Holding a degree in mathematics is a huge asset in terms of career options and lifestyle choices. It is important, at an early stage, for the prospective student to not just to choose a suitable college, but to decide on an online math degree or an attended math degree course. This article explains some of the factors that could influence the decision.
Online Math Degree Costs Compared To Attended Math Degree
There are many cost advantages to doing an online math degree compared to an attended course. The student can usually live at home, and so does not need to pay for campus or local accommodation. Travel costs are also much lower, assuming that the student stays at home. The cost of the actual course varies from college to college, from year to year, and even from subject to subject, but in general it is cheaper to pay for an online math college degree than it is to pay for an attended math degree.
Online Math Degree Accreditation and Recognition
It is absolutely critical before selecting a mathematics degree college to ensure that the college is recognized and accredited. The accreditation system varies from country to country. In general, universities that have a physical presence and that provide attended courses as well as distance learning courses have better recognition. Examples of these are the Harvard Extension program in the USA and the Open University in the United Kingdom.
Online Math Degree Tuition
When a student selects a reputable college at which to take a math degree by distance learning, the course material is generally of a very high standard. The subject choices are the same too - trigonometry, complex analysis etc. Many colleges provide online lectures as well as high quality printed or CD / DVD notes, and these have the advantage that they may be watched again if necessary. This gives the student great flexibility in terms of choosing when to study, and the pace at which to progress. This could be said for other online degree subjects too.
The difference with mathematics is that the mathematics (and science or engineering) usually have a high number of lectures per week at attended colleges. This distinction is important: where difficult concepts are met for the first time, math and science students can ask for further explanation at an attended lecture, but cannot do so quite so easily with an online course. The use of online "student forums" can help to make up for this.
Online Math Degree - Other Considerations
Online math degree courses tend to be very flexible and are generally cheaper overall. Other points for the prospective student to consider are:
- A higher level of self-discipline is needed than for an attended course
- Some colleges (e.g. Open University in the United Kingdom) require higher scores to reach the same grades as other colleges
- The potential for cheating online means that the reputation of some online degrees is lessened
- Some of the more prestigious colleges do not offer online math degrees (e.g. MIT in the USA, Cambridge in the UK)
- There is usually a need for online students to attend formal examinations / tests in person
Online Math Degree Summary
Studying for a mathematics degree online is a cheaper and more flexible way than attending a college in person. There are some drawbacks, such as the choice of colleges, self-discipline needed, and the absence of instant feedback to questions. Overall, however, an online math degree is an excellent investment of time and money. This applies to math combined with other subjects such as computing. The Open University also provides a Mathematics degree.
Online Math Degree References
Some of the information in this article was taken from the Open University (UK) (www.open.ac.uk) and the Harvard University Extension School (www.extension.harvard.edu), USA.
This article does not promote or endorse any particular college, and provides these references only as corroboration for the information contained herein.
Martin Bell - Martin holds a B.Sc. degree in chemical engineering, and an M.Sc. degree in electronics and computing. He has spent more than 25 years ...
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