UoL External Program Alumni

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by daniel_olivaw, Apr 7, 2004.

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  1. daniel_olivaw

    daniel_olivaw New Member

    I'd really like to hear from people's personal experiences with the UOL External Programs.

    Especially those who have done there BSc in Economics from LSE as well as those who have/are doing their MBA from Imperial (also UOL, external). However this is not a must, I'd like to hear some general experiences from people who experienced any of their external degree programs.

    If anyone can provide me any alternative sources where I could get this information, I'd also appreciate that.
     
  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Me too, esp. LL.B.

    Me too, especially on the LL.B. programme. My girlfriend wouldlike to be able to practice law in the Caribbean, and she's here in the US for the time being, which really limits her choices.

    -=Steve=-
     
  3. Tom57

    Tom57 Member

  4. fawcettbj

    fawcettbj New Member

  5. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Struck by Malet

    Wow, that's an informative site. Thanks!

    -=Steve=-
     
  6. tcmak

    tcmak New Member

    hmm...I am taking IC DL MBA.

    Personal experience.....it's not easy to begin with....let me think.....This is the first year I am studying. I am taking 3 modules this year.

    The programme content is quite challenging. In particular assignments, you may expect that wouldn't be very easy and willing to spend time on the problem.

    The study materials are not very difficult though. The way is written is quite friendly.

    As for teachers, they are the same teachers teaching their FT/PT MBA programs and answer questions well.

    Also the Online learning environment, discussions are maintained quite well, as discussions can last longer, at least longer than traditional classrooom teaching.

    Time commitment, be willing to commit time and effort on study. This is no easy degree to get.

    I am not sure if I can answer your question but I would be happy to answer further questions you may like to know.
     
  7. daniel_olivaw

    daniel_olivaw New Member

    Thanks.

    Finally someone else who is in the MBA program from IC. Yes a lot of questions to you (tcmac). But first I'd like to thank the others for suggesting the sites (especially yansa and malet).


    1. Where are you located? If you're in USA, do you know where you'll be taking the exams?

    2. Is the school supplying you with ALL the material neccessary for studies? Not a terribly important question, but I'd still like to know if the tuition covers the textbooks as well.

    3. How well do you think this distance learning MBA is accepted in the corporate world? Have you spoken to any or know any alumni who have this degree and/or have been succesful with it?

    4. Approximiately how much time would you say should ideally be devoted to each module by an average student? I know this is a very subjective question, but please try to give me a any gut-feeling answer.

    5. What was your educational background and when were you in school last. If it has been long, are you finding it difficult to "get back in school" in this particular form (distance)? I guess this is also another subjective question.

    6. Can you recommend any sites/sources of information for the program/alumni that is not already listed on their site and accessible to the rest of the world without being a student?


    I am extremely sorry if I am asking too many questions...but I am very serious about the program. I have sent all my certificates to be evaluated by the British Council and am waiting to get them back. The tuition is not insignificant, thats why I want to make sure that I am making a good investment in this educational endeavour.
     
  8. daniel_olivaw

    daniel_olivaw New Member

    Another Question

    One more question that I just recalled

    * Other than personal gratification, why are you doing this? More specifically are you doing this MBA to: (1) change careers/fields (2) stay where you are but to become indespensable in your company (3) get promotion. I understand it could be a mix of any or all of the above.

    I know I am being very annoying with my list of questions...but I am honestly trying to understand how matched my motivational factors and decision on this program are with that of others - I hope I am not acting on whim and making stupid mistakes - something which I should not and cannot afford at this age.
     
  9. tcmak

    tcmak New Member

    Hi daniel_olivaw,

    1) I am from Hong Kong. UoL has a long list of exam centres. There are over 300 centres alone in US. Of course you can have the option of taking the exam in London, if you like.

    2) Textbooks included. They also have an online library system where you can look for reference there.

    3) hmm....it's rather difficult to know... I want to know what people think about my study too..... I am in Hong Kong. My experience is that some people knows Imperial College.... but more people know about UofL....and people knows about IC also knows that it's a famous school.

    The baseline I experienced so far is... no one is telling me no idea on what the school is.....

    4) standard answer - 5 hrs per module per week....

    I am wondering if I have spent more than that.....some areas I am not very good at so I need to spend more time to catch up.

