Hi Adam,

I am a graduate of this program. I was the first fully online class through. I found the whole experience very rewarding and highly interactive. Most of the classes are your typical lecture format where Professors make videos every week and you just log in at your convince, watch and make posts. As for studio, LTU has a video portal software that allows you to see and interact with classmates, professors and guest critics. We had weekly 1-on-1 "desk" crits through this software and weekly group discussions. It was also HIGHLY encouraged that students make a trip to LTU twice during a studio semester for the mid-semester and final critiques, so be prepared for that.  

Yes, I think you lose a bit of the comradery of working alongside other students, but I didn't miss it. Personally, I think your Masters studio needs to be very focused and is more of a personal exploration in your topic of choice. You will still get plenty of interaction and comments.

As for how employers view an "online" degree? I don't see why they would view it any differently. It is an accredited program from a well known school. I worked full time through my degree and I have been employed ever since.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

It's not immediately clear from that website if the program is 100% distance-based or not.  In other words, are all courses online?  Or are some on-site?

My hunch is that many employers seeking entry/ junior-level employees will balk at the online degrees for a while.

I graduated from this program about 2 years ago. My experience was 100% online except for a few elective visits since I am only a 4 hour drive away.

How much is tuition per year for the face-to-face verses online? Sorry, not convinced.

Thank you everyone for your comments. Benjamin_, thanks for explaining your experience at LTU. Citizen, it looks like most classes are online but studio is a hybrid. I hope employers keep an open mind about the degree and hire applicants based on achievements and performance. 

Adam, how would potential employers know if you took it online or not? It's not like you are going to write that on your résumé.... I think you should be thinking about what kind of experience/learning you want to get out of the program and if this suits you. For me, it was perfect while I was working and I had no trouble with the virtual classroom. I was actually a stronger student because of it.

"The entire architecture degree can be completed online with the exception of the Critical Practice Studio. The Critical Practice Studio is completed on campus during the summer semester, over five intensive weekend sessions including a field trip."

...right at the bottom... that should clear up how much is online.

Presumably education is visible in the way graduates present themselves, so does it really matter where you go or how you do it if the results are the same? (which I'm not saying they necessarily are or aren't)

However, I would like to note the irony of disregarding the physical place while teaching architecture. Anyone got any thoughts on that?

 

Hello.  

I have done extensive research on the subject. I just enrolled at LTU, after much thinking and researching the 4 schools, and I chose this one because of the price. They are all accredited and they all have similar programs, but LTU was also closer to where I live, so the drive was only 6 hours, only four non consecutive weekends. In addition, I'd rather owe 25K than 75K when I'm done.

Check this forum I posted several weeks ago: http://archinect.com/forum/thread/98665928/online-march

Also, check my spreadsheet comparing prices and benefits: http://archinect.com/forum/gallery/98665928/0/online-march#

There are several people with negative comments, but don't pay attention to that. Focus on the  positive aspects; you can work, be with your family, and still do school work on your own time. I would do it again. Plus, you can finish all 5 semesters at LTU in 1.5 years, because they have 3 semesters per year, counting Summer.

Hope this helps you.

M Juliana L.

Good luck at LTU!

Thanks Benjamin :)

I would have a hard time taking a resume seriously with an online degree. There needs to be a stellar portfolio and work experience to compensate for the education.

I'm taking some online courses now (not in architecture) and it changed my perceptions of online education. The classes I am in are very social and the access to feedback is unparalleled, considering I wrote to a TA this morning before the sun was even up and got a response within 20 minutes. So... if online learning is even more social and creates more availability for feedback than learning in the classroom, I'm open to the idea that an online education can work for architecture. But I'm sure I'm in the minority.

Am I the only one who senses paid trolls from LTU on this thread? M Juliana uses the same post here she used in advising the Navy guy on another thread. Epic fail.

Volunteer, I've noticed this as well...

tint, I treat online architecture degrees like those students who would show up every once in a while in studio and get the "well... you did everything on the syllabus, it's not good, but it's all there so here is a B" grade.

Non Sequitur - I'm curious, what makes you so negative towards an online program? What do you think it is lacking? I did my masters online through LTU and I found it to be a great experience. I think that in a masters program, you should be very self directed in studio. I had plenty of crits with my prof and whole studio via video chats. I felt that I had plenty of feedback and chance to communicate with my colleagues. Our studio physically attended mid-semester and final crits as well. Most of my other classes suites online learning very well.

I didn't notice M Juliana's posts so thank you for pointing this out. I can assure you that I am not a troll, or at least I'm a terrible one because I don't get paid. I went through this system and you are attacking it's credibility because of your perception and not based on reality, so naturally I am going to defend it. I chose online because it allowed me to work full time and do work on my schedule.

