Advance Degrees by Distance Education from Japan
Talking about University Quality
What Kind of Degree?
The first question you should be asking yourself is what kind of degree you want. I'm not talking about fields, I'm talking about quality.
"University"?
Since there are no copyright laws regulating the term "university" anybody can use it. As a result, there are universities out there that happily award master's and doctorates based on credit earned solely via life-experience (and the size of your bank account).
Why GAAP?
Respectable Institutions
To ensure your degree is from a respectable institution, you'll probably want something from a university that falls under the GAAP or Generally Accepted Accreditation Principles. In the U.S. this would apply to a university accredited by one of six official regional agencies; in the U.K. a school that operates under the British Royal Charter; and in Australia, a university recognized by the Australian Qualifications Framework.
More Information
For more information on accreditation and how to find out if a school is accredited and whether the accrediting agency is legit, see the bibliography at the end of this article. *Disclaimer* There are good "non-accredited" universities, but personally, I wouldn't go near them.
University Shopping
Find what Fits you
Now it's time to start shopping, and shopping for a university is like shopping for anything. You want to look around and find what seems to be the best fit for you, what meets your needs, what you're going to feel comfortable showing off to other people.
Does it where I get it?
Something to consider is if you're planning to use this degree only in Japan, it probably doesn't matter where you earn it as most Japanese employers don't seem to care. However, if you plan on eventually using it to get a job in another country, you ought to find out what passes muster in that country before proceeding. Example: American degrees are more highly regarded in the U.S. than foreign degrees.
A Masters Degree from Japan
Standard Program
For the master's degree seeker, there are a plethora of distance learning degree programs offered by a multitude of international universities. Most will include a combination of course work and thesis writing, and probably take an average of three to four years of part-time study to complete.
The Good News
The good news is that there are plenty of programs that are true distance learning courses and can be completed without physically visiting the university, although visiting your professors at least once will personalize the experience for them and you and may make the process smoother.
Doctorate from Japan
More Things to Consider
For the doctorate seeker, there are more things to consider. First of all, American universities use a course work (typically 15-20 courses) + dissertation model, while universities in Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom use a research-oriented model. In the former, learners develop their dissertation topic as they proceed through their courses, and then begin writing. The latter model consists of a dissertation only (which is usually longer and more involved than in the U.S.) so learners need to know what they want to research, and even have a research plan in place, before they apply to the program. Either one will take anywhere from 3-6 years of part-time study.
Find a Doctoral Program
Secondly, I have yet to find a doctoral program that can be completed solely via distance learning. You should expect at least one and probably several residencies, up to several weeks in duration, during the course of the program. The good news is that most schools are extremely flexible when it comes to scheduling residencies, but be forewarned that you face a substantial commitment in time and money to complete them.
Written by Gary French
Degrees by Distance from Japan: More Sources
More Information, Discussion
Questions/comments? Go to the Advanced Degrees by Distance Forum
Links
Books
- Bear's Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning (ISBN 1-58008-202-5)
- College Degrees by Mail & Internet (ISBN 1-58008-217-3)
- Peterson's Guide to Distance Learning Programs (ISBN 0-7689-0555-9)
- Get Your Degree Online (ISBN 0-07-135713-0)
- Princeton Review's The Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools (ISBN 0-679-76930-7)
