On-Line Engineering Masters Programs - Reviews and Experiences

[Dleg]

I thought I would start a thread to collect information and opinions, about on-line Masters Degree programs for engineers. I know many of us have gone through these or are currently enrolled in one, and one of these days (?) it will become a requirement to get a PE license. I haven't seen much info out there about the quality of the programs, or what they are like. So this might be a good start.

I am currently attending an on-line M.S. program, and I will post my impressions below, but first I thought I would just set up a basic format for people to follow to tell us about their program. You don't have to, but it might make your advice easier to digest for others who are looking for a program to attend.

Please cut, paste, and answer the following questions:

Name of Institution:

Name of Degree Program (e.g., M.E. in Environmental Engineering) and area of specialization, if appropriate:

Website of degree program:

Years attended:

Indicate if you graduated, dropped out, or are still attending:

Is the Program Fully On-line or part time?:

Is a Thesis or Capstone Project Required?

Number of Courses/credits required to graduate:

Cost per course or per credit:

What format are the courses delivered in? (live lectures, recorded lectures, assignments with no lectures, etc.). Provide a brief opinion as to how effective you think the on-line learning environment was:

About how many hours of work per course is required to get through the courses?:

Name the: easiest, toughest, and best courses you took:

Were the professors from the full-time school faculty, or part-time adjunct professors? In general how did you feel about the quality of the professors?

Describe briefly your opinion of the quantity/selection of courses available to take (include comments on the availability of courses):

Describe briefly your opinion of the real-world applicability or usefulness of the courses you took:

Would you recommend this program to other engineers in your field? Or any specific subset or profession?

Provide any additional comments or advice for anyone considering whether or not to attend this program:

 

[Dleg]

Name of Institution: Johns Hopkins University

Name of Degree Program (e.g., M.E. in Environmental Engineering) and area of specialization, if appropriate:

M.S. in Environmental Engineering and Science

Website of degree program: http://ep.jhu.edu/prospective-students/programs-offered

Years attended: 2012 - present

Indicate if you graduated, dropped out, or are still attending: still attending (7 courses so far)

Is the Program Fully On-line or part time?: fully on-line, but some courses are not available on-line (most seem to be on-line now)

Is a Thesis or Capstone Project Required? No

Number of Courses/credits required to graduate: 10 courses, 3 credits each

Cost per course or per credit: ~ $3,330 per course. Fees are very minimal - just an application fee of $75, and a graduation fee (not sure how much)

What format are the courses delivered in? (live lectures, recorded lectures, assignments with no lectures, etc.). Provide a brief opinion as to how effective you think the on-line learning environment was:

All courses are delivered through Blackboard. There have so far been no live lectures for any of the 7 courses I have taken. Most courses provide recorded, narrated powerpoint lectures, anywhere from 5 minutes in length to over an hour. Most of the learning is done in the reading, assignments, and discussions. The courses are usually broken into week-long modules, generally following the basic structure:

- watch a brief powerpoint

- complete a reading assignment ( a chapter in a textbook, one or more scientific papers, government manual, etc)

- complete a homework assignment

- participate in on-line discussions - forum style, where you are expected to perform research and back up your points with citations

- attend an optional, live "office hours" meeting with the professor, about an hour a week, where you can ask questions. In some courses the professor uses these to deliver additional content, but in most cases not. These are usually recorded so you can view them later if you missed out.

Some courses require group activities, and this adds a lot more time to the process.

Overall, I thought it was an effective learning system. I feel like I got more out of it than in-person college courses. I certainly put in more work.

>>

About how many hours of work per course is required to get through the courses?:

It really depends. Some courses took me only 4-6 hours per week, while others took me up to 20-30 hours per week.

Name the: easiest, toughest, and best courses you took:

Easiest: Hydrology - very straightforward: read a chapter, do a homework assignment, take an online quiz about the reading. Repeat for 14 weeks.

Toughest: so far, Environmental Chemistry - but probably because I did not have any courses in organic chemistry before.

Best: hard to say, but probably "Air Resources Modeling and Management" - taught by a veteran professor, with a younger assistant, and very well organized. A ton of work, but I left that course feeling like I had really gained some skills.

Were the professors from the full-time school faculty, or part-time adjunct professors? In general how did you feel about the quality of the professors?

So far it seems that about a third of the courses are taught by the regular faculty, but most are taught by part-time PhDs who have full time jobs elsewhere. Some of these were effective teachers, others less so. It's really hard to tell, in fact, whether or not the professor had anything to with the course, or is just the person put in charge of running it, with someone else having "designed" the course beforehand. But overall, all the professors have been good and have been responsive when help is needed.

