Does US Universities recognize Online degree

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by dmyjl, Mar 12, 2013.

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  1. dmyjl

    dmyjl New Member

    Hi, I am planning to pursue a degree in Political Science and International relations (Undergrad) from University of London International Program this year but my main concern remains that after my undergrad I want to apply in a good Uni in US for grad program, will this UoL IP hold relevance there.

    Due to my nature of job, which involves extreme traveling I cannot go to UK this year and study in a traditional university (which was the original plan). This traveling bit is how ever only for a year. Now either I can wait 1 more year and go to a traditional university setting next year OR I can start working towards my degree this year itself through UoL IP.

    From what I could gather after going through every post on IP, it is very rigorous and requires strict discipline. I can follow the discipline (I am kinda obsessed with organizing things and following schedules).

    Now if I am going to put in so much of efforts in this IP program the least I could expect is after wards when I apply for my Masters, my application should not be tossed away on the basis of an online degree.

    So please help me as I am in two minds here. I applied through UCAS this year and have already been offered place in Nottingham Trent Uni, Brunel, Birbeck, SOAS. So should I defer my admission for a year or go for UoL IP without wasting anytime.

    I want to apply in NYU or Columbia for my Masters. So focus remains on these two colleges, do they recognize a bachelors from University of London International Program.

    Please help,
    Thanks.
     
  2. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    I don't see why not.
     
  3. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    A University of London degree should be well-recognized around the globe.
     
  4. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    I'd have reservations about Columbia or NYU looking favorably on an online degree, but that is just my opinion. What subject do you plan to study at the graduate level? My recommendation would be to contact the particular schools at Columbia and NYU you are interested in and ask what their position on an online degree is.
     
  5. nmesproject

    nmesproject New Member

  6. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    NYU's online programs, like most prestigious schools, are only through the school of continuing education. Columbia only offers online degrees through their School of Engineering. I think acceptance of a degree earned online is going to vary from school to school inside the universities. For instance, I think a degree earned online would be viewed less favorably by NYU's and Columbia's business and law schools than other schools at the universities. I may be wrong, just a hunch.
     
  7. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    One can be even more granular and say that within each department, opinions about distance learning will vary by individual. But the answer of whether degrees earned through the University of London's International Programmes are accepted in the U.S. is an unqualified yes.
     
  8. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    The OP stated he hopes to attended Columbia or NYU for grad school. Yes, an online degree from a reputable institution is recognized in the US but elite schools tend to look down their noses at applicants who hold online degrees.
     
  9. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    On the other hand, I don't think that the University of London makes a distinction as to whether the degree was earned internally or externally.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 15, 2013
  10. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    Really? You don't think AdComms look at how a degree was earned? As someone who works in higher Ed consulting I'm going to respectfully disagree.
     
  11. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    I think Ted was saying the University of London doesn't note whether their degrees are earned internally or externally.
     
  12. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    True, but if the OP isn't living in the UK it will be pretty apparent. I'm not trying to be argumentative, simply pointing out the realities of what AdComs look at, especially at schools like Columbia and NYU.
     
  13. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I think that if you do just a little more surfing you'll discover that the Columbia University Graduate School of Education
    (Teacher's College) offers several distance learning Masters degrees.
     
  14. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    And their AEGIS program was a pioneer (in the U.S.) in low residency doctoral study. Not exactly the same thing, but it does suggest a lack of institutional resistance to innovation.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 15, 2013
  15. bill5

    bill5 New Member

    Contact them, don't count on anything said here; they should be able to tell you.
     
  16. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    This is very true, although it's important to remember AUTiger00's comment that there's a difference between credentials that a selective school will recognize as legitimate and credentials that will make you a competitive candidate for admission there.
     
  17. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    A top graduate school in the US, like Columbia or NYU, will probably require applicants to hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited US school, or foreign equivalent. A UoL DL degree would probably be considered "foreign equivalent". So it would be recognized as a "qualifying" degree. That's the good news.

    So what's the bad news? Top US graduate schools commonly get far more "qualified" applicants than they can accept. For example, Columbia's MBA program enrolled 741 students in 2012 -- but they got 5,409 applicants for those slots. So they had to reject the vast majority of applicants -- even if they were "qualified". They simply don't have room for all the "qualified" people who want to get in.

    So if you want to get into a top school like Columbia or NYU, being "qualified" may not be good enough -- you also have to be "impressive", because you will need to beat many other applicants who will be competing for the available slots. A UoL DL degree may be "qualifying", but that doesn't necessarily mean that is "competitive".

    If you want to get into a selective graduate program, you may be at a disadvantage if you don't go to a selective undergraduate program.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 15, 2013
  18. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Agreed, although that's not the only factor. For example, it is probably better to have top marks from a middle of the road school than middle of the road marks from a top school. And American graduate schools often expect standardized test scores like the GMAT or GRE, and a high score there can make a big difference.

    I know this because I got into a Master's program at well-regarded GW with a Bachelor's degree from Charter Oak, a distance learning school of which most people have never even heard. I had a very good undergraduate GPA and my MAT score was extremely high. So it can be done. Would it have been better to have gone to Stanford? I guess, but it didn't seem to hurt me that I didn't.

    And besides, several of the UoL constituent schools are really up there in terms of global regard, especially LSE.
     
  19. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    No, it's not. Graduate schools consider many factors, including the name of your undergraduate school, the GPA you earned there, your standardized test scores, your references or recommendations, and your work experience. Strengths in some of these areas can overcome weaknesses in others.

    Graduate school rankings are typically based (in part) on student selectivity, and selectivity in turn is typically based on student GPAs and test scores. In fields where the rankings are important, applicants with high GPAs and high test scores are particularly valued (and get better financial aid offers), because they boost selectivity for ranking purposes.

    In such cases, school name really is secondary, because school names are not considered in rankings. For example, US News can easily average a 3.70 GPA and a 3.80 GPA for its rankings, or a 650 and 700 GMAT -- but they don't have a good way to "average" a COSC BA and a Stanford BA. So for ranking purposes, GPA and GMAT are more important.

    Law schools are particularly rankings-obsessed, and are particularly notorious for this attitude.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 15, 2013
  20. dmyjl

    dmyjl New Member

    Thank you so much everyone for all the replies. I think the right way to go about this is calling the school itself and asking for their stand on this. Although, I highly doubt that they will give me a direct answer about giving fair chance to an online degree graduate.

    And I understand the part where just a degree is not enough to get in such schools. I want to pursue a degree in Political Science and International Relations and I am working as a Broadcast Journalist in Dubai. I think I should get some advantage from this.

    But I want to go ahead with UoL IP only if this is later on accepted in Columbia or NYU. otherwise there is no point for me to go ahead with this.
     

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