Which brick and mortar school has the best online degree?

Question

Which school has the best online degree program? I'm only talking about schools associated with well known "Brick and Mortar" institutions like Harvard, Yale and so on. Please dont tell me about how great or meaningless a degree from capella, uni of phoenix, etc.. is because thats not what I'm asking.

The best and most respected graduate school I'm pretty sure is Harvard but does that mean a degree from their "Harvard extension school" is best and most respected online degree?

Some other places with extension schools that offer online degrees that come to mind are:
Northeastern University
MIT
University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
University of Denver
University of Maryland
Duke University
Drexel
Carnegie Mellon
Penn State
Ball State
U Nebraska - Lincoln
Babson
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
University of Illinois
Penn State
Colorado State U
etc...

Best school for business?

RoaringMice, thanks for the list. I added a few schools to it.

Thanks I'll have to look into Babson, Duke, and Thunderbird, any others?

Also why did Harvard extension have a bad rep, I've always associated anything with Harvard to be top notch.

Thanks. great info. Also I have been trying out Empire State College just for a b.s. degree. They arnt associated with a brick and mortar school but are part of the well known SUNY school system and from are respected atleast here in upstate NY. What do you think? is it worth going there for a undergrad degree?

Answer 1

Hey! That's my list! :LOL: (ETA: I'm glad I could help. Take the list and share it with friends!)

It depends on what you want to major in. If you want to major in computer science or any sort of IT/computer engineering type of field, then I'd have you look at Carnegie Mellon and RPI as the best. MIT might also be good, but the CM and RPI distance learning programs are far more established. If you wanted business, I'd recommend Babson or Duke or Thunderbird. Art, I'd recommend SCAD.

So what are your interests?

And I actually have mixed feelings about Harvard Extension. It's rep in the past was *not* a good one, at least in New England. I've heard that it has made vast improvements since, but I don't yet have enough proof of that to be able to say that yes, I recommend it. ETA: I think their rep is because, employers viewed their classes to not be at the same academic level as the rest of Harvard. In addition, you get a bachelor in liberal arts, rather than having a focus in a subject area, and some employers frown on that. They consider that sort of degree - rightly or wrongly - to be an easy way for adults to get a degree.

ETA: Business, then, at the undergraduate level (Thunderbird is only MBA.) I'd have you look at the following good schools with good business programs, and good reps for their online programs:

- Babson
- Penn State
- Kent State, if you're in the midwest
- U Delaware
- U Florida
- U Maryland
- UMass Amherst
- Rochester Institute of Tech
- Rensselaer Polytechnic

Interestingly, although I might not normally recc RIT and RPI to a business major, I do for their online programs. These are solid schools, respected business programs, and because for these schools their emphasis is on tech, their online programs tend to be quite strong and well supported.

I've also heard that Rutgers recently started an online degree program, and it does offer business. I'd have you check their website.