On-line Degrees

[jfk]

hi guys,

i have been living in thailand now 4 1/2 years, only having to return to the uk on 2 occassions to work. i am in the uk for at least 3 months to earn some money and then i will return. its terrible in the uk and i dont want to have to come back here again unless i have to. this leads me to my question. i want to earn a living in thailand as a teacher, i know the wages are insignificant when compared to the uk but it will be enough for me to live comfortably as i live in a very rural village. i have seen on-line degrees that are based on life experience and have read that they are validated and legal. i did an on-line test and received a phone call from them(Belford University,Texas) that i qualify for my degree.

i asked was this similar to the open university on-line degree and was told yes. i asked would this be valid when seeking employment in Thailand as a teacher- yes was the response.

has anyone any experience of these on-line degrees and their validity, if any.

look forward to hearing from you soon.

take care,

jon

[jfk]

hi guys,

i have been living in thailand now 4 1/2 years, only having to return to the uk on 2 occassions to work. i am in the uk for at least 3 months to earn some money and then i will return. its terrible in the uk and i dont want to have to come back here again unless i have to. this leads me to my question. i want to earn a living in thailand as a teacher, i know the wages are insignificant when compared to the uk but it will be enough for me to live comfortably as i live in a very rural village. i have seen on-line degrees that are based on life experience and have read that they are validated and legal. i did an on-line test and received a phone call from them(Belford University,Texas) that i qualify for my degree.

i asked was this similar to the open university on-line degree and was told yes. i asked would this be valid when seeking employment in Thailand as a teacher- yes was the response.

has anyone any experience of these on-line degrees and their validity, if any.

look forward to hearing from you soon.

take care,

jon

never mind, i found out alone. they are absolute bol***ks.

[froggshw]

does that apply to all online degree's.? are they all bol*ocks.?

[Schillaci]

does that apply to all online degree's.? are they all bol*ocks.?

If your doing distance learning from a legitimate University that has bricks and mortar then it's perfectly fine. Usually the Certificate and transcripts don't even mention the degree was completed by correspondence.

Open Universities might be different as they are based 100% online. Maybe someone else can clarify.

Edited May 28, 2008 by Schillaci

[Prakanong]

If you are from the UK I would got for the Open University if I was you - its a valued degree and would be seen by employers back home and elsewhere as a degree your worked for an earned.

Yes there are others from traditional bricks and mortar places but mostly higher degree's although undergrad ones are available.

If I received a CV from and English guy who had a OU degree I would value it more than if the same guy did it elsewhere - just me I suppose but I know what I know.

[Ijustwannateach]

There is a big difference between an online degree (in the form of distance learning) from an established univerisity, and a so-called "life-experience" degree. Most accredited universities do not give any credit for "life-experience," and the very few which do only do so in a very limited way for a small percentage of allowable credit.

Online degrees, or distance learning, involve actual studying and assessments over a period of time which is usually pretty close to the time it would take to do the degree by full time studying, or even longer if you take fewer courses at a time. Generally speaking, they are perfectly fine.

From the point of view of teaching in Thailand, life-experience degrees are, and should be, b*llocks, as you say. In fact, they are really not much good for anything, as most places that really care what degree you have will be smart enough to know these degrees are b*llocks.

"S"

[Etrigan]

Don't listen to jfk.

There are some excellent degrees out there available online. The Open University is a highly respected educational institution recognised in Thailand. Also the University of Phoenix is a pioneer in online degrees and offer more courses than the UK.

I know of many people here in Thailand with online MBA's and MA's and all are in full time employment, with legitimate qualifications.

Do exercise caution as to the institute itself. If the courses are offered by an established university (check affiliations) the chances are the degree is real.

Good luck.

NB - Sorry I didn't catch the part about "life experience." If that is offered in exchange for credits, hang up the phone immediately.

Edited May 28, 2008 by Etrigan

[Prakanong]

Don't listen to jfk.

There are some excellent degrees out there available online. The Open University is a highly respected educational institution recognised in Thailand. Also the University of Phoenix is a pioneer in online degrees and offer more courses than the UK.

I know of many people here in Thailand with online MBA's and MA's and all are in full time employment, with legitimate qualifications.

