BA in 4 Weeks New crop of Low-cost Master's

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Lawrie Miller, Oct 29, 2002.

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  1. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    ADDITIONS TO ACCELERATED AND LOW-COST MASTER'S DEGREES BY DISTANCE LEARNING


    RELEVANT DEGREES FOR WORKING WOMEN AND MEN
    I've added several new fully DL and low price master's degrees tailored for those with busy schedules and tight budgets. That would pretty much cover the mass of Americans, Brits, Aussies, kiwis, etc., who put their pants on one leg at a time. Given their express concerns with these degrees, it may be that some on this board are able to dress with greater economy

    ENGINEERING MASTER'S DEGREES
    I've added some Engineering type offerings after a prod from a poster here (sorry forgot your name - thanks). The problem with many such degrees is that many have an on-site component for lab work or other hands-on doings. There is also the question of price. Engineering degree and other related degrees are often among the more expensive choices, but I've found a few cheapies and added them to the list.

    To be listed in my web page, degrees must be 100% DL, cheap and/or accelerated. Since the maximum price for any offering in the listing is also limited, even the expensive degrees are cheap, and the cheap degrees could be bought for the price of a weekend in Vagas, Blackpool, Wagga Wagga, Wollongong, Baden Baden, or Kawasaki Shi.

    INTERESTING NEW LISTINGS
    New listings include MA Buddhist Studies from U. of Sunderland and an MSc Data Communication Systems from Brunel. The latter offering has been around for ages, but it seems to me it's better packaged now.

    MASTER'S DEGREES IN LAW AND ORDER
    Some while ago I added programs in Criminal Justice, Community Safety, and Forensic and Legal Psychology, for those interested or who work in the field. I've looked to complement these by adding International Police Science and Risk Crisis Disaster Management. So, that is a nice crop of "Law and Order" offerings, and they are open to international students, and it seems are designed to be relevant across borders. So, if you're lookin' for law'n'order, visit the site.

    OTHER DEGREES
    There are several or many new listings of other degrees not detailed here

    PRICES
    Finding the real complete price for many of these programs is like drawing teeth. It takes a deal of effort sometimes to sniff them out. I'd rather be poked in the eye with a burnt stick. If I can't be near 100% sure of the price, I tend not to list it. So, it may seem that some prices listed are off, or wrong, but further digging should confirm that they are in fact correct.

    TRULY DISTANCE LEARNING DEGREES
    This is also true sometimes of establishing that a program really is 100% DL. Often unseen is as I've mentioned before, the biannual 3-week seminars in Frankfurt, at $3000 per shot excluding flights, or the fact that the $1490 MBA is fully DL but only for residents of west Duluth excluding Main Street and Foggy's Bar. I try to make certain you need never leave home except for occasional local proctored exams (where applicable). You will see several programs detailing seminars or other personal encounters, and the language of the text may seem to imply "required", but is each case I've established to my satisfaction that they are in fact, optional.

    USABLE LIST
    The reason for the care is so that if you click a link to a program offering, it is there, it is 100% DL, it is offered at the price stated, and it is open to international student, anywhere.

    META LISTS VENDOR LISTS FOR YOUR OWN RESEARCH
    I've included a number of meta lists and vendor lists. The vendor lists were chosen for inclusion becausE they are really useful, not pap. The meta lists are among the best, I think. Collectively, this crop of engines should help you in your own quest for the perfect distance learning program. Good luck.


    Lawrie Miller
    author: Accelerated Master's Degrees by Distance Learning
    http://geocities.com/ba_in_4_weeks
     
  2. Mike Albrecht

    Mike Albrecht New Member

    Lawrie,

    Good list, but you missed a very good one: Cal State DH MSQA $7500 (their estimate).
     
  3. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    I do know about it, and have looked at it several times over the years, thinking I might like to do it. I don't know why I left out this and other offerings from CSUDH, but in the back of my mind there was "an issue". I do have the HUX, though. I'll look again, Mike.
     
  4. JLV

    JLV Active Member

    Second Bachelor's at Excelsior

    Lawrie, thanks for including new information about Engineering programs. Very helpful.

    On a different topic, I have read your Bachelor program planning, and although I was initially skeptic, honestly you have convinced me. I have a couple of questions regarding your plan. Is this a good place to enquire so others can read as well or should I do it by email?


    Thanks again.
     
  5. Mike Albrecht

    Mike Albrecht New Member

    Another good set of engineering programs is at Texas Tech, depending on where you look (and probalby live) cost are from $5000 including fees and boks. (N.B. the distance learning site indicates all dl students pay the same, the main web site indicates that out-of-state students pay 3x on the tuition (88 to 306/ch). but offers 5 engineering masters (1 master of engineering 4 MS).
     
  6. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    Re: Second Bachelor's at Excelsior

    Thank you for proding me to do it, was you, right?

    I think it depends. If it's about the deep innards of the process, the best medium would be email. If the inquiry has some general applicability, then here would be better since others may derive benefit from inspection of the question and consideration of the answer.


    Lawrie Miller
    author: BA in 4 Weeks and Accelerated Master's Degrees by Distance Learning
    http://geocities.com/ba_in_4_weeks/
     
  7. jcryan

    jcryan New Member

    Masters List

    Hi, Lawrie,
    I must say I enjoy your compilation of graduate degrees and find the categories very helpful. I've been working on the MA Values and Environment from Lancaster and have really liked the program so far, in addition to the reasonable cost and compact, 1 year duration. Here's another program (about $5800 U.S.) to consider adding:

    http://www.uws.edu.au/vip/dimitrov/MAchaos.htm

    Thanks for everything,
    John
     
  8. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    Yup, and I have in my hand here as I try to type, a letter dated 22 May 2001, from one Ann Walker of Texas Tech admissions, querying something on my application. I applied there 18 months ago, because I was interested and as part of my continuing survey of USNY/Regent/Excelsior degree acceptance by graduate admissions (not a rejection or raised eyebrow yet, in three continents.). If I remember correctly, this is one where they notified me they had received my transcripts from "SUNY Albany".

