Foreign DL Graduate Degrees

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Filmmaker2Be, Jun 8, 2020.

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  1. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    WES Degree Equivalency Tool:

    ouagadougou.png

    I actually strongly agree with you that most people in wealthy countries would get very little mileage out of a qualification from a university in a very low income country. The stories of immigrants to Canada who hold PhD degrees and drive cabs tell you that. But I don't think that's who the target market is for this sort of thing.

    The difference is that Burkina Faso, at least when spelled correctly, is real. If you want to criticize this, that's fine, but don't make stuff up.
     
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  2. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Steve,

    Did you try this for a PhD? It is not the same to get an equivalency for a Bachelors degree than a PhD. For a PhD, the school must have solid reputation and research standing.

    As far as I know, PhDs from Burkina Faso are not recognized by WES but you can prove me wrong.
     
  3. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    It's the same for medical doctorates and DEAs, and my French isn't good enough to figure out the rest. But since that's a doctorate and a graduate research degree, that's enough for me.
     
  4. Stanislav

    Stanislav Well-Known Member

    If Kazakh degrees still follow the Soviet system (in all likelihood, they do), the program he followed was 5 or 6 years of school. It is common to perceive this as equivalent of Master degree. As for quality, it is also a common belief that Soviet system is superior ( which I think is largely unfounded).
    In Ukraine, in the name of getting closer to Europe, they split programs into 4-year Bakalavr and second stage - 1-year Specialist or 2-year Master (Magistr). I was among the first receiving 2 diplomas. Specialist variant was eventually abolished, with all programs converting to Master. I think in Russia they did something similar.
     
  5. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    [Edit: this post contains significant errors, please read the next few posts down to get more accurate information]

    IGNOU is a good one, though not as cheap as the other ones you're considering. It's a school in India that, for some reason, also has UK and USA accreditation, so I'd think the question of foreign credential evaluation is moot. They have online Master's degrees that, if I understand the fee schedule correctly all cost less than $3000 US. Some less than $2000.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2020
  6. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    No it doesn't, Maniac. It just flat doesn't.

    Q: US accreditation - RA or NA? Which agency. I looked today and could find none.
    Q. UK Accreditation (or equivalent). What type - Royal Charter or Act of (British) Parliament. Again I find none.

    If you say the degrees are acceptable to, or generally get good evaluations from US agencies or UK_NARIC, I'll buy that. But no accreditation or similar by US or UK bodies. Equivalency - sure. Here's the complete blurb on Ignou accreditation. Lots of it. Good school. But no US or UK. Doesn't need it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indira_Gandhi_National_Open_University

    Caution. IGNOU has a separate fee schedule for students outside of SAARC countries. We pay more - sometimes up to 20 times the domestic price.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2020
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  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    And they could respond quicker to email. I've been waiting 14 years...
     
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  8. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Oh my!!!!!

    I completely flopped with that post. I was going to make some references to Amity for comparison's sake, then decided it was unnecessary, but it looks like I merged the two thoughts somewhere along the line. Yes, of course, IGNOU does NOT have US accreditation (Amity does), nor UK Quality Assurance (Amity does), but the WES tool turns up their degrees as equivalent to US Master's degrees (just like Amity).

    The US tuition is higher by far than the tuition for Indian students, but still relatively inexpensive, both in comparison to US schools and to well, another Indian institution named... Amity.

    Thanks for pointing out my downright bizzare error.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2020
  9. Mac Juli

    Mac Juli Well-Known Member

    We will see if OERu will top this ...
     
  10. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    It should be mentioned that the WES equivalency tool is in no way binding.

    I checked UMT in it and it showed it was a recognized Masters. When I got the evaluation for Canada they only begrudgingly admitted it wasn't an outright mill but held that it was not equivalent because it wasn't RA.

    So be careful drawing serious conclusions from the tool. What it says and what WES actually puts in a report can be very different.
     
