Looking for opinions

I thank you ;-))))

I also condemn you to trying to find out DL Iinformation from an Australian university website!

Angela

 

FWIW, not a single instructor of the twelve courses I took toward my BS in IT at UMass Lowell required proctored exams. All tests were online or by assignement. Check out the online degrees:

http://continuinged.uml.edu/degrees/index.htm

David

 

I had the most wonderful conversation with an admissions representative from Ellis College-New York Institute of Technology. She was very helpful. According to their website, they cost a little more than other schools, but providing I can get financial aid, I am considering transferring to their program. They have a degree in Psychology, which is what I really want. Everything is done on-line, including their mid-terms and finals.

 

Congratulations on locating a school that potentially meets your desired educational goals and instructional delivery mode. Education is a personal endeavour so make the choices which best address your situation. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

Congratulations, mom of 5,

Looking ahead, can I suggest you find out what "school counselor" jobs look like in your area? You don't list a location, but I know in my state of Illinois, "guidance counselors" need to be certified teachers with 2 years of experience as well as have a master's in psych or counseling. If you have a bachelor's degree in psychology (like I do), you may find it difficult even to get a teaching job let alone a "school counselor" job.

Conversely, I do not think "school social workers" are required to be certified teachers (although it can't hurt). I'm not sure our elementary schools tend to have "counselors" other than school social workers. I'm just wondering if you might find an education degree even more helpful than a psych one, or if an MSW might be in your future no matter what your undergrad major is. Education credentials can be positively Byzantine if not Australian in opacity, so it pays (literally!) to know what each possibility requires.

 

Fortiterinre makes some very good points here. Unless you are planning to pursue a master's degree, a degree in psychology will not be all that useful -- especially in a public school setting.

I do the hiring of student support positions (school social workers, school guidance counselors, school psychologists and pupil personnel workers) for a large school system in Maryland. We get calls every week from people with bachelor's degrees in psychology or sociology wondering what kinds of jobs they are qualified for with their degree. Sadly, they aren't qualified for any of these jobs.

Each state's requirements are obviously very different -- but the recurring theme in every one of these areas is a minimum of a master's degree. Here in Maryland someone with a master's in school counseling (or school guidance counseling, though the term 'guidance counselor' is slowly being replaced with 'professional school counselor') can be hired as a school counselor straight out of graduate school -- no prior teaching experience required. That said, I am in one of the largest school systems in the country and, while we have close to 300 counselors in our system, there is not much movement as far as resignations/retirements go in our system or in neighboring counties. I easily have 45-50 applicants for every school counseling position -- it's a pretty tough market right now.

School social workers here must hold an MSW and be licensed. There is a greater need for social workers than school counselors and you would have many more options as far as placement goes -- hospital, mental health clinic, outpatient medical, public school, etc.

Good luck -- whichever direction you decide to go!