Distance learning courses

thecivvie

I am lookin got do a course, if possible, on security management, but I cannot find anyone doing it via distance learning. Anyone know of a list of colleges in ireland offering Distance learning.

Moonbeam

http://www.nightcourses.com/?timescale=distance

thecivvie

Moonbeam wrote:

http://www.nightcourses.com/?timescale=distance

Will have a look now, thanks

Moonbeam

www.oscail.ie
http://www.kilroyscollege.ie/

EdgarAllenPoo

Kilroy's is a joke the qualifications aren't recognised anywhere and the service/tuition is awful.

RRoger

do you know any recogniseable online courses to get a degree?

I've seen many of them and many are just rubbish (get a degree in 7 days blah blah). I'm interested in some with normal duration like 2, 3 yrs ending with B.sc. for example, I know they exist but it's hard to know which is actually worth of money

There's a lot of real courses for MCSA/MCSE etc. with certificate/diploma but I rather mean some IT course to finish with Bachelor/Master

after seeing all of those "phony diplomas" I begun to doubt a little

BuffyBot

Have a root through this: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/archive/index.php/f-433.html. It's the archive for this forum, and you'll see a lot of discussion regarding different distance learning courses, plenty of them IT related. Mostly though, if you're looking for degree level courses, you'll be looking at Oscail (www.oscail.ie) or the Open University (www.open.ac.uk).

RRoger

BuffyBot wrote:

Have a root through this: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/archive/index.php/f-433.html. It's the archive for this forum, and you'll see a lot of discussion regarding different distance learning courses, plenty of them IT related. Mostly though, if you're looking for degree level courses, you'll be looking at Oscail (www.oscail.ie) or the Open University (www.open.ac.uk).

thanks for info, I reviewed threads there and testimonials don't sound too optimistic, although they mostly from 2004/05, havent seen anything newer stating it's changed for good


I'm not too sure so just to claryfy things: the only one in Ireland is Oscail, the second one is off for me as it seems you'd have to travel for assignments anyway

to get a degree you need to complete 12 modules in total, "30 weeks of study each", over 7 grand in total (cheaper than regular uni indeed) From what I read ppl tend to do max. 2 modules/year what leads to 6 yrs to get a Bsc...a lot
I also read that doing 4 modules/year is possible (degree in 3 yrs) but you'd have to give up your social life and all of non-work related activities to study enough hard to pass it later on

Also, the degree achieved is Oscails which is recogniseable by DCU, not just the DCU grade with "done online" note


Few years elapsed since that time so there're surely some ppl out there who finished it and could say was it really worth and how far employers treat is fairly (yes, couldn't skip the paragraph mentioning opinion about "micky mouse" piece of paper but the opinions seem to be old and there's probably better awareness of e-Degrees currently)

I've no doubts e-study have a great future but for now im just a bit confused..

BuffyBot

the only one in Ireland is Oscail, the second one is off for me as it seems you'd have to travel for assignments anyway

Oscail is based in Ireland, the Open University is based in the UK - however, you can take OU courses in Ireland. Most of the teaching is done via home study/the web and assignments are submitted via post/online. Tutorials (if part of your course) are held in at least one place in Ireland, if not more.

Some courses have a residential school which requires attendence for a week or so in the UK, but they're being phased out so for the most part that shouldn't be an issue.

I also read that doing 4 modules/year is possible (degree in 3 yrs) but you'd have to give up your social life and all of non-work related activities to study enough hard to pass it later on

Pretty much so, if you're working full-time - but what would you expect. Doing a degree in 3 years is a full-time commitment. Adding to that a full-time job, you won't have much spare time, or cash. Getting a degree isn't to be underestimated. It will require a lot of time, and lot of commitment..especially if you want to have it done in 3 years.

Also, the degree achieved is Oscails which is recogniseable by DCU, not just the DCU grade with "done online" note

Oscail degrees are issued by the the participating universities, while the OU has the power to issue it's own degrees.

Few years elapsed since that time so there're surely some ppl out there who finished it and could say was it really worth and how far employers treat is fairly (yes, couldn't skip the paragraph mentioning opinion about "micky mouse" piece of paper but the opinions seem to be old and there's probably better awareness of e-Degrees currently

First thing to think is that they aren't "e-degrees". They are very real, and no different than what you get by going to university the regular route.

Both methods are from real universities which are pretty well recognised. Oscail, naturally, will have one of the awarding universities giving you your qualification, and as such you have (in the case of the IT qualification) the DCU name. The OU has built a pretty recognisable name out there too as it's been around for quite a long time, with a lot of employers recognising the sheer amount of work that's required to complete a degree in conjunction with "life".

RRoger

you're pretty much right in a case of duration - if it takes 3 yrs to get the Bsc full time, how come it would have taken 3 yrs of occasional, after-work studying

I dunno about the part time studies here - I happened to be a Pole and what I say is based on my personal experience with polish universities and the whole education system

So I was rather referring to the fact you can do the degree there in 3.5 yrs in either full or part-time course, which actually is every second weekend (10 hrs in Saturday and so on in Sunday)

I attended a year of telecomm. and not-the-whole 3 yrs of IT but dropped it (bad economy); naively thinking I may finish my study here from the year 3rd I found out there's no such way in my case and I have to start it from scratch what, not to be offensive, pi$$ed me off a little
SO, having to start from the 1st year anyway I am looking for something I could continue no matter where the life would throw me in the future - and here comes the distance course - I just have to be sure it's at least as good as regular uni (except lack of students' social life etc.) to waste no more time
after four yrs of uni in general and 2 yrs in IT I know what I know but employers here not necessarily do, that's why I'm interested in getting that piece of paper finally, otherwise nobody will treat me serious
sorry for moanings, just needed to get this off my chest :P

and thanks for your input, every little helps

BuffyBot

thanks for your input, every little helps

No problems. If you have any other questions, post them up. I'll try and answer, or someone else here might have an idea.