What do Employers Think of an Online Degree
July 14th, 2007 by get a first class degree
Online degree’s are growing in popularity, particularly in America.
The idea is not new, in the UK the Open University has been engaged in distance learning for many years.
The question is, what are these degree’s worth.
There is constant discussion as to whether degree’s taken at the ‘new’ Universities are as valuable as those taken at ‘ancient’ Universities, but there is little discussion regarding the online options available to Students.
The kind of people that online degree’s appeal to are those with parental or work commitments that prohibit them from attending University full time (the same people wh have used the Open University for decades).
Many Universities now offer part time courses, which would be my preferred option, allowing flexibility regarding attendance times whilst still encompassing an element of face to face contact and assessment. In the US where online degree’s are more popular
Universities offering part time courses seem to distance themselves from ‘distance learning’ due to concerns regarding assessment. It is not clear to me whether this is because there are genuine issues around assessment of distance learning courses, or whether these Universities are playing on their advantage over 100% distance / online providers (that being facilities and infrastructure).
Certainly it is not in the interests of existing Universities to compete with providers of distance leaning.
So where does this leave prospective part time students? Unfortunately most information is specific to the Us, but here are some snippets I have found referring to the value of onlin degree’s
Is a clicks-and-mortar degree the same as a degree from a bricks-and-mortar school? It depends on whom you ask. The American Federation of Teachers said “no” at its July 2000 convention, passing a resolution that, while acknowledging distance learning’s “great potential,” called for all undergraduate-degree programs to have some face-to-face coursework. Meanwhile, the six regional U.S. organizations that accredit American colleges and universities are developing guidelines for evaluating distance-education schools and programs that differ from traditional higher-education accrediting standards.
Another comment read:
Potential employers wanted to know I had been able to hold a full-time job in one state while going to school in another. When I explained that the courses were online, I was met with befuddlement. “I got the feeling that they didn not understand the concept,”
This is not encouraging!
I think that in the UK, for the moment the only organisation worthy of consideration is the Open University, though I think their courses are overpriced, at least they are a widely recognised / known organisation.
The Open University themselves claim:
The OU is very popular with employers. They know that OU students:
- Get the most up-to-date knowledge
- Continue working while they study, and apply what they learn immediately
- Prove they have the skills and determination to succeed
Whilst I would not expect them to say anything else, I do think they are telling the truth.
I know that the Open University are working on new I.T. solutions that will allow them to put more resources online for students, so in the UK at least it is possible to take a worthwhile degree online.
Students in other countries will have to be far more careful when selecting an online degree.
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[…] as much as an attended degree, providing it is properly accredited, however, many employers remain suspicious of online degree’s, and so they are often not “worth” as much as a degree taken at a bricks and mortar […]
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In the UK there is an extablishment called OU (The Open University which existed as a distence learning university long before the Internet. They have buildings in Camdon, London and other places (I know about that one because it’s right near the Dev which is a great pub). Generally an OU degree is well respected because of the dedication required to complete it. I understand that these new digital degrees lack that well established “nature” and do not so much use paper and snail mail which gives people the feeling of reality.
Hi Matt,
The OU have to be the leaders in this field, but I have seen a lot of other Universities moving into this sector. These are established Universities that existed before the OU, i.e. “bricks and mortar” Universities.
However, I think these Universities distance themselves from the term “online degree” or “distance learning” and prefer to talk about “blended learning” where courses are part attened part distance etc. Basically they want to keep playing on the fact that they are established…
Also Universites are using video conferencing, video presentations and podcasts to a greater extent now.
Some of the video conferencing software is very good, highly interactive allowing students and lecturers to collaborate on diagrams, presentations etc…
Satisfying moderators that exams and coursework are completed by the actual student seem to be one of the biggest concerns Universities have….