Do I need to start all over?

One of the two biggest mistakes I ever made (we won't discuss #1!) was not completing my
Master's degree in Anthropology (at AZ State U.). I had finished all of the course work, passed the master's exam... and never finished my dissertation. So close, but no cigar. At the time, I had changed my
intentions of what I wanted to do with my life, and the degree no longer seemed particularly relevant. That was back in the 70's. Now, several career twists and turns later, that degree would be a real asset. But I'm told that too much time has passed, and all that course work and exam pass don't count for much anymore, and I'm basically back to square 1.

Are there any universities that will honor all or most of that prior work, so that I can complete my degree by just finishing the dissertation, and perhaps a couple of additional courses? Distance Learning seems like the best bet for me.

Thanks for any info you can share.

 

At the graduate level credit transfer is not high for an accredited degree. You may be able to get some type of advanced standing. Have you looked into any DL programs in the field yet and contacted them regarding your situation?

John

 

I'm just starting to look for options. Any suggestions on good, accredited DL MA programs with flexible policies on transfer of old credits?

 

Please see Dr. Levicoff's post on this thread: "Same ranking Q- but for DL MA's?" He lists many schools with very flexible master's programs, all of them good. While it is not likely any of them will allow you to just finish your thesis and take the degree, many of them have enough flexibility to allow you to take advantage of your prior learning in creative ways that could dramatically lessen the load. Still, I would expect a minimum 1-year enrollment (though you never know).

Rich Douglas

 

Thanks for the information, and a reality check with a note of optimism! I hope to at least get credit in some way for much of the foundational work. I want to change my sub-specialty focus anyway, from aesthetic anthropology to cross-cultural conflict resolution (I'm a professional mediator), so fully intend to add some more course work; but hopefully upper level, not the basics all over again. I checked out the listings on the other thread, and they provide a great starting point. If you have any insights into schools that would be best for my particular area of study, please let me know.
Thanks.
Laura

 

You might want to take a look at Excelsior's Master of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies at <http://www.excelsior.edu/exold/mls/826.htm>. The program consists of three "Tiers." Tier I is the "Interdisciplinary Core," which is composed of three courses. The first of these, "Graduate Research and Writing," can be exempted. *All* of the requirements of Tier II can be met with courses taken at other institutions. There is no time limit imposed on transferred courses. Tier III is a "capstone" experience. The whole degree can be completed at a distance.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

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Michael Wilson