Online degrees - school me

I've pretty much decided I finally want to take the plunge and get a degree. With my work schedule I am forced to do it all online. I like the appeal of being able to do this at my pace and I don't need a degree anytime soon. I learn better on my own for the most part. This is more of a long term career thing for when I don't want to spin wrenches or weld everyday. So 2-5 years is totally fine with me.

Right now I'm looking at ECPI's mechanical engineering bachelors program. But I am not sold on anything.

Pros? Cons? Real world advice?

Thanks in advance folks.

 

I have taken quite a few on-line courses over the years. My whole masters program was online. It is the way I prefer to take classes now, because I can work on it when I want to within the time line parameters of the class. There is some variation on that. Some have to have assignments done weekly and make posts to a bulletin board where you are required to answer a couple of prompts and to respond to classmate posts. Other classes are just watch some video lectures, read some stuff and write some stuff, along with some quizzes, tests and papers. One of the things for me is that I don't ever feel like I need to get an A. Usually I do, but sometimes stuff needs to be done, not good.
Give it a try and if it works well for you, go for it. They are generally pretty easy and I can usually crank out a three credit class in about 6 weeks give or take a couple.

 

Something about onlines classes that always concerned me was about institution's accreditations and if the credits are transferrable. Transferrable credits matter if you decide mid-degree to change your academic path.

Maybe someone with more knowledge can chime in on the accreditations

 

Must resist prominent website jokes...

 

that's really the only thing i'd worry about at this point. joke's aside, pick a "prominent" university and you shouldn't have a problem. all of them are doing it now, i even see ads on the subway for NYU's MBA program here in DC because i think they offer it almost all online. UofMD have them, lots of schools. Any state university's program won't be fucking up their accreditation anytime soon. you live in cali... look into any of the UC campuses' websites (i know there's like 20) to see if they offer online programs and you can get in-state tuition and shit.

 

You can do a mech eng degree online now? How do you do labs?

MEs where I went to school had to do physics (w/labs), and maybe even some chemistry (w/labs). Not to mention the actual, you know, engineering labs to learn engineering stuff...

 

If you do it, all jokes aside, pick a prominent school.

 

This. Just 10 years ago there were only a handful of online universities, and some of them were shady AF.

Make sure whichever school you choose is regionally accredited, not nationally accredited. Sounds backwards, but it's not. Nationally accredited schools are the ones to stay away from. Regionally accredited schools include your state universities and prestigious private schools.

 

Seriously, if I can do mech engineering online Id think about going back.

That said, I did my MBA online from Northeastern in Boston. There's literally no difference in distinction between doing it physically or in person. The diplomas the exact same, I would definitely make sure its not some weird "online only" distinction. The stigma is going away, but there's still some old fashioneds that look down on online.

 

yea this still holds true in a bunch of fields... i've only looked for a quick second, but i'm still having trouble finding online law degrees (like actual JDs not some 2 year certificate non-sense) and there are definitely ZERO Econ PhD programs online (unless that's changed very recently). i've considered both in passing, but 1) i'm having trouble justifying the costs as i currently have my master's loans paid off and don't really want to go back to having them, and 2) i can't really afford to just quit working and go full time to a traditional program... but they don't seem to exist. neither of these would really increase my pay in any drastic form at this point, so i was really just interested for the sake of accomplishment/learning/branching into different areas. we'll see as time goes on i guess... i see nursing and business PhDs pop up now a little. so who knows... no reason you couldn't skype with a mentor online and work on your dissertation that way.

i really feel like there's no way anyone would even know any more at this point, besides... if you worked full time in Socal and had a degree from New Hampshire with the same dates on your resume. even then...

its the same thing with Univ. schools and resumes. i just put "Univ. of MD" on my resume for both. nobody asks which campuses and outside of the DC area, nobody probably even knows all the different campuses. i used to think it'd be a concern more than it actually is.

 

Finished mine last year and lucky to be able to do it through night classes over 3yrs. Not looking down on anyyhing, but struggling to see how an online course is the same experience for the student as having face time with peers to work/debate/argue/present with etc. That was the best part for me.

 

http://und.edu/academics/extended-learning/online-distance/degrees/mechanical-engineering/

This is the other place Ive been looking at and leaning towards. But yes you can do it. I don't have any clue about the labs.

 

Doing my MBA right now at University of Illinois. It's a virtual program they call the iMBA. Everything is online but we attend classes, team meetings, and office hours via live webcam. The work involved is no joke..I average 10 hrs/week per class, 18 classes (72hrs) and 3 capstone projects to graduate....about double the requirements of a traditional masters program. I only say that so you don't think going that direction at a prominent university is an "easy" way to get your degree.

For me, it's a superior way to learn versus traditional college, at least the version I had 25 years ago. All types of learners (verbal, read/write, interactive, individual) can succeed since all resources are very available. and everything but office hours 24/7. With students from 56 countries enrolled it certainly gives great exposure to how to succeed with an international team....same as big business these days with team mates from all over the world in multiple time zones with varying degree of English mastery.

 

1000 dollars a credit ... 129 credits, guess Im out.

 

Not a M.E degree but I agree on the classroom interaction is/was pivotal for me.

 

I didn't see that part. I looked it up last night after my wife gave birth, I was just trying to calm my nerves down after that chaos and find online engineering degrees. I'm not paying that much either. I'm also out on that.

 

HOLY CHIT MANG!

 

Don't worry the "Educational/Financial/Governmental Complex" will gladly supply you a list of companies that will loan you the money.
College is now a business and it must keep expanding, like any other business.

 

that program is clearly not set up to be an all online degree. rather, it allows some classes to be taken that way. the in-state, regular tuition, is in line with what i'd expect of a decent (no idea where UND ranks) state school. it's about $15K/year done the traditional route.

 

My daughter had a degree, then used University of Phoenix for a masters to get a teaching credential. Great! Then she moved to the one state that doesn’t recognize U of P... Doh!