Describe briefly your opinion of the quantity/selection of courses available to take (include comments on the availability of courses):

The selection looked good when I first signed up, but it turns out that only a few are available each semester, and since I've been in the program, one course I was planning on has been dropped, which has kind of screwed up my plans. One thing I did not fully realize when I enrolled was that the on-line program is different than the on-campus "ME" in Environmental Engineering, which is a much more design-oriented program. The MS in Env. Eng. and Science is more science-oriented, and perhaps more applicable to a government / regulatory career, which works well for me, but maybe not for others. The bad part about this is that you have to take 5 courses from the core program, but there have been semesters where there just aren't that many to choose from. For some reason, the Summer semester seems to be loaded with more courses than others.

One good thing is that you can take the other 5 courses from either the ME (design oriented program) or MS in Environmental Planning and Management program, which adds a lot of variety. So that tempers my criticism above: you really have a lot of flexibility to design a degree that follows several different specialty areas, as long as you are willing to stretch the program out so that you are able to take the courses you want when they are available.

Describe briefly your opinion of the real-world applicability or usefulness of the courses you took:

So far my courses have all been very real-world oriented. I give this high marks. I have also been able to make immediate use of the course material in my job, and I have been able to use one of my course projects as a conference presentation in several venues so far.

Would you recommend this program to other engineers in your field? Or any specific subset or profession?

Absolutely, yes, but with the caveat that this program is mostly applicable to regulatory and government environmental engineers, and perhaps consultants who service that field. It is not a good program for someone who is trying to focus on design, which is a shame since JHU has such a strong design program in their ME degree. The good news is that you can take up to 5 of these ME courses as your electives, and more than half of them are on-line now. The bad news is that you can't get the ME on-line. Judging by how many of the courses they have put on-line, however, I am suspecting that may be coming. That would be a great degree.

Provide any additional comments or advice for anyone considering whether or not to attend this program:

It's a very good program. I'm new to on-line learning, and overall I think I have learned more than I would have in-person. But it was not what I was expecting - no lectures, in the traditional sense. Most of the learning is up to the student, through the reading and assignments process. Often I would have to go to YouTube to find lectures from other schools on how to do some of the problems and math.... which made me scratch my head a bit. Why do I have to go watch a professor from MIT to learn how to do this math? Why couldn't this be provided as a part of this course?

It's also on the expensive side, but to some degree you're paying for the name brand, and the courses all had less than 20 students, so it was no problem to get the professor's attention.

as

As a separate comment, I really have to say that it's a great thing to go back to school later in your career. It really wakes up your intellect and gets you enthusiastic about engineering again. Plus, I think I appreciate the value of this a lot more now, than I would have in my 20s - it means more to me now. Not to mention I can afford it better!

 

[MWC PE]

Name of Institution:

Name of Degree Program (e.g., M.E. in Environmental Engineering) and area of specialization, if appropriate:

The University of Tennessee. MS Civil Engineering (Transportation Engineering)

Website of degree program:

http://www.engr.utk.edu/civil/gradprogram/distance-ed.php

Years attended:

2008-2009

Indicate if you graduated, dropped out, or are still attending:

graduated

Is the Program Fully On-line or part time?:

either, i did 2 classes a semester. Classes were scheduled to start at 5 to allow people to attend after work

Is a Thesis or Capstone Project Required?

Comprehensive Test

Number of Courses/credits required to graduate:

33 hours

Cost per course or per credit:

Don't know, sure its increased significantly since I graduated anyway. Work paid for most of it.

What format are the courses delivered in? (live lectures, recorded lectures, assignments with no lectures, etc.). Provide a brief opinion as to how effective you think the on-line learning environment was:

live lectures, but archived so they could be watched on your time.

I thought overall it was fine. The classes are being taught to students in the class room and to the distance ed students at the same time, some technical difficulties every once in a while would delay class. UT was good about making sure the classes were online though, I don't remember missing a class. Interaction with the teacher is a little harder but no impossible. The teachers were for the most part accommodating, and because you can get the classes after hours you can make it work around your work schedule.

About how many hours of work per course is required to get through the courses?:

5 or 6 depending on the class could be less.

Name the: easiest, toughest, and best courses you took:

Construction Management was pretty easy

The toughest was the erosion and sedimentation class

The best class was either the Traffic Characteristics-Operations or the Urban Hydrology class

Were the professors from the full-time school faculty, or part-time adjunct professors? In general how did you feel about the quality of the professors?

