Ask Slashdot: How Is Online Engineering Coursework Viewed By Employers?

New submitter KA.7210 writes "I am an employed mechanical engineer, having worked with the same company since graduation from college 5 years ago. I am looking to increase my credentials by taking more engineering courses, potentially towards a certificate or a full master's degree. Going to school full time is not an option, and there is only one engineering school near me that offers a program that resembles what I wish to study, and also has the courses at night. Therefore, I have begun to look at online options, and it appears there are many legitimate, recognizable schools offering advanced courses in my area of interest. My question to Slashdot readers out there is: how do employers view degrees/advanced credentials obtained online, when compared to the more typical in-person education? Does anyone have specific experience with this situation? The eventual degree itself will have no indication that it was obtained online, but simple inference will show that it was not likely I maintained my employment on the east coast while attending school in-person on the west coast. I wish to invest my time wisely, and hope that some readers out there have experience with this issue!"

Comments

how do employers view frosty piss?

[Anonymous Coward]

Cause I've got a frosty one!

Re:Mod parent up.

[zidium]

As an employer at a startup, I value no degree and 5 years working on a personal project as a 10, a degree as a -2, a Masters as a -5, and a PhD as a -10... I won't hire PhDs, ever.

I grew up coding. I have initiative to teach myself, to grow myself, and to dev in my spare time. Because I *love* it.

If someone has the time and endurance to waste tens of thousands of dollars, precious time not being productive (either for free cuz they can't find a job (think open source something) or at a job) that they took the time to get a degree, that means they're probably trapped in academia's Ivory Towers, will demand far more money, and be that much less productive.

Just look at how many companies routinely toss Masters and PhD resumes in the trash. I've worked for 3 such, you read about it on the web all the time. And are you going to start with that stack of 300 college degreed resumes, or the 5 or 6 without a degree who don't lie about it and are self-motivated enough to become craftsmen by themselves?

Hmm... More and more companies are starting at the shorter pile first. That greatly increases non-degreed people's chances.