Ivy League online degrees
 

The Ivy League Explores Online Learning

by Paul D. Rosevear
The Harvard Extension School offers 75 online courses for undergraduate or graduate credit by offering videotaped lectures online, along with other course materials. While there are currently no fully online degree programs offered at Harvard, at the school's 2005 commencement, the president at the time, Lawrence Summers, emphasized the importance of embracing the marriage of education and technology. "Information technology offers the potential to multiply manyfold the number of students and scholars with access to Harvard's unique intellectual resources," he said. He encouraged schools to "think creatively and boldly about how they can extend the reach of their excellence through technology in the years ahead."

But can you be a Harvard student without walking through Harvard Yard on your way to class? As online learning (sometimes called eLearning) becomes increasingly commonplace in colleges and universities, will it eventually be possible to earn an Ivy League degree without ever strolling the hallowed halls? Ivy League schools have begun taking tentative steps toward online education offerings.

Read the rest of the article here

Do you think if school such as Harvard or Yale, etc. offered online degrees that it would "cheapen" their value in the workplace?

Not really. The degree comes from the Harvard Extension School. Per their FAQ: "Harvard Extension School and Harvard College are two separate schools within Harvard University." Harvard College admissions standards are a lot tougher, so those degrees will not lose their clout.

People get sneaky about it though. I will hear people say they got a graduate degree from Harvard, though, who upon further discussion will admit that it was from the Extension School.

You're correct, however. I can't see how this would diminsh the school's reputation a bit.

Would the degree the online student earn specifically state Harvard Exentsion School or would it just say Harvard College?

I don't know about Harvard, but I am opposed to online degrees. I got my masters the old-fashioned way, but now people who work for me are getting the same degree from the same institution without ever setting foot in a classroom. Even their exams are online. I think they lost the information gained by analyzing information together with other students. Plus, many of the classes did not have online lectures - just reading assignments with homework or papers due. Their degrees look exactly the same as mine - there is no distiction that theirs was done online.

I feel the same way. I see a lot of people saying that they have a Master's from Harvard, and only mentioning "extension school" on the pain of death or imprisonment.

Hee hee... like those t-shirts that read:

I MADE THE DEAN'S probation LIST

People might just list "Harvard University" on their resumes, but when a potential employer goes to verify their educational background, that employer will learn that the degree actually came from Harvard Extension School.

Online degrees are NOT elite.


Sorry, I couldn't help myself

I agree with you. Plus, much of my "learning" came from class room discussions/lectures especially from my classmates and professors.

But yeah, I can see people saying that their degree is from Harvard U. and unless you KNOW that an extension school actually exist, who would even know to ask that?

This is why hr departments should require official transcripts of their new hires, even if someone's been out for a decade or longer just to cover themselves.

I agree, there is a MAJOR difference between the Ext. School and the University.

I don't think it makes a difference.

Last year, I took two classes -- one online and one in person. The traditional in-person class featured a lot of group work and I didn't learn much but it was kind of fun. The online class was a TON of work and writing, and I learned quite a bit.

People learn in different ways and I don't see the point of saying one way is better than another -- unless of course you're defensive about your way of learning or your degree being "cheapened" someday.

I would, however, say that law school is different because the risk of being humiliated in front of your classmates at any second is a big part of it, at least the first year.

Exactly, there are different learning styles out there (I learned this in my Adult Education program).

But I do commend people who can do online/self-directed/correspondence type of courses...I just don't have that kind of self-discpline.

But I will show up to a class, no problem.

They control their name and branding pretty well. It's not like they're going to open up a ton of classes and let everyone get the degree.

As for an online degree, it's a joke. Really there is only so much you can learn on your own. You need the interaction with people in class or group settings and the resources you pay that much money for.

Aside from the resources, people go to these schools because of the heavy recruitment from the top firms in the country and your access to alums. Guess what? Having taken one class, online, in the extension school is not going to give you access to those recruiters and you won't have any way to connect with the alumni.

Stanford posts a lot of its lectures on itunes for free. You can listen and learn if you want, but don't expect to become an expert in those subjects ;)

-Rudey

I have to disagree
 

This isn't specifically in reference to the Harvard issue, but I deal with online students every day so I thought I'd chime in.

