Houston Business University

Are online degrees valued the same as conventional degrees by employers?

I'm interested in attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh online but will only do so if I'll have the same job opportunities as those who attend conventional schools. I'm very interested in hearing from people who've received a degree from an online college and their experiences.

Public Comments

1. Some employers don't really care what your degree is as long as you have a piece of paper. For those who are concerned about quality, usually online degrees are NOT valued as much, especially if the degree is from an "online school", rather than a conventional school with online programs.
2. It depends on the employer and the school. Generally speaking, I would avoid any non-accredited program. Private and public universities with reasonable reputations have online degrees which are indistinguishable from on-campus degrees. If you insist on an online degree, I would recommend one of those. If you're entering a position where your selling point is your degree, I would avoid the Phoenixes, Nationals, and Westwood Colleges of the world. For a graphic design or fine art program, the Art Institutes are generally ok, since they are accredited and have a reputation in certain areas, but as for the specifics of Pittsburgh, I cannot tell you for certain if it will be worth anything. A friend of mine went to AI in Los Angeles and wound up moving to Costa Rica for lack of being able to find a job. You would more than likely be better off attending Penn State Visual Arts and would probably save money in the process. Maybe you can check to see if they offer an online degree.
3. The Art Institute chain of schools is not particularly respected in the art field, so online or off, I'm not loving that degree for you. If you must do your degree online, and you want art, I want you to look at the Savannah College of Art and Design. They offer quite a few degrees online, and they have a much, much better rep than the AI chain does. The AI isn't cheap, either. If you're going to be spending money at that level, try for SCAD instead. ETA: to address one point brought up by the second poster - the AI chain of schools isn't regionally accredited, to my knowledge. Regional accreditation is the minimum standard you want in any school you look at. Without it, your degree may not be recognized by employers or by other schools.
4. The key is to make sure the college/university is accredited. I have three basic recommendations for everyone looking into online/distance education. They all have to do with exploring; after all, you have to defend your assets. 1. Make certain that you have triple checked their accreditation. First, they tell you what it is, then you go to that accrediting body’s website (not through the link provided by the school), and thirdly you would visit the department of education to see what they have to say. Do your diligent research into the institutions once you have narrowed down to a couple. You can look at the Better Business Bureau for more information on the college. 2. You must have extreme self motivation and be able to teach yourself per say. This means that you will not have someone telling you verbally, so it is up to you to get the information from the course room, text, and other resources. The best way to look at it is like a guided independent study course. 3. Review your goals, personal and professional. Make sure that the school that you are going to offers the programs that match your goals. Do not settle. There are many programs that are similar, but you have to make the ultimate decision. Do not let it be based on finances and length of program, but the fact that when you are finished or near finished you will be able to assume your proper place in the career field sought. You should market yourself and not the degree or university. There are many traditional universities offering degrees that can be earned through online methods. Distance Learning Alliance has a list of these traditional online schools. Look at that if you are truly concerned with the name of the school. Good luck on your search!