Distance learning degrees?
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Distance learning degrees?
Evening guys,
Hmmm, struggled to find a suitable forum for this one - settled on Tech Log.
I've been an FO flying twinjets in the UK for about a year and in a previous life picked up a physics degree. I'd love to do a batchelor's or master's degree in an aerospace/aeronautical-related subject - the condition being it would be via distance learning what with the day job. Obviously I'm ploughing through the mighty interweb in an effort to see what's out there but I wanted to see if anybody has any pointers on places that might offer what I'm after? It doesn't necessarily have to be a degree but I'd want to do something substantial that I can get my teeth into...
Any input appreciated,
B&S
Hmmm, struggled to find a suitable forum for this one - settled on Tech Log.
I've been an FO flying twinjets in the UK for about a year and in a previous life picked up a physics degree. I'd love to do a batchelor's or master's degree in an aerospace/aeronautical-related subject - the condition being it would be via distance learning what with the day job. Obviously I'm ploughing through the mighty interweb in an effort to see what's out there but I wanted to see if anybody has any pointers on places that might offer what I'm after? It doesn't necessarily have to be a degree but I'd want to do something substantial that I can get my teeth into...
Any input appreciated,
B&S
A Degree in Physics might give you prior credit and thus the degree might be shortened. However I am not sure about distance learning, but if so I'd do the MSc rather than BSc simply because you can finish an MSc PT in 2 years (with a heck of a lot of work) and the BSc Physics might get you in. A BSc Hons might take 3-4 years even with prior credit.
I'd look at the OU (but don't think they specialize) and obviously Cranfield should be your first choice as the UK definitive all things Aerospace/Air Transport related University.
Welcome to Cranfield University might be worth a look!
rgds
flash
I'd look at the OU (but don't think they specialize) and obviously Cranfield should be your first choice as the UK definitive all things Aerospace/Air Transport related University.
Welcome to Cranfield University might be worth a look!
rgds
flash
I've spent the last 2 years doing an applied maths Master's part-time, while having a full-on day job.
Assuming you left education a few years ago, you're likely to suddenly realise quite how underused your brain may have become, but if you're pondering a return to university, you will probably enjoy this experience - I found it rather life-affirming.
I would strongly encourage you to have some form of face-to-face contact with lecturers or whoever is running classes - it makes it much easier to understand the subject and pick up any misunderstandings. Additionally if you have a full-time job, finding the hours every week to get through all the material can be a bit of a struggle - lectures do not pause for a week if you have a busy weekend with your family to allow you to catch up.
If you think you can find the time, and really do want to do it, I recommend the experience.
If you are thinking of a Masters rather than Bachelors, you might like to have a look at the RAE scores published last year for each subject at each university. They're done every 4 years or so and are the ones that determine how much funding each unievrsity department gets. Forget the surveys in the newspapers - the RAE is the ranking that each university really cares about.
RAE 2008
RAE 2008 : Quality profiles
Send me a private message if you would like to discuss further
Assuming you left education a few years ago, you're likely to suddenly realise quite how underused your brain may have become, but if you're pondering a return to university, you will probably enjoy this experience - I found it rather life-affirming.
I would strongly encourage you to have some form of face-to-face contact with lecturers or whoever is running classes - it makes it much easier to understand the subject and pick up any misunderstandings. Additionally if you have a full-time job, finding the hours every week to get through all the material can be a bit of a struggle - lectures do not pause for a week if you have a busy weekend with your family to allow you to catch up.
If you think you can find the time, and really do want to do it, I recommend the experience.
If you are thinking of a Masters rather than Bachelors, you might like to have a look at the RAE scores published last year for each subject at each university. They're done every 4 years or so and are the ones that determine how much funding each unievrsity department gets. Forget the surveys in the newspapers - the RAE is the ranking that each university really cares about.
RAE 2008
RAE 2008 : Quality profiles
Send me a private message if you would like to discuss further
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I would strongly encourage you to have some form of face-to-face contact with lecturers or whoever is running classes - it makes it much easier to understand the subject and pick up any misunderstandings. Additionally if you have a full-time job, finding the hours every week to get through all the material can be a bit of a struggle - lectures do not pause for a week if you have a busy weekend with your family to allow you to catch up.
...
Forget the surveys in the newspapers - the RAE is the ranking that each university really cares about.
...
Forget the surveys in the newspapers - the RAE is the ranking that each university really cares about.
