employment worth of DETC grad schools

Seems as though this is a never-ending discussion here, and I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to my own question, but a forum search didn't bring up any relevent results (but I'm sure there is a thread somewhere).

Several of the schools on my short list for a DL Master's (MS or MBA) are DETC accredited. Since DETC is recognized by the US Dept. of Ed and CHEA, I see no reason not to attend such a school, even thought it isn't RA.

So, with these points in mind:

-I have no intention or desire of ever getting a PhD;
-I have no desire to teach;
-I have no intention of transferring credits in or out of the DETC school.....

...is their any reason, from a Fortune 500 corporate employment standpoint or state/federal government employment standpoint as to why I should *not* also consider DETC schools?

Basically, I want to use the Master's simply to open up some doors in regular employment sectors.

The main thing I like....They're cheaper, and money is an issue (I have no employer reimbursement).

Thank you much!

-Jassen Bowman

--
B.S., Nuclear Engineering Technology (TESC)
Graduate work, Radiochemistry/Health Physics (Colorado State University)[with no intention to finish]

 

There are employers who will not accept a degree from a DETC-accredited school.

There are employers who will not reimburse tuition paid at a DETC-accredited school.

My research shows there is a difference in acceptability of DETC accreditation vs. regional accreditation. However, it also shows a decided confusion with employers regarding the whole topic. It is difficult to discern how big the gap really is, but it exists.

DETC's surveys of graduates also indicates a gap.

Vault.com did a survey of HR pros in 2000 that indicated a prejudice against DL programs, something that comes part-in-parcel with attending a DETC-accredited school. The survey did not, however, specifically address the two types of accreditation (DETC and RA).

While DETC-accredited schools tend to be less expensive compared to DL RA programs, there are exceptions.

An effective education is certainly available at DETC-accredited schools, and degrees earned at DETC-accredited schools should certainly be considered legitimate. Unfortunately, they aren't as widely accepted as those from RA schools. Of course, the acceptability of degrees from RA schols can vary as well. But there is no reason to think that a degree from a DETC-accredited school would be more acceptable than one from any RA school in any situation.

It is advisable to get into the best RA program you can be admitted to and can afford. Also, take into account the different schools' instructional delivery methods, being careful to select the one most compatible with your learning style and desired method.

Rich Douglas, Ph.D.

 

I have seen several government job postings that require an RA degree. Some of the engineering jobs even require the degree be from an ABET school.

 

Jassen,

let me be the first to agree with Rich. One of my degrees is an MBA from a DETC school. I needed several classes for project management and was able to complete an entire degree for less than attending non credit training. After finding this board I realized that there may be better solutions. I decided to do some adjuncting and found that the DETC credits were not acceptable to most accreditors including DETC schools for teaching so I am now redoing some classes at an RA school (also working on a PhD). Any degree accredited by an accreditor recognized by the U.S. department of education is safe for use with the government. However, in some instances only ABET or otherwise accredited degrees are specific to the job. I used a DETC school for this one degree because it was self-paced and cheap. I hate to jump on the band wagon but in reality RA degrees will offer more options.

go to www.geteducated.com and download the guides. The tuition numbers aren't accurate but the guides are worth studying.

My personal favorites right now ($300 per credit or less)are the UNA MBA-CIS, University of Illinois-Springfield MIS, Troy State, Mountain State, Amberton. If you go higher in per credit take a look at Capitol College, Marist, Florida Tech.

Some of the schools now have 8 week terms so the reason I used to not attend an RA school just went away.

Now, if any of your circumstamces change there are some RA schools that will accept a DETC degree into a PhD program, but the pickings are slim.

The advice from Rich is sound and my advice would be to follow his recommendation.