On-Line Degrees
On-Line Degrees
(OP)
Dear Associates:
I am a non degreed engineer working for over 30 years in the business starting as a draftsman and working my way up to a front line mangement position. I have had a degree of success I am proud of, but would get some self satisfaction by getting a degree. Given the fact that raising a family and having a full time job that is quite demanding makes it somewhat difficult to just go back to school. I have done some research and have found a couple of schools that will allow me to complete my degree via on-line courses. Besides the self satisfaction, it would allow me to brush up on my academic ski;lls and hopefully assist in my goal of obtaining a P.E.
My qustions are these: How are these degrees received within the industry and with fellow engineers? Are they respected? Are they a worthwhile pursuit, given the fact that the degree, although engineering related, is not directly applicable to what I do day to day. Given the expense (over $6,000 and no guarentee of company re-embursement...yet), I would like some objective opinions. I also value the opinions on this webite and look forward to the responses.
Thanks
I am a non degreed engineer working for over 30 years in the business starting as a draftsman and working my way up to a front line mangement position. I have had a degree of success I am proud of, but would get some self satisfaction by getting a degree. Given the fact that raising a family and having a full time job that is quite demanding makes it somewhat difficult to just go back to school. I have done some research and have found a couple of schools that will allow me to complete my degree via on-line courses. Besides the self satisfaction, it would allow me to brush up on my academic ski;lls and hopefully assist in my goal of obtaining a P.E.
My qustions are these: How are these degrees received within the industry and with fellow engineers? Are they respected? Are they a worthwhile pursuit, given the fact that the degree, although engineering related, is not directly applicable to what I do day to day. Given the expense (over $6,000 and no guarentee of company re-embursement...yet), I would like some objective opinions. I also value the opinions on this webite and look forward to the responses.
Thanks





RE: On-Line Degrees
My opinion is that people will respect the fact that you have gone the extra mile to get a degree in your spare time while working full time.
RE: On-Line Degrees
Why limit yourself to 'on-line'? Many respectable universities offer courses by correspondence (the latest buzzwords are 'off-campus' or 'distance education'), either full or part-time. Snail mail isn't all that slow, and it's often more convenient to read something in a book than on a computer screen.
Given your experience, you might find that a University would be happy for you to do a couple of bridging subjects and go straight into a Masters.
RE: On-Line Degrees
Also check with your local Board of Professional Engineers, a list and contact information can be found at http://wwww.ncees.org
It is a terrible waste of time and money if the program is not accepted towards obtaining your P.E.
What you might do is use the online program or just a few on-line courses offered by different colleges and universities to fill some of your degree requirements at a traditional school. Check out courses and programs given by the University of Alaska-Anchorage www.uaa.edu University of Wisconsin, the USDA Graduate school.
RE: On-Line Degrees
RE: On-Line Degrees
Like Rich2001 said, make certain that any program (Distance, correspondance, or something you find in the back of TV Guide) you consider is ABET approved. The three states where I've applied for my PE all have the requirement that any education which counts toward a PE be from an ABET approved school, but none of them say you had to physically be on campus.
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
www.muleshoe-eng.com
RE: On-Line Degrees
I have never had anyone express to me that the felt my degree was somehow worth less than an on-campus degree. But if they did I would be quick to explain to them:
I did view the exact same lectures as the on-campus students (by video tape), I did correspond with the professors (by e-mail), I did submit the exact same homework and computer-lab projects as on-campus students, and I did take the exact same exams as the on-campus students, proctored and all.
RE: On-Line Degrees
The post by Rich2001 nails it and the post by electricpete gives some confidence that a first rate degree can be obtained online.
RE: On-Line Degrees
i am new here
i happened here because i too a pseudo-engineer and i am at that point in my life where i want to finally get the degree
i went to polytechnic 25 years ago, quit school to get a job (wife was pregnant) and basically worked under an engineer for 20 years
my field is construction management, which is see many propspective employers ask for a CPM degree
it seems that this is a master's degree, thus i have to get my bachelors first
everything i see under project management is under business degrees, then it appears you get a masters in consctruction management
am i making any sense?
and i looked thru many of these online schools, villanova, kaplan, etc, and they all seem to have some type of business management (project management) bachelors degree available
so i guess my question is, am i barking up the right tree, and how do you know if these online schools arent just some bikini chicks in the carribean?
RE: On-Line Degrees
The respect is due to the effort made by dedicating some of there social time to studies rather than studying full time.
The examinations are all written by the same level of competent people, why consider that studying online or distance learning is any different to sitting in a class.
If anything your attention span will be more focused working alone.
see
www.open.ac.uk
RE: On-Line Degrees
You may get the PE with a degree other than engineering. Check with your state board regarding the accreditation requirements. In Texas there is about a page regarding the process if accredited, not accredited but US institution, not US institution, etc.
http://www.tbpe.state.tx.us/downloads/law_rules04....
Good luck.
John
RE: On-Line Degrees
RE: On-Line Degrees
John
RE: On-Line Degrees
Thanks for your views. You state that you took the PE exam with the experience option. I would like to do that, but hesitate to go throught the work of getting 5 PE's to sign an affidavit and forward to the board for a review in hopes that they allow me to sit for the test. Was it a concern for you also or was the review process just a formality. I would hate to waste the time of my collegues to find that the board may not find my experience suitable to sit for the exam. Further to that, what did you do for studying? I have been out of school for 30 years and am probably very rusty. You know ...use it or lose it!!!
RE: On-Line Degrees
John