The pros and cons of distance tertiary education

The pros and cons of distance tertiary education

Vishnu K. Mahmud, Contributor, Jakarta

The first few months of the year is usually a time when
prospective students send in their applications for tertiary
studies. With that in mind, I have been considering going back to
school to pursue a Master's Degree to upgrade my skills and
knowledge.

But with the lack of time and money, the chances of going to
school overseas are pretty low. Scholarships are highly
competitive and student loans are practically non-existent for
"international" students. So, I am considering distance learning.

Distance learning, perhaps better known as correspondence
courses, is a viable alternative for those who wish to acquire an
overseas degree.

Instead of expensive traveling, costly apartments and those
annoying frat parties, you can study at your own pace, at your
own home, at your own time. Cost wise, distance learning is
rather reasonable as you can eliminate the need for visas, health
insurance and overseas living costs.

You can continue to work at the office and study at home.
Assignments can be sent and received via post or e-mail.
Collaboration can be done with the help of the Internet and chat
rooms or message forums.

For exams, independent proctors are required to ensure a
secure, "cheat free" environment. The school should be able to
assist in appointing a location in your area (local colleges or
education councils are perhaps the best bet).

Potential students should, however, be aware of the various
blemishes in the distance-learning world. One example are the
diploma mills, "institutions" that offer different levels of
degrees (bachelors, masters and even doctorates) for little or no
work. These mills simply publish a piece of paper to confer a
title (eg. Doctor or Master of Science) that dishonest people can
try to use to advance their career. Some of these
"establishments" operate from Post Office Boxes, and in one case,
a prison cell. "Selling" diplomas can be quite lucrative, raking
in $2 million a month.

Lack of accreditation is another problem. A student may have
been awarded a Bachelors Degree after years of study and
countless amounts of money. Nevertheless, when they try to apply
for a Masters degree at a well-established school, the
application is rejected because the university presenting the
Bachelors is not accredited with any recognized agency.

Accreditation is vital as it is used to verify the quality of
the school or program. Some schools may say they are recognized
by a state or country, but if you want to continue with an
advanced degree, you may only be able to do so at that particular
locale.

Some even claim they are accepted by certain accreditation
agencies. Make sure that those agencies are recognized by a
higher association (such as government recognized organizations)
and that they even exist!

To find out more about distance learning, check out degree.net
a website that focuses on "non-traditional education". You can
also go to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation's
website, chea.org, to see the various accreditation agencies for
U.S.-based universities. For international institutions, there is
the UNESCO International Handbook of Universities, which can be
obtained from the UNESCO website, unesco.org.

Make no mistake, distance learning is a practical way of
getting a degree. Some well established universities such as
Stanford, MIT, the University of Phoenix and England's Open
University have distance education programs.

In the end, pursuing higher education is about learning new
things and gaining further wisdom. You do only yourself harm in
taking a short cut by purchasing a diploma or entering a dubious
educational college. Just because they have a website or an ad in
a prestigious journal, does not make them an established
institution. It could cost you your reputation.