Free degree from Stanford

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by DegreeDazed, Aug 20, 2011.

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  1. DegreeDazed

    DegreeDazed Member

  2. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    I'd never heard about this, so I checked the Stanford site ... on the front page:

    Free computer science classes online

    The article states: "Stanford Engineering professors are setting out to add a new level of interactivity to online education by offering three of the university's most popular computer science classes for free."

    So the article at virtual-college.co.uk is inaccurate, they're offering free courses not a free degree. The article on the Stanford website even clarifies that "What online students won’t receive, however, is one-on-one interaction with professors, the full content of lectures – or a Stanford degree."

    What isn't clear from the article is whether passing the class earns a student credit or not ... I suspect not, but it's not actually stated anywhere that I can see. Still, for someone who's interested in Machine Learning, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Introduction to Databases (the three courses offered) it'd probably be a good learning opportunity along with other schools that offer free online materials.
     
  3. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    Basically, Stanford is allowing the general public to audit some of their computer science courses for free. It's a cool opportunity to learn something -- but you won't get grades, or credit, or a degree this way. Stanford puts it like this:

    Despite these limitations, more than 110,000 people have signed up. If you are wondering how this is possible, consider another FAQ:

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 20, 2011
  4. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I wonder if these people are auditing a few classes and then using to put the name Stanford on their resume, even if it's not attached to a completed degree. It might a little bit of a resume decoration. Not all that impressive but it at least does give someone the excuse to use the school name.
     
  5. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Based on reading that I can see why you thought Stanford might be offering degrees this way, but that article is hopelessly wrong.
     
  6. DegreeDazed

    DegreeDazed Member

    Do you suppose that I could take some of these courses and maybe combine them with some open courseware courses and bundle them together into a portfolio so that they could get translated into credits. What's that school that allows portfolios? And then I could get a degree for free. Wouldn't that work?
     
  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Hi

    Sorry, but in a word -- no. Certainly no free (legit) degrees. If it were possible, many many people would be going the free route.

    Yes, there are schools that allow (and even encourage) a portfolio of demonstrated prior learning for credit. You're thinking of the Big 3, Charter Oak, Excelsior and Thomas Edison. Prior learning can account for PART of your degree. They'll guide you in developing your portfolio- and then decide how much credit it's worth. You can, of course, take CLEP, DANTES tests etc. and gain MANY more credits that way -- but the tests cost something -- as does enrolment and credit-banking with any of the schools mentioned. I'd figure $3,000 would be a low-end estimate of what a degree gained in this way might cost. $4-5000 might be more typical these days, I'd guess. (Forum-members - please correct me if my numbers are wrong.)

    There are thousands of excellent free courses available; I'm a great fan of them myself. However, none I know of are directly translatable into credit; any such translation is more-or-less indirect, by the means suggested above -and as I said, that portfolio will only account for part of your degree. There are SOME free credit-bearing courses available, e.g. the ones from FEMA, but there's still a cost. The usual way is to pass the exam, then "creditize" the FEMA course - paying $65 per credit (I think) to Frederick Community College and then credit-banking with one of the "Big Three."

    For an overview of the least-expensive degree-earning strategies, see Lawrie Miller's site: Lawrie Miller's BA in 4 Weeks. Online degrees by distance learning. BA degree and graduate degees - Accelerated Master Degrees by Distance Learning.

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 20, 2011
  8. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Another way....

    Just thought - there IS a free way, but you have to be at least 65...and move to Canada. In my part of the "Great North Woods" the local Uni. has FREE tuition for old people like me. You still have to buy books and pay a bit in non-tuition expenses (and parking is astronomical) but -- classes themselves are free.

    You have to jump through some bureaucratic hoops -- and getting to and from classes in winter is no fun at all -- but free (and good) school is a great reward! :)

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 20, 2011
  9. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    Man, you Canadians have it going on up there. Free health care AND free university education for seniors. AND, it's a beautiful country to boot!
     
  10. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    AND the rhythmic way a Canadian would say the phrase "to boot!"
     
  11. BlueMason

    BlueMason Audaces fortuna juvat

    ..unfortunately we also pay ridiculous amounts in income tax, property tax and sales tax.... and the free uni edu goes for senior citizens; 'under age' folks such as myself pay much higher tuition rates.
     

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