Where can I find information on online education degree programs?

[Egerton]

Hello! I completed my schooling four years back and after that I joined my father’s business, but now after four years I want to go back to school while I work simultaneously on my father’s business. I’m interested in education degrees. Does anyone know about any legit distance learning education programs through which I can complete my education?

[Abraham]

I suspect you’re asking about acquiring an education degree online. I know of a site providing distance education with a list of accredited colleges. The colleges all offer online distance learning, so it will be easy for you to do your studies as well as business simultaneously. See if they have programs that suit your needs. All the best!

[Adrir]

Originally Posted by Egerton

Hello! I completed my schooling four years back and after that I joined my father’s business, but now after four years I want to go back to school while I work simultaneously on my father’s business.

I’m interested in education degrees. Does anyone know about any legit distance learning education programs through which I can complete my education?

It would be alot easier to help if you provide us with more specific information!

What is your current educational background? Are you looking for a degree? A second degree? A postgraduate degree?

What is your topic of interest? Am I to assume by "education degree" you mean a course that involves teacher training? Am I to assume that you're interested in programming for games?

Depending on where you are, you could attend a part-time degree course. Personally, I think a traditional course would be more beneficial than an online course, although several online courses having been receiving more positive feedback recently. I believe "AsherCrestfalen" is a student at Devry Online you may wish to ask questions...

[Kodiak]

Egerton,

This topic actually interests me greatly as well, as I am in virtually the same boat you are. I hope you don't mind if I hop in and ask a few more questions to see what other members can generate. It may help the both of us!

My work can have me doing some pretty crazy hours with unexpected business trips being thrown into the mix on a frequent basis. I'm looking at taking some of the skills I've learned professionally (you can PM me if you want to know what these are specifically) and applying them to a domain that allows me to be creative and work with a team(s) of similarly motivated and creative people. Game design seems to hit the spot, and I've always been interested in the topic despite the demands of a busy professional life. I would like to acquire skills that will make me relevant and competitive on the design/creation side of the house prior to seeking employment in the game industry.

Besides, I've got tons of ideas and I'd love to eventually convince a bunch of folks to try to actually pull a couple of them off!

Unfortunately, although there are some very respectable resources nearby (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal) to accomplish this, there's no way in a million years that my work will let me persue these options in situ. As such, the online/distance learning approach seems best suited to my needs.

Unfortunately, after speaking to some of the recruiters at online schools at DARTT and the Arts Institute Online (Pittsburg) and a few other places over the past year, I haven't found a program that would let me both work and study (short of sleeping for less than 45 minutes per night for the next 2 years...) I'm looking for a program that I can pursue part time and potentially stretch out over 3 or more years. My work will help cover the expenses for some of these studies, and even help me complete any training after I've left the job, but I need to have some training initiated before I leave. Once I'm gone, I'm free to dedicate myself 100% towards completing the training/degree, or even start a new one.

There are 2 catches:

1. I have to start while I am still at work; and
2. The course must be run in Canada unless the training is absolutely impossible to get in Canada.

Are there any thoughts or recommendations? I'm currently learning what I can from the books I can find, fiddling on my own little projects, and have only shortly found this wonderful resource to further familiarize myself with the industry, the people that work in it, and those who aspire to. However, I get the feeling that these days an official recognition of skills in the form of a certificate or diploma can help significantly.

Egerton, I hope this helped flesh out your own query!

[Adrir]

Don't universities in Canada provide part-time courses?

[Kodiak]

Many do, but all I've been able to find are courses that don't appear to have any real bearing on game design. Those that come close don't really help, as they're about as advanced as 'intro to powerpoint' or 'intro to 3D modelling'. According to the course descriptions I've read, the topics covered don't even go as far as what I've been able to learn on my own within even the past month or so of concerted effort.

The courses that would help all come as part of full time programs.

I might just not be looking at the right place or institution, or I may not even be asking the right questions to find what I think I need, though.

[Adrir]

Originally Posted by Kodiak

The courses that would help all come as part of full time programs.

Don't the part-time and full-time courses cover the same classes? The only difference is that it takes longer to obtain the degree...at least that's how it works in the UK. I take classes with part-time students, but they tend to do fewer modules concurrently. So someone doing vanilla Computer Science will do the same classes as me overall, although they will only do a few at the same time as me.

[Kodiak]

That's what I understand as well. However, the part time courses I've checked out tend to have a relatively short time frame in which they have to be accomplished for the qualification/certification/diploma to be valid.

I've since gone back and started calling admissions offices over again to see if I've just misinterpreted what I had heard from them earlier. We'll see how it goes.

[Adrir]

Originally Posted by Kodiak

I've since gone back and started calling admissions offices over again to see if I've just misinterpreted what I had heard from them earlier. We'll see how it goes.

Let us know how it goes!