Totally agree with DJ6's comment about the vital aspect of face to face contact. Not only does it force the studying pace and allow you a chance to immediately ask questions where you do not understand, there is the practical reality of who gets a lecturer's time. If I have a choice of a living breathing possibly intelligent student at the door asking me a question or an email from a name on the distance learning course, it is a obvious who is going to get attention. Also bear in mind that amongst my colleagues the only ones who do not have an overflowing inbox are the admin, the reality is that life does tend to short change the distance learning students. I hate this this because I know there are real people behind the names, plus suspect I might get shot for telling the truth, but that is the reality. Sorry.
As for RAE ranking, this is a widely acknowledged joke. Of course universities are going to make a big fuss when they do well (my place did well in the last round and we are being deafened by the self praises), but everybody knows the whole process is deeply flawed. Actually deeply flawed to the extent that Oxford did not enter the latest round and thus does not appear on any RAE ranking. And if you look at HEFEC/periodic review/student review/whatever rankings, consider that in each case the methodology is deeply flawed. Or rather, if you believe the best measure of a lecturers teaching ability is solely in the quality of their paperwork, you deserve to be deceived.
My advice? Do your research well, not just look at the recruitment propaganda and 'official' data. Visit the places. If the lecturers seem an enthusiastic and positive bunch, the chances are you will be getting a good education regardless of where they are in any arbitrary test of quality.
EveningStar - I can certainly believe that the RAE is sub-optimal as a quality measure. However, a degree performs 2 purposes:
1) The student learns about (or does research into) a subject
2) The student jumps through various hoops requiring a level of knowledge and effort (aka exams / thesis) and gains a badge / piece of paper at the end of it. That badge is a form of signalling to others, be they employers or otherwise, as to one's persona and suitability for a particular task.
If doing a degree purely for fun and to exercise the brain, the badge you get at the end is of no real value, besides being framed and filling a space on the wall at home. If you want to use it in a career, the *perceived* value of the badge matters - and society over the last 10 years has become rather more formal qualification centric. A new student is buying a brand and hoping that brand will have maximum future perceived value.
You can wave that badge at people and tell them how much you learnt, but other people need some quick and easy way of discerning which badges (or courses) are good and which are less good. If you don't know someone who's done the course, you need an objective quality measure with publicly available information produced by others who are at least semi-credible.
I may think the MSc course I did was the best in the world.... but if the commonly perceived value by others is that it's terrible, then that MSc badge is worthless on my CV no matter how much I espouse its virtues. The RAE in the UK has its flaws.... but I'd be keen to hear of any other easy and simple ways to ensure a new course one is about to start will gain siginficant future recognition by others on a CV
1) The student learns about (or does research into) a subject
2) The student jumps through various hoops requiring a level of knowledge and effort (aka exams / thesis) and gains a badge / piece of paper at the end of it. That badge is a form of signalling to others, be they employers or otherwise, as to one's persona and suitability for a particular task.
If doing a degree purely for fun and to exercise the brain, the badge you get at the end is of no real value, besides being framed and filling a space on the wall at home. If you want to use it in a career, the *perceived* value of the badge matters - and society over the last 10 years has become rather more formal qualification centric. A new student is buying a brand and hoping that brand will have maximum future perceived value.
You can wave that badge at people and tell them how much you learnt, but other people need some quick and easy way of discerning which badges (or courses) are good and which are less good. If you don't know someone who's done the course, you need an objective quality measure with publicly available information produced by others who are at least semi-credible.
I may think the MSc course I did was the best in the world.... but if the commonly perceived value by others is that it's terrible, then that MSc badge is worthless on my CV no matter how much I espouse its virtues. The RAE in the UK has its flaws.... but I'd be keen to hear of any other easy and simple ways to ensure a new course one is about to start will gain siginficant future recognition by others on a CV
It doesn't necessarily have to be a degree but I'd want to do something substantial that I can get my teeth into...
Have a read and trial run at one of these, then you can speculate with authority in PPrune accident threads
The adavantage to this kind of course is that it promotes one on one questioning and answers between the individual student and the instructor.
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All depends on the university you are applying to for your next degree...
I went through this in 1995. I had an Engineering BS and an MBA, but the universities with whom I inquired told me they wouldn't accept my prior credit for a Computer Science BS because my BS was over 5 years old. It would have taken me 3 years to get a "secondary" BS!
OTOH, I also looked into Masters programs, and found that the only stumbling block was the currency of my GRE or equivalent exam. I found one university that would waive the GRE requirement because of my successful MBA. I got my Masters in Software Engineering in 2 years.
That, however, was in a "brick and mortar" school. Requirements for on-line schools tend to be less. OTOH, the reputation of on-line schools tends to be much less, too...
