| Volume 13, Issue 5 
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Feature
by Marie
O'Connor
External Degrees in the Information Age is a useful roadmap for anyone interested in learning the "ins and outs" of distance education. The beauty of this book lies in its conciseness: For such a slim volume (only 215 pages), it packs a lot of information. As the authors state in the preface, the book contains "everything you need to know, but no more than you need to know" about earning a degree off campus. External degree programs are defined as any collegiate degree program designed primarily or exclusively for working professionals who do not have the time to pursue higher education studies at a campus-based institution. Many of these programs are geared towards people who have already acquired some college credits, and most lead to a bachelor's degree of some kind. However, as the authors point out, more and more universities are offering master's and doctoral programs at a distance. The book is neatly divided into two sections. Part one (comprised of five chapters) addresses most of the major questions and issues one may encounter in choosing an external degree program. The second part serves as a handy reference guide to 140 accredited external degree programs in the United States, listed alphabetically by state. It is easy-to-use and gives a detailed description of programs offered at each college or university. This directory of programs is by no means exhaustive; it is based on a 1996 survey conducted by the American Council on Education for the publication The Adult Learner's Guide to Alternative and External Degree Programs (1996, edited by Eugene Sullivan). To a great
extent, the three authors who collaborated on External Degrees
are responding to the sweeping changes brought about by the Internet Revolution.
The main impetus for writing the book was the need for updating the information
provided in the Adult Learner's Guide in terms of how recent technological
advances have impacted the external degree phenomenon. Accreditation may be an elusive concept (something the authors readily admit to), but it is delineated and discussed with crystal-clear precision in chapter three. The accreditation process, they explain, is a uniquely American system in which various agencies uphold the integrity and academic strength of schools at each level of education within the United States. To better explain U.S. accreditation, the authors break the system down into three branches:
Education professionals as well as students considering the distance learning option will find chapter three particularly useful. Chapter four takes an in-depth look at diploma-mill scams and how best to avoid them. Because education is the responsibility of the individual states, and does not fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government as a matter of constitutional law, it is up to each state to determine whether or not a tertiary institution is operating legally within its jurisdiction. The effectiveness of state law is always governed by the clarity of its language and enforcement. The authors make clear that diploma mills thrive in states where there are loopholes in the laws or where the laws are not properly enforced. After accreditation, the second most emphasized point of this book is simply to steer clear of diploma mills, which the authors aptly dub "corruptors of degree integrity." Diploma mills are institutions that lack the competency, credibility and integrity required of higher-learning institutions in the United States. Included in this chapter is a comprehensive checklist of how to easily identify a diploma mill, which can range from garage/basement operations to well-meaning establishments lacking the resources or scholasticism required to meet the standards of regional accrediting boards. Although the fraud and deception inherent in diploma mills fly off the pages of the magazines and newspapers they advertise in, the authors encourage prospective external students to remember the paramount role of accreditation for schools and their programs. Diploma-mill representatives may skirt the accreditation issue if challenged, but as the book reiterates, any reputable school would welcome inquiries regarding its legitimacy. In today's competitive job market, earning a degree is often the key to a more lucrative career. However, few working professionals have time for the classroom and are turning, in ever increasing numbers, to external degree programs. These students should research their options carefully, choose wisely and -- above all -- read this book.
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Regional
accreditation (applying to individual institutions and their programs)