Ivy League online degrees

Honeykiss1974 · #1 03-31-2006, 12:54 PM

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?

aephi alum · #2 03-31-2006, 01:12 PM

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.

KSigkid · #3 03-31-2006, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aephi alum
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.

wrigley · #4 03-31-2006, 01:44 PM

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

irishpipes · #5 03-31-2006, 01:49 PM

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.

honeychile · #6 03-31-2006, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by irishpipes
I don't know about Harvard, but I am opposed to online degrees. I got my masters the old-fashioed 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.

aephi alum · #7 03-31-2006, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by honeychile
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.

AlphaFrog · #8 03-31-2006, 02:50 PM

Online degrees are NOT elite.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself

Honeykiss1974 · #9 03-31-2006, 02:58 PM

Quote:

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.

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?

alum · #10 03-31-2006, 03:08 PM

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.

valkyrie · #11 03-31-2006, 03:10 PM

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.

Munchkin03 · #12 08-25-2006, 07:04 PM

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.

KSigkid · #13 08-26-2006, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

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.

ASUADPi · #14 08-27-2006, 12:24 PM

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.

CutiePie2000 · #15 03-31-2006, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by valkyrie
People learn in different ways and I don't see the point of saying one way is better than another

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.