    Good programs. Good enough that I applied (but did not pursue). The cost was low but rising last I looked. There are quite a few US offerings that are good bang per buck, but it tends to be a bigger bang than you may need for more bucks than you can afford. Having said that, TT offerings are good value but NOT anywhere near the price quoted, as I recall, and as you surmised. However, I shall look again. Wonder if my application is still "live"?

    Thanks, Mike. Keep 'em coming.
     
  9. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    Re: Masters List

    Thank you John, it certainly looks good. I am doing a series of consumer reviews for the master's portion of my web site (which will expand to its own site). I am featuring those programs and institutions of which I have first hand experience. There are five reviews in the pipeline, three of which spotlight institutions with popular DL offerings. Some reviews may not be pretty. One will be more not pretty than most. When released, those considering enrolling may care to read the review first.

    I'd like to hear of your experiences at Lancaster when you are further though the program.
     
  10. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    U. Western Sydney MA Chaos et al added, thanks John, really like the look of this one. Impression is they are customer oriented and the admission and course procedures seem very "convenient". Cost at current exchange rates, ~ $4,445 USD. The program content is intriguing and fits the "style" of the web listing very well.

    Texas Tech engineering offerings are good. I applied year and a half or do ago for entry to the M.Eng. The current base cost is $306/hr. Degrees are 36 hours. So, ~$11,000. However, there is also an additional charge per hour for graduate programs. When I decided to apply there, I seem to remember the cost was at or about $13,000 (possible I was including the cost of books, mind you). That was then. I assume I had added this other charge. I wouldn't apply unless I knew the exact total price. So, If my memory is about right, and considering the average rise in tuition costs, the program may be around $15,000. If so then it is too expensive for my list. It requires and deserves presentation in a better class of establishment.

    Thing would be to know exact figure for the extra charge. Haven't found it yet.

    CSUDH MSQA Program Looks fine, always did, and since I don't know why I kept it out while including the CSUDH HUX, MBA, MPA, I'll include it now. Thanks Mike!

    There are, of course many more programs around. I haven't included the Moorhead State MBA. They have produced this program very well. Until a year or so ago it was a great bargain at around $6,500 or a bit cheaper. The per hour rate was cheaper than Amber but the additional fee per hour took it over the top to the second least expensive RA MBA in the US. Note that all fees and tuition stated are at the non in-state rate.

    They increased fees last year, if memory serves, differentiating in-state from out-of-state, for the first time. I think that's right. I am enrolled in this program but have taken no classes. Think the enrollment is good for three years without activity. You've got 10 years to complete the thing. 36 hours ACBSP accredited. Think with odds and sods, current cost off top of head, $9,000. Not the bargain it was, but I'll check the price.

    Thanks to all for the input.
     
  11. Gary Rients

    Gary Rients New Member

    Lawrie, you also might want to add the MS in Information and Computer Sciences from the University of Hawaii to your list. It can be completed entirely online, and is only 30 credits at $185/credit, for a total of $5550 (no state residency required). They'll even accept up to 12 of those 30 credits in transfer. It seems like a great deal to me, and now that they're offering 4 grad courses per semester I'm actually wishing I'd gone that route since it ends up being just a little over half the cost of Capitol's MSCS program.

    Just to verify - are the costs you quoted for Texas Tech only applicable to non-Texas residents? I seem to recall it being much less expensive when I looked at their programs, but I am Texas resident, so that may have been why. Their MS in Software Engineering looked interesting, but as far as I could tell the courses weren't offered online on a regular basis.
     
  12. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

     
  13. Mike Albrecht

    Mike Albrecht New Member

  14. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    Thanks Mike, I will add this I think.


    What I want to do is create a list that is a bit quirky, and so far as possible, contains the cheapest, fastest, most utilitarian, of offerings. For price I wont include any South Efrican (I love that -read it here - it's the accent to a tee) offerings, my experience with potchefstroom was not the quickest or smoothest. They (SA schools) are the cheapest, however.

    U. Hawaii MS ICS has been added, thanks Gary.

    I can get a ton of Aussie programs from the Goodguides, of course, but I want to be selective, to create something that is different and balanced.

    Some well known and obvious choices will not be included, or were included then removed. Experience (first hand) is a cruel but effective teacher. I will relate those doings in a series of reviews written from the DL customer's perspective (what else). It seemed to me that some institutions conceive of customer service in an Orwellian sense, and deliver it with exquisite irony.

    Anyway, the feedback in this thread has been double plus good, chaps, ta.


    Lawrie Miller
    http://geocities.com/ba_in_4_weeks
     
  15. Mike Albrecht

    Mike Albrecht New Member

    Or you could say they did it with Dickens sense, and put a Twist on it, but then you would have to ask for some more. Or is that S'mores?
     
  16. JLV

    JLV Active Member

    One more program

    Lawrie,

    Yes, I think my question is kinda personal, and I doubt others could benefit from it. I think I better send it to your email address. Thanks so much.

    This is another Master's program in engineering also at Brunel University (London, UK), that you don't mention: Process Engineering Management
     
  17. James Stirling

    James Stirling New Member

    More changes: Upon inquiry (or enquiry) to the Brunel data communications program I recieved the following:

    "Thank you for your enquiry. I am sorry to advise you that we are not recruiting any further students for the distance learning mode for this course, but the full time course is still running and if you are interested you should contact [email protected]"
     

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