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Online degree in target language.... | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Immersion, Schools & Certificates |  | |
| ZeroTX Groupie United States Joined 6145 days ago 91 posts - 100 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 1 of 20 27 February 2012 at 10:23pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Hi folks,
Has anyone ever done, or considered, working toward a university degree in another language via online/distance learning? I have wondered if I should consider earning another master's degree from a Latin American university, such as UNAM or perhaps a smaller private one. It would, of course, need to be priced right and applicable to my line of work (education), but what better way to FORCE myself to read and write in Spanish utilizing higher order thinking skills and developing vocabulary? Anyone pondered this? Another thought is moving to Mexico and earning a degree while there, but I don't imagine having that much free time, because if I go to Mexico, I'll have to work to pay the bills, and won't have time for classes. Thanks, Z 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| tibbles Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 5201 days ago 245 posts - 422 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Korean | Message 2 of 20 28 February 2012 at 9:19am | IP Logged | |||||
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Degrees earned exclusively through on-line / distance learning are not held in high repute. I would go for your second option and live in Mexico to benefit from 100% immersion. In fact, I have had my eyes on the 6-week Spanish language courses that are offered at UNAM. Excluding transportation, the cost of the UNAM course plus living in Mexico City for 6 weeks would set you back maybe USD $1000. The UNAM experience would provide you 90 hours of structured coursework in Spanish language along with some Mexican culture electives (also taught totally in Spanish). All the rest of your time would be spent living amongst the capitilanos and putting the language into practice. This is probably the most cost effective and intensive way of mastering Spanish for us here in the US, but it's not for the faint of heart.
As for earning your keep while there, maybe offer your services as an English tutor? 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| hrhenry Octoglot Senior Member United States languagehopper.blogs Joined 5140 days ago 1871 posts - 3642 votes Speaks: English*, SpanishC2, ItalianC2, Norwegian, Catalan, Galician, Turkish, Portuguese Studies: Polish, Indonesian, Ojibwe | Message 3 of 20 28 February 2012 at 9:29am | IP Logged | |||||
Look at it this way: If you're taking classes online, you'll still have to work to pay the bills, taking time away from studying. It's time management no matter how you look at it. If you can swing it, go there to study your degree. R. == 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| jimbo Tetraglot Senior Member Canada Joined 6304 days ago 469 posts - 642 votes Speaks: English*, Mandarin, Korean, French Studies: Japanese, Latin | Message 4 of 20 28 February 2012 at 2:32pm | IP Logged | |||||
I'm curious as to how long this will remain the case. For a first degree, I get it. Good to be on campus. For a second or third degree I think online learning / distance education would be a good way to learn something while keeping your day job and other family/personal commitments on track. Just need to find the right program. London has distance learning programs. Quebec does as well. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| blackdahlia Pro Member United States Joined 4739 days ago 64 posts - 66 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, French Personal Language Map | Message 5 of 20 28 February 2012 at 9:03pm | IP Logged | |||||
That's not entirely true. It depends on the institution offering the program. An online degree from a reputable brick and mortar school, say a state University is indistinguishable from the classroom degree. But if you go to something like University of Phoenix or Walden or those other for-profit schools, then yes, it's looked down upon. (no offense to anyone) 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| ZeroTX Groupie United States Joined 6145 days ago 91 posts - 100 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 6 of 20 28 February 2012 at 10:17pm | IP Logged | |||||
Digressing for a moment, but I find the topic interesting.... I disagree with the post that an online degree is not held in high repute. That's perhaps a thought of a person not quite "in the know." I would even disagree that Phoenix and Walden are problematic. I do have some issue with the fact that they are for-profit universities, but both are legitimately accredited and I know for a fact that the University of Phoenix is quite rigorous in terms of the work required to complete a degree. My mother completed her master's degree in computer science there, and it was substantial work, even for someone who has been a programmer/analyst for 25 years for major corporations including Oracle and Compaq. My wife is currently completing an "online" distance degree from a "brick and mortar" STATE university, and the curriculum and degree level of "prestige" should be no different than taking the program face-to-face at the same STATE university (government owned, non-profit, not a for-profit corp.). Even some very highly regarded universities such as Penn State, the University of Texas, etc, are now doing 100% online degrees. Are those not held in high repute? Back to my topic. So, given the above information, what is wrong with an online degree program from UNAM, the premiere and largest university in Mexico (which is in itself the largest Spanish speaking country in the world)? More input welcomed! 3 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| ZeroTX Groupie United States Joined 6145 days ago 91 posts - 100 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 7 of 20 28 February 2012 at 11:20pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Some of the distance programs offered by UNAM can be reviewed here:
http://distancia.cuaed.unam.mx/ Although, I hope that a distance program (should I go that route) requires visits to D.F. I love Mexico City.......... 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| tibbles Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 5201 days ago 245 posts - 422 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Korean | Message 8 of 20 29 February 2012 at 7:38am | IP Logged | |||||
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Sorry, but the University of Phoenix is most definitely of very low repute. In fact, they are total crap. Anyone who touts the fact that Univ of Phoenix is accredited is most definitely "not in the know." They are accredited only because of a loophole. They bought a near defunct university and "inherited" its accreditation. That's plain dishonest, and the accrediting agencies are looking to close these loopholes. No way would Univ. of Phoenix win real accreditation, fair and square. Then look at their recruiting tactics and boilerroom operations. Then look at how their graduates can't get jobs with the so-called degrees that they have earned. Even the US Senate has been investigating this. And they've been the subject of 60 Minutes stories -- never a good thing. These are reasons enough to run away and run away fast from the for-profit universities. The Huffington Post has published a series of scathing, in depth investigations on for-profit universities.
Degrees by distance learning still have a long way to go. That's what today's marketplace says, especially in my line of work - engineering and physics. There is no way to complete degrees in these types of disciplines 100% on-line due to the labs, design, implementation, and other hands-on coursework. And the same holds true for many other majors and subject areas outside of my field. Anyone holding up their on-line degree as equivalent to one acquired through traditional means is fooling themselves. Sorry, but that is the market reality. Edited by tibbles on 29 February 2012 at 7:51am 1 person has voted this message useful |
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