I think that many people have a preconcieved notion of online degrees being on the same level as an old school correspondence course. In this day and age that just isn't true anymore. I work at a university and in addition to our "brick and mortar" campus, we have a School of Extended Graduate Studies that offers a select number of Masters degrees online and it is a very labor intensive program. This program enable many, many students to continue on with their education from a highly accredited school while they work a full time job. A number of students are military officers serving overseas who are trying to get their masters in logistics management or a PMBA and have had to deal with relocating around the country and don't have access to a local college to complete their degree.

I deal with these students on a daily basis and they are not looking for the easy way out...they're just looking to finish their education at quality schools like Tulane, Villanova, Florida Institute of Technology, Notre Dame, Jacksonville Univeristy, Univ. of Scranton, St. Leo University, Regis Univeristy and many more.

These are not just continuing education programs. They are legitimate degrees (and quite costly, as most the schools are private institutions) and we are by no means a diploma mill. Students work hard for their degree.

Colleges and Univeristies are just taking advantage of the technology that has evolved over the last 2 decades. Who is to say that an education earned & honestly worked for online is any less in value than having attended on a campus? The classes are taught by the same teachers. It's not like they dumb down the online classes.

Additionally, HR people are very aware of the evolution of online degrees and it is not always an instantaneious negative reflection
on the student if it was achieved online.

It sounds like we work at the same type of school! For years the military education centers have provided opportunities for ID cardholders (AD, RET, DEPs) to further their educations. Many soldiers enlist directly out of hs while the officers are commissioned with only a BS/BA. That's all well and good, but along the way an NCO must earn his bachelor's if he expects to earn E9 (CSM) while an officer MUST get his master's if he expects to make O5 (LTC).

Some active-duty are fortunate/stellar enough to get Advanced Civil Schooling where they get to further their educations on a fulltime basis while still remaining on AD (and for this privilege they (of course) owe additional years of service). The vast majority aren't eligible and have to take classes while working their "day jobs." Although the school for which I work will always have classroom classes even at our satellite campuses, online choice is becoming more and more popular. Our onlines are taught by the same faculty members that teach our traditional classes.

Even elite schools (I'm using that word deliberately to irritate everyone who thinks all schools are =) are starting to add "executive" weekend intensive master's programs, evening classes as well as satellite campuses. Cornell offers some programs in Qatar as does Carnegie Mellon. For years, Georgetown Law has had an extremely well-respected evening law school program. Wharton (UPenn) has the weekend MBA as do many other schools. These programs are considered to be on par with the full-time reputation unlike the Harvard Extension School.

:confused: Well, I'm taking two online classes this semester and they are no joke. They are a lot of work. My school offers some courses online but you can still opt to go to class and take them. I personally hate going to class and usually go to sleep in lecture. I have always just taught myself by reading and going over lecture notes (just like an online class). I also don't like analyzing information with other students b/c a lot of times groups just cause more problems. Everyone doesn't learn by going to lecture. In my online course last semester, as well as this semester, there are mandaory group projects so that is not totally lost for those who like to get with groups.

Everyone who is trying to get a degree is not looking for "A Name" with reference to a school. I know for my undergrad degree, I went to a school with "A Name" but that's not why I chose it. A lot of people are just trying to master a certain subject area. Some people have families and may not be able to find the time to actually go to class. This semester I was working a f/t job and they weren't too flexible with the hours so I opted to take classes my school offers online. Also, maybe some ppl don't care about having connectins with alumni, they may already have the connections they need but not the degree to go with them.

Hijack.... one of my friends graduated from the evening program! She worked fulltime and used her tuition benefit to go to the Law Center for free. I think it takes four years instead of three, but she did it!

I have taken online classes and they may not be in a classroom setting , but they are just as hard as in-class. I went the traditional route for my degree and i can compare both ways, they both hold equal weight when it comes to class load.

So you were fortunate to go to Harvard live and in-person, doesn't mean the person who works f/t, has a family , and does the degree online at night is a lessor person. They worked equally as hard as you did and paid the same tuition as well as struggled with the same grades assigned by the same professors.
I think it i s harder online because you don't have that classroom interaction and you have to really force yourself to be disciplined to sit in front of a computer to do the work vs showing up for class.

I have taken online classes for my Masters degree. Some could be just as challenging as live classes- if not more, because you could not get an immediate answer from someone nor network/socialize with classmates.

I am applying for a Specialist degree. I will be doing it completely online, since the school is 4 hours away.

I think the point is, though, that it isn't a Harvard degree or a Harvard class. It is a "Harvard Extension School" degree/certificate, which isn't the same thing. Harvard has admission standards. Harvard Extension does not. It's not that they are a lesser person, but they won't get the same degree.