Mostly full time

A few summer courses were taught by adjunct.

Overall the quality was good, there was one adjunct that had no business teaching and was not asked back after the class was over, but he was an exception.

Describe briefly your opinion of the quantity/selection of courses available to take (include comments on the availability of courses):

Usually there were around 3-4 classes available. I never had any trouble getting classes.

Describe briefly your opinion of the real-world applicability or usefulness of the courses you took:

Several of the classes were useful in either my job and/or passing the PE

Would you recommend this program to other engineers in your field? Or any specific subset or profession?

Yes, especially if you can get someone else to pay. Also the 1 year experience exemption on the PE makes it worth it if you are just out of school.

 

[Dleg]

Thanks for sharing your information, MWC PE! I really think this could be a useful resource, if we can get more people to respond. When I was shopping around for a Masters program, it was very hard to find any information concerning student's experiences and opinions.

 

[knight1fox3]

^ agreed. I will try to respond soon when I find a few spare seconds.

 

[danfom]

[SIZE=small]Quote[/SIZE]
Name of Institution: University of Washington.

[SIZE=9pt]Name of Degree Program (e.g., M.E. in Environmental Engineering) and area of specialization, if appropriate:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] M.S. in Civil Engineering (with an M.S. in Construction Management option). This program is heavily focused on construction engineering and all coursework is geared towards engineers and construction managers working in the heavy-highway construction field.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Website of degree program:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] http://www.constructionengineering.uw.edu/[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Years attended:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] 2010 – 2012.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Indicate if you graduated, dropped out, or are still attending:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] Graduated in December 2012.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Is the Program Fully On-line or part time?:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] Fully Online.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Is a Thesis or Capstone Project Required?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] For MS in Civil Engineering students, a thesis or capstone project is NOT required. (Until 2012, a graduate research project was required but this is no longer the case.)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Number of Courses/credits required to graduate:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]14 courses / 42 credits.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Cost per course or per credit:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] $695 per credit (as of Fall 2013). Some small, reasonable fees and books are necessary.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]What format are the courses delivered in? (live lectures, recorded lectures, assignments with no lectures, etc.). Provide a brief opinion as to how effective you think the on-line learning environment was:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] The courses are well designed and broken up into discrete lessons that frequently build upon themselves. Each course has a dedicated website that contains: a course overview, course objectives, readings & resources, course schedule, weekly lessons and assignments, an assessment & grading guide, and (in some cases) final exam/project information. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Most classes involved the use of an online discussion forum. I was skeptical of the forum value at first but I learned to appreciate it as a great method to exchange ideas. I learned as much from other students on the forum as I did from the assignments. The professors were constantly commenting and/or guiding the forum discussions and providing added value inputs.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] This type of course structure is ideal for the disciplined individual that can schedule and execute the tasks necessary each week. For me, this type of structure was fantastic. I made a point to arrive early or stay late in my office in order to complete coursework. I found that it was a better option than dragging it home with me.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]About how many hours of work per course is required to get through the courses?:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] The level of effort is different for each course. On average, I probably spent 10-15 actual hours per course per week reading, researching and/or producing work.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Name the: easiest, toughest, and best courses you took:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] Easiest: Statistical Fundamentals for Construction and Materials Applications (CEE 592)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Toughest: Temporary Structures (CM 580) OR Heavy Construction Estimating (CM 582)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Best: Construction Procurement Systems (CM 520) [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Were the professors from the full-time school faculty, or part-time adjunct professors? In general how did you feel about the quality of the professors?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] The professors were a combination of full-time faculty and part-time adjuncts. In any case, I felt that they were all well qualified and enthusiastic about their subjects. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Describe briefly your opinion of the quantity/selection of courses available to take (include comments on the availability of courses):[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The courses are given on a very specific timetable (reference the website) and I was always able to get a ‘seat’ in whatever class was required. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Describe briefly your opinion of the real-world applicability or usefulness of the courses you took:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt] Before I started the coursework in 2010, I had already been practicing (although unlicensed) in the construction engineering field for 8 years. I found the coursework to be immediately applicable to my professional life. In numerous cases throughout my 2.5 years in the program, I was learning something one week and professionally applying it the next week. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Would you recommend this program to other engineers in your field? Or any specific subset or profession? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]This program is heavily focused on the construction phase of the project lifecycle. I highly recommend it for construction engineers and construction managers working on heavy-highway projects including highways, bridges, utilities, dams, wastewater treatment, and energy production & distribution systems.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Provide any additional comments or advice for anyone considering whether or not to attend this program:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Look at the program website. The website is (in my opinion) accurate and realistic. The University of Washington allows individuals to take up to 12 credits before applying for admission to the actual graduate program.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Another option might be a graduate certificate in ‘Heavy Construction Project Management’ or ‘Infrastructure Construction’. The certificate programs can be found at the UW Professional & Continuing Education website at: http://www.pce.uw.edu/online-learning/[/SIZE]

 

[Dleg]

Thanks for the informative review! That sounds like a great program!