Do exercise caution as to the institute itself. If the courses are offered by an established university (check affiliations) the chances are the degree is real.

Good luck.

JFK is the OP and I think he was referring to Belford or whatever it was as <deleted>.

As for online MBA's - I know people with them and they are bloody hard work and take a hel_l of a lot of discipline. However, much of an MBA is other classmates inputs and experiences - while I admire the tenacity and discipline to get one I would question a prospective employee why they took that route and not clasroom based (modular or term time).

They may very well have very good reasons but I would still ask the question

Now back to my MBA revision for tonights management accounting exam - 40% will do but 50% would be better as it still leaves me on for a distinction

[suegha]

Checked with an academic (professor at a major uni here in the UK) friend of mine re 'life experience' credit. He said if a qualification of any kind was given purely on life experience it would be of little worth. However, if for example, they took note of 10 years experience to advance the candidate further towards the qualification and then insisted upon the candidate providing some additional work in the form of dissertation or whatever, this would be acceptable.

I suppose if you think about it, it makes sense...

[PeaceBlondie]

Suegha has a point, which I think is that in undergraduate studies at least (I cannot speak about dissertations or postgraduate studies), there can be some recognition of past experience. An incoming freshman who had been in electronics repair and management for ten years, need not take an intro course in electronics. Giving academic credit, however, for courses he never sat, is another issue. Let the student enroll in a more advanced course.

Once, I enrolled in a basic tax accounting course for which I was overqualified, in a course taught by my coworker, in order to get university credit. The teacher insisted that I not come to class, and she gave me an A, without me even taking the final exam. Quite the exception

[markg]

I'm just finishing my second year of a 3 year online degree course. This is certainly not the same as a life experience course that can be achieved on the strength of a phone call.

It's a 3 year full-time course. 4 modules per year with 6000 word essays being the norm for each module.

The third and final year is 6000 words per essay for 3 modules, plus a 10,000 word dissertation.

If anyone thinks this is easy, then please rest assured that it isnt. Actually, the study isnt hard, it's finding the time and resources that is hard when i also work full time.

However, it's certainly worthwhile and in the main it's interesting too.

It's from an accredited bricks and mortar UK university, so it's completely legit.

It's a bit better than the Open University ( i think) because there are no exams in it which may entail travel to an exam centre etc. It's graded completely on your essays and dissertation.

Each module is worth 30 credits - so 360 credits in total required for an honours qualification.

You CAN get 'some' credit for previous stuff that you've learnt, though i think there are pretty strict rules as to how much credit you can get for what. I think the most you can get anyway is 30 credits for previous study, i.e. you would have to do just one module less than everyone else.

As far as i'm concerned, as other posters have said, an online degree from an accredited university, is a proper degree. It's damned hard work!

[Dakhar]

I'm just finishing my second year of a 3 year online degree course. This is certainly not the same as a life experience course that can be achieved on the strength of a phone call.

It's a 3 year full-time course. 4 modules per year with 6000 word essays being the norm for each module.

The third and final year is 6000 words per essay for 3 modules, plus a 10,000 word dissertation.

If anyone thinks this is easy, then please rest assured that it isnt. Actually, the study isnt hard, it's finding the time and resources that is hard when i also work full time.

However, it's certainly worthwhile and in the main it's interesting too.

It's from an accredited bricks and mortar UK university, so it's completely legit.

It's a bit better than the Open University ( i think) because there are no exams in it which may entail travel to an exam centre etc. It's graded completely on your essays and dissertation.

Each module is worth 30 credits - so 360 credits in total required for an honours qualification.

You CAN get 'some' credit for previous stuff that you've learnt, though i think there are pretty strict rules as to how much credit you can get for what. I think the most you can get anyway is 30 credits for previous study, i.e. you would have to do just one module less than everyone else.

As far as i'm concerned, as other posters have said, an online degree from an accredited university, is a proper degree. It's damned hard work!