    Assignment would take a bit more time... be prepared for mentally challenging questions. They have no simple assignments. And hopefully learn from challenges. ;D

    5) It was about 6 years since I got my UG degree... I did my Computer Science degree in The University of Hong Kong. I am interested in the subject matter and thus committed to the study.

    Self-discipline is an important issue here. I am familar with web based interfaces.... The online learning environment is useful to me. Also, their library system provides a lot of information and readings for references.

    6) Sorry, I only learn about the program from the school website.

    7) I would like to stay in the IT industry. But my computer science background is rather limited in technical or theoretical issues, not issues encountered in business, in particular the IT business (not how IT can be applied in business). I would like to know more about the issues with technology business. Hope I can have my own business too.

    There are some good programs in HK, but unfortunately they failed to address tech business or startup business well. I think IC is a good place for these topics.

    ** These are my reasons for choosing IC for my MBA study. Of course there can be more than one reason for choosing IC. Different people would have different concern and focus, and may result in the same place.

    Are you based in US? I know there some classmates based in US too. You will not be alone if you study here.

    BTW, do you mind telling me more about yourself. I think I can answer better if I have more info about you and I can elaborate more on your concerns.
     
  10. daniel_olivaw

    daniel_olivaw New Member

    You have been immensly helpful in answering my questions.

    My background: BSc in Computer Information Systems finished in 1998...but have been full time employed since 1997 as a software developer/lead architect. I am working in NY in US...and the reasons I have been thought of MBA is actually a mix of many things...here is the least in descending order of importance (1) Career change, more in management/administration than hands on technology, sort of being worried that these jobs are getting outsourced and I feel after 7 years of hands-on work I am probably more suited for management roles, (2) Career/field change, I am also thinking of a 2nd degree in Economics from LSE - so don't know where all this will take me, (3) be indispensable where I am (I think I am already, having been here 7 years, but having some extra set of crucial skills will certainly not make anything worse) (4) Promotion - nope not really, I have already reached the highest position attainable - our company is small and I am already the all around tech guru.

    Being the kind of person I am, I am sort of bored with my line of work. The challanges I face nowadays have less to do with technology and more to do with understanding business concepts and processes for the work we do for our clients. That's why I felt that an MBA coupled with a solid understanding of Economics (the BS program from LSE) would not only give me an edge, but open up a vista for a whole new field/career, should I care for it.

    I hope I have given you adequate background about me. If you don't mind terribly and have contact with your US classmates, maybe you could ask them to join this wonderful site where their feedback would be of immense value not to mention add more knowledge base.
     
  11. tcmak

    tcmak New Member

    I got my UG degree also in 1998 :)

    hmm.... my opinions.. (though maybe biased...).... I think an MBA would be more suitable in your situation:

    an MBA degree is more general in terms of knowledge required. Management issues, buesiness processes. Economics is rather specific.

    If you are interested in Economics, you may also be aware of the weighting of Economics in some MBA programmes. Some of the MBA programmes I know of are putting less emphasis on Econ.

    In IC's case, it is one single module in Economics, covering micro-economics and macro-economics, and some advanced topics within these.
     
  12. Orson

    Orson New Member

    A suggestion, Daniel: if you are bored with work, then the flexible mode of studying the ICL MBA program offers sounds quite good for you. If you have your doubts about the total cost of the investment, then apply to be an "occasional" (i.e., visiting) student! That way you can try before you buy.

    But even if you apply for the full program, there's no need to bit off more than you're ready for. For instance, you might do the "pay as you go" method and take just two (or three) units the first year. After all, with the US dollar down against Pound Sterling so much in the last year, given time and fluctuating exhange rates, this approach probably makes more sense in either case.

    As an Imperial College student in the MSc program in Environmental Management ("environmental science & policy" in most of the US) approaching the mid-point, I can say that mine is a rewarding and first-rate program. However, it does require a lot of self-motivation or outright devoted interest - first of all - and the exam format requires a different orientation than American course-unit teaching does - second. Since the exams are sight unseen, preparation and "thinking on your feet" are rewarded in place of simple "seat-time." But if you can express yourself well verbally in paragraphs and minute detail already, then it is likely to be an appropriate match in assessment style.

    It sounds like you want the challenge and the avenues it can open up for you. I say, "Go for it!"

    --Orson
     
  13. daniel_olivaw

    daniel_olivaw New Member

    Orson, thank you very much for your feedback and suggestion about the "pay-as-you-go".

