Philosophy BA

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by phancom, Jul 24, 2007.

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  1. phancom

    phancom New Member

    I have seen that program but I have very little interest in having to take other economics or politics courses.

    Right now, the UOL program looks the best, the only concern right now is the length it will take to complete the degree.
     
  2. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    University of London Examination Centres

    Write to the address below to locate an examination centre in the United States.

    Student Assessment, Ground Floor, Stewart House, University of London, 32 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DN

    University of London Examination Centres
     
  3. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    You can do that for free, remember.

    Libraries are tremendous free universities for people who are willing to study independently. You can essentially duplicate the University of London philosophy BA simply by going to a good university's website, looking at their philosophy program syllabus, perhaps adapting it a little to suit your own tastes and interests, and then hitting the libraries. Find strong books in the prescribed subjects and read them.
    Considering that all they do is send you some study materials and then administer exams, it's costly. The $6K is almost all profit to the U. of London, I'd wager.

    I guess that it does become a bargain for those who really need a philosophy bachelors degree for some reason. But for those who just want to study the subject for their own edification, spending thousands of dollars on an independent study program is a little dumb. The library is more cost effective.
     
  4. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    The original poster clearly stated he is interested in earning a BA in Philosophy and is not merely studying for his own edification. Presumably, he has a reason, like most of us on this forum, for studying towards an actual degree.

    < sarcasm >
    As to a library being a cost-effective means of acquiring an education I suppose that means all universities should be avoided since the cost to the student is greater than a library card and transportation to and from the library.
    < /sarcasm >
     
  5. novemberdude

    novemberdude New Member

    Acceptance to the LLB at Uni of London is automatic if you meet their minimum requirements and submit the form and fees on time.

    The LLB is an extremely challenging and rewarding program(me). Best of luck.

    Out of curiousity, what made you choose London over the other distance learning LLB options?
     
  6. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    Yeah, I already knew I met the minimum requirements but am awaiting word on whether I can enroll in the LL.B. graduate entry route (9 courses) as I am just wrapping up my BA but won't be done until after September.


    Have you been through the programme? The information on the web site is quite upfront about the committment necessary to succeed. Probably one of the aspects that draws me to the LL.B.

    I want to improve my analytical skills and potentially augment my future studies in strategic intelligence, therefore, the UoL(External) degree seems like a good match. The scheduling flexibility is another factor. The UoL has a very good international reputation.
     
  7. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    My experience as a philosophy major was that most of my fellow students were there because of their love for the subject and because of their desire to learn it. If the goal was simply to earn a university degree, then there are many other majors with better job prospects. Philosophy is typically something that's pursued for its own sake, for personal as opposed to vocational reasons.

    I was pointing out that London external doesn't actively teach its students philosophy. The university just certifies that students have learned it elsewhere.

    Libraries are a cost effective way of acquiring an education. That's indisputable. Universities improve on independent-study by offering expert instruction, a community of scholars, opportunities for practice and so on.

    If a student's goal is finding a stimulating and supportive intellectual environment in which to learn philosophy, then paying thousands of dollars for the opportunity to do something that could have been done for free isn't necessarily the best of bargains.

    If the goal is to acquire an affordable degree certification that can get a person into graduate programs, law schools or whatever, and if philosophy instruction isn't needed or desired, then an exam-only BA might turn out to be an excellent choice.

    And like I said in my first post, combining the U. of London exams with instruction from Philosophy Pathways could turn out to be an attractive combination.
     
  8. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    The combination of a subject someone enjoys and employment that requires any degree might lead to better job prospects for some people as well.

    University of London External not suprisingly follows the European model of research-based university studies. I am not saying the onus does not shift heavily to the external student to proactively manage their educational experience. On-campus students have access to their lecturers in addition to the cirriculum, textbooks, and library and pay for the added value.



    After studying at a university a student receives a credential that says the student studied a prescribed programme and the student has acquired new knowledge. Afer studying at a library a person has acquired new knowledge. In the end, whether a university or a library provides the most cost-effective education depends upon the desired outcomes. I never said libraries are worthless - far from it as they represent the collective knowledge of humanity.

