How Do Managers Rate On-line Universities?

pstreck asks: "I've been going to a traditional university part-time for a couple of years now and am finding the pace slow, and classes to be at inconvenient times. So I have been considering transferring to one of the on-line universities like ACCIS or the University of Phoenix. How do you managers look upon a degree from one of these universities?"

Comments

Re:you dont have to spend much time on HW or in cl

[dagnabit]

Very interesting comments. I just started at UoP -- my 2nd class started last night. I have been considering switching to the all-online version due to travel requirements for work, the slow pace of the classroom, etc.

One thing I'm [f|c]urious about is the Microsoft requirements/bias throughout the UoP classes and websites (have to use Powerpoint to do your presentations and interact with the SmartBoards, stuff distributed in .DOC format, etc.). For example, it appears to me that you *have* to use Outlook to participate in these online classes. Is that true -- some sort of custom Outlook plugin/extension? -- or will any mail/news reader work?

Re:A Degree is...

[bwalling]

Unless you are looking for a job that requires a Masters or Ph. D. most managers just appreciate the fact that you took the time to go to school. Having a degree demonstrates to them that you can be taught and are willing to learn. Most of the time, where it comes from isn't a critical factor.

I completely disagree. If I post a job on Monster for a programmer, I'll get 100 resumes in no time. University of Phoenix and community colleges are sorting to the bottom, unless there is some solid work experience to bring them back up. There are just too many other candidates with better credentials.

The other major factor is what you majored in. I'm not looking for only CS majors, but I'm looking for people who majored in something that will make you think. I want Mathematics, Physics, or an engineering degree.

I recognize that there are good programmers with Marketing degrees or degrees from UoP. I don't want to spend a lot of time in interviews, and selecting difficult majors from strong universities gives me a better chance of finding a solid applicant in fewer tries.

How I qualified ACCIS as my university of choice

[Gunfighter]

I am currently enrolled in the ACCIS BSCS program. I've been programming for years, but felt it would benefit me to take the next step and actually get the experience and, more importantly, the degree.

I did two years of undergrad at Virginia Tech back before the dot-com boom beckoned me into the Hells of the corporate world, so when it came time to decide whether or not ACCIS would be worth my while, I called the Virginia Tech Comp Sci department. One of the professors there was nice enough to speak with me. I asked him to look over the ACCIS BSCS curriculum for me and let me know if completion of that curriculum would be considered a good step towards entering the graduate studies at VT for a Comp Sci Masters Degree.

As soon as he emailed me back and "yes, it looks like a good curriculum and will more than satisfy the requirements for CS graduate studies at VT", I enrolled. I know you don't have to have a degree in any certain discipline to take graduate level courses, but he has a doctorate or two (including Comp Sci) and gave his stamp of approval. That's good enough for me.

Now if only I can actually get some time to do the work. It's hard with all of these website review requests coming in ;)