Distance Education, Universities (online) suitable for a pilot lifestyle

[PBY]

Hi guys,
my question is: How many of you are studying online for a degree and what is your experience with your school? I am thinking of studying online for a degree, but am not sure what is a good school. I am interested to hear about any area of study (it does not have to be just aviation).
Thanks!

[Doodles]

Depends on the subject you're after but University of Liverpool has some good online / e-learning packages

[flymetothemoon06]

Hi all. I recently started a totally non-aviation related degree with the Open University. You dont have to do the full degree and can start by doing a course to see if you like it. Its good fun and keeps the mind ticking over, especially if you feel, like I did, that your life revolves around flying!x

[Bro]

I finished an Open University BSc degree about ten years ago, while still in full time employment. The OU is probably the best distance learning organisation in the country, they offer a very wide range of subjects and I have no hesitation in strongly recommending them.

[eahlund]

Hi there, I thought i would get myself involved in this as well.
Unfortunatly I cant add to much about the schools but, I as well am interested in schools and maybe if something outside of the UK? I am from Sweden but would love to study to a bachelors degree in english somewhere in europe via distance learning (internet). Anyone know anything?
so long

[Schiller]

I did an OU BA degree some years ago. Hard work (reckon on 2 hours per day for most of the year - that is, if you want to get a good degree) but rewarding. Well worth it.

[What Limits]

Likewise, I achieved BSc with the OU over a 15 year period. You can study at your own pace and even take a few years off. They are expanding their coverage worldwide so theoretically you could study with them anywhere in the world.

Their logistical system is legendary and they could run rings around much bigger and more expensive operations.

I am actually considering the MSc program in Aviation Science with Embry-Riddle, anyone with any experiences of them at all ?

[BigJoeRice]

"I am actually considering the MSc program in Aviation Science with Embry-Riddle, anyone with any experiences of them at all ?"

Embry-Riddle gave me 35 credits for my A&P and A&C; when I tried to transfer into a four year college as an economics major, they told me I was 35 credits short because my A&P is "too aviation specific" and thus in their eyes not directly transferrable to their liberal arts economics program.

"How many of you are studying online for a degree and what is your experience with your school?"

Did an online MBA program with Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh School of Business which was a disappointment. I passed the economics, accounting and OB sections, but in reality, I didn't think they'd enhanced anything I'd learnt from my previous education efforts or management experience so I dropped it.

I've gone back to college but via weekend courses at a bricks and mortar old school ....er school.

That said..........you pays yer money and you takes yer choice............

[eticket]

Hi,

Another OU student here with a paper due later on today!

I got my BSc Open last December and am currently doing another course to turn it into a BSc(Hons) Open.

With the OU you can study courses to achieve a named degree eg BSc(Hons) Geography or you can pick and mix from all the courses that the OU offers and get a BA / BSC(Hons) Open. (Named degrees are a fairly recent addition to the system but there are now a lot of them.)

The assessment for each course will usually include upto six essays / longform answers and either an exam, at an examination centre on a fixed day at a fixed time, or an ECA which is the equivalent of half a thesis that you undertake in your own time. Some courses have exams and some have ECAs. At least one course that I know of has both and they are both compulsory. No course gives you the choice or doing either an exam or an ECA.

If you go for a pick 'n mix course choice then you can choose courses that only have ECAs and this will fit into your flying schedule much better than having to try to fit in an exam on a fixed day. I learnt that one the hard way when I was called into work on an exam day. Not clever.

The OU is set up for Distance Learning so don't worry about the on-line aspect of your education. Almost all courses will allow you to submit essays etc. on-line.

As far as teaching materials are concerned, I don't like the pure on-line courses as I end up wasting time and ink printing out all the screens so I can refer back to them at a later date. If you have a choice from the OU of the same course on-line or on paper I would go for the paper version everytime. Having said that the course books for my current course are also available on-line in a searchable form via Google Books, so that is very handy if I am on the road or want to search for a particular keyword within the text.

A 60 point course is the equivalent of half a full time University year and you can expect to be doing 18 hours per week for about 8 months. A 30 point course is nominally 9 hours but in practice they seem to be closer to 18 hours! It is not recommended to study courses totalling more than 60 points simultaneously. (Your ultimate goal is: BA/BSc = 300 points & BA(Hons) / BSc(Hons) = 360 points.)

What is good is the quality of the teaching materials. The last assessment I saw had the OU at number 10 out of all the UK Universities for its teaching quality. (This is not the derided Student Satisfaction Survey.)

Also good are the entry requirements. ie no A levels or O levels / GCSEs are required. It is Open.

Another good thing is that you can pay all or part of your course fees at Undergraduate level in Tesco Clubcard points. This year all my fees are being paid for this way. Just get a Tesco credit card to keep adding on the Clubcard points even if you shop at Waitrose or overnight at a Travelodge!

Yes there are bad points but if you need more info I can let you know some of them.

eticket

[iqit]

great subject .
keep the info rolling ,thanks.

[PilotPieces]

So could someone start a course in the UK and after one year move to Canada, continue that course, then after a year move back. I understand that there would perhaps be an exam in the UK but I could come back for that no problems.

[What Limits]

The OU year tends to be from February to October although some courses have start dates through the year.

Theoretically you could do your course anywhere in the world although the level of support would vary depending on where you are.

Some courses do not have exams or a residential school.

Best of luck