Online Degrees

[Duchess Jack]

I work in the spam industry and really love my job. I am brand new to the industry and have no relevant experience - no science, no engineering. I am doing well and raising through the ranks at a good pace. I've got a good name around the company and feel like I am in a good position to go places. Having no history in this type of work, I want to make sure I don't outpace my qualifications.

 

Anything science or engineering related requires a lab so I cannot take these online. So I am looking to get a degree in project management or in operations management.

 

I am worried about the quality of online schools and want to get my BS from the best school I can. No reason to get it if its from Yankee Doodle University. Any suggestions.

[Kid Cid]

For years, military folks could get a degree via correspondents course from the Univeristy of Maryland. I also know that they do have several online degrees (I don't know which specialties) because they advertise pretty regularly around here. You might want to take a gander at what they have to offer.

 

I also know that Penn State has what they call the World Campus which is online, but I think that is more certificate oriented rather than degree based. Still, you may want to take a look there as well. It's been a while since I worked with those offerings.

 

I'm sure that there are plenty of other schools that have offerings specifically for working professionals. Sometimes these are structured so that labs are conducted over an 18 hour period on weekends. The key is to make sure that the school that you choose is fully acredited. Remember, the name on the degree only opens some doors. You're the one that still has to step through and do the work.

[Duchess Jack]

For years, military folks could get a degree via correspondents course from the Univeristy of Maryland. I also know that they do have several online degrees (I don't know which specialties) because they advertise pretty regularly around here. You might want to take a gander at what they have to offer.

 

I also know that Penn State has what they call the World Campus which is online, but I think that is more certificate oriented rather than degree based. Still, you may want to take a look there as well. It's been a while since I worked with those offerings.

 

I'm sure that there are plenty of other schools that have offerings specifically for working professionals. Sometimes these are structured so that labs are conducted over an 18 hour period on weekends. The key is to make sure that the school that you choose is fully acredited. Remember, the name on the degree only opens some doors. You're the one that still has to step through and do the work.

Thanks for the advise. I am finding a lot of project management courses at more traditional schools with online courses, but they are more for certs. There's not a lot of pregrad options, but I have found some. I just want to make sure I know the name of the school because its a 'better' school and not because I heard Sally Struthers telling me that I can get into small engine repair while in a stoney fog at 2 in the morning. Its hard to get info because most search engines are run by sites that make you put your info in to recieve more information.

[cdrudge]

Wait. You work in the spam industry and you need help getting a degree? Presuming by spam you aren't referring to a canned meat product, open some of your emails from time to time.

 

Seriously though, stick actual universities and colleges that have real campuses and professors and such. If you see the words Phoenix University anywhere in the literature, quickly run away from it. If you want a real degree, you are going to have to do real work and that isn't always 100% conducive to online work. Names mean some, but I think people think they mean a lot more then what they are actually worth. Perhaps if the name is the alma mater of the guy hiring it will mean something, but as long as it's not Al's Auto Repair, Beauty, and Project Management College, just an accredited name will be enough.

[Perchoutofwater]

DJ, I doubt they care if you have a degree at all if you can do the work. That is the main thing. I'm a firm believer in you'll learn more in 6 months on the job than you will in four years of college. If you were unemployed looking for work, I would suggest going back to school, but if your plan is to stay with your current company, then I doubt they care about the degree, though they might appreciate a continuing education courses related to areas you could possibly be promoted in. I value experience much more than I do education when I hire people. Education is more of a tie breaker with guys that have been in the field for the same period of time. I think the one area that is really helped by education is the real young guys just starting out, as getting an education in a particular field shows a commitment to that field as well as discipline. Of course working in the field for several years also shows commitment, and you probably wouldn't still be there if you didn't have discipline.

[Ursa Majoris]

DJ, I doubt they care if you have a degree at all if you can do the work. That is the main thing. I'm a firm believer in you'll learn more in 6 months on the job than you will in four years of college. If you were unemployed looking for work, I would suggest going back to school, but if your plan is to stay with your current company, then I doubt they care about the degree, though they might appreciate a continuing education courses related to areas you could possibly be promoted in. I value experience much more than I do education when I hire people. Education is more of a tie breaker with guys that have been in the field for the same period of time. I think the one area that is really helped by education is the real young guys just starting out, as getting an education in a particular field shows a commitment to that field as well as discipline. Of course working in the field for several years also shows commitment, and you probably wouldn't still be there if you didn't have discipline.

