Distance Learning

[Chris843]

What is a good website where I can search for online schools that offer ABET accredited programs? I know that the ABET website list all the colleges, but I would like to find a website (unless I missed it on the ABET website) where it list those to save me some time narrowing them down. If not, any good websites that I can go to for research on colleges that offer above par programs in Mechanical Engineering /or MET?

 

[ctopher]

Check here: thread731-272336

Chris
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[YoungTurk]

I suggest searching for accredited schools which offer online programs as opposed to online schools which are accredited. Steer away from online only schools; they may be taken less seriously and are less likely to be accredited. An un-accredited engineering degree is not worth much.

There are tons of top ten lists for every engineering discipline, you might start there. I'm assuming you're looking for bachelors programs. Brief web searching looks to me like there aren't very many bachelors programs available online.

As an online masters student, I'm curious why you want/need to get an online bachelors. In my experience, the online programs are MORE difficult than there campus counterparts and also costlier. They're typically set up with working professionals in mind which is why there are more Masters level programs available.

 

[jpankask]

Just FYI, you will find very few schools that will offer a BS entirely online. If you are looking for a MS program, there are many good schools that offer that online, however schools typically only accredit their BS programs. ABET only allows accrediting of one program and schools usually choose to accredit the BS program because it is larger.

Just do a Google search and you will find many options. All of the programs will be different, some will favor more the area you want to focus in. Find a program you like and then check out whether ABET has accredited the program or, in the case of a MS program, see if ABET has accredited the BS program which is usually taught by the same instructors.

 

[zdas04]

My son was looking at the University of North Dakota because their Distance program seemed very well adapted to "distance". He could do all the classroom work online, then they were set up for an intense 2 weeks in the summer to do labs on campus for both the fall and spring semesters at one time. A program like that seems to be the best of both worlds. I'm sure there are other schools that have similar programs. I'd look for them.

David

 

[Chris843]

Thanks for the responses so far. Let me tell you more of my intentions. I'm just a little blocked on where to start.

First, I've been doing mechanical design work for about 5 years now. I'm not looking go back to college to make more money (although it helps!) It's more of a goal for me to obtain a little more respect in this field of work. Not to mention it will greatly help my career in the first place.

I would rather take as much college locally to save money on tuition as possible. I looked at that UND program and about fell out of my chair. But I face several obstacles that make it harder for me. 1) There are no colleges in the Charleston,SC area that offer ME programs, so I have to figure where I go and how many credits I could transfer. 2) I may move anyway out of this area in a couple of years but may be in the same situation. 3) I work a demanding day job which makes it harder to focus on my day schedule.

So I really don't know where to start. When I try to search online for this stuff all I get are these websites that look shady for spyware and websites where colleges obvious paid to put their school on top. I would like a good legit non biased website that I can really do some research on. Maybe my best start is in a bookstore.

 

[ctopher]

Are there 'any' colleges in your area, maybe JCs?
If there is any of them, you can go and talk to a counselor. They may have info to start with.

Chris
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[BrunoPuntzJones]

You're in Charleston, SC? Isn't that where Clemson is? I know they have a ME department...

 

[Chris843]

Clemson is far from me. About 3 hours or so. We have MUSC (medical), College of Charleston (liberal arts), Charleston Southern (religous private college) and the Citadel (Civil and Electrical Eng) My options for local are very limited.

So I do have the option to take the MET program here at a tech college and get my bachelor's through another college's distance learning program. ODU whas one I looked at. I don't know much about the program though. And I'm not sure how recognized a BSMET will be especially since I like to design.

 

[frv]

USC has a great distance learning masters.. I've only checked it out for structural, but it's worth looking into.

 

[plasgears]

I support distant learning, because I benefitted from it after working the field for several years [grad ME].

On the occasion of buying my first house, I studied Landscape Design by correspondence course, as they called it at the time. The final lessons were on running your own LD business. Made some nice seasonal money on the side without affecting my day job. Mech eng worked hand in glove with the hardscaping end of it [decks, walks, steps, overshades, gazebos, etc.

I once had a run of doctors in an upscale area. I grossed several thou that season. All the plans were 11x17 with typed titles applied, very nice looking. Zerox copies were the norm, and I colorized the customer copies for wow effect.

If you are mech eng, study EE on the side. Nothing like an ME/EE combo. There are other nice multi-disciplines, like ME/Bio, etc.

 

[photoengineer]

Stanford University offers an excellent distance education program....if you can afford it and work for an employer that holds membership in the SCPD.

Personally, if you are going to put the time into a graduate degree program, I'd do Stanford if you can swing it.

All distance programs will be expensive and are designed for people whose employers pay for the classes. They are all roughly $2000 to $3500 per class and usually need 10 semester courses or 14 quarter classes. Total cost is normally $30,000 to $60,000.

Cedar Bluff Engineering

http://cedarbluffengineering.webs.com

 

[Chris843]

I graduated in 2003 with only an AAS in Engineering Technology. So, most likely I will have to start from scratch again to get my undergraduate degree. It seems like graduate degrees are a dime a dozen. But I'm currently looking into get my bachelor's. But I'm in a city where all the colleges do not offer undergraduate programs in ME or MET.

My best bet is to do a 2+2 here at the tech/community and transfer to a university to finish. The closest one is University of South Carolina (hour and a half away). With me working, it would be impossible to go full time to attend all the required classes. Hopefully I can schedule labs that can correspond with my work schedule. But if not that's why I need to find a college that I can finish through a distance learning program.