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  11. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    No worries, Maniac - you're welcome. Just because I didn't believe you - it doesn't mean I don't believe IN you -- because I DO! :)
     
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  12. Filmmaker2Be

    Filmmaker2Be Active Member

    The ENEB and Isabel I programs come with complete transcripts. I think it's important to remember that these degrees are considered full-fledged master's degree in Spain and are legal to use in Spain. Since I have no intention of working for the Spanish government, the propio vs oficial issue is moot. I'm waiting to hear back from ENEB and WES. I'll report back if/when I hear from them.
     
  13. Filmmaker2Be

    Filmmaker2Be Active Member

    WES has a disclaimer saying the evaluations are not based on verified information, etc. I'm really not worried about the degree. It's legal to use in Spain for employment in the private sector. The only thing it can't do is be used to get into a doctorate program in Spain because it doesn't prepare you to do research and write a dissertation. In the US, we have master's degrees like that too. But, for people who decide to pursue a PhD anyway, there are workarounds. By workarounds I don't mean shortcuts, LOL.
     
  14. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    There are state, county, and city jobs that require an accredited degree or foreign equivalent. The equivalency report most usually needs to be from a NACES member agency.
    They don't care if the degree is from Kyrgyz or India or Stamford as long as it fulfills the requirements.
     
  15. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Funny - in this case, a NACES-member evaluation could cost about as much as the degree! Maybe we could get a Groupon-discount evaluation! :)
     
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  16. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Pure opinion here, based on 40 years in this arena: why? There are hundreds, if not thousands, of MBA programs available without any of these questions associated with them. The moment you need someone else's okay that your degree meets the grade, you're walking into a potential time bomb. It makes no sense. Not academically, not professionally, not even financially.

    The amount of money one spends on a degree is a drop in the bucket compared to one's life's earnings. Why base that on a degree that might be problematic? To save a few thousand bucks? It just might cost you far more than that in the long run, not to mention refused opportunities, defending your degree, etc.

    If you have to explain it, the assumption many people have is that there is something wrong--hence, the explanation. Why go get a no-name degree you'll have to explain (with a foreign degree evaluation, no less) everywhere you use it, putting your professional prospects on the line each time?

    I don't care what degrees people earn. I don't care what titles they either acquire or just claim. And I realize no one is particularly advocating this program and approach. But the assumption can be made that it is a thing to do by others reading this thread. Well, it is not. It's a dumb idea, generally speaking. If it is a good one for you, have at it. (Which is why I'm not addressing this opinion towards anyone in particular.)

    But I hope other readers will consider the ramifications of such a path.
     
  17. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    You can get a brand-new discount-store "bargain" suit for peanuts. Go ahead! But would you wear one to a job interview? Especially if you didn't have to? Same with this degree.
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2020
  18. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Is it? Or would a better analogy be a perfectly good suit that one happened to find on sale?

    To continue the clothing analogy, one size doesn't fit all. If this program doesn't meet one's needs, well then, that's that. If it does, then the fact that it's so inexpensive doesn't strike me as a very good reason to avoid it.
     
  19. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    No - it would be an analogy - but not a better one. As you say the used one is perfectly good - and I'm assuming it fits well. The one from the discount store is likely to be a horror show from the word go. I know good clothes and I know bad ones too. I've worn both. Even sold a few as well, at one point in my checkered career. I'm talking bad vs. good here, because:

    The degree has distinct limitations that affect its potential utility. Like a suit that doesn't fit. The original $8400 price tag doesn't apply. It's simply not good enough to warrant that sum. Buy the $249 suit if you want - but always remember that it isn't worth anywhere near $8400 - never was and never will be. You'll likely get your money's worth but that's about all. And THIS "cheap suit" can't be altered to fit. Not even Houdini or David Copperfield can do that.

    Thanks for the memory. "Cheap Suit Serenaders" I liked them.
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2020
  20. cacoleman1983

    cacoleman1983 Well-Known Member

    I inquired about Universidad Isabel I / ENEB to Foreign Academic Credentials Service which is a NACES member and this is what they stated:

    "Thank you for your email. Please note that the program would be considered (regional accredited) equivalent so long as the transcript and diploma are issued by the accredited university."
     
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