I got a BAAS from this school. http://dept.lamar.edu/continuingeducation/...tudies/BAAS.htm They give credits for "life experience" but only a limitted amount of credits & you had to be above 21 yrs old to apply. I got credits for my years spent in Taiwan and learned Chinese. They required to look over my texts etc & interviewed me in Chinese. They gave me around 24 credits (I think) but I only needed 12 credits at the time.

My MS degree was 100% residential and hard to get, but I think that was mainly because I was a scared student and allowed the profs to push me around.

My doctorate degree (on line) was from Arizona School of Health science, an accredited uni, that offers a lot of on-line degrees. I thought the on line degree was psychologically easier, but did take a lot of time. They put a lot of demands on you to insure you are really learning the material... unlike residential college, they just give you one test, no home work, sink or swim. I found on line to be psychologically easier because no one knows if you are white, black, fat etc. It was actually pretty fun. The profs were pretty nice too (for the most part).

My wife got her MA form Univ of Texas (on-line). On line degrees are the way of the future, in fact my wife's degree was in Educational Technology.

[Neeranam]

No one has really answered the OP.

I think if you get an online degree based on life experience it will be fine in getting a teacher's license and work permit.

Most schools couldn't care less about your qualifications. Don't waste your time getting a real degree if you just want an easy life teaching in Thailand. I wasted 6 years at university, although it was fun, it didn't help me in the slightest in being a better teacher.

I've worked for 10 different language institutes, 5 universities, 5 colleges and many schools and only 2 of the universities showed any interest in what I had studied.

If it's not too expensive, get it and give it a go.

Good luck.

[Richb2004v2]

I'm just finishing my second year of a 3 year online degree course. This is certainly not the same as a life experience course that can be achieved on the strength of a phone call.

It's a 3 year full-time course. 4 modules per year with 6000 word essays being the norm for each module.

The third and final year is 6000 words per essay for 3 modules, plus a 10,000 word dissertation.

If anyone thinks this is easy, then please rest assured that it isnt. Actually, the study isnt hard, it's finding the time and resources that is hard when i also work full time.

However, it's certainly worthwhile and in the main it's interesting too.

It's from an accredited bricks and mortar UK university, so it's completely legit.

It's a bit better than the Open University ( i think) because there are no exams in it which may entail travel to an exam centre etc. It's graded completely on your essays and dissertation.

Each module is worth 30 credits - so 360 credits in total required for an honours qualification.

You CAN get 'some' credit for previous stuff that you've learnt, though i think there are pretty strict rules as to how much credit you can get for what. I think the most you can get anyway is 30 credits for previous study, i.e. you would have to do just one module less than everyone else.

As far as i'm concerned, as other posters have said, an online degree from an accredited university, is a proper degree. It's damned hard work!

I'm on my fourth year of an OU degree with a few more to go before I finish. The problem for me with the OU is the need to return to the UK for exams and also four one week residential courses. This is what has slowed me down. However this is only because I spend little time in the UK, otherwise it would not be a problem.

I would be interested to know which university you went though, as I would have preferred to avoid the exams if I could have.

[sassienie]

So very glad the Op has mentioned about on-line degrees.

We live in Chiang Mai, my 19 year old daughter having been born in England.

I want her to take a BA on-line as my daughter is presently working full time and being new to all this, has so far been a case of researching which on-line uni is best to enrol with.

My daughter was told that she cannot take an Open University course because they don’t expand their services to Thailand. So we have been looking into some News Zealand Universities that provide UK Open University courses to Thailand via News Zealand.

Reading some of the posts here has certainly made me feel more confident that these on-line courses are a good idea and will probably go for it.

Thanks again to the OP for starting this thread, most useful and informative.

Edited December 3, 2008 by sassienie

[Bizz]

hi guys,

i have been living in thailand now 4 1/2 years, only having to return to the uk on 2 occassions to work. i am in the uk for at least 3 months to earn some money and then i will return. its terrible in the uk and i dont want to have to come back here again unless i have to. this leads me to my question. i want to earn a living in thailand as a teacher, i know the wages are insignificant when compared to the uk but it will be enough for me to live comfortably as i live in a very rural village. i have seen on-line degrees that are based on life experience and have read that they are validated and legal. i did an on-line test and received a phone call from them(Belford University,Texas) that i qualify for my degree.

