University Question

Naeblis

For the last year or so I've been mulling over quitting everything, becominga bum, and actually going to University. I work with computers, and though the pay is good (hence my still doing it), I can't shake the feeling that this isn't what I'm supposed to be doing. I want to do something with English. Literature, creative writing, drama.. I think I've accepted the fact that I'm never going to be brave enough to quit my job and do this, not to mention the cost, so here's my question.

Does anyone know if distance learning, or correspondance uni courses are respected? Are they looked upon as equivalent to in house degrees? I'm wary about wasting even more of my time. I've found some potentially good info on the net, but does anyone know of any that are a cut above?? Thanks for the help!

Pathofthorns

Damn, I hope you get your answers because I've been thinking the same. I don't mind my job either and the pay is good too. But sometimes I just think not having gotten the degree is like unfinished business.

Sometimes, I think I'd like to do it just for the hell of it or for the mental exercise. It's just hard to shake that feeling that you've somehow missed the boat on this one for not having done this at a younger age.

Realistically, with my having to work (and my inherent laziness) I'm not sure how this could even materialize. This is one thing that appears will be met with some difficulty due to the JW mindset of many parents and is a mistake I will not make with my children.

Any realistic and informed thoughts on the matter would be appreciated. Thanks.

Path

Beck_Melbourne

I think it depends on the level in which you want to enter into an industry. Some companies prefer to hire post graduates who got their degree through reputable Uni's.

If you want to go after the big buckeroos...then you will have to study with a reputable Uni...and then your degree will hold more merits.

Although it could be different in Canada.

Beck

Scully

Athabasca University in Alberta offers a lot of on-line degree programs, as well as on-campus programs. A few of my colleagues at work are working on their bachelor's degree this way.

Other universities, like Carleton University in Ottawa, offer distance education via videotaped lectures. Depending on where you live, you can sometimes access these lectures for free via your cable company. Of course, in order to receive credit for them you have to register and do the assignments and write the exams, but from what I gather they are just as respected as full-time on-campus credits.

Some other universities, like Queens, offers an "executive MBA", where you don't even have to quit your present job - you take classes outside of business hours and apply your knowledge to your job setting as the practicum part of your learning experience.

I went back to school full-time at the age of 32, with 3 kids - then aged 9, 3 and 2, and graduated with honours from Nursing School a few months shy of my 35th birthday. Aside from leaving the JWs, it was the BEST thing I have ever done for myself. The student loans are scary things to have hanging over your head, but I still think it's well worth the expense and all the hard work.

Good luck!
Love, Scully

Dino

Go for it dude!

It seems that you have the perfect situation for it.

You are no doubt talented in many endeavors, like computers. But somehow I see your brain succumbing to atrophy if you dont go for your dreams.

So be a professional student/bum. Or do it part time/long distance.

Either way, remember Dino when you win your first Pulitzer!

Take care my man and please keep us posted.

Dino

Francois

It really depends on two things so far as I know.

First, there is the University itself. Is it respected absent the online part of its curriculum?

Second, there is the online part of the curriculum. How is it respected? Are its graduates being hired?

I'll give you an example. Nova University in south Florida has quite a few online program. One of them is an advanced degree in Business Administration. Now my cousin is a full professor of Business Administration at NC State University. Last year they had an opening on their faculty for an assistant professor of business administration. While we were discussing his vacancy, he made the remark that they do not even LOOK at a resume if the advanced degree is from Nova: online or residential. Graduates with advanced degrees in business from there have a helluva time getting good jobs.

On the other hand, my wife is in a Ph.D. program at Nova in Educational Technology. She still has a year and a dissertation to go, and already is receiving invitations to interviews: The University of Georgia, Georgia State, The University of Miami, The University of Tennessee, etc.

So you can see an advanced degree in business from Nove gets you Bupkis.

An advanced degree from Nova in educational technology gets you people lined up to talk.

Go figure.

Need to do lots of research.

BTW, the educational technology has specializations in it about the human/computer interface and how to make it more efficient. It would be a natural for you if that kinda thing lights your fire.

Hope this helps.

Francois

AGuest

Hello, dear Naeb... and peace to you!

Fancy meeting me HERE, eh? Well, I am about to reveal a bit about myself that might serve to help you. I also attend university (CSUS) as a Communications (Digital Multimedia - EWWWWWW!) major. I am transferring to CSU Hayward in the Fall, however.

I also work full-time. How do I do it? I go to school M-F from 7:30-9:00am, and Saturday from 9-12pm, then work from 9:30 to 6:00pm. You MIGHT be able to get your employer to give you this type of schedule. It's worth looking into because community college and university is WAY less expensive than distance or extension learning.

However... I am changing my major to English (Creative Writing, believe it or not - I write poetry and children's books for 'therapy'...), hence the transfer to Hayward. In looking into what's out there, I found that UC Berkeley Extension has a creative writing component of their English Composition Department that is available, get this, ONLINE. It's a "distance learning" program. The link is below. But... as I said, it's expensive. But it looks quite good.

http://explore.berkeley.edu/UCExt/subdiscipline.asp?value=0.&action=Internet

If the link doesn't work, the site is "learn.berkeley.edu" (no "www"). Click on "Browse Our Catalog", then "Arts and Humanities" and the category is "English Composition". Check it out. And if I was able to offer assistance of any value, great.

Again, peace to you!

Your servant and a slave of Christ,

SJ

TexSham

I think it's becoming pretty democratized. In computer programming, nobody cares what school you went to if you can write excellent code.

In the Liberal Arts, the test is papers and dissertations. One barrier to democratization is that it is such a subjective process in deciding which papers are good, and which are bad. Also, there is absolutely no money in it.

Why not study lit. on you spare time and become an excellent amateur commentator. Write letters to newspapers, periodicals, etc. Try to get something published. Damn the traditional methods of education. Use the Net.

TexSham

AGuest

Oy! Naeb... I guess I should add WHY I responded as I did:

It's not always the want of a degree that should compel you to do what you want to do, but the experience. I may or may not get a degree, but I LOVE school and what I learn in classes, and am able to appply most if not all of it in some aspect of my life. I like to write, no, I LOVE to write... and I love classes that help me do better at it. Will I leave my profession? Who knows? Maybe... maybe not. Maybe I'll do both, write AND work as I now do.

Writing is your love, Naeb, and no matter what else you do, you won't be able to shake it soon. Take a class. Take two classes. And don't worry about the degree.

Peace.

SJ

Beans

Are you nuts?

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