i am compelled to offer my opinion about the artic engineering class.
prior to me taking the artic engineering class, i spoke to several engrs whom have taken the class and they all spoke highly of the class (i.e. best class i ever had, very informative/beneficial, etc.). nearly all got very excited and wanted to share their experiences of the class. so i looked forward to taking the class in fall 2001 . . .
of course, there are several mediums (in class over a semester, via internet, short courses, etc.) and at the time, i opted for the class offered via internet as i would be traveling during the semester.
without a doubt, the internet is a poor communication medium to exchange information between students and professors. there is nothing better than interacting in person with other students and professors in learning the material. frequently, there were mis-communication between the professor and students, ambiguous quiz questions, problems with accessing various websites/university boards, etc.). halfway through the semester, i was so frustrated with the communication difficulties, that i nearly dropped out (out $650 bucks too!). but decided to complete the class and thoroughly convey these problems in the class evaluation (do not remember if one was ever done). btw, there were two other individuals whom took the class with me that experienced the same problems.
bear in mind, that the hardware communication problems may have been corrected, but my point is, there is nothing better than interacting with other students/professors in person to gain a better understanding of the material.
i will never again take any class via internet. i believe that learning is best done by example; thus in person.
the choice is yours and the links provided by Rich2001 are sufficient to guide you in taking CE603.
Oh! yes, there is certainly a lot of valuable information to be presented/learned, and that part i am grateful to have learned. sometimes, i think about sitting in a 2-week session and getting a refresher or learn material that was not covered in my internet class (yes, that has occurred).
lastly, be certain that you take the class that is approved by the Alaska State Board! go to the Alaska State Board webiste for a list of the classes.
again, my opinion only regarding the class via internet . . .
regardless, good luck and have fun!
-pmover
