I am researching online MBAs. Are degrees from purely online universities (i.e., Univeristy of Phoenix) as valuable as online degrees from a college or university with a traditional campus? Thanks for your comments.
http://www.degreeinfo.com/article1_0.html BTW, University of Phoenix isn't purely online, they have residential campuses as well.
In 2000, Vault.com surveyed HR professionals about this very question. Online degrees were considered a bit less valuable than classroom-based degrees, and degrees earned online from purely online schools were considered less valuable than online schools that also had classroom-based programs. (Interesting, because there are so very few schools that are both totally online and regionally accredited.) But it begs the question: Will they even know? My own, related, research indicates likely not. Also, my research indicates that degrees from schools accredited by DETC (most of the purely online schools are DETC-accredited) are less acceptable than those from RA schools, especially if the HR person knows the difference. Phoenix is a unique case. While it is both online and classroom-based, it is getting famous fast. It is the archtype in any conversation about changes in higher education, either about the online explosion, the increasing role of for-profit degree-granting schools, the use of part-time adjunct professors drawn from industry, curriculum development, or just about anything else new. Like Notre Dame, it will have a reputation--and, therefore, evoke conclusions--for reasons unrelated to its academics.
Yeah, right. One of the joys of overseas DL is getting borrowing privileges at university libraries nearby. The cost is anywhere from free to $10-20 per year, in my ratty rural experience. Not Notre Damn: 500 simoleons per annum! Never mind. Ecrasez l'infame.
Another university you may want to look at is Athabasca. They have both a campus based and 100% online MBA program. I will bet that this school will become popular as soon as they receive regional accreditation. If the Canadian dollar remains around $0. 72 U.S., this school will definitely attract a large number of U.S. students.
Attabasca is a fine school, but it is still expensive for americans since the MBA costs around 25,000 CAN or 17500 US. It is also a relatively unknown school in Canada so you are not getting an Ivy league degree either.