Replies: 21

Wes Bucey, Quality Manager Posts: 1,315 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Nov 29, 2004 3:04 PM   Reply In what regard? Whether it qualifies as part of experience credits if your degree comes from one of those schools versus brick and mortar? I don't recall ever being asked to produce my diploma - has anyone else been required to produce a diploma or transcript for anything allied with ASQ?-Wes Bucey, Quality Manager

James Rooney Posts: 142 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Nov 30, 2004 6:09 AM   Reply My employer requires transcripts directly from the college or university. You can start work but your hiring is not final until the transcripts arrive. I have been asked by customers to provide copies of ASQ certification certificates on a regular basis. Only once have I been asked to produce a copy of a diploma. That was for a foreign oil company.

Richard Ickler Posts: 622 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Nov 30, 2004 1:11 PM   Reply A similar school in Wyoming was recently profiled in "60 Minutes". The only difference between schools is that the school profiled claimed accreditation with an agency that was fictitious. Kennedy-Western doesn't claim any accreditations. They are just licensed by the State of Wyoming to operate as a school. That doesn't give any warm fuzzies about it being anything but a diploma mill. On-line education has an important place and is not necessarily less valuable than sitting in a classroom. However, if it is not from an accredited school be prepared for employers to refuse to recognize it or help with education subsidies. Richard Ickler

Allen McKinney Posts: 78 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Dec 2, 2004 9:31 AM   Reply Please, please stay away from Kennedy-Western, I have searched high and low for on-line schools since i'm woeking in a remote area. Kennedy_western is considered a diploma mill and using their degree in Oregon is illegal. They have been investigated by the Federal Govt. They are misleading and use a high pressure sells pitch on you. Check out http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.html for more information. If you're looking for a degree in Quality from a title 4 school look at Georgia Tech, also for an MBA look at Devry, Keller or Gratham University their good schools and accredited. Again the cost is enormous about 325.00 an credit hour. My on-line degree will cost me about 14,000.00 when it's all done. Hope this helps.

Allen McKinney Posts: 78 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Dec 2, 2004 9:33 AM   Reply Please, forgive my misspelling of woeking..I meant working.

francis greco Re: On-line degrees Posted: Oct 8, 2005 6:20 AM   Reply do you have a number for gratham u?

Wes Bucey, Quality Manager Posts: 1,315 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Oct 8, 2005 6:48 AM   Reply > do you have a number for gratham u? @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ I'm pretty sure he meant this school http://www.grantham.edu/ and merely left out the "n" as a typo -Wes Bucey, Quality Manager

bigred Re: On-line degrees Posted: Jan 26, 2006 8:15 AM   Reply Eastern Michigan University offers a Master of Science in Quality online, as well as an MS in Engineering Management. EMU is another good traditional school offering what looks to be decent online programs. http://www.ce.emich.edu/quality/index.html If you are looking for good online schools, check out your local (or not so local) state schools/public colleges that offer both methods of course delivery. These places aren't going to risk losing their reputations by offering subpar courses online.

Shailesh Thakkar Posts: 22 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Dec 7, 2004 7:19 PM   Reply Please refer to following web-site: http://www.geteducated.com It offers a downloadable pdf file with accredited schools and courses in US. If you could not find, please let me know and I would happy to send the file. I also have a file (do have to find though) which has a nice case study on how to spot phony, diploma mill type of schools! I agree that Kennedy-Western is useless!

Richard Ickler Posts: 622 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Dec 8, 2004 5:04 PM   Reply I think it is interesting that a regular contributor to Quality Progress, lists a degree from Pacific Western University which is not accredited by any agency (as prominently stated in their web site) and is considered a diploma mill by the state of Oregon. I doubt if many people ever bother to notice where you got your degree unless you give them reason to wonder. The only real problem with diploma mill degrees is that it is illegal to use one for a job which legally requires a degree and people do get fired for listing them on their resume when someone checks. Richard Ickler Message was edited by: Richard Ickler

Wes Bucey, Quality Manager Posts: 1,315 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Dec 8, 2004 5:43 PM   Reply Darn! I was just starting to work out the graphics for my own diploma mill. I love the wording of some of the SPAM I receive for these diploma mills - "prestigious, non-accredited university . . ."-Wes Bucey, (who now has dashed hopes of a career as a purveyor of bogus degrees.)