Ben, I am speaking from my own experience. I have not seen enough work coming out from online degrees that I consider on par with the average traditional programme hence my disposition.

I can assure you I've had more "crits" and reviews in one week back when I was writing my thesis than what you describe in your entire semester. But then again, some people just want to chase the piece of paper. It's about honesty, people take the online route because it's cheaper (for obvious reasons), quicker, and less work. This does not, by default, scream out quality education to me thus my earlier comment about stellar portfolio requirements as compensation.

Defend your programme as you want, I won't fault you for it, but evidence for me is King and I've not seen enough to quench my skepticism.

LTU is a somewhat well respected degree in the region (southeastern Michigan and northern Ohio). Of course, this is one of the most economically depressed areas in the country & you will compete with grads from Michigan, which is one of the most respected programs in the entire country right now. 

Outside of this region, hardly anyone's even heard of LTU. 

You will be competing with people who have gotten degrees from schools people have actually heard of. People who are doing the hiring are going to interview those people first. 

I would try harder to find a school than LTU. My $.02

Well, you are entitled to your opinion and I'm disappointed that some people have this perception. I'm frankly just a little surprised that you have seen a wide array of  work from online students (online programs are relatively new) to be able to arrive at such strong, broad conclusions, condemning it as "sub-par". I just don't think it's fair to make such remarks on a forum where opinions can be taken very seriously. I have seen PLENTY of terrible work coming from people who spend 23 hours a day in studio. I met with my prof(s) at a bare minimum 4-5 times a week, and often times more. So again, I don't see the limitation. A bad student is going to be a bad student, regardless of the context. 

You're right it is cheaper - but quicker and less work? I just don't see it. Every class I took online (again, only drawing from my experience) had an "in school" counterpart which shared the same syllabus and workload. Whether you physically went to classes or attended online, you still have the same number of courses to complete so I'm not sure why people think it is faster or allows people to skip steps. 

Volunteer, I could give a SHIT about what you sense. I am just trying to help people out because I wish someone would've helped me make this decision. It was very hard for me to decide and that is why I started a forum on the subject. 

Yes, I copied and pasted te comments. So fucking what??? What are you going to do about it? I wasn't going to re type everything 10 times for the different forums, because there are a few, now that online masters of architecture are becoming more popular. 

Please post back after you have graduated and update us on your career path. I'm genuinely curious how this degree works after graduation. 

but I agree, you are being a troll, and it's suspicious how many posts are suddenly popping up regarding Larry Tech. 

Settle down M. Juliana, no one cares, probably.

Ben, you're right, a bad student is a bad student regardless of what schools are on his resume. The point of this thread was on hiring people with online master degrees and to this I've replied. If I had two CVs in front of me where one had an online degree and the other a regular one, without any other information available to me, I would lean towards the one without the online education.

M. Juliana, Are you paid by the hour or by the number of students you enroll?

...very pyramid-like this path is becoming...

Benjamin, you said you got an online degree from this place?  How did it go afterwards?  Did they have any sort of job placement program or other services to help you find a good job?  Did you get hired?  How did potential employers respond during interviews? 

Non-Sequitur - I get it, and thanks for your input. I was simply asking why you have such a strong biased opinion based on a very small sample size. I'm not convinced that you have argued any faults with the online system other than "you don't like it". 

Hell, if I based my opinion on a few isolated comments on here, I wouldn't be back...

Curtram - My experience is probably not typical because I moved back to Canada after graduation. They didn't have job placements, but there were a lot of connections to alumni within the Metro Detroit area. 

How did potential employers respond? I was hired within a week of graduating my undergrad and I did the online program (M.Arch) while I worked, so this never really came up. My current firm didn't even ask about my education - instead the interview was focused on my previous work experience. 

wait... So Ben, instead of doing graduate studies in canada, you picked online in the states? You can do a M.arch in canada in under 2 years and carry none of this online degree baggage. I trust that the CACB certifies LTU and therefore you can eventually qualify for the ExACs.

NS - Yes. Long story, but I am a dual citizen and did my undergrad at LTU. I chose to do my Masters there since I liked the program and I could do it online and wanted to keep working. The CACB and NAAB have reciprocity so they do certify LTU, but I went the ARE route...but that's a whole other can of worms...

I see, but then this means that you're reasoning behind taking the online approach is influenced by, what I guess is, an unaccredited degree at the same place. It's not like you were browsing options and graduate studies at LTU stood out... you already had an "in" so to speak. I think I consider online learning in the same boat as the syllabus programme.

ARE & ExACs are cans of worms indeed... ExACs not as much though.