 

[Dleg]

Bumping to get more input...

 

[knight1fox3]

Bumping to get more input...

I still have yet to add my info. Spare time at the moment is few in far between though. I'll get to it soon.

 

[Janizzle]

Quote

Name of Institution: Villanova University

Name of Degree Program (e.g., M.E. in Environmental Engineering) and area of specialization, if appropriate:

Master's of Science in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering

Website of degree program: https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/engineering/grad/masters/waterresources.html

Years attended: 2011-2013

Indicate if you graduated, dropped out, or are still attending: Graduated!

Is the Program Fully On-line or part time?: It is fully online but there is the option to be in the classroom as well. I did the program part time but there were many full time students. Very flexible.

Is a Thesis or Capstone Project Required?: No, you can do a thesis, non-thesis or do an independent study.

Number of Courses/credits required to graduate: 30 credits to graduate

Cost per course or per credit: It was around $900 and then went up to $1000 per credit.

What format are the courses delivered in? (live lectures, recorded lectures, assignments with no lectures, etc.). Provide a brief opinion as to how effective you think the on-line learning environment was: Live lectures that were also recorded on video. So there was a mix of students in class and students online. We had a phone number in the classroom so people could actually call in with questions. We also had an online platform where you could ask questions to the professor and they would get them instantly (they'd hear the ding). If you watched online (which was great to do when I had to miss a class due to illness or whatever)--you would see video of the professor and the Powerpoints they were working with. The slides would be posted to Blackboard before the class, so you could print those in advance. Usually there would be blanks to work out problems, etc. I think this worked really well, I really enjoyed the style of the class. All assignments could be emailed if you were a distance student. Usually I handed mine in because I lived close enough to go to the lectures.

About how many hours of work per course is required to get through the courses?: Varies between 2 to 10 or more...Watershed Modeling was all projects.

Name the: easiest, toughest, and best courses you took:

Easiest: Water Resources Planning & Management

Toughest: Open Channel Hydraulics. I just couldn't get into it.

Best: Fate and Transport of Contaminants

Were the professors from the full-time school faculty, or part-time adjunct professors? In general how did you feel about the quality of the professors?

Some were full time, others were adjuncts. Everyone I had was really good, I didn't have a bad one in the bunch.

Describe briefly your opinion of the quantity/selection of courses available to take (include comments on the availability of courses):

There were so many classes...I actually transferred over from Widener so I had already 2 classes done. The only thing is certain classes are available every other year...so it might be an even year in the Spring, or an odd year in the Fall, etc.. Looking at the choices there are some I wish I was able to take.

Describe briefly your opinion of the real-world applicability or usefulness of the courses you took:

Oh they're definitely useful...unfortunately where I work I can hardly apply what I'm doing. The real world examples were great...sometimes they were a little too real-world. I didn't think any of my classes were a waste. I learned lots of great modeling software with SWMM, MapShed, etc. which I think would definitely be useful!

Would you recommend this program to other engineers in your field? Or any specific subset or profession?

I would recommend the program to those that want to get more technical in environmental engineering and water resources. Where I work, I don't think it would be so useful...at least not the classes I took.

Provide any additional comments or advice for anyone considering whether or not to attend this program: It's great...I was able to assist with research (what I worked on probably could have been done with a distance student as well). I highly recommend.

 

[Michael Frolov]

While my MS degree was full-time and in a classroom setting, upon graduation, I enrolled in an online Graduate Certificate Program in Heavy Construction Project Management at the University of Washington. Since this was not a Masters Degree, I won't fill out the entire questionnaire but instead will point out a few things:

The program was 12 credits and allowed to me work full time while gaining exposure to topics that I felt were relevant to my professional career. The professors were full-time faculty and each class used forums as a way to communicate with other students. Some classes had final exams which were administered at the university while others had projects.

One major disadvantage of online learning is the inability to network efficiently.

Hope this helps.