I am responding to the PhD EdD thread but thought this might deserve it's own thread. I got the airfares from a few spots, including travelocity. They MIGHT price themselves out of the market. Maybe as people start to look at UNISA more closely, and get more specific responses, if that is possible, they find lower cost alternatives. I have a few reasons for saying that. Hardly anyone on this forum has ever actually done a degree through UNISA. I don't know of any offhand but I think I recall some have. Many many come here and desire a very low cost program. Seemingly, UNISA represents a very low cost program with what seems to be some decent foreign accreditation. Still, hardly any takers here with the UNISA programs. So, have people figured out that the costs really aren't so low? Or, is it all the other stuff that turn people off? Can't really say. We don't have enough info on this forum to tell me. We all know that the information coming out of UNISA is spotty and sometimes cryptic sounding. I have experienced it myself. Often, UNISA inquirers need to rely on third party companies that might provide less than specific information, too. UNISA might have been a great solution for my needs and desires had a I been able to get some good answers. Maneuvering their Web site is a task that can be challenging, too. Another thing, at least for British, American, Canadian, and Australian is the strange doctoral designations...DComm and DBL are common examples there. That is a minor thing but still they seem more like certificate names than doctorates. Now, I realize that the world doesn't revolve around the DI forum, but this place is one of the best sources of information on distance education out there. A credit to all who post here and provide valuable content. A Google search doesn't yield much either. I just don't see many here in the U.S. with UNISA degrees(other than one example of a prof at Wharton). UNISA is an enigma to me. If they started providing some better information they could be a powerful force here in the world of distance education. However, maybe they don't have to. Maybe they just can get along without what I think is important.
I haven't done the math but I'd be surprised if UNISA wasn't still the least expensive alternative, even if you had to travel there once per year. It may well be true that the gap is smaller than in times past and if I'm correct in saying that then some people might wonder if they'd be better off paying a bit more and getting more of a home-grown degree. I think that's a reasonable question and people are able to make there own decisions in that regard. I think that one additional aspect of UNISA should be mentioned and that is the large selection of degree programs that they offer. In some areas, such as Sociology or History or Philosophy where there are very few programs available people might be more willing to tolerate the UNISA "enigma" as it continues to represent the most affordable of the very small number of choices. If someone were interested in a program that was more commonly found, such as an MBA program, it would be very easy to see why UNISA might not be a top choice, or even on the list at all. Finally, I'd point out that there are a few members enrolled at UNISA. They don't post very often. I'm sure that with a bit of diligence you could find them and send them a PM. I would also want to point out that there are a couple of other South African universities that have shown themselves to be willing to consider 100% non-residential research doctorates. This is interesting in the context of this discussion as these schools have not instituted any "international fee" as UNISA has done, making them more affordable that UNISA. Overall, I'd say that this is a good topic for discussion. I'm guessing that the people at UNISA have found a bit of a cash-cow in their doctoral programs and they are taking advantage of that. They may need to be careful though because if they push the international fee too hight then they may make their programs considerably less attractive. Jack
Tuition is cheaper at UNISA for certain. I find that one of our state schools has cheap tuition. It's the other costs that are the killer. They charge huge "technology" fees, ever increasing dorm costs that triple tution, and "freshman" fees that are hard to pin down. If they charged tuition of $1 I think they would still make money because they would charge other fees. I'm not saying this is the case with UNISA. I'm just saying the other costs can certainly add up. As far as I know, UNISA doesn't offer an MBA. For Americans it might be a tough sell to keep saying..."MBL is the same as MBA." Then, I think they have an MComm. I'm still not sure what the difference is. I asked UNISA about the difference between DBL and DComm(I think they have a DAdmin, too) was and the guy I chatted with wasn't able to help me understand the difference between the two. Some DComm programs there are more accounting and econ oriented but then they have an administration DComm....which I understand some people with MBA's aren't qualified to study for the DComm, but can study for the DBL. I figure that I am an engineer and can figure complicated things out. Yet, their distinctions elude me for some reason.
Bing posted a thought I had wondered about for a long time. There are often recommendations about doing doctoral distance study in South Africa or Europe on this website but very few who have actually done it. Is it really realistic to consider these options given the difficulty such study would entail? I have seen a couple of University of Londoners here but not at doctoral levels. I would think given the distance , cultural differences, and length of time doctoral study requires it would make sense to do this locally or in residence. The main reason UNISA is suggested is cost. THis is an important factor I understand but I have to wonder as Bing does about the hidden costs and practicality of this option.
So there seems to be one main point here, that people should be aware of all the costs of their degree programs, not just tuition (people should also be aware that the term "tuition" means something different in South African universities). There are various fees as well as possible transportation/accomodation expenses. Perhaps it goes without saying but in an effort to be thorough I should point out that over the 3-6 year period of a Doctoral degree all of these costs can, and probably will, change. While this is clearly being said in the context of a ZA degree program, it would seem to be good advice for everyone regardless of which school they might be entering. I have long maintained that there are drawbacks to South African degree programs and that if you can realistically afford a US program it may be the better alternative. However, for those who can not afford a US/UK/OZ program the ZA programs remain a viable alternative. This is especially true for people (like myself) whose studies and resulting degrees can not be expected to substantially increase their income. Such personal enrichment degrees might be better done as cheaply as possible especially since the quality of the academics is quite high. No single school is "best" for everyone. UNISA is no exception to this rule. Jack