Do you want the degree for a "check in the box" or to learn something? If the latter, shy away from totally on-line schools.
I went through this in 1995. I had an Engineering BS and an MBA, but the universities with whom I inquired told me they wouldn't accept my prior credit for a Computer Science BS because my BS was over 5 years old. It would have taken me 3 years to get a "secondary" BS!
OTOH, I also looked into Masters programs, and found that the only stumbling block was the currency of my GRE or equivalent exam. I found one university that would waive the GRE requirement because of my successful MBA. I got my Masters in Software Engineering in 2 years.
That, however, was in a "brick and mortar" school. Requirements for on-line schools tend to be less. OTOH, the reputation of on-line schools tends to be much less, too...
Do you want the degree for a "check in the box" or to learn something? If the latter, shy away from totally on-line schools.
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Great, some good stuff here, cheers.
flash8,
Agreed - I'm leaning towards a Master's because of the time issue and because I already hold the BSc. Yep - Cranfield was definately on my radar - doesn't look like much provision for distance learning though, which is a real shame as I've had friends go there and know the place has a good rep for aerospace-related things.
davidjohnson6,
I finished the BSc about 5 years ago and between then and now the only real study I've done has been for the ATPL exams - a very different type of study to uni study as you may well know! Good point about the face-to-face link - another reason why I'd like to do a DL course somewhere in the UK (preferably in the south of England), but that's a wish list in a perfect world - I'm completely flexible.
Propjet88,
Thanks for the link - I think I'm leaning more towards the technical side but will have a look at the details of that course.
Evening Star,
Don't be sorry - candor appreciated! What you say makes sense. My ideal setup would be distance learning (as opposed to part-time - too reliant on being free at certain times) at my own pace (to an extent), with occasional face-to-face contact.
lomapaseo,
Lovely - intrigued by this. Will have a look now.
Intruder,
I agree and am initially shying away from purely online schools who offer a degree qualification - if I did a Master's, it would be at somewhere like the OU (shame it doesn't offer more specialised courses) or a university/college that has a physical presence and hopefully a bit of pedigree!
You make a good point about thinking why I'm doing the course - it's actually a combination. I want to do it purely because I'm interested in a subject and want a new challenge but I'd also like something that maybe useful in the future - either practically or when applying for different positions.
Lots to think about...!
B&S
flash8,
Agreed - I'm leaning towards a Master's because of the time issue and because I already hold the BSc. Yep - Cranfield was definately on my radar - doesn't look like much provision for distance learning though, which is a real shame as I've had friends go there and know the place has a good rep for aerospace-related things.
davidjohnson6,
I finished the BSc about 5 years ago and between then and now the only real study I've done has been for the ATPL exams - a very different type of study to uni study as you may well know! Good point about the face-to-face link - another reason why I'd like to do a DL course somewhere in the UK (preferably in the south of England), but that's a wish list in a perfect world - I'm completely flexible.
Propjet88,
Thanks for the link - I think I'm leaning more towards the technical side but will have a look at the details of that course.
Evening Star,
Don't be sorry - candor appreciated! What you say makes sense. My ideal setup would be distance learning (as opposed to part-time - too reliant on being free at certain times) at my own pace (to an extent), with occasional face-to-face contact.
lomapaseo,
Lovely - intrigued by this. Will have a look now.
Intruder,
I agree and am initially shying away from purely online schools who offer a degree qualification - if I did a Master's, it would be at somewhere like the OU (shame it doesn't offer more specialised courses) or a university/college that has a physical presence and hopefully a bit of pedigree!
You make a good point about thinking why I'm doing the course - it's actually a combination. I want to do it purely because I'm interested in a subject and want a new challenge but I'd also like something that maybe useful in the future - either practically or when applying for different positions.
Lots to think about...!
B&S
Last edited by bucket_and_spade; 28th Mar 2009 at 15:53.
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I did my Master of Science (Specialised in internet computing) with the University of Liverpool - they have Teamed up with Laureate Online Education. Info on this can be found here : - Laureate Online Education & University of Liverpool Online Masters Degrees
They also do Masters of Business Administration and Different flavours of the MSC.
It is all done online, you are told before each module which books to buy and the only time you ever need go to liverpool is to pick up your Diploma (Should you pass and want to go to the ceremony) unless you want it posted.
Cheers
They also do Masters of Business Administration and Different flavours of the MSC.
It is all done online, you are told before each module which books to buy and the only time you ever need go to liverpool is to pick up your Diploma (Should you pass and want to go to the ceremony) unless you want it posted.
Cheers
