Degree For Less than the Cost of Student Reg Fee!

marti8

Hi, just wanted to let folks know that for less than the price of the student regisitration fee charged here in Ireland you can do a recognised degree by distance learning with the University of Portsmouth. The degree (Bsc Crime & Criminology) costs about £700 a year - nothing else to pay. Course takes 4.5 years. Assesment is by way of essays you submit, no exams. And at the end of the 4plus years you have your degree (it doesn't say distance on your degree certificate) Cheapest degree by distance available anywhere in Ireland ot the UK and from a recognised university.

I'm doing it and am VERY glad I found it, just wanted to share the info with others as they don't seem to advertise and it took me forever and a day to find them. And in these times good value for money is what it's all about.

Here's the link: http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/icjs/distancelearningugprogs/

They post all your course material over to you from England, never any problems, it's without doubt the best deal you can find and an interesting course to boot!

Tom Dunne

I would seriously question the quality of this degree and how highly it would be regarded.

No exams and purely by distance education?

Tawny

Tom Dunne wrote: »

I would seriously question the quality of this degree and how highly it would be regarded.

No exams and purely by distance education?

I don't know about this degree but lots of degrees can be done distance learning, and lots of degrees do not hold exam instead have continuous assessment. Some such degrees offer a level of professionalism and expertise unavailable in Ireland.

Tom Dunne

Tawny wrote: »

I don't know about this degree but lots of degrees can be done distance learning, and lots of degrees do not hold exam instead have continuous assessment. Some such degrees offer a level of professionalism and expertise unavailable in Ireland.

I did my own degree by distance education.

However, we had both continuous assessment, mandatory attendance and end of year exams.

How exactly does the college/university actually prove the work is that of the student?

Tawny

Tom Dunne wrote: »

How exactly does the college/university actually prove the work is that of the student?

I don't know actually. I did my course through DL so a little sensitive on the matter, (from a UK / Ireland leading institute in the field) but I suppose I could have paid someone to do the work for me. We had very strict bibliography and plagerism guidelines, but I didn't provide any proof I did the work other than a signed statement.

I should have paid someone to do it for me

On topic, University of Portsmouth is fairly well rated so I would assume it is all legit.

Tom Dunne

Tawny wrote: »

I don't know actually. I did my course through DL so a little sensitive on the matter, (from a UK / Ireland leading institute in the field) but I suppose I could have paid someone to do the work for me. We had very strict bibliography and plagerism guidelines, but I didn't provide any proof I did the work other than a signed statement.

I have lectured in a number of third level colleges in Ireland, and all of them had strict enough bibliography/plagiarism guidelines too. To be honest, I've seen enough twits try and fool me in a lecture theatre, face-to-face when handing in assignments, it doesn't take much of an imagination to think what people would try if they never had to present themselves to a college/university.

Tawny wrote: »

On topic, University of Portsmouth is fairly well rated so I would assume it is all legit.

I am not questioning the legitimacy of the university, but what I am alluding to is what would and employer think?

"So, you went to University of Portsmouth? How did you find living there?"

"Um, well, I never actually set foot in the place, it was all done over the internet."

"Oh, really?"

Doesn't look good, I am sure you will agree.

marti8

Tom Dunne wrote: »

I have lectured in a number of third level colleges in Ireland, and all of them had strict enough bibliography/plagiarism guidelines too. To be honest, I've seen enough twits try and fool me in a lecture theatre, face-to-face when handing in assignments, it doesn't take much of an imagination to think what people would try if they never had to present themselves to a college/university.



I am not questioning the legitimacy of the university, but what I am alluding to is what would and employer think?

"So, you went to University of Portsmouth? How did you find living there?"

"Um, well, I never actually set foot in the place, it was all done over the internet."

"Oh, really?"

Doesn't look good, I am sure you will agree.

Well, actually I think that kind of thinking is somewhat backwards looking, these days especially with the internet someone doesn't actually have to physically present in one location to do a degree course.....also to assume that a degree by distance is in some manner less than a degree by attendence clearly illustrates a lack of understanding of distance learning and perhaps even suggests a "holier than thou" attitude......:rolleyes: Would an employer view a degree by distance as being less in stature compared to a more "traditional" degree, who knows, some may but the more openminded and progressive probably wouldn't. There are many, many people in rewarding careers who have obtained their degree by distance.

Perhaps if Irish 3rd level institutions offered degree courses for such a price Irish peple wouldn't need to do degree courses by distance through UK institutions but then this is rip-off Ireland.......

Anyway, I am happy with the choice I made.....Distance learning offers me flexibility and that's what I like ....:)

Tom Dunne

marti8 wrote: »

Well, actually I think that kind of thinking is somewhat backwards looking, these days especially with the internet someone doesn't actually have to physically present in one location to do a degree course.....also to assume that a degree by distance is in some manner less than a degree by attendence clearly illustrates a lack of understanding of distance learning and perhaps even suggests a "holier than thou" attitude......:rolleyes:

Think about it. If you were an employer, had two candidates, both with the same degree, except one attended a college/university, one did it over the internet, which would you hire first?

marti8 wrote: »

There are many, many people in rewarding careers who have obtained their degree by distance.

