ASU offers online courses. That would be a good resource to check out. Know your lower div math well! It’s essential
I’m a little confused. What’s the difference between online and in person in the eyes of the employer? Your resume/transcripts don’t show you took it online. A lot of these programs are either thesis or non thesis.
For example, the University of Alabama offers two masters degrees in engineering, MS in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics and the same degree online. How would an employer know you took it online and why would they care?
There’s still some bias against online programs because they aren’t traditional ways of getting degrees. That said, Stanford has a huge number of online graduate degree offerings, and nobody seems to look down their noses at those.
That’s why getting an online degree through a respectable school is important. I’d think getting a graduate degree from the University of Alabama would be fine.
Good luck with your decision @astrobear. This was a good thread to read because I’m one of the traditional young college students at community college who was considering changing my major because I was struggling with lower level math that is a prerequisite for calculus and differential equations but was in hopes of still being able to achieve my dream of Engineering by getting a degree in something else and work on getting to that dream on the side by taking part time classes. However, like you said your willing to fail I’m willing to do so too with my situation.
That being said, do you have a Wife, someone else in the family, or a close friend you trust to help you take care of the child so you can work and focus on your classes? I would encourage you to get tutoring, watch online vidoes, and maybe do more practice beyond the homework (now don’t have the idea that doing lots of problems is the answer to your lack of understanding as @boneh3ad says ) if your find your pre-req math and other classes difficult.