line. They all said the same thing: don't earn my grad degree online. A B&M school carries so much more weight. As I said, I followed their advice and am very happy I did.

What? You are contradicting your answer to me. An online grad degree from a credible college is accepted by business today. Not at online buy your degree schools.

This is 2014 and things have changed. Don't know when you did your research regarding online courses.

Mandy Moo · ‎03-09-2010

On 7/22/2014 ChynnaBlue said:
On 7/22/2014 iminthesouthwest said: I strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to pursue your grad degree online. Undergrad online is fine, but for your professional degree you should attend a B&M school. I was given the advice I just gave you, and I am so thankful that I listened. There are a lot of people on here advising you the same thing, so take heed.

You might want to take a look at this article. USC and Syracuse are both schools I considered when I was in high school and they're both well known universities, as are other names in this article. Pick a good school with a good reputation and it doesn't matter if it's online or not.

http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2014/01/08/us-news-releases-2014-best-onli...

This is exactly what I meant. We have Tusculum (no full degree program, online courses), King, University of Tennessee, East Tennessee State University, etc. nearby and each of those schools have online degree programs and are B&M schools with good reputations (there are more but these were the first one I thought of). Each degree certificate says you graduated from that particular school, not an online program. All of those schools are accredited and offer the very same degrees at their B&M campuses. As mentioned before there are some shady online schools but some are legitimate.

iminthesouthwest · ‎08-13-2012

Chynna, thanks but I am not interested in the article. Maybe the OP will be interested. My education is over, and I am gainfully employed.

iminthesouthwest · ‎08-13-2012

On 7/22/2014 Skylands said:
On 7/22/2014 iminthesouthwest said: Mandy- the schools often say that. I was told that, but I sought advice from my professors (I wanted unbiased opinions). I asked multiple profs as a lot of money was on the line. They all said the same thing: don't earn my grad degree online. A B&M school carries so much more weight. As I said, I followed their advice and am very happy I did.

What? You are contradicting your answer to me. An online grad degree from a credible college is accepted by business today. Not at online buy your degree schools.

This is 2014 and things have changed. Don't know when you did your research regarding online courses.

guatmum · ‎03-11-2010

I just finished a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS because it is post-Master's) in STEM Education completely online. First, if you know the program is accredited and you know the degree is one which will help you reach whatever your goal is then taking it online is FINE. SO MANY people do it now - those who have frequent job moves, those in the military, those with young children or odd working hours. My classes had people from all over the world. We used Blackboard Learn which had its own discussion boards, blogs, tools for submitting papers, etc. We also used Adobe Connect to have live online, face-to-face meetings. We used Yammers, which is like Facebook for academic and professional groups, as well as Skype to talk within small working groups. I did it ALL using a MacBook Pro and my home wifi. I used my kindle fire for downloading and reading documents that were assignments but I could have easily done it right on my Mac. Using each of the tools was made easy because directions were explicitly given by the instructors and each one was free. I ordered my books from Amazon but could have done it online at their store (Amazon was faster and cheaper for me.).

Just a caution: I found that online learning was MORE work and MORE demanding than going to class. When I go to a class, I have a certain time I must dedicate to the class (whatever the class hours are) and then I've always been able to work around my own schedule to do work required in between classes. For my online coursework, I was required to be online and interacting with the various groups, blogs, etc. almost everyday. Papers were due throughout the week and I felt like I was literally attached to my computer. That being said, I was able to really get to know so many people and still keep in touch with some. I was able to get through the program without spending extra money on baby sitters and without having to miss important events or change jobs. It was a rigorous but awesome experience and I was able to reach my professional goals.

Best of luck, violann!!! ${#emotions_dlg.thumbup}$

iminthesouthwest · ‎08-13-2012

I guess I am dumb Sky because I fail to see how I contradicted myself. I repeat: I was advised by my professors to attend a B&M school for my graduate degree. Thank you for correcting me on the year we are in. I have been dating everything 1964.

lolakimono · ‎03-29-2012

So, getting back to Violann's questions... ${#emotions_dlg.ohmy}$

I have only done hybrid classes, so I can't help with the full time online aspect.

My general tips would be these:

No desktop, only a laptop, and get one that has a big enough screen.

Make sure that whatever you buy has enough memory and the processing speed to handle multiple programs simultaneously.

I would ask a few questions:

Does it have to be an Apple? Or is that just your preference?

What is the course platform? Is it Blackboard or something that the University uses (in house)?

Is there an online orientation?

Do you have access to a campus nearby in case you need computer help?

Do they have tech support that's readily available 24-7?

Are you in the same time zone as the school?

Do you do everything using the Internet, or do you have to also be able to play DVDs or disks?

Harpa · ‎03-10-2010

Whatever LMS (learning managment system) (like Blackboard) you/they are using, you are provided with all the training you need to navigate the system, and they also tell you what else is required. I don't do video conferencing, although we have capability. It all depends on your individual instructors.

ChynnaBlue is correct, you need a solid Internet connection. I have students on PCs as well as Macs, our LMS (WebStudy) can handle either.

guatmum, I've heard from students, too, that on-line can be very demanding, but that, too, depends on individual instructors, and I guess the course/s one is taking.

eta: I meant to say, the Apple store isn't going to know; it's the college/U/instructors that know if you need anything special.

Madisson · ‎10-13-2011

Violann, I can't speak about the big corporate business world, but I know several nurses who completed their bachelor's degree through The University of Phoenix. It was acceptable to the hospitals where they worked. They were able to receive promotions once they earned their BSN as opposed to the AAS that they had. One of them is now working on her Master's in Nursing through the University of Phoenix...which is a fully accredited institution of higher education. It's easy to check to see if whatever school you are interested in is a fully accredited school and if specific programs are fully accredited.

One of the gals who I used to work with earned her BSN from the U of Phoenix. She said she had pretty basic computer skills entering the program and picked up a lot of new computer skills along the way. She mentioned that they sometimes worked in groups or teams on projects and would help each other with the different computer skills. She told me they all got the same grade on the final project, and then they all evaluated the other team members to see how much help they were on the project. Their final grade in the class was partly based on the other students' evaluations of their work...so most of them tried hard...although there would be an occasional slacker.

Good luck with your new online degree program. What you get out of any college program depends on what you put into it.

Some people do drugs. I do shoes....Celine Dion