<p>I saw an degree offering by ASU to do the whole program online. I want to get the degree while I work as an electrician if I decide to go down this route. Is this a good idea? </p>
<p>That sounds like a bad idea. You will miss out on labs and the opportunity for collaboration with other students would be greatly reduced compared to an on-campus degree.</p>
<p>UND has a distance undergrad engineering program. I believe the labs are completed in accelerated courses over the summer on-site. Might be worth a look.</p>
<p>Even if the labs are done in accelerated summer semesters, I would only consider it if it were ABET accredited and if the diploma reads just like that of a live on-campus ASU student.</p>
<p>Even then I’m skeptical. Collaboration and working in groups is such an integral part of engineering that I really feel a wholly online BS degree would be limiting, even if you could make up the labs over the summer on campus. Online collaboration is good, but not a complete substitute to forming study groups in person. Some of my most valuable times as an undergrad were meeting a group of peers at a coffee shop or common area to work through difficult assignments.</p>
<p>If you want to go to school while working as an electrician, I would suggest finding a conventional, full-time program, and then finding a new employer near the school who can take you on part-time.</p>
<p>Sadly you are like me that (probably) had to work full time in school for STEM, we get screwed. </p>
<p>To your OP though, I wouldn’t do online college for anything. The main reason to go to college isn’t for the education(which many people don’t know); its for the networking and you don’t get that online.</p>
<p>Understand that electrician (hand-on) and electrical engineer (very math oriented) are VERY different jobs Both are great fields, just not a lot of synergy. . </p>