William Pflanz Posts: 1,405 Re: On-line degrees - Did we answer the question? Posted: Dec 9, 2004 7:44 AM   Reply Brandi, We have not heard from you since your posting. Have we answered your question? Bill Pflanz

Robert Gardner Posts: 8 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Jan 24, 2005 4:35 PM   Reply In search of online degree programs in the Quality field? There is the Bachelor's & Masters in Quality assurance offered by California State University at Dominguez Hills. The online Master of Science in Quality Assurance (MSQA) degree program is designed to prepare professionals in quality, engineering, science, management, health care, government and service industries for career advancement. The benefit there is no out of state tuition difference, and they offer two degree tracks for the Masters Program. One is for Service Industry Related Quality (Customer Satisfaction Continuous Improvement etc.)& (Manufacturing Track). Please note that for all those that might interested in the Manufacturing track, there is a prerequisite of two semesters of college level calculus in order to be admitted into this program. Rob http://www.csudh.edu/bsqa/

Shailesh Thakkar Posts: 22 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Jan 27, 2005 7:31 AM   Reply Rob, Thanks a lot. It's really impressive. Shailesh

bigred Re: On-line degrees Posted: Jan 25, 2006 3:55 PM   Reply I think online school is a great option, especially for quality professionals who may travel frequently for audits, etc. Many reputable schools have online programs - even Columbia! I completed the MSQA at CSUDH, which required 33 credits of coursework and a published thesis. It is a "real" school that just happens to offer classes online as well. They have admission criteria, and stick to it - don't bother applying to the MS program unless you already have a BS from an accredited university and at least a 2.8 GPA (recently lowered from a 3.0 requirement). A few of my classmates ended up with a certificate in quality because they were not formally accepted into the program (low undergrad GPA or foreign/non-accredited BS). The best way to tell if a school is "good" is by actually spending a few bucks to check it out. If you are willing to spend two years and $10-15,000 or more on a degree, spend a weekend and few hundred dollars to make sure you aren't getting ripped off. I have seen a lot of people who call themselves experts that have degrees from Pacific Western University - a classic diploma mill. I have also noticed (to my horror) that Kennedy-Western advertises in QP. You are doing the right thing - find out all you can in advance - it could save your reputation later!

Barry Sunshine Re: On-line degrees Posted: Jan 29, 2006 11:08 AM   Reply Are there any Ph.D. programs in Quality on-line?

Michelle Merwin Posts: 9 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Jan 31, 2006 3:56 PM   Reply Colorado State offers a PhD in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research via distance education. This is likely the most rigorous quality related program..

Graeme Payne Posts: 23 Re: On-line degrees Posted: Feb 3, 2006 7:19 AM   Reply > How does ASQ and other quality circles feel about the > on-line degrees that are being offered? (Such as > Kennedy-Western) A number of excellent schools have already been suggested, some of which I have looked at myself. I would also like to emphasize that an extremely important selection criteria is accreditation of the school by a valid national or regional academic accreditation body. A seachable database of accreditation bodies and accredited colleges/universities is on the US Department of Education web site (http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/). Accreditation of an academic organization is important because if the degree is a requirement of the position many organizations - companies and governments - will only accept a degree from an accredited institution as a valid credential. Another distance learning program to consider is offered by Southern Polytechnic State University near Atlanta (http://eu.spsu.edu/distance/). SPSU has a very good MSQA program that is offered both online and on campus. (http://www.msqa.edu/) Of course, one of the oldest distance learning programs in the country is University of Maryland's University College - I don't know exactly how long they have been online, but I do know they have been operating degree programs by correspondence and on-location classes at US military bases around the world since the 1950's. Their online program is at http://www.umuc.edu/distance/ Graeme Payne Chair, Measurement Quality Division

Craig Hollingsworth Re: On-line degrees Posted: Mar 21, 2006 12:36 PM   Reply I graduated from the MSQA program at SPSU a few years ago. It was a very good experience, although trying at times. I have confrimed that I learn math best in a classroom setting, though. The best thing about their program, other than being fairly comprehensive, is that most of it is done whenever and wherever you want. The down side, if there is one, is that you have to make yourself do the work. On top of that some of the classes involve group work, so you don't want to let others down, even if it is likely you will never meet them face to face. How good is the program. Well, a couple of months after graduation I sat for the Certified Quality Manager with no "extra" studying. Finished with 1/2 hour to spare, and passed on the first try. If anyone has any questions I can help you with about MSQA at SPSU, send me an email.

Dwayne Re: On-line degrees Posted: Nov 6, 2009 8:39 PM   Reply Thank you for your respond on SPSU. i an interested in there MSQA program but would like to get some feedback from Alumni of this program. Anyone that completed this Master program please give me your feedback on the program. Thank you

Bob Re: On-line degrees Posted: May 20, 2006 6:01 PM   Reply I'm so glad to hear some positive information about SPSU. I will be applying there shortly. It sound like a very promising challenge with rewards afterwards.