Heriot-Watt, Royal Holloway and Imperial College

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Becksh, Nov 13, 2002.

Loading...
  1. Becksh

    Becksh New Member

    I am thinking about enrolling at a British distance learning MBA program, and would like to solicit others' opinions on the relative strengths/weaknesses of three MBA programs below:

    1. Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University (7 core + 2 electives)
    2. Royal Holloway, University of London External Programme (6 core + 2 electives + 1 project)
    3. Imperial College, University of London External Programme (6 core + 1 or 2 electives + 1 project)

    All three programs allow 'pay as you go course by course' and do not require residential seminars. These two things are the reason why I picked them up. I don't have to jump completly into the program. Just try one course, and if I don't like it, change schools.

    EBS's course fee is 550 pounds, Royal Holloway's 710 pounds and Imperial College's 1120 pounds.

    EBS's assessment is entirely by exams; one three-hour closed-book exam per course, 9 exams in total.

    Royal Holloway's is 20% by an assignment and 80% by a three-hour closed-book exam per course; 8 courses in all, plus a 12,000 words dissertation.

    Imperial College's is by two assignments and a three-hour closed-book exam per course. The number of courses can be either 7 (6 core plus one specialization by Imperial College) or 8 (6 core plus two electives by Royal Holloway, not Imperial College). Imperial College also has a project at the end of the program.

    If anyone has any specific experience, I would greatly appreciate hearing about it. Accreditations like AMBA, EQUIS or AACSB does not matter to me, but the school should have good name recognition worldwide, especially in Asia Pacific. I don't want to give "what school it is and why I chose it" kind of explanation to potential employers.

    Thanks in advance.

    P.S. Below are links to the programs.

    Heriot-Watt
    http://www.ebsmba.com

    Royal Holloway
    http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/postgraduate/holloway/int_manage/index.shtml
    http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/prospectus/mba_prosp_0102.pdf
    http://www.ms.rhbnc.ac.uk/mba/index.html

    Imperial College
    http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/postgraduate/Imperial/mba/index.shtml
    http://www.ms.ic.ac.uk/programmes/distance_learning_mba/distance_learning_brochure.pdf
    http://www.ms.ic.ac.uk/programmes/distance_learning_mba/index.htm
     
  2. uncle janko

    uncle janko member

    Well, with EBS/HW you get the distinguished, eloquent, vigilant, and even invigilant Professor Kennedy! I cannot imagine how the other schools could compete. Besides, EBS is in Scotland. What else could you possibly want?
     
  3. Jmarion

    Jmarion New Member

    Heriot-Watt

    I of course vote for Heriot-Watt as a graduate. I give two votes now that HW has a new DBA program that is integrated with MBA program.


    Jim Marion

    Pursing PhD, Capella University
    MBA, Heriot-Watt University, 1998
    BSEET Grantham College of Engineering, 1994
     
  4. manjuap

    manjuap New Member

    Please let me know more info about the Integrated DBA program.
     
  5. Jmarion

    Jmarion New Member

  6. Hear, hear!
     
  7. Becksh

    Becksh New Member

    Re: Heriot-Watt



    Would you please elaborate? I would appreciate your opinion about EBS MBA's good and bad things from your own experience. What other programs did you consider?

    About myself, I have been working in Singapore as Software Localizer for eight months. Three years ago in 1999, I applied to a one-year full-time MSc Information Technology conversion course at a British university, lured by abundant & higher-paying jobs in the what was then booming dot.com industry. At that time I believed I made a good decision. The university was one of the so-called 'elite' Russell Group research universities and its computer science department boasted a 5* in Research Assessement Exercise and an 'excellent' rating in teaching assessement. But by the time I graduated in November 2001, the dot.com bubble had busted and I was very discouraged by countless rejections from the companies I had applied to. Three months later I managed to find a job in Singapore, although not the one I originally intended in 1999 and totally irrelevant to what I learned during the MScIT course. My company is a US-Japanese multinational and its Singapore unit has both software engineering and localization departments. When I joined the company, my thinking was "first work in the localization and seek opportunity to move into the software engineering". However, my company downsized the engineering department, laying off surplus software engineers last summer.

    A Software Localizer without any formal business training rarely gets promotion to management level and my Java and SQL are being 'de-skilled' by my current job. Now I am really worried where the hell my career is heading. This is why I am thinking about pursuing an MBA by distance learning.

    Regards,
    Becksh
     
  8. Becksh

    Becksh New Member

    Is there anybody doing Royal Holloway's DL MBA? Greatly appreciate your time and input.

