---- "Whitley wrote: > Hello Ecologgers, > > I have a question that I need feedback on. > > I was wondering about your thoughts on how much an online master's degree is > worth. Is it worth it to get the degree online, or wait a few years to try > for it? Is there a difference in the importance and weight of the degree when > looking to apply for a doctorate program or job? > > I will be out of the country for a few years, but I do not wish to wait to > start my Master's program. Should I? > > I do not know what a university's graduate program would think of an online > degree? Would they think it useless since there is no actual face-to-face > instruction involved? Or would they accept it and me into their program? Is > there a way to make an online degree worth their attention? > > What are your thoughts?
Mahagony, Whether you are acceptable to a Ph.D. program of your choice or not is mostly dependent on how well you have done in your education up to the point of your application, the quality of your experience (whether paid or not), your recommendations, your scores on the GRE, the degree to which you have remained active in your field, and available support in the program for someone of your background and ambitions. Excellent experience and recommendations can overcome less than stellar educational performance, but they cannot overcome poor performance. Some distance education graduate programs are garnering good reviews, though I am at a loss to cite specifics right now. That said, the most important components of science training are laboratory, field, and research experience, in other words, demonstrated performance. In the old days, when fewer undergraduates got research experience, "potential" recognized in recommendations, usually based on classroom performance, was the main consideration. But experience has become more important. A master's degree that provides experience (generally a research degree with a thesis) would be more competitive than a master's degree that does not provide research experience, and might make a difference for applicants with modest undergraduate performance. A distance education program that strengthens your profile in the above areas would be good. One that does not might not be of much benefit. One approach would be to contact programs and professors you might be interested in applying to in the future, and query them as to the benefit of the specific master's program you are considering. You are currently at a university that has Ph.D. programs. Ask the faculty members there about the online program you are considering as a step toward a Ph.D. program. A consideration for outstandingly qualified applicants is that (I think this is still true) the NSF fellowship is awarded only to applicants seeking their first graduate degree. And keep in mind that anything you learn is of value to you. If you have a situation where entering a full-time face to face program is impossible for now, as is working in your chosen field, then anything you do to maintain your skills and involvement is a plus, and that could include distance education programs. David McNeely