    I have some questions for you, since I see that you are from Colorado, US. Where are the exams held? I think according to regulations you have to "register" for the exams seperately and some sort of paperwork needs to be done by/with the exam centers. How has it been working for you? I'll be taking the exams from NY.

    Another thing I worry about is, the slight differences in British and UK English, especially when it comes to spellings. Have you had any problems with it so far?

    I'll really appreciate it if you could find some time to answer the questions...
     
  14. Orson

    Orson New Member

    Sure Daniel--

    Ah, testing!
    You will find your testing center, unless you plan on being in London, through this outfit, The National College Testing Association, with 317 participants in 45 states.
    http://www.ncta-testing.org/
    Go there and search. Of course, depending on where you live, you might prefer to test in NJ or CN instead! So take your time and peruse; familiar is good to find when facing a challenge.

    Now, London exams are set for definite days and hours. Oddly enough, in the environment related programs, it is mid-October (probably because these degrees are especially oriented towards the South, i.e., undereveloped nations near the equator or down under). But I think the MBAs - indeed, most external exams - are in May or June.

    ICL sends me examination entry forms in late May; they are due at London by the end of July. My only difficulty last year was precisely that it was summer, and the usual people I deal with at a local university were on vacation! So I almost wound up testing at a local community college instead. The latter, however, were very warm and accomodating!

    As it happened, however, I pressed my problem up the chain of command at the office of testing and managed to have some (unfamiliar to London) supervisor sign-off. After vacation, my usual contact was adroit enough to email London and explain the summer situation, her knowledge of me, and her full consent to surpervise (another - I was not alone!) London exam. After that, no problems arose. (Although I neglected to bring my admission ticket - London is organized to be quite formal despite the utterly informal nature of my particular circumstances! For instance, the test booklet was much more formal than an American Blue booklet, with precise places for numbering, pages, margins, etc. Don't get me wrong: it was easy enough, just formal and sophisticated and unfamiliarly bureaucratic.)

    Once you enroll, it does indeed behoove you to check out your testing options in person. Going into the "revision" or review or study period without envisioning oneself scribbling away at a definite place could be unsettling. If unfamiliar with it, take photos! Set them up at your desk when you review and memorize; go to bed with the image of sitting there writing away. It's soothing.

    The London materials, at least with my package, included a 40 page booklet on how to be successful. It touches on study methods, note-taking, establishing routine, and most importantly, how to prepare and write your exam essays. It's very good - kind of a British vademecum of what I've seen in various books elsewhere.

    As for British English versus American - do not be troubled. Either is acceptable, although having studied in England as an undergraduate long ago and being a reader of periodicals like The Economist, it is easy enough for me to drop into the required conventions.

    Tougher for me is spelling! (Spelling counts on these exams; if I couldn't be "confident about spelling, put it differently" became my rule.) And memorizing my outside references. In the British system, not only are references expected (for the longest essays - not the shortest, e.g., "Name and describe the significance of five greenhouse gasses," in 30 minutes), so is a particular format. So during my revisions, I concentrated on reproducing these from memory. This September, I'll be at it again.

    With experience under my belt, and now knowing how crucial examples are for writing these exams, I'm accumulating files of newspaper and magazine articles on subjects like western water issues (dams, drought, usage rates), and GMOs (genetically modified organisms). That way, when it comes down to exam prep, I can pare down relevant illustrations to precise points I will argue and know my references cold! Revision is all about summarizing, reducing, honing in on a few details - reflecting on the BIG picture, as well as finding telling details.

    Now, they do let students see past exams, say two years worth. This is helpful if only because then one knows what to categorize - and thus prioritize - for study in relevant ways, e.g., nuclear power, species decline, etc. But what side one argues will come down to the question itself and the evidence one can summon under pressure. In fact, I found myself arguing against my prejudices about half the time!

    It's useful to think of the exam as a lawyerly test where one learns to argue both sides! (There is a law prof I met as an undergrad, recently said to be shortlisted for the Supemes. After Harvard Law he spent a few years as States Attorney in Chicago - NOT the side a libertarian normally sympathizes with. Thus he knows the temptations of power and the temptation to abuse it, as he did on occasion. But, again, his point was the utility of learning to argue BOTH sides - not just one - and become highly skilled in doing so.)

    I hope this helps. Don't hesitate to PM me if you prefer.

    --Orson
     
  15. tcmak

    tcmak New Member

    hmm...a note for MBA exam.

