With the explosion of communications and technology innovations worldwide, more entry-level jobs requiring a combination of post-graduate education and experience ,and a tendency towards changing careers regularly, it isn’t surprising that distance learning is becoming more common.

More people are gathering online rather than in classrooms to obtain undergraduate degrees, Master’s degrees, certificates and diplomas.

But distance degrees are nothing new. In 1858, Queen Victoria created the University of London External Program, enabling students outside of London to access university education. In the 1970s, Nelson Mandela studied towards a University of London LLB while incarcerated on Robben Island.

Today, the University of London and a plethora of other universities offer degrees that can be completed online, with papers submitted by email, live discussion groups and exams written in partner universities. Students all over the world can obtain these degrees without leaving home, while raising their families and without quitting their job.

But is distance learning as good as a traditional degree?

I’ve been asking myself that question since I started studying toward an MSc in Sustainable Development through a University of London partner university – the School of Oriental and African Studies. I started in 2008 and have only one year left, after which I will have written a thesis and received my diploma without ever having visited SOAS or met my professors.

Looking back, many circumstances pushed me towards choosing this study path. I had recently graduated from McGill University and had a good job. I knew that in order to move up, I would eventually need a Master’s degree, but was unwilling to quit my job and go back to being a student. Not only did I love working, but I thought that work experience was just as important as extra education and couldn’t decide which to choose – so I did both.

Distance education is convenient, but lonely

At the end of my second year, I have learned a lot and have accumulated great work experience, but have also sacrificed both student interaction and some of my social life. In the evenings and on weekends, I have to study.

Luckily, I met another student doing the same degree from Montreal and we sometimes meet for coffee to study together – having even just one other person in the same boat as me makes the distance a lot more bearable.

There are some downsides to completing distance education…

Recent graduates thinking about distance learning have many things to consider. First of all, it seems to me that there are a lot of universities of doubtful legitimacy offering degrees of ambiguous value. It’s best not to spend your money and time on a scam degree and that requires research.

Secondly, even if the degree is legitimate, popular perception of its value varies. Potential employers have always seemed interested and engaged when I talked about my study course, but I haven’t graduated yet and I don’t know if it will enable me to compete effectively with applicants with traditional degrees.

…but there are also many benefits

• They are less expensive than normal degrees (particularly if your employer pays for part of your tuition, which happens very often)
• They are easily accessible whether you live in Canada, in Nigeria or in China and as such, offer interesting networking opportunities with like-minded professionals working all over the world
• My fellow students work for government agencies, embassies, NGOs, energy companies… are photographers, new mothers or doing internships abroad. This exposure has given me a new sense of what is possible in my own life.
• I think that a distance degree is likely a solid alternative to a traditional degree, depending on personal circumstances, and of course, the university. It is a new phenomenon and there is not yet enough research and discussion about its value, although this will no doubt be increasingly addressed.

What’s more, we are in a world of perpetual change and innovation and traditional degrees themselves are making great use of the Internet as both a study and communications tool. Maybe the two types of degrees will soon be much more similar – who knows what education will look like in 20 years!