Considering factor for someone who takes degree for self-satisfaction only

Many people on this forum take degree for teaching, better employment, career advancement. If someone who don’t have to use degree for work like an entrepreneur that want degree for self-satisfaction only, What a considering factor?

 

<<Many people on this forum take degree for teaching, better employment, career advancement. If someone who don’t have to use degree for work like an entrepreneur that want degree for self-satisfaction only, What a considering factor?>>


If the degree is really only going to be about self satisfaction, I would look first at the faculty of the school. Is the faculty qualified to teach at the level they are teaching? Are they qualified to teach at the level they are teaching? I would then look at the rigor of the program itself. I can't imagine you would be very satisfied with a degree that was "earned" by sailing through an easy program. I would think you would want to actually learn something. Lastly, I would look at affordability.

Tony

 

While my pursuit of a DTh could be construed as mainly just for self-satisfaction, I want to genuinely do good work and learn.


As Tony says, there are conditions which better assure that learning at the grad level is genuine. Were one considering an unaccredited program, these criteria in my view should be measured:


1) qualified faculty-- That means with only few exceptions the profs will have accredited docs in the precise area they teach.

2) rigorous program- That means that the work done for that degree should be demonstrably of a quality similar to that of accredited curricula.

IMO these criteria are most often met when a school's program is evaluated and found to be acceptable by a recognized accreditor. That means a school not properly accredited is very unlikely to meet those criteria. But my experience mostly is in Theological education.

 

A burning desire within...

Do you have a burning desire to get a degree? I did and that was my impetus to embark on an educational journey. I was unable to turn off the desire to get a bachelors and then a masters degree; and the impetus propelled me to completion of those goals, albeit it seemed like a long but a rewardingly pleasant journey.

My desire to pursue higher education, beyond a graduate degree, is currently smitten. The burning desire is gone. Maybe it’s not my destiny to get a doctoral degree because if it was, then I would have the same burning desire that I previously had while pursuing the bachelors and the masters degree. < shrugs shoulders >

Look within yourself. Do you have a burning desire to get a degree? If you do, then it is your destiny and you will not be able to quench that fiery desire until you achieve your goal.

 

If I may tailgate on that thought... In addition to self satisfaction in the case of an entrepreneur, who chooses to be evaluated and rewarded strictly on merit, there is an issue of skill attainment. A rigorous program will help ensure that engaging in an organized sequence of study, regardless of pedigree, imparts knowledge/skills. If the program is not rigorous, then it is not worth the tuition, even for self satisfaction and skill attainment, etc. Better that one would select a topic, camp out at a university library, (even interview some people), write a hundred page book and vanity publish it through Xlibris; that would be more beneficial and less expensive.

Dave

 

I am one of the "self satisfaction" group -- additional degrees would provide little or no professional benefit to me. Over the last three years, I have taken a variety of individual courses (about 12 of them from 4 different institutions) that have not been applied towards any degree. The degree programs that I have looked at always have certain courses or other requirements that don't interest me. So I currently don’t plan to complete another degree, but rather to continue to cherry pick the DL courses available across the globe.

For my purposes, accreditation is not necessary -- but most unaccredited "universities" are scams, and almost all are woefully inadequate academically. But I would be happy to participate in a program from an unaccredited institution if I could satisfy myself that it met my interests and was sufficiently rigorous. I haven’t found one yet.

I think that researching and publishing a book (hopefully not through a vanity publisher!) would be a better use of one's time and efforts than pursuing any DL program. But that would take dedication and discipline that I currently lack!

 

me again said, "Look within yourself. Do you have a burning desire to get a degree?"


Um, you forgot to bolden and underline "burning desire." (I'm just hasslin' ya!)

I can certainly relate. I wanted so badly to do a degree via distant learning. I've lost that desire, but, as oxpecker said, I will "continue to cherry pick the DL courses available across the globe.". Currently, I'm doing my first year of Greek. Way cool. And I have a few other courses I'll go for later, but I don't wish to do a degree anymore.

Starkman

 

But the real question is whether or not the vehicle you purchase now will get you where you want to go in the future if you change paths!!!

 

In addiion to quality faculty and rigor review the structure of the program. This will allow you to determine if the program is offering the courses that will meet your personal educational goals. One good option to tailor an academic program to your own learning pursuits is to embark on degree programs that are of an interdisciplinary nature.

John

 

I can certainly understand the "personal satisfaction" aspect. I don't need an LL.M. for any professional purpose, nevertheless, here I am.

However, I wonder whether "personal satisfaction" would be enough to get a student through an accredited doctoral program. It is SO MUCH WORK!

When I complete the LL.M., I will seriously consider a doctorate, but I doubt I will decide to pursue it. I am too old to embark on an academic career. Besides, even if I did want to give it a go, my J.D. is all the degree I'd really need.

 

Do you mind answering what field? I think it would matter in the factors?

Also, is cost a factor, is residency?

 

Re: Re: Considering factor for someone who takes degree for self-satisfaction only

I got M.Eng(Chem) but I want to study doctoral degree in business related field or engineering field. I survey on many DL US School tuition fee is O.K. if no hidden cost anymore, SA or Australian degree are O.K. , no residence require, legistimate, no matter accredited or unaccredited but It mustn't be a fake school or any experience transfer school.

 

A number of good points have been made and I'd like to add a couple of my own considerations. Cost was a huge factor. I don't make enough money to go out and spend thousand and thousands of dollars "for my own personal satisfaction." That's the main reason I wound up in a South African school. Another consideration was the dissertation topic itself. If I'm going to do this degree for personal satisfaction then I want to do it on the topic of my choice, not the topic of my advisors choice or some heavily negotiated topic. Also, I don't need to brag about my school but neither do I want spend even a moment hoping that no one asks me where my degree is from. So, reputation and accreditation are important.
Jack

 

C'mon.....we all know that you lust after that S.J.D. from Heed University.

 

I don't really want a degree for self-satisfaction but instead have enjoyed the learning process and the academic environment for more than the usual number of years.

My situation is probably unique in that earning a living isn't among the things I must be bothered with each day any longer. That said, at 40+ years old nearing 200 hours of undergraduate credit (and countless hours of workshops and CE) over 23 years in college -- I've enjoyed about as much of the undergraduate world as I can and am ready to move on...

For me then the options are simple -- I'll be transferring what hours I can to one of the Big Three (probably Excelsior) over the next two years for an AAS and a BA (Communication) -- the driving factors in electing that school are:
1) ease of transfer and acceptability of most credit
2) flexibility of degree program
3) cost
4) reputation (though each of the Big Three seems equal there)

I'll also be completing a traditional BA in flute performance at a state school - which will have to be timed to award after the non-trad BA.

When I first started taking courses in 1981, my driving factor was cost - plain and simple - who offered the least expensive coursework? That was generally the local state university and often the local community college. As my own KSA advanced, I needed oppertunities for more advanced coursework (I rarely participate in community college programs any longer) and more qualified faculty. This led me to move to where I could take courses with specific faculty members.

Since cost (or available funding) remains a factor, I still study at state universities; IMHO, well worth the investment of time and money.

So, if your real motivation is self-satisfaction then the choice is really based on "where can I gain the knowledge I want, in an environment I enjoy, at a cost that I can afford?"

If your desire is ego based (not meant negatively -- it's a valid motivator) and all you want is the Sheepskin then, IMHO, it really doesn't matter where it's issued from. If the ego motivation involves the perception of others then that degree would have more value if issued by a more prestigious university and prestige of the degree grantor becomes a higher consideration on your scale. Of course, more prestige usually equates to more cost.

just a few of my thoughts - from where I sit....