i asked was this similar to the open university on-line degree and was told yes. i asked would this be valid when seeking employment in Thailand as a teacher- yes was the response.

has anyone any experience of these on-line degrees and their validity, if any.

look forward to hearing from you soon.

take care,

jon

Life Experience Degrees:

The internet is full of advertisements offering the chance to quickly and easily earn an undergraduate or graduate degree based on life experience. Are these life experience degrees legitimate? You've probably received an email message that offered you the chance to quickly and easily earn a "prestigious" degree based on life experience. Just call the phone number in the email, give them your credit card number, and they'll take care of the rest. Such spam is pretty obvious to spot and hopefully you simply delete those messages.

But what about more sophisticated web sites that promise college degrees based on life experience? Perhaps they ask for copies of transcripts, test scores, job reports, or personal narratives. They might even mention how people with college degrees earn far more money than those without undergraduate or graduate degrees. Are these legitimate?

Please be aware that emails advertising so-called life experience degrees are most likely from unaccredited and dubious (if not fraudulent and illegal) institutions. If someone offers you an MBA or Ph.D. degree based on life experience, for example, that should be a red flag. The answer to the question of whether life experience degrees are legitimate is no, and yes, and no. Since that's three answers to one question, let's look at each in detail.

The first answer is no. You cannot earn a credible degree based on life experience. No accredited college or university in the United States will offer "life experience degrees." What is accreditation? In short, it's a form of institutional peer review where representatives from accredited schools evaluate other schools to ensure that they offer quality educational programs. There are numerous accrediting agencies in the United States and the reputable ones are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. You can find a listing of recognized accreditation agencies and accredited schools by searching the Institution Accreditation database sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education.

The second answer is yes. On the undergraduate level, you can earn an entire associates or bachelors degree through a demonstration of prior learning. Demonstrating prior learning typically involves using transfer credits, credit by examination, or portfolio development and evaluation. Note that prior learning assessment is a more formal procedure than so-called credit for life experience and is recognized as a legitimate means of granting credit. If you can demonstrate that you've learned something equivalent to content taught in a college course, then you can earn college credits and apply them an undergraduate degree. The three accredited schools best suited for prior learning degrees are Charter Oak State College, Excelsior College, and Thomas Edison State College. You can also learn more about such programs at the Baker's Guide to Custom Online Degrees listing.

The third answer is no. Prior learning assessment as a means of earning a complete degree doesn't apply to graduate programs -- all accredited masters and doctoral degrees are based on new learning. While you may be able to earn a few graduate credits based on prior learning assessment, they are generally limited to a handful, if any. If you closely examine the schools that advertise graduate degrees based on life experience, you'll notice that they aren't accredited by a recognized agency, and so you would be wise to avoid such programs.

So you can earn credit and even an undergraduate degree through a demonstration of prior learning but be wary of programs that lack accreditation or promote quick degrees through life experience. At the minimum, you'll receive a credential with little value in the marketplace. At the maximum, you'll be violating state law by using an unrecognized credential and bring penalties and embarrassment upon yourself. Earn your degree right the first time and your efforts will speak for themselves.

[garro]

Slightly different subject, but I completed my Post Graduate Certificate for Education through an accredited distance learning/online university. It was expensive and involved quite a bit of work. I sometimes wonder if it was worth it for Thailand as I will probably never earn the money back and a degree seems to be all they care about where I work. I suppose a PGCE is handy for work in an international school here, but they seem to only want to recruit from abroad.

[eggomaniac]

No one has really answered the OP.

I think if you get an online degree based on life experience it will be fine in getting a teacher's license and work permit.

Most schools couldn't care less about your qualifications. Don't waste your time getting a real degree if you just want an easy life teaching in Thailand. I wasted 6 years at university, although it was fun, it didn't help me in the slightest in being a better teacher.

I've worked for 10 different language institutes, 5 universities, 5 colleges and many schools and only 2 of the universities showed any interest in what I had studied.

That is what I was thinking. He wanted to know in terms of teaching English in Thailand. I know a guy who just got back from teaching English in Chang Mai for 2 years. He got his BA for a few thousand Bhat in Kao San Road. He took the ESL course and got reimbursed after a year.