    1) Exam in May. (Yes, I am preparing exam at this moment...)
    2) Exam entry procedure are done in Dec. You would need to contact local exam centres for these procedures.
    3) The study introduction material is also included for the MBA programme.
     
  16. daniel_olivaw

    daniel_olivaw New Member

    Thanks to both tcmac and Orson for their invaluable inputs. From Orson's link I have found a testing center that is about 15 minutes from my home. I am pretty lucky to be a resident of Long Island rather than the city proper, otherwise, I'd had to travel quite a distance!

    I'd like to mention that this is not going to be my first affiliation with UoL or the British Educational System. I did my GCE O'levels in the late 80s before migrating to the US and starting college here and my personal experience is, the US exam system is a bit more flexible and less punishing than the British exam counterparts.

    Orson, do you have any idea how your Master's level degree is going to be perceived by employers here in US, or are you doing for personal reasons and employer perspective is not important to you?
     
  17. Orson

    Orson New Member

    ANOTHER excellent question, Daniel!

    I have exploring this question on my "to do" list - and soon. I expect to use it teaching, but my primary field will be American history.

    You see, environmental history is one of the only growth fields in this discipline. Therefore, I expect that my degree in env mgmt (and "environmental science and policy" is the more typical title in the US), will merely augment my employability - especially if I wind up at a smaller college or university: I could then teach history and intro environmental science (relieving the biologists to teach higher level courses). Otherwise, I'm not sure how it will affect my history studies, except that few currently in env history are formally cross-trained in anything "environmental." Therefore I suspect there are opportunities yet to be exploited. Otherwise it might just add to the patina of authority - for whatever that may be worth in a much contested realm.

    Meanwhile, it validates and consolidates prior learning for me, providing me with personal satisfaction.

    Another possibility is consulting. Colorado ski areas must have firms doing their impact studies for the US Forest Service....but who? And with growing competition among them, there are problems and thus opportunities for informed souls with pluck. (Hint: I have a mind to sell myself into a certain job for a new ski area owner here from the East, staring at persistent, unsolved obstacles.)

    So, Daniel, I'll have to let you know after I visit a couple institutions in a couple months.

    But just being in the program opens up possibilities: I'm sitting on my first few book reviews in both fields. (Publish publish publish. "Gotta get 'em out" advised a bud.) And there's research to press forward over the summer (e.g., distant archives to search).

    Now, your turn, Daniel - gonna go for it?

    --Orson
     
  18. daniel_olivaw

    daniel_olivaw New Member

    Yes Orson - I am going forward with it. So far everything seems to indicate that an (external) education from UoL will not take away anything I already have, but only add to it.

    There is no doubt in my mind that UoL provides one of the best possible self-guided education, over distance. I just wanted to know employer's, especially in US, perspective of this distance degree from UK.

    That's why I am still searching for past alumni who can share their life experiences and how the education from UoL has helped them. So far I have been partially successful in contacting only a handful.

    My plan is a bit ambitious. I plan on tackling two degrees at once. An undergrad in Economics because I have tremendous interest in it these days. In addition, an MBA, to understand better how business and business processes work. Some people know it naturally; I have to learn by reading.

    Hopefully, once I successfully complete my goals, I'll have a second possible career to slip into. I love my current career as a software developer, but I think I have reached the highest attainable point given my training and education. Hopefully, my new knowledge, will augment and somewhat complement what I already know and have experienced.
     
  19. tcmak

    tcmak New Member

    Hi,

    A note for you, the number of years of registration for the MBA programme is 5 years. You would have to pay for registration again if you are not able to finish it for 5 years.

    My experience is that taking 3 subjects a year is manageable but devoting time is quite a lot. Probably you may want to take 2 subjects a year and finish it in 4 year. I didn't see anyone taking 4 subjects a year so far.

    Also, the BSc programme and MBA programme have exam in May. Your schedule would be tight if you are have both exams.

    Finally, I am not sure what is the policy for double registration in UoL. I am not sure what will happen if both exams running on the same time.

    Take care and look forward to seeing you in the MBA programme.
     
  20. daniel_olivaw

    daniel_olivaw New Member

    That's exactly my plan. I won't take more than 2 courses for the MBA program a year. It will take 4 years. I plan on taking 3 courses for the other.

    I am slightly worried about the exam conflicts as well...I'll contact UoL and NCTA to find out what they do in cases like these.
     

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