Do universities and employers discriminate against people with an online degree?

[ChilliDawg]

I guess I have a different spin on it than others. First of all, most of my credits were from Brick and Mortar colleges that I acquired throughout different periods of my life. I pulled them all together through TESU, so that I could complete the degree. Who says I did it all online? Who says it is an online degree? Here are a few points :

1) Most colleges throughout that nation now have online courses, if not complete degree programs online. Neither their transcripts nor their diplomas distinguish if you went to class and sat in a seat, or whether you did the coursework online.

2) Most teachers that I know require continuing education to keep up their teaching certs. My sister in law went to traditional school for her Bachelor. After 10 years of teaching, she required her Master's. She did it all online through a big school. If public schools are accepting online for their teachers to maintain certs and promotions, it should be good enough for everyone else.

3) My wife is an Administrator of a large college. Brick and Mortar college with NO online offerings. Many of their employees are working on their Master's and are taking them from other colleges. All online. If a major college accepts online for their own employees, well.........

4) We are in a wired age. The internet and alternative education is WAY more accepted than it used to be. It is only going to grow in popularity. The college that my wife works for is in a panic because they do not have an online program yet. Students and parents are starting to DEMAND online offerings. Anymore, if a college can't keep up with online schools, they are bound to fail.

5) Community Colleges and Online classes have been heavily promoted by many Philanthropists and even the previous President as a way to increase STEM training, build our country's pool of educated workers, while simultaneously decreasing student loan debt. Sorry for those who don't see it this way, but OUR method is becoming more fashionable and also prudent. Expect more to follow our lead.

I work in software development, and most everyone I work with is college educated. I would say that a large portion of the younger crowd with degrees have had experience with online schooling at some level. As time passes, and younger managers take over, online schooling will be more and more prevalent and accepted. Sure, there may still be some older, more traditional managers out there, that may look down at an online education, but you will see less and less of that with time.

FORGE AHEAD! You are doing the right thing.