Ivy League Online

Nothing personal, Chris, but I've addressed that question umpteen times over the past 30 years, and it bores me sufficiently that I can't be bothered addressing it again. If you want a summary of my views, do a search on "university without walls" (with the quotation marks) here on DI for an assortment of cool reading on the subject, much of which comes from an era far less jaded than the current times.

 

Will do!

 

Real answer: "nontraditional education" is how they called "online degrees" in the horse and buggy days. When a nontraditional education pioneer complains about "online degrees", all it is is a rant about "kids these days". Specific issues notwithstanding. And yeah, I do have a traditional doctorate. BTW, from what I see at undergraduate and Master's level, online (or nontraditional, for the boomers) is not any easier.

 

I would also choose Georgia Tech if I were interested in computer science. The degree name is standard, the program is cheaper, and Georgia Tech is more well-regarded in this field.

 

On line ornon traditional or Distance Learning all have varying levels.

For IT and CS degrees being remote and logging in to do remote learning is not perceived that inferior as in other disciplines such as healthcare-related.
Sandwich or mixed on-campus and online is becoming popular. I think such degrees are as good as traditional.
My daughter did 70% on campus and 30% online for hare State University SW degree. The graduation was the same as 100% on campus.

 

Yep. In fact, GaTech program has it all. I had a conversation with faculty at FSU's CS department earlier this year; they are well aware. One professor asked me how they can compete with GaTech if they ever try to offer an online MS program. FSU runs a successful undergrad program in CS at Panama City campus.

 

Honestly, I am not sure they can. Georgia Tech is a staple in the field and their tuition is insanely low. I think the entire program is like $8,000ish...for a MS in CS from a top tier university.

 

Since my original reply to Chris, Rich Douglas has posted a lengthy treatment of person-centered education that covers Chris' question quite well. Would I say that what Rich describes is better than today's online degrees? Hell, yes.

You'll find his thread at https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/person-centered-graduate-education-the-roots-of-union.56305/.

The unfortunate thing is that, since Union sold its soul, changed its philosophical basis, and became a cookie cutter program like its many for-profit counterparts (Union is still non-profit), today's students will never know how exceptional it once was. And they will continue to live in a fantasy world in which they refer to "my professor," some faceless adjunct who has no idea what their students look or even sound like, instead following a canned, rote, curriculum and grading papers or exams.

Even Stanislav, who occasionally treats us to how he feels inferior and mediocre but did it the traditional way, would still be having an orgasm if he had been able to do it in the manner Rich describes. However, my objection to the state of higher education is not against what he calls "kids these days," it's against schools and programs these days.

 

I don't think they have to, in terms of beating GaTech on value. Many MSCS programs exist that found their place even though they are not at (sometimes not nearly so) the unique combination of price and quality that is GaTech's OMSCS. Still, it is tough out there.

 

Nothing to do with "online" though.Union's program, had it survived to this day in the early form, would be called online or "blended". Rich does explain how the program was superior (compared to, well, ALL programs, not just "today's online" ones), but also why it was unsustainable. Also, given how quality of graduates was uneven, I'd say while your program was better, your degree is not necessary so (degree's prestige at least in theory is about the minimum quality it ensures). Having said that, RA doctorate is and always will be an accomplishment, whether it's in "individualized studies" or (gasp!) "Organizational Leadership". Earning these things non-traditionally should be even more impressive; many people thinking otherwise didn't try (and mostly don't have a doctorate at all).

As for "cookie-cutter" programs - it is indeed an unfortunate trend. Two things though. First, graduates from these programs did legit work and have legit credential. Also, I am fairly sure cookie-cutter EdD and PsyD programs exist in "traditional", face-to-face, night-and-weekend format, as well as in weaker full-time programs. It's not about "online", which is in fact all we now have.

 

I'd be willing to go a step further. Probably many of us have heard stories about people who've gotten through their doctoral programs with weak dissertations. Some of these have come out of very good schools. How do we account for this? Bad advisers? Lori Loughlin? Who knows? There's unevenness all around. There is not any real uniformity of wonderfulness at any school. There's a basement level and you're not supposed to drop below that but who would be shocked to learn that some bad dissertations have come out of Harvard (or name your preferred school).

https://www.chronicle.com/forums/index.php?topic=28334.10;wap2

 

The Georgia Tech program is competitive. Not everyone is going to get in. Rejected students are going to look elsewhere.

 

Anyone attend the Wharton program? Worthwhile, content wise?

 

Global Business and Politics from Yale

https://online-short-courses.som.yale.edu/yale-som-execed-global-business-and-politics-online-program-sf

 

Maybe this is a prelude to Princeton expanding its online catalog

https://www.princeton.edu/news/2019/10/10/university-will-introduce-new-online-teaching-and-learning-system