    Thanks in advance,
    Becksh
     
  9. Yan

    Yan New Member

    Regardless of other factors such as cost and so on, I vote for University of London (no matter it is from Royal Holloway or Imperial College). Because it is a DL MBA, you may just need to state "MBA from the University of London" in your CV.

    UoL has carried out its undergraduate and LLB programmes very successfully in many Asian countries for several decades. The name of the "University of London" is instantly recognised in many countries in Asia, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, etc..

    As far as I know, Imperical College has a Singapore MBA programme. However, one may need to attend class in Singapore and UK.
     
  10. Becksh

    Becksh New Member

    Re: Re: Heriot-Watt, Royal Holloway and Imperial College

    Thanks very much for the advice.

    Yes, Imperial College runs an MBA programme here in Singapore with British Council. However, this programme requires students to attend seminars both in London and Singapore about 25(?) days per year and it cannot fit in my annual leave. Meeting Imperial College faculty and other students face-to-face is great, but my work schedule doesn't allow that.

    Regards,
    Becksh
     
  11. Jmarion

    Jmarion New Member

    Heriot-Watt

    Heriot-Watt's curriculum is superior, rigorous, yet completely flexible. For me, it was the most efficient way to get engaged with an outstanding institution.

    Graduation in Edinburgh was like a royal coronation--an experience I will never forget (and will likely do again when I go for the DBA)

    Jim Marion
     
  12. Re: Re: Heriot-Watt, Royal Holloway and Imperial College

    Personally, I think it would be dishonest to simply list a degree as "University of London." And this would strike me as very odd were I to see it one a resume. Somewhat like seeing "University of California" without the specific institution listed.
     
  13. Becksh

    Becksh New Member

    Re: Heriot-Watt

    Thanks for the reply. EBS MBA's flexibility is quite attractive indeed.

    BTW, I already experienced a graduation ceremony in a much older Scottish university about a year ago. First we sang a song in Latin wearing the gowns in a grand Victorian hall. Degrees were conferred (again, in Latin) and then each candidate went up to the Chancellor, knelt, and was hooded while the official clasped one's hands.

    Best regards,
    Becksh
     
  14. Yan

    Yan New Member

    Re: Re: Re: Heriot-Watt, Royal Holloway and Imperial College

    The name of the institution stated in the diploma of an external UoL degree is just the "University of London". The name of offering institution will only be mentioned in the diploma offered through the residential programme.

    For example, London School of Economics and Political Science would not be mentioned in the diploma for an external BSc (Econ), but it is for residential programme. Therefore, I think that it would be right for one to state an external BSc(Econ) from the University of London (instead of the London School of Economics and Political Science). I think the situation may not be the same for the University of California as the location of the campus may be stated in the diploma even if it is offered through DL (?)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 15, 2002
  15. Professor Kennedy

    Professor Kennedy New Member

    With absolutely no wish to enter the central issues in this thread - I prefer to let others make their statements about the three institutions - I think it probably worthwhile to state that the prestige of the London School of Economics (LSE) exceeds that of the generic name, 'London University', which includes various levels of member colleges from top players like London Business School (LBS), Imperial College, University College and LSE through to, er, mediocre or unproven colleges, the names of which it would be invidious of me to mention.

    Indeed, LBS, being the premier business school in the UK - with nobody a close second - sought and gained permission some years back to issue its MBA degrees in its own name of London Business School and not that of London University.

    My wife who went to LSE never refers to her BSc as from London University - she always says 'LSE'. I have never heard anybody use 'London University', either in speech, mail or their resume, unless they came from a lower level college, but they always use the top level college name if they went to one and it is understood as to why they do so.

    Of course, in Asia it may be different. The above is the fact of academic life in the UK.
     
  16. Yan

    Yan New Member

    I have encountered quite a number of occasions that one stated one's qualification from the University of London. Some of the following researchers stated their qualifications from the London University:
    http://ials.sas.ac.uk/research/research.htm

    I may be wrong, qualifications obtained through the external studies are generally stated from the University of London (as a distinction from the residential qualifications?).
     
  17. Yan

    Yan New Member

    Correction of spelling.
     
  18. If I receive an applicant's resume that says just "University of London" it will go straight into the trash.

    'Nuff said.
     
  19. Professor Kennedy

    Professor Kennedy New Member

    Exception

    The BSc (Econ) external degree from London University has a honourable reputation. That is the one exception I am familiar with.

    My first professor as an undergraduate was BSc (External) from London, which was distinguished by the highly unusual fact that he got a 'First' externally - a rare event for this route to say the least. Naturally he was modestly proud of this achievement but his First Class award for an external degreem did more for him than the University of London name.

    For all others, my comments above apply.
     
  20. Becksh

    Becksh New Member

    Of course, it should be "MBA, University of London External Programme".
     

Share This Page