Master's Degree by Correspondence

Hi Everybody: Firstly...thanks for the site, great job overall from the admins and users and I truly appreciate it (long time lurker first time poster).

I recently earned an undergrad degree from COSC (great school with excellent advisors/staff/instructors!) and now would like to pursue graduate studies. My primary factors for consideration are cost and time. That is, I'm not getting federal financial aid (although I may seek private funds) or employer reimbursement; and I'd like to complete the degree as quickly as possible (under 18 months, if possible).

I really liked the Ashworth plan since it's self paced (a BIG plus...I enjoy individual academic achievement and scheduling my own time) and it's low cost/payment plan. Also, being that I am in Atlanta may help w/any customer service issues since I can bike/walk to their offices, if necessary. However, their NA status may not be acceptable for my future needs which might include other advanced degrees at RA schools or teaching at the college level (I'm aware of other possible credit-in-a-given-area reqs/per school or regional accreditor).

I am flexible on the content of the master's program since I'm unsure whether I'd prefer an MBA, MPA, Master's, etc. At this point almost any master's would help me out...fyi: My background includes IT Support and writing/journalism.

Are there any RA schools that are cheap and (most importantly) self-paced?

I'm not completely opposed to an oline class situation, but I really think 16 weeks is too long for a semester and wouldn't help w/my time requirement...I remember taking accelerated 8 wk. courses in college and I usually stayed focused and got better grades in those classes. Again, I'll consider any suggestions...

Thanks in advance

 

UWA has several Masters level programs online. I don't know if they are exactly what you are looking for, but the price isn't too bad.

Most are education related...

clint

 

Gosh! We've had a couple different thread entitled "MBA in 1 Year" here, one of them fairly recent, I think.

 

Gosh! I was wrong! There were four such threads, two of them recent.

http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20047
http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19704
http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16509
http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11221

 

1st thanks for your time and suggestions!

Also, it is not the case that the field of study is completely irrelevant to me... although I expected someone would interpret it that way and highlight that part of my initial comments.

Further, I'm not sure what area I'd like to study. My experiences in academia have been quite broad, so I'm just not sure what I want to pursue; I am trying to analyze the options with your assistance. My short-term, personal goal is attainment of an accredited advanced degree and in my current job, attainment of said degree (in any field) translates into an upward shift in my payscale. Sorry, I didn't make that clearer upfront and that I don't know what I want to study...I probably should've omitted the teaching comment since I have no idea what I'd teach either. Know that your challenges to my thought process on this will help me to further clarify/define my goals and I will post back if I nail down a major for this degree....

I appreciate the help from everyone who replied.

 

Ok

Interesting. Of the four, only two are of use. The other two are just single posts, with no replies.

this one was of most use to me...
http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19704

Gosh! Notice that i asked about under 18 months (if possible), so my focus was never on "under 1 year" programs.

One of my favorite programs (on paper) out there is the CSU-DH MBA/MPA/etc....only the time/cost are barriers to me, but I'll think some more on it before taking them off the list..seems like a great school.

anyway, i think i have my answers
so one final thanks and i'm done

 

Re: Ok

Well... that was certainly quick and painless.

Oaskie, based on what you've written I'd say just keep it regionally-accredited (not to be misinterpreted as an "RA or no way" statement but, in this case, RA is kinda' the only way... at least it is, based on your stated criteria); and don't forget that if you ever do intend to use the masters to teach at a regionally-accredited institution, a minimum of 18 semester hours (6 courses) of your masters (usually about half of a typical masters degree's total hours) should be very unambiguously related to the specific area in which you would like to teach.

There are all kinds of self-paced, distance learning masters programs out there that both meet these two simple criteria, and are also relatively inexpensive. You just have to dig around a bit to find them.

Just know that you probably won't find anything quite like the Ashworth program in terms of convenience and cost. Too bad it's not regionally-accredited. Nosborne48, in another thread, talks about an unfilled niche and sees opportunity. I look at Ashworth and think to myself, "man... if Ashworth would just get regionally-accredited, then add a few bachelors programs to round-out its offerings, but still keep its low price, flexible delivery method, open enrollment policies, etc., all the same... ohmygod... it could be bigger than UOP in no time!" Ashworth could become even more the Wal*Mart of distance education than it already is! And it would just rake-in the cash, in my opinion.

But I digress... yet again.

Welcome, Oaskie! And good luck!

 

Re: 1st thanks for your time and suggestions!

You know, there are some MLA (Liberal Arts) programs out there that are available for one who has divergent interests. Some of them are available purely online.

 

Re: Re: Ok

Hi DesElms...Wow...i finally gotta a salutation out of someone!

litte fauss: I'll give the MLA better consideration, as well....

 

Have you considered the Humanities External Master of Arts (HUX) program offered by California State University, Dominguez Hills? It's self-paced, correspondence-based, highly personalized, regionally accredited, and only $185 per semester credit for a 30-credit program. You can read more about the HUX program at http://www.csudh.edu/hux/

Jason

---
www.bakersguide.com

 

Re: Re: Master's Degree by Correspondence

It is?

 

Just a comment, the Fort Hays MBA is not nearly as inexpensive as the MLS: $400 per semester hour. The Fort Hays Master of Liberal Studies is $174 per semester hour.

 

Here's the link to Jonnies Distance Learning page for online/DL MLAs.

http://www.geocities.com/liu_jonathan/dlmls.html

 

Re: Re: Re: Master's Degree by Correspondence

Since I'm known as a royal and accomplished pain in the keester around here, allow me to say this about your tag line: neither you nor I want to get what we really deserve!

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Master's Degree by Correspondence

I can't speak for you little fauss, but yes, I do.

I'm sure this isn't the place to discuss it, though. Perhaps on the John 3:16 thread... I answered one of your questions there.

 

Re: Re: Re: Master's Degree by Correspondence

Actually, that was my mistake; they use a trimester schedule for their courses. The flexibility of the independent correspondence model (which may or may not apply to the online versions of the courses), the range of course selection and sequencing, and the independent study and capstone options make it a remarkably flexible program nonetheless. Looking at the sample (correspondence) course guide as an example, it appears that one could accelerate the course and complete the assignments faster than the trimester schedule (although you probably have to submit them according to the course calendar), which is something that you can't always do in a discussion-based online course.

Jason

---
www.bakersguide.com

 

Re: Ok

Uh, {"under 1 year" programs} is a subset of {"under 18 month" programs}?
In any case, best of luck,
Mark

 

Re: Re: Master's Degree by Correspondence

Just wondering, does anyone know of any university that is self-paced, correspondence-based, highly personalized, regionally accredited, and around $185 - S$200 per semester credit, but offers MBA program?

I personally like Ashworth MBA program, but too bad it's NA, so hope that i can find one which is about the same method like Ashworth. Actually CSU-DH fills my bill, but they don't offer the same method for MBA, only HUX. Amberton University fills my bill too, but too bad they only offer to American. Btw, I'm from Singapore.
Pls help...

Kozen

 

Re: Re: Re: Master's Degree by Correspondence

At $200/hr., Amberton is the least expensive RA MBA. So you may have to raise the ante a bit just to fill the requirement that it be RA.