[eggomaniac]

No one has really answered the OP.

I think if you get an online degree based on life experience it will be fine in getting a teacher's license and work permit.

Most schools couldn't care less about your qualifications. Don't waste your time getting a real degree if you just want an easy life teaching in Thailand. I wasted 6 years at university, although it was fun, it didn't help me in the slightest in being a better teacher.

I've worked for 10 different language institutes, 5 universities, 5 colleges and many schools and only 2 of the universities showed any interest in what I had studied.

If it's not too expensive, get it and give it a go.

----------

That is what I was thinking. He wanted to know in terms of teaching English in Thailand. I know a guy who just got back from teaching English in Chang Mai for 2 years. He got his BA for a few thousand Bhat in Kao San Road. He took the ESL course and got reimbursed after a year.

Good luck.

[Eastender]

Regarding the OP's reference to the UK's Open University. This is what I would call a real degree as it requires real study. I am studying with them now for the same reason as the OP, in case I need a WP in Thailand in the future.

They will transfer credit from previous study so my HNC (electronics) counted towards 30% of the level 1 needed. If you take English language related subjects you may not be a better teacher, but you will know a lot more about the language. You can mix subjects to get an 'open degree'. For anyone considering it, I thoroughly recommend it.

I would have loved to have taken physics, but due to family committments I avoided any subject which included week tutorials. Hence all my study was from home. If you timed it right, you could receive study materials in the UK and go to Thailand, or have someone send them out, , then return for exams.

Robin

[kingwillly]

does that apply to all online degree's.? are they all bol*ocks.?

all online LIFE degrees.

[Eastender]

Garo,

Who did you study the PGCE with? I thought that was mostly 'vocational' study, and couldn't be done on line?

[garro]

Garo,

Who did you study the PGCE with? I thought that was mostly 'vocational' study, and couldn't be done on line?

I studied my PGCE with the University of Southern Queensland in Australia. It is one of the few places where you can study for a PGCE by distance learning. Some of the modules are online and some are by distance learning (you need to send hard-copy essays via mail). Unlike other PGCEs they accept your current teaching practice as your practical component. You must be currently employed as a teacher to do the course.

[simon43]

It's very important to check out the accreditation of the online degree. No accreditation = your degree is unlikely to be accepted as a 'real 'degree by an employer. But also beware because some online degree courses do claim accreditation, but that accreditation body is actually owned by the degree course provider!!

So if you find an interesting online degree course, check that the body(ies) who are accrediting the course are for real - do a little Googling about the university and the accreditation body.

Simon

[garro]

You should avoid these institutions like the plague;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unacc...higher_learning

[Neeranam]

No accreditation = your degree is unlikely to be accepted as a 'real 'degree by an employer.

Unlikely to be accepted by a 'rea' employer but as a teacher in Thailand probably yes.

Are there any teachers here with one of these life degrees?

[PoorSucker]

Belford_University

letmegooglethatforyou is your friend.

[Deidra]

you can check online degree on net . but open Universities might be different as they are based 100% online. Maybe someone else can clarify.

[Dakhar]

It's very important to check out the accreditation of the online degree. No accreditation = your degree is unlikely to be accepted as a 'real 'degree by an employer. But also beware because some online degree courses do claim accreditation, but that accreditation body is actually owned by the degree course provider!!

So if you find an interesting online degree course, check that the body(ies) who are accrediting the course are for real - do a little Googling about the university and the accreditation body.

Simon

I could be wrong but I think if a person got a non-accredited degree and then posed it as it was an accredited degree, and then latter applied to "real" college & that college finds out about it.... you may get kicked out.

I knew a lady that worked at a college that had a real BS and MS degree but had a "life experience" Doctorate degree. She got the boot when the college learned this about her.

[Dakhar]

No accreditation = your degree is unlikely to be accepted as a 'real 'degree by an employer.

Unlikely to be accepted by a 'rea' employer but as a teacher in Thailand probably yes.

Are there any teachers here with one of these life degrees?

I am chubby, and far from handsome.... now if I looked in the mirror and saw a "poser" too, I think that would be too much for me.