Do you have any figures/links to back that up, or is a personal opinion? Just curious, as I did my own degree by distance learning too.

marti8 wrote: »

Perhaps if Irish 3rd level institutions offered degree courses for such a price Irish peple wouldn't need to do degree courses by distance through UK institutions but then this is rip-off Ireland.......

A lot of Irish third level institutions are providing distance learning course, I have first hand experience delivering a module on one such course.

However, the particular one I was a tutor/lecturer on, still required actual attendance in the college. And this is my point - how highly can you regard a course where you cannot conclusively prove that a person actually did the work?

paperclip2

They are some well developed and well recognised courses in DL from the UK.

E.G University of London which afaik is comprised of a number of constitutent colleges like Royal Holloway offer very good DL degrees: http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/

Exams are a feature but I had a student in prison who could not attend the exam centre and they were very accomodating as regards arranging an alternative venue. Validation of his course work was provided by a tutor in the prison who was a member of a professional body for third level lecturers, the name escapes me at the moment.


They are pricey though.

marti8

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Think about it. If you were an employer, had two candidates, both with the same degree, except one attended a college/university, one did it over the internet, which would you hire first?



Do you have any figures/links to back that up, or is a personal opinion? Just curious, as I did my own degree by distance learning too.



A lot of Irish third level institutions are providing distance learning course, I have first hand experience delivering a module on one such course.

However, the particular one I was a tutor/lecturer on, still required actual attendance in the college. And this is my point - how highly can you regard a course where you cannot conclusively prove that a person actually did the work?

Well, you seem to have answered your own question, if you did do your degree by distance then obviously your employer hired you, I pressume there was more than one applicant for the job and I pressume that some if not most of those other applicants got their degree the more traditional way (unless DL has become hugely popular in Ireland recently and it has not as most people still prefer the more traditional route) Yet, you still got the job...hmmmm

And yes it is a personal opinion that there are many folks with DL degrees who are in rewarding careers (or maybe you don't consider your career rewarding?) And no, I have not gone searching about for facts and figures, I could but to be honest couldn't be bothered. And I assume that when you say an employer would choose a job applicant who had gotten a degree by traditional means over one who had gotten a degree by DL that this is also your personal opinion? Or do you have the facts and figures to back that up?

As for coursework, a student can cheat on assignments whether the course is by the traditional route or DL. Although granted, they would find it harder to cheat in the actual exams where they have to be physically present (yet cheating can still happen even there) But not all DL courses, even some offered by the Open University (according to the OU), require final exams.

I heard a few years back from some friends in eastern Europe that they could attend uni and if they paid their tutors they would get excellent results, now are you suggesting that because there is the potential for abuse that any and all degrees from any and all eastern European States are basicaly null and void? If you do go along with that then I think you are very much in the minority. Yet, that is seemingly what you are suggesting about DL continuous assesment degrees.

Oh well, as I said already this is a great course at a great price (a price NOT offered by any Irish institution I hasten to add.....it's odd isn't it that a UK institution can offer a degree at a fair price yet an Irish one couldn't.......) :rolleyes:

Tom Dunne

marti8 wrote: »

Well, you seem to have answered your own question, if you did do your degree by distance then obviously your employer hired you, I pressume there was more than one applicant for the job and I pressume that some if not most of those other applicants got their degree the more traditional way (unless DL has become hugely popular in Ireland recently and it has not as most people still prefer the more traditional route) Yet, you still got the job...hmmmm

Did I mention I also have a Masters? Done in the old fashioned way.

You are still missing my point. I am not slating distance education degrees, I am questioning the standard of a full degree, with no exams and no attendance requirement. As opposed to a distance education degree with exams at the end and with attendance requirements.

marti8 wrote: »

And I assume that when you say an employer would choose a job applicant who had gotten a degree by traditional means over one who had gotten a degree by DL that this is also your personal opinion? Or do you have the facts and figures to back that up?

I said nothing of the sort. What I did say was:

Tom Dunne wrote:

If you were an employer, had two candidates, both with the same degree, except one attended a college/university, one did it over the internet, which would you hire first?

marti8 wrote: »

Oh well, as I said already this is a great course at a great price (a price NOT offered by any Irish institution I hasten to add.....it's odd isn't it that a UK institution can offer a degree at a fair price yet an Irish one couldn't.......) :rolleyes:

It is that price for a reason. Even the OU degrees you reference above are much more expensive. I wonder why that is?

kermitpwee

In a lot of universities you can get through the course without ever been seen until exam time and there are no attendance checks. Assignments go into a box etc.

As for exams- nuig doesn't have any exams in the pgde this year.

bnt

There are other universities that offer distance learning and have a good reputation. For example, a friend of mine got an MBA from Heriot-Watt (hw.ac.uk) while living and working in South Africa. He had to go over to Edinburgh once a year for a couple of weeks.