Boston U. does the same thing, with a program for people looking to learn web skills, etc. Anyone can join the program, but they will get some sort of certificate, not a BU degree.

Originally posted by irishpipes
I don't know about Harvard, but I am opposed to online degrees. I got my masters the old-fashioned way, but now people who work for me are getting the same degree from the same institution without ever setting foot in a classroom. Even their exams are online. I think they lost the information gained by analyzing information together with other students. Plus, many of the classes did not have online lectures - just reading assignments with homework or papers due. Their degrees look exactly the same as mine - there is no distiction that theirs was done online.

My degree is technicaly an online degree. I was majoring in Elementary Ed. and found out that I HATED the classroom during substitute teaching. I switched my major to Liberal Studies (Bachelor of Science, but an online degree.) The difference is that I have to take a cumulative project class that is completely led online. My degree is still from MTSU, all of my classes but four are completed on campus, but it's an online degree. The reason I did this is because I know I'm going to seminary for grad school, and graduation came quicker this way than switching to another major. I assure you, no less work is done because it's online. If anything, my online classes were harder because they required a measure of self discipline above that which was required of me in most of my on campus classes.

Online learning is just another way for schools to attract students who wouldn't have otherwise paid them money to learn because they're too far away.

Don't the degrees that Harvard Extension grants have completely different names from what the other schools offer? For example, you probably can't get an BA in English from the Extension; you can, however, get a Bachelors in Liberal Arts with a concentration in English.

Besides, the people who are reading resumes can smell bs from a mile away.

I've heard them referred to as AA and ALB. I'm not completely sure what they stand for, though.

It would take some serious cojones to try to pass one of those degrees off as a Harvard degree, but I wouldn't be surprised if people tried it.

My mom is doing her second MA completely via the net. It's not a walk in the park for her, she still has to do the work.

Quite a few of my courses for my MA were done online. It took me awhile to get used to and get disciplined to doing them, but now I love it. Mainly because I got to do the work at my pace (as long as I got it done by the due date). If I couldn't go online until 10pm, that was fine. You can't do that with a regular class.

I personally love that more schools are doing online courses. Unfortunately a lot are really expensive. Online courses are easier for the working adults. I won't get that when I go for my PhD, but I wish I would.

Your post is totally false and ignorant!

Harvard Extension School may allow the public to take (many, but not all) individual classes, but they have very clear admission criteria for the degree programs.

Harvard Extension School is one of the 12 degree-granting schools within Harvard University.
To mind you, only around 2.5% of the class takers are able to earn degrees from the Extension School.

You register on GreekChat and your first post was to a thread that hasn't been replied to in 2 1/2 years?

YOU R SO SMRT.

No, YOUR post is totally false and ignorant!!!!

We are open to students with a variety of backgrounds and goals, with no formal requirements beyond a commitment to an academic challenge. --http://www.extension.harvard.edu/prospective/

To take courses at the Harvard Extension School, you simply register. No preliminary application is required. --http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008-09/register/

I like this one better...

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e...gent/owned.jpg

Haha, wow - nothing like being called "ignorant" about a post I made almost 3 years ago, a post which is, apparently, correct.

Too funny...

Hey, could you read carefully (at all)?

I replied because it is still on the internet. I will refute any false claims regardless how OLD they are.

If you don't even know the DIFFERENT admission policies for general course takers and degree candidates, you have NO say about the Extension School.

If you don't even know the DIFFERENT policies for general course takers and degree candidates, you have NO say on this matter!

Few course takers were admitted into the degree programs, even fewer (around 2.5%) could graduate with degrees or diplomas from the Extension School.

Point us to the part of the website that explains this...because, according to the website, you can just register for any class and start your way to a degree without an application process.

It can't be done because it's a DIFFERENT website with DIFFERENT requirements and a DIFFERENT internet in A DIFFERENT WORLD with Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable in a starring role!!!!!

Neutral, keep on taking those classes! Perhaps they have some offerings in English and reading comprehension.

If you're a product of the online schools, that just proves the opinions in this thread...

:rolleyes:

Could you find the "Degrees and Certificates" page for admission criteria?
If you can't even see this, your intelligence and research ability is lower than a 3rd grader.

It is a waste of time talking to you -- ignorant! Do you only want to ridicule yourself?

I have earned my graduate degree from Harvard through the Extension School.
I have the privilege to involve in many (Harvard) clubs on campus and am working at the university.