Are online bachelors degrees valuable?

[Giggly]

So I had a disagreement with a friend about this. She works full-time and has been for a while and wants to take the next few years to complete her degree while still working. Tuition cost is not so much a concern for her, but time is a concern. She asked me about getting an online degree and if I knew of any online degree programs that offer accredited degrees. I'm not even sure what she wants to get her degree in but she wants to get a job with the government afterwards, and I told her that it's iffy because some employers won't take that degree. I told her that I think she should get her degree from a traditional brick and mortar university instead and then she got all mad at me saying that I wasn't supporting her.

So, what do you all think? Are online bachelors degrees valuable? (valuable, as in, you can get a job with one)
Was I wrong?

 

[93JC]

Nope. A degree's worth is directly tied to the reputation of the institution that conferred it upon you. Online degrees aren't particularly valuable because the online universities and colleges have reputations for admitting applicants who would otherwise be rejected by a traditional brick-and-mortar university or college and for having comparatively lax programs to begin with.

A lot of it depends on what she wants to study too. Many bachelor's degrees, depending on the field of study, won't help you get a job anyway...

 

[Oeufa]

I think it depends on what stage of life she's at. A young person fresh out of high-school opting for distance learning might be seen as a weirdo who can't/won't interact with others. Someone who's older, working full time with hours incompatible with night-school would be seen differently. Their willingness to upskill no matter what is more likely to be viewed in a positive light.

I dunno about in the states, but in western europe, most online universities are in accordance with the european framework of accreditation and award their degrees through a "real" university.

 

[Redbone]

It depends. There are state universities that offer online degrees. Selection might not be that great for bachelor's degrees though.

 

[iNtrovert]

I really depends on the school. Some private and public brick and mortar universities do offer online degrees. The university I attend full time is adopting online classes in addition to their standard program. In the end the diploma reads the same so it really just depends on the school's reputation.

 

[Beorn]

I'd hate to call them "valuable" but they could be useful for an older person who already has the work experience necessary for a job and a network, but just needs a piece of paper that says "bachelor's" just for the sake of having such a piece of paper. This would particularly be the case for government positions... which doesn't speak well of the government. I have a friend who worked as a local government employee for years and had all the knowledge and experience necessary for a promotion, but had to get those two letters next to her name to get the job so I didn't blame her for doing a distance degree.

To be clear, such a degree will not GET anyone a job, but it could remove a silly barrier where there shouldn't be such a barrier.

In all other cases avoid and try to find a genuine liberal arts school (of which there might only be a dozen in America despite how many schools use the term).

 

[ygolo]

Some Accredited Online Bachelor's Degrees:
http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates
http://www.umassonline.net/degrees-and-certificates (bottom right)
http://www.drexel.com/online-degrees/bachelordegrees.aspx

I know that some online master's programs offer the same exact degree, requiring the same exact courses, with exactly the same tests, exactly the same homework sets, and exactly the same projects as those who attend the brick and mortar school. Beyond that, the courses that are online tend to be the more project intensive courses, and allow you to work with the best and brightest around the globe who work at diverse companies.

Of course, you have the option of getting some degree from a diploma mill. But that is not your only option.

 

[Giggly]

Thanks [MENTION=825]ygolo[/MENTION]

I will forward those to her.

 

[kyuuei]

I say she needs to look at the job she wants first, and build her degree from there. Online is fine if she's looking at some jobs, but other jobs want specific requirements that the online degree might not require. It's best to know at least the area she wants to go in for, and request information from them regarding their requirements and any tips they used to get hired on.

Reputation and styles of education is important in some aspects of the field, and for others it's just a pre-req to see if someone's educated at all or not. High school doesn't exactly afford great educations anymore, it's pretty much known that an associate's degree at a minimum is what people SHOULD have learned in high school but never did.

Government jobs is really broad. There are government janitors, and government super-secret-squirrel computer dudes.

 

[netzealot]

Considering how many people consider brick and mortar degrees to be useless, I doubt it.

 

[entropie]

A degrees worth should be measured by what you make from it, if its measured by the institution that gave it to you, something is already rotten in Denmark.

 

[highlander]

I told her that I think she should get her degree from a traditional brick and mortar university instead and then she got all mad at me saying that I wasn't supporting her. :

I agree with you.

 

[entropie]

If everybody thinks like that, its the reason why some things do never change

 

[ceecee]

It depends on the university/college and less that it's online.

 

[entropie]

And you call Europe the old country ... bunch of superficial englishmen