    Absolutely! A degree by examination (CLEPS, DANTES, ECE, PLA) at Charter Oak State College, Excelsior College or Thomas Edison State College, or by examination (traditional) at University of London both give the student a recognized credential. The choice of route is a personal decision and largely depends what one hopes to get out of the learning experience.

    I think we agree on most of the points raised in this thread. Where we might disagree I hope we both appreciate the opinion of the other. :)
     
  9. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    From the ITT Technical Institute FAQ:

    Will A Student's Credits Transfer?
    Decisions concerning the acceptance of ITT Technical Institute credits by any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute are made at the sole discretion of the receiving institution. ITT Technical Institute makes no representation whatsoever concerning the transferability of any ITT Technical Institute credits to any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute. It is unlikely that any credits earned at an ITT Technical Institute will be transferable to or accepted by any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute.

    Students considering continuing their education at, or transferring to, any institution other than ITT Technical Institute must not assume that credits earned at ITT Technical Institute will be accepted by the receiving institution. An institution's accreditation does not guarantee that credits earned at that institution will be accepted for transfer by the other institution. Students must contact the registrar of the receiving institution to determine what ITT Technical Institute credits, if any, that institution will accept.


    Thomas Edison State College (TESC) requires that credits be earned at existing regionally accredited institutions or regional accreditation candidate institutions. National accreditation, including Distance Education Training Council (DETC), is not sufficient. If ITT is RA, then the courses should transfer as free electives, but the receiving school has no obligation to accept any transferred-in credit hours.

    Have you decided where you will be studying for the BA (Philosophy)?
     
  10. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    You only have to study the ten (10) courses prescribed in the cirriculum and write the examinations to earn the BA (Philosophy) from the University of London (External). There are no general education courses as such; all necessary coursework is covered by those courses.

    If you study two (2) courses a year, you will finish in five (5) years. You must complete the degree in no less than three (3) years and no more than eight (8) years to be awarded the degree. You set the pace and work within the allowed timeframe. Since all exams are written in May/June it is somewhat like high school in that you have to remember all the material from whatever courses you finished that year.
     
  11. phancom

    phancom New Member

    Wow, thanks for all the replies.

    To be completely honest, I became interested in a philosophy path after reading several authors' works and asking myself some very tough questions regarding my past and my future.

    My main interest in the London program is that it avoids a typical university setting and leaves the progress and responsibilities on the student, something that fits me very well.

    I haven’t decided whether or not pursue an actual degree yet, because essentially, I would not be applying it towards a specific job. I am most interested in advancing my writing skills, thought processes and my quest for 'true' knowledge, as well as growing personally. From this, I hope to find my ideal type of work, outside of a normal 9-5 life.

    At this point, I am trying to decide whether or not the cost of the degree will be worth it or whether it would be more beneficial to just continue studying on my own time. I still think that like any physical degree, it might come in handy.
     
  12. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    "Only"? :)

    -=Steve=-
     
  13. novemberdude

    novemberdude New Member


    I completed year 1 of the UoL LLB in 2003-2004 (grad entry route B, did Criminal, Contracts and English Legal System which I understand is now Common Law Reasoning). It was a lot of work but very rewarding. I then took a 2 year detour and did an LLM at Northumbria University (distance learning) which better matched my personal and professional interests. In September 2006 I returned to LLB studies at Northumbria University and just finished year 2 (Torts, Land Law and EU Law). Northumbria took my London credits and they also run the equivalent of a grad entry route so all going well I will be finishedthe LLB in May/June 2008.

    The University of London definitely has international name recognition, the only cautionary note I would raise is how severely they grade the exams. Only something like 4-5% of students achieve an upper second class degree classification, whereas the other distance learning LLB schools have a much higher percentage of students in that range. Depending what you want to use the degree for this may be a consideration.
     

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