Online Degrees

[james24]

I have lots of work experience and have worked all my life but not having a sodding degree is constantly closing doors for me. Whether teaching at a better school, wanting to teach in another country etc its just always there.

Perhaps I should have studied but at the time when everyone else was I just couldn't and had to work. Ive heard of fake degrees down Khao San Rd which Im not too sure about but there does seem to be 100% legal degrees you can send off for. Obviously you would be lacking the learning time but in my case I dont really need it for that and doing a real one online from where Im from (uk) is unbelievably and impossibly expensive now.

Anyone have any experience with these type of things? Like I say they are 100% legal but whether they are worth much (especially outside of Thailand) Im not sure about.

[supaprik]

these "degree mills" as they are known are a absolute scam and should be avoided at all costs, no employer ANYWHERE would hire on the basis of a "experience degree", they are marketed by savvy people and whilst when they first stared to appear in the late 90's did actually get some people employed most if not all companies will search the University s credentials and thus find that they are no more than what they are which is rubbish..

save you money and try to do an online course to gain a real degree, there are some real value options being offered especially from some of the lesser know campuses around the world and even though they may not have the names of Harvard, Yale, Eton and the like they are still real and the degrees will lead to you being able to take on extra studies from other places also

Good luck to you though

[james24]

these "degree mills" as they are known are a absolute scam and should be avoided at all costs, no employer ANYWHERE would hire on the basis of a "experience degree", they are marketed by savvy people and whilst when they first stared to appear in the late 90's did actually get some people employed most if not all companies will search the University s credentials and thus find that they are no more than what they are which is rubbish..

save you money and try to do an online course to gain a real degree, there are some real value options being offered especially from some of the lesser know campuses around the world and even though they may not have the names of Harvard, Yale, Eton and the like they are still real and the degrees will lead to you being able to take on extra studies from other places also

Good luck to you though

Ahh ok

This website www.instantdegress.com was the one I was told about. Apparently the uni's they use are actual online accredited but some spiel about wanting to make an extra bit of money on the side.

Anyways I guess entrepenur time :-)

Thanks man

Edited August 30, 2011 by james24

[Derifo]

these "degree mills" as they are known are a absolute scam and should be avoided at all costs, no employer ANYWHERE would hire on the basis of a "experience degree", they are marketed by savvy people and whilst when they first stared to appear in the late 90's did actually get some people employed most if not all companies will search the University s credentials and thus find that they are no more than what they are which is rubbish..

save you money and try to do an online course to gain a real degree, there are some real value options being offered especially from some of the lesser know campuses around the world and even though they may not have the names of Harvard, Yale, Eton and the like they are still real and the degrees will lead to you being able to take on extra studies from other places also

Good luck to you though

Ahh ok

This website www.instantdegress.com was the one I was told about. Apparently the uni's they use are actual online accredited but some spiel about wanting to make an extra bit of money on the side.

Anyways I guess entrepenur time :-)

Thanks man

Try: rdi.co.uk

[makescents]

University of Liverpool offers online degrees.

[Xangsamhua]

University of Liverpool offers online degrees.

Many reputable accredited universities offer courses online, especially at postgraduate level.

Let's not get confused between (1) "life experience" degrees, (2) degrees from online universities and (3) degrees from accredited universities offered online.

Life experience degrees are only legal in that they say somewhere on the diploma/testamur that they are granted on that basis. They are no longer acceptable to the MoE in Thailand as a teaching qualification.

Online universities in many cases are diploma mills; either just a postbox or a correspondence school that gives you a degree for very little work. However, some online universities are accredited with legitimate accrediting agencies, and these can be found on the US Department of Education website at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

Unaccredited institutions both in and outside the US may be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unaccredited_institutions_of_higher_learning#P

Accredited universities that offer courses online are simply incorporating e-learning into their range of off-campus, distance-learning modes for people who can't get to classes regularly. They require the same amount of writing or other assessment criteria as the equivalent on-campus course, and students learn via study guides, reading material accessible to them online, and other reference materials that they have to acquire for themselves. They have online access to the university library. They also are normally required to participate in an online forum for each subject and are assessed on that, too. The testamur/diploma they receive from the university is exactly the same as the one awarded to on-campus students.

I hope this clarifies.

Edited September 17, 2011 by Xangsamhua

[justaphase]

Thai law doesn't say that life experience degrees are illegal.

Malaysia does, and so does Vietnam, but not here.

I bet half the degree holders here went this route.. It's just a taboo that no-one mentions. I saw a guy with a Rochville university degree the other day.. it looked like a cafe menu.. still gets him a work permit. And he still says he studied there for 4 years!!!!

[Scott]

The issue of the validity of the degree is not covered by law, per se, it is dealt with by policy. The MoE requires that a degree must be from an accredited school. So, if you have a Life Experience from such a school, you might be in luck.

Just to be clear, I do know people that have submitted them and they have been roundly and quickly rejected.

For one thing, the transcript is also reviewed. The few that I have seen, did not have a transcript.

Some years back, it was easier to just submit a piece of paper, but a lot more difficult these days.

Much of this depends on the experience level of the person processing the paperwork.

[justaphase]

These days you even get the transcipts in a sealed envelope too..

Be funny if when they were opened it just said "BOGUS!!"

[Scott]

That wouldn't be a BA degree, that would be BS !

[aussiebebe]

Earning a degree online or via distance learning is the best solution. I think the OP is way off with his comment

and doing a real one online from where Im from (uk) is unbelievably and impossibly expensive now.

. There are many scholarships and bursaries available from reputable UK universities.

[haltes]

These days you even get the transcipts in a sealed envelope too..

Only from US universities I think.

University of London degrees are quite cheap and can be done in 3-8 years.

[justaphase]

I thought they were a mill too.. but a good one..