DL degree acceptability studies

Hi all,

I have done a thorough search on several different databases and other library holdings and I can't find anything in the academic literature regarding the acceptance of distance degrees by employers. In other words, I'm trying to find studies conducted with HR departments, managers, etc. regarding their opinions in hiring a candidate with a DL degree, percentage of employees in a company that hold such a degree, promotability comparisons, etc. So far, I haven't turned up even one article!

Are any of y'all familiar with any such studies that have been conducted? I'd appreciate any leads.

Regards,

Adrienne

 

Vault.com did a survey of HR managers regarding this subject in 2001:

http://www.vault.com/nr/main_article_detail.jsp?article_id=19393&ht_type=5


I did a survey for my Ph.D. of HR managers regarding the acceptability of degrees based upon the issuing schools' accreditation status. I used DL schools as examples, but didn't directly address DL with the participants. The abstract of my dissertation is available at

http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/

Do a search on my name and you'll see the abstract. Or try this link:

http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/fullcit/3093350

I spoke with Customer Service at UMI; they haven't received the dissertation yet from Union.

 

The vault.com article was interesting, but seemed to be focused on "online degrees" rather than merely distance learning. There may also be some major confusion between accreditation and distance learning (underlining mine):

Do these HR professionals or hiring managers believe that anything online is unaccredited? This to me seems to be the big issue. Would they be qualified to tell the difference between RA, DETC and WAUC? Degree granting institutions can be "accredited" by any of these...

Where does COSC, Excelsior and TESC fit into the mix? I'm completing a degree by taking exams at colleges and testing centers and Excelsior accepts these results for credit. My "online" component is zero, so if someone asked me if my degree was earned online I'd say no. Luckily I'm within a 90 minute drive from Albany so no matter what it will "fit" my resume, but for others it can confuse the issue.

(BTW - I'm not picking on anyone with this - just noting the inconsistencies in the world of HR. Luckily, most HR pros that I've ever dealt with, including those in the Fortune 500 company I work for, are more interested in experience plus the "tick in the box" that the degree brings. Any "stigma" would be irrelevant for anything above an entry-level position.)

Cheers,
Mark

 

Thanks so much

Thanks, Rich, for the information both to the vault.com article and your dissertation. Your abstract is very interesting, and once it's in the UMI database, I plan to order a copy. I'll keep checking back on that.

I agree with Mark that the respondents in the vault.com survey did seem quite confused regarding the difference between accreditation and distance learning. I've started looking into this for a paper I'm researching for one of my classes, and I think the topic is in need of a lot more research. After all, if you read the stats on the increase in demand for DL (from the student perspective), and HR departments are operating under misconceptions about DL, this could end up with serious repercussions. Hmm, this might turn into my next research project!

I also think the acceptance of DL doctoral degrees by univeristy hiring committees for teaching positions would make a very interesting subject for research; this has come up on several threads on this board, and I've had this discussion with colleagues many a' time. However, that subject would be much more difficult to research, considering all the variables concerned.

Hmm, that would be an interesting dissertation topic . . . too bad it's a little off my focus!

Thanks again,

Adrienne

 

It continues to surprise me how little is known in these important matters.

Indeed, I am not aware of anything substantial being done since the Sosdian and Sharp study in 1978. Rich's survey of HR people 2 years ago and my survey of registrars four years ago are steps in a useful direction; more is needed.

My fantasy is to put togoether two panels of 100 senior registrars and 100 senior HR people, who would rate each school (or detailed category of school) ona 1 to 5 scale: always accept, usually, sometimes, rarely, and never. With a simple algorithm, we could come out with two 0 to 100 scores for each school. So instead of relying on "generally accepted" or "illegal in New Jersey" or "dreadful" and the like, we could say
Enigmatic State University, 83/94
Nixon-Western University, 12/31
and so on.

Hey, if Mr. or Ms. Isaac is out there, and you want to go into business developing and selling Bear/Isaac BICO scores, I'd be seriously interested.

John Bear
john@ursalnet
________________
*The External Degree as a Credential: Graduates' Experiences in Employment and Further Study by Carol Sosdian and Laure Sharp, National Institute of Education, 1978. They looked only at experiences with the schools that are now called Excelsior, Edison, and Charter Oak.

 

Pick away. My dissertation is filled with criticisms of the HR community, which I hold largely responsible for the misinformation and misunderstanding of the DL field, along with a huge chunk of the diploma mill problem. They're in a position NOT to accept bogus degrees and fail to refrain from doing so. Employers are the second largest consumers of bogus degrees, behind the diploma mill buyers themselves. And they're in the best position to eliminate it (mostly), and to promote better understanding of legitimate distance learning schools and methods. But they don't.

 

I agree, but in many companies their influence is little more than providing effective screening and lining up proper candidates. Above entry-level positions the hiring manager effectively makes the decision, and most education is directed at them to effectively interview candidates - ask open-ended and probing questions, avoid the halo effect, etc.

As I'm doing some investigation with our recruiting department right now about desirable technical certfications I'll also ask the question about DL credibility and report back. It'll be one data point only (and it'll remain anonymous), but may give some reading this thread an additional point of view.

Cheers,
Mark

 

They also published a somewhat condensed version of the above as:

Sharp, L. M., & Sosdian, C. P., (1979). External degrees: How well do they serve their holders? Journal of Higher Education 50(5).

I have also been unsuccessful in my attempts to find a research study that updates their work. I had originally thought to do that for my dissertation; however, without the sizeable government funding that Sosdian and Sharp had, my doctoral committee advised me otherwise.

Dr. Bear's and Dr. Douglas' work are definately needed forays into this territory. Is Dr. Bear's study available anywhere (I'd like to cite it in my dissertation before I finish writing and defend it).
Several of us have been bugging Rich to publish his research in a journal.

Tony Pina
Faculty, Cal State U. San Bernardino

 

Thanks, Dr. Bear

Indeed, I am not aware of anything substantial being done since the Sosdian and Sharp study in 1978. Rich's survey of HR people 2 years ago and my survey of registrars four years ago are steps in a useful direction; more is needed.


I will definitely look for the Sosdian and Sharp study, thank you for this tip. Is your survey of registrars in published form?


My fantasy is to put togoether two panels of 100 senior registrars and 100 senior HR people, who would rate each school (or detailed category of school) ona 1 to 5 scale . . .


If you ever need a volunteer research assistant for such a project as this, my hand is waving frantically in the air!




Dr. Bear, as a side note, thanks to all the hard work you do in this field. I've been preparing a workshop I'm giving to my colleagues where I teach (UAE University) in the spring about obtaining postgrad degrees while working in the Middle East, and your books on DL degrees (particularly in Ed) and this board are well cited, and will be highly recommended. Word has gotten out about my forthcoming workshop, and I've been asked to present it at the local chapter of the TESOL Arabia meeting next month. Hopefully I can take it further to the national meeting as well, and/or organize it in written form for the TESOL A. journal. As someone whose life you have directly influenced for the better, I really appreciate what you do!

Regards,

Adrienne

 

NB: The survey I did took place about 14 months ago.