AdamLM

Hi everyone. Long time lurker but newly registered user. I have been an expat in Dubai now for the last 12 months and think its time to enhance my education.

I am looking to pursue some kind of Engineering qualification that will ultimately result in a Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Science in Engineering and possibly onward to Masters level.

I am more than happy to do it in stages, earning points toward different qualifications (HNC>HND>Degree) so that I can have a gradual sense of accomplishment rather than a long grind to degree level.

I have checked with most of the UK based collages and Universities that offer distance learning but since i am no longer a UK resident they will not consider me.

Do any of you guys have experience or suggestions that could benefit me?

Cheers

jam25mack

Lots of the US Universities will take you on for distance leaning. Not cheap tho.

Dunno about here if I am honest and also not convinced they'd be too respected.

Big_Show

I don't know what things are like in Dubai, but here in Qatar they've stopped accepting online courses as valid credentials even if they're from a reputable institution, so I would be wary of that if you decide to go the distance-learning route.

AdamLM

To be honest I wanted to do a UK or US (maybe Australian, Canadian, NZ type) degree because of them being valued higher (if that's correct). I've looked around at local Universities but can't find any that I think would be reputable. I don't mind paying more money as long as the certificate has some value, I just don't want to be left with a worthless qualification after however many years of studying.

I really hope that's not the case, its completely impracticable for me to take time out of work for full time study. It's not necessarily distance learning I want to do, I probably should have worded my original post better. I'm happy to do part time learning.

scot47

Saudi Arabia does not accept online degrees as "real degrees".

TheShed

Some friends of my sons did some kind of engineering type degrees or masters at Herriott Watt in Dubai and that seemed to be respected by their engineering communities. I have no clue on Engineering stuff but might be worth a look.

AdamLM

This was probably my most favourable University out here in Dubai. The only issue is that it doesn't appear that they do part time study as everything is listed as full time on their website so I dismissed it, probably far too quickly. I'll fire them an email and call them to see if they do part time study.

Thanks

EDIT: I need to do something that is flexible as I regularly travel outside of the UAE for my job.

TheShed

I am 99% sure that one of my sons friends did his masters there on a part time basis as he held down his job throughout. Give them a call as sometimes eMails end up with the same mum-ties that design their web content.

weasel decentral

I'd imagine most engineering degrees are full time, unless it is a very circuitous route to getting one. For my primary (engineering) degree it was a four year full time course of at least 35 hours per week actual class or lab time.
Is it possible to condense that into distance learning and still have it considered a worthwhile degree?

AdamLM

Thanks for the info. To be honest I didn't realise it was so intense. Maybe i'll consider doing something else. Perhaps i'll start with something like a HNC or foundation degree and do top up modules at my own pace.

I just absolutely cannot afford to take time off work to do full time education and i'm at the point in my life where I'm kicking myself for not doing more in my younger years, especially during my time in the military

jam25mack

I looked at doing a MSc in Geotech Eng via the online route a year or two ago. I think it was at Norwich Uni in Vermont. They were looking for a commitment of 25hrs a week and offered round the clock online support. In the end though I concluded that the benefits didn't outweigh the expense.

Have a look at: Top 20 Online Masters of Civil Engineering

mission

I gotta say I truly admire people who study further and hold down a full time job....nothing and no one could ever drag me to studying again.
Good luck mate.

AdamLM

To be honest I've pretty much lost hope already. I'm trying consider alternative options

jam25mack

I committed to finishing my chartership when I started in this job...... that was a decade ago and I still don't have it..... Far too busy for that shizzle.

scot47

When I was teaching in Jeddah at the airline. I taught evening classes and did an online Diploma course form the University of Leicester. Hard but worth it !