The External Degree as a Credential: Graduates' Experiences in Employment and Further Study

On defining distance education

“…(Sosdian and Sharp, 1977:1) In the attempt to place some conceptual order around the wide range of study programmes that are associated with non-traditional and distance education, the question of whether or not the external degree should be included within the concept of distance education is the one which poses the most precise definitional and research problems. (Houle 1974;Sosdian, 1978;Sosdian and Sharp, 1978).…”

Liberal studies programmes and the adult college graduate: Assessment of the outcomes

“…There were 15-66% enrolled full-time and 34-85% enrolled part-time; 39-82% were students who were transfers when they enrolled. At the time when these six studies were completed, the average incomes of the graduates (adjusted to 1986 using Bureau of Labor Statistics information) ranged from US $24000 to $31500 (Malin et al 1980, Michigan Consortium for the Evaluation of Nontraditional Education 1981, Mishler 1983, Simpkins and Ray 1983, Sosdian and Sharp 1978, and the ALS research project).…”

“…An evening programme, it provided a variety of special support services, small classes, and a preliminary seminar to prepare the adults for the demands of college. Sosdian and Sharp (1978) completed a study of adults who selected external degree programmes. Of specific interest was why adults were attracted to such programming, what the outcomes for the graduates were in relationship to employment, and whether the graduates felt having completed a non-traditional programme placed them at a disdavantage.…”

“…Outcomes were not dealt with by either Kearney (1985) or Simpkins and Ray (1983) in a way that provided usable data for this paper. The studies completed by Sosdian and Sharp (1978), Mishler (1983) and the Michigan Consortium (1981) gathered information in both economic and valueadded areas. The new study, ALS, also gathered economic data but focused primarily on value-added outcomes.…”

“…Sosdian and Sharp (1978), The Michigan Consortium (1981), Mishler (1983), ALS, and Valiga (1982) all asked the following nine questions as part of their research to determine value-added outcomes:…”