+1,000,000. I would hire a person with 4 years of Cisco experience over another who had spent 4 years on a Computer Sci degree pretty much every time. That said, Perch is right about a degree in the same field as desired work being of value to show commitment. Degrees get less important the more experience one has.

[i_am_the_swammi]

Many companies also like to see that an employee is committed to continuing to try to better themsleves by furthering their education. You noted you are already doing well within your company. What might set you apart from the average Joe is that you, in addition to working 40-50 hours per week, are also bettering yourself off-the-job. Often, it doesn't even have to be in your area of expertise.

 

The fact that you are committed to continuing to educate yourself and making yourself a better and more well-rounded person is an excellent trait employers will value.

[dmarc117]

you work in spam. you are the devil.

[Caveman_Nick]

Degrees get less important the more experience one has.

 

Except that often times having XYZ qualification on your resume is the only way you make it past HR screening. It's sad that some of these qualifications can be given more weight than actual work success, but the thing is that HR people need ways to whittle down resumes, and degrees and/or certifications are easy tools for HR to use.

 

WRT online degrees, I would suggest involving yourself at a program that is known as an accredited university and not one that's known as a place to earn an online degree (such as University of Phoenix). Online degrees do not have broad appeal right now, and being able to say that you have a degree from SUNY (pick your campus) will be more impressive than from a place known mainly for online degrees.

[Ursa Majoris]

Except that often times having XYZ qualification on your resume is the only way you make it past HR screening. It's sad that some of these qualifications can be given more weight than actual work success, but the thing is that HR people need ways to whittle down resumes, and degrees and/or certifications are easy tools for HR to use.

Completely agree and this was the subject of an argument between me and some guy from a major company at a recent meeting of a school advisory board I am on. I told him I'd pick my staff from the experienced people he rejected while he could have all the Venezuelan Basket Weaving graduates he wanted.

[Duchess Jack]

spam pharm ?

[Duchess Jack]

spam pharm ?

 

wow, when did the filters change p-h-a-r-m-a to spam. that's pretty funny

[TimC]

I didn't think the spam recipe had changed since WWII. What new is there to learn?

[Duchess Jack]

wow, when did the filters change p-h-a-r-m-a to spam. that's pretty funny

 

Thanks guys. Swammi has it right. I am doing this to show a further committment. Project management also fits my skillset very well. If I learn something new, fantastic - I'll apply it. If I don't then it'll reinforce my good habits and be another reason for my company to put me to good use. At the end of the day though, I am doing it to remove the stigma of having no degree at all and open some doors that I see as being a couple hops down my career path.

[General Itals]

I've been to the Spam museum. It's a wonderful place.

[polksalet]

Thanks guys. Swammi has it right. I am doing this to show a further committment. Project management also fits my skillset very well. If I learn something new, fantastic - I'll apply it. If I don't then it'll reinforce my good habits and be another reason for my company to put me to good use. At the end of the day though, I am doing it to remove the stigma of having no degree at all and open some doors that I see as being a couple hops down my career path.

 

I can tell you that based on my personal experience there is a vast difference in online courses and degrees. I have taken many online classes in my undergrad which ranged from blow off too pretty intense. I had a psych online class that I honestly do not remember taking but I was apparently in there. I'm now in an online MS program and it is bluntly the hardest thing ive ever attempted. It is so bad that if it were any worse I wouldn't make it. Last semester my bp went from 130/80 to 185/111, my buddy is on anti psychotics and another guy in the class was talking openly about killing himself. Its a lot like playing Russian roulette, you have no idea what is going to go down til you pull the trigger.

[Kid Cid]

Thanks guys. Swammi has it right. I am doing this to show a further committment. Project management also fits my skillset very well. If I learn something new, fantastic - I'll apply it. If I don't then it'll reinforce my good habits and be another reason for my company to put me to good use. At the end of the day though, I am doing it to remove the stigma of having no degree at all and open some doors that I see as being a couple hops down my career path.

 

Having looked into this recently, all I can say is that for project management a cert with any Associates Degree is probably better than a 4 year degree in Project Management. Especially if you have the work experience. Otherwise you're just another dork with a pseudo business degree.