<p>My daughter is just starting to look into Master programs for her interest and there are not many of them. Columbia University does have one in their College of Continuing Education. From reading some other boards, people seem to criticize that this program is offered through the continuing education college. Does this "dumb" the degree down? When they receive their diplomas, do they say "Columbia University" or do they say "Columbia School of Continuing Education"? This is not an online Master program, but a on campus 2 year program.</p>
<p>No, it doesn’t dumb them down - the program’s classes are still offered by the university. I’m not sure whether the diploma says SCE on it, but that doesn’t matter because no one asks for your diploma anyway. What will matter is her resume, and she can have that say whatever she wants.</p>
<p>Our top-notch post-bacc pre-med program and our actuarial science master’s are also offered through SCE. It’s just the unit that manages them. The classes are still offered through their respective departments (actuarial science students take math classes in the math department and business department; their special ACTU classes are taught by adjunct professors currently working as actuaries).</p>
<p>Continuing education programs are often less rigorous and have lower admission standards compared to standard graduate programs. From what I’ve heard, Columbia’s continuing education programs are excellent, but there’s still the stigma attached with it being continuing education.</p>
<p>Continuing education schools often offer degrees in uncommon subjects. For example, Harvard University’s Extension School will give you something along the lines of a “Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies” degree. Or in Columbia’s case, you can get an M.S. in Narrative Medicine?! - I don’t even know what some of these programs are. You won’t see a continuing education school grant something standard like an “Master of Arts in English” degree.</p>
<p>These uncommon degrees/majors let recruiters/HR departments know that they need to do more research into that specific program to determine if it’s really a good program or not. The program that you’re looking at may very well be a good program even though it’s in the continuing education school though. </p>
<p>Just so you know how much easier some of these continuing education schools are, Harvard University’s Extension School is basically open admissions (anyone can sign up) and they will grant you a real Harvard University master’s degree. Even though it’s a completely legitimate Harvard University degree, it clearly doesn’t compare with a degree from Harvard Business School. Good recruiters/HR departments know this.</p>
<p>Personally, I wouldn’t spend any of my own money on an extension/continuing education degree program because it isn’t the same as regular programs that have competitive entrance requirements… As someone else pointed out, there is a stigma attached since they’re pretty much open enrollment or close to it (ie. anyone can enroll in them if they pay the tuition).</p>
<p>A lot of them serve working professionals with employers footing the bill.</p>