Comparing Distance and Face-to-Face Master’s Degree Programs

By Lindsay Herron and Maria Lisak

Are you thinking about pursuing a master’s degree? Summer courses are starting for many distance programs, so now is the perfect time to take a course online to see if you like it. And if you are not sure whether to earn your degree in person or through distance learning, there are a few key differences.

Maria Lisak earned an MBA in person at Loyola University (New Orleans, USA) as well as an MSEd in Instructional Systems Technology (IST) by distance from Indiana University (USA). Lindsay Herron completed an in-person MA in cinema studies at New York University and an MSEd in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education (LCLE) by distance at Indiana University–Bloomington (USA). Both are currently completing distance EdD degrees in LCLE at Indiana University.

¾ How Do Face-to-Face and Distance Programs Compare in Terms of…

Interaction with peers and social support?

LH: I definitely feel closer to my classmates at NYU. I think there are more opportunities for personal conversations in a face-to-face program; even brief exchanges commiserating about the weather or a particular TV show can deepen a sense of personal connection. Online interactions tend to be more focused and on-topic.

ML: I did my MBA at night school, so social interaction was limited because people worked. I only got close to people who were also full-time students. Online, it was a mixed bag, ranging from the amazing (insights from people already working in our field) to the awful (I had a group member chastise me in front of our group on Skype).

Another difference was how I was taught to work in groups. There was no coaching in my face-to-face courses; the instructors just expected students to have good people skills. In my online courses, they gave prompts and guidelines for how to do successful group work online.

Ease of completing group projects?

ML: Online, group projects were easy to complete technologically. The learning management system, Oncourse, had live chat, and I have used Skype at all hours of the day and night for meetings. But most things can be handled via email or group documents that can be shared for simultaneous interaction.

LH: I agree: technology is amazing! In-person group projects, though, did generate some wonderful camaraderie.

Interaction with and feedback from professors?

ML: Amazing, for my online program. Face-to-face was a mixed bag; how much time they would give you depended on what value you added to their research interests.

LH: The professors in my distance program were very responsive, sending quick and helpful replies to emails. The professors at NYU were also fantastic, and their office hours ensured that they were very accessible.

The format, workload, and assessment?

LH: The workload was approximately equal for me – about 8–10 hours per week per class. The in-person cinema studies program mostly included readings, film screenings, and lectures, with assessment through essays, presentations, and in-class discussions. The distance program had a greater variety of formats: video lectures, non-synchronous forum discussions, synchronous video chats, group projects, online quizzes, essays, and more. For most classes, we were expected to synthesize and cite class readings in forum posts each week, then respond to each other’s insights.

This, I think, is a key difference: for an in-person class, if you do not finish the reading, you can usually sit quietly in class and just listen. In an online class, your forum posts can easily reveal your lack of effort or understanding.

ML: My face-to-face program focused on declarative knowledge with a little bit of on-the-job training and experiential learning. Assessments in the form of tests and grades were rarely helpful. In-class feedback on my work and others’ work was more helpful, though.

My online program was amazing, but I studied a major that taught how to teach online! Lots of projects and tasks were incorporated into the larger semester requirements. Assessment was frequent to help you improve, so you could always resubmit assignments. It was not just a grade to get, a test to pass, or a credential to obtain. I studied because I wanted the knowledge to help me be a better scholar, teacher, and citizen.

Recognition of the degree (e.g., by potential employers)?

LH: People sometimes look down on distance degrees, but only because they do not know how rigorous and challenging online programs can be. But so far, I have not had any problems getting either degree recognized. (My distance degree was just for my own personal development, though. It has not affected my position or salary at all.)

ML: I was 28 years old with no substantial work experience and a newly minted MBA in 1993. I could barely get interviews, and I found internships on my own, not through any university-related organization or contact. However, when I applied to teach in Korea, my MBA was very attractive to Sisayongosa, and I got hired for many prestigious teaching courses.

My online degree has been seen by my employers, past and present, as very prestigious. My university is well known in Korea. My department, IST, has an extraordinary number of well-connected Korean graduates here. And IU is one of the best schools in the United States for a master’s in IST. I think I have my current job partly because of my university affiliation.

Cost?

LH: A lot depends on the university, the cost of living, and the funding the program offers. I did not receive funding for either degree, but for the distance program, I had a reliable income and a reasonable cost of living in Korea, so it was not difficult to pay approximately $550 USD per credit. (The degree was 36 credits total, usually 3 credits per class). By contrast, the in-person program cost more per credit and had a higher cost of living in New York City. I worked part-time, but I still wound up owing nearly $30,000 USD in student loans.

ML: I think in 1993 a semester at my face-to-face program with four courses cost me $30,000 USD. My online degree was free, except for any books I needed to buy, because of a state scholarship.

Overall personal preference?

LH: Each has advantages and disadvantages, and people will have different preferences and priorities. Personally, I will complete my doctorate degree by distance.

ML: I would love to go back to the slow life of cafes and beer halls and socializing that goes with face-to-face master’s degrees. Preference, I think, is about lifestyle. Do you need to work? Are you living in a foreign country? Then an online program is a great advantage. Do you have the resources to leave your career to go back to school? Most people cannot afford that, but the life of a full-time student-scholar is enticing.

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Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Monthly Meeting

Date & Time: May 21, 2016 (Saturday), 1:45 p.m.

Place: Gwangju National University of Education

• Presentation 1 by Justin Ancheta: social issues arising in the EFL classroom
• Presentation 2 by Jessica Ives: Language learning activities for the EFL classroom
• Swap-shop Session: Present your own ideas, activities, and advice
• Reflective Practice Session (11:00 a.m.)

 For more details:

Website: http://koreatesol.org/gwangju

Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL

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The Authors

Lindsay Herron is Treasurer of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL). Lindsay is a visiting professor at Gwangju National University of Education, where she has taught for the past six years. She is also presently the National President of KOTESOL.

Maria Lisak is a past President of Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL. She is currently an assistant professor at Chosun University.

On behalf of the Chapter, they invite you to participate in the teacher development workshops at their monthly meetings and special events.