Back to school

**TheRapingDragon** · 12-17-2008, 10:33 AM

Ya, one of the people I was training in work was looking at this book for open learning courses. I asked to look and checked it out. Turns out if you get 60 CATS points you can be given a degree in Liberal Studies (a degree's a degree).

I enrolled for my first course this year, Intro To Philosophy, 10 CATS points. Starts 29th January. Work allow me to come in slightly later on the days I do it to accommodate the course. In around 4 years, while still working, I'll get a degree. Next year I'll look at literary courses to supplement my tutoring (I do tutoring on the side for some people, grammatically and structurally alter their essays etc.) so maybe I can do it for people for money.

Random but hey, thought I'd share.

**championanwar** · 12-17-2008, 10:43 AM

Sounds like a nice opportunity. Hope it works out for you.

wwwJ4mmYcouk · 12-17-2008, 10:43 AM

Good Luck dude...

You must have a busy busy life style.

Afrobean · 12-17-2008, 10:47 AM

Paying time and money to get a degree that won't help you in your current job or a potential future job is stupid.

A degree is a degree, but play to your strengths. Don't waste your time, effort, and money getting a piece of paper that won't help you.

If you're going to lay down the cost on this sort of thing, put it toward something you actually want or that will help you.

ps if all you tutor on is grammar and structure, you probably won't learn much of use in that sort of course. You should be essentially completely competent in those regards already.

**TheRapingDragon** · 12-17-2008, 10:48 AM

Busy enough but I'm enjoying everything I'm doing at the moment.

Cheers for the luck guys.

EDIT: Afro:

- Tutoring is just for fun as I enjoy doing it, I cover all aspects of English / English literature but as I'm currently helping degree-level students (friends of the family + Krissy) I don't exactly understand the substance of the essays, merely can help with making the essay sound correct.

- The degree isn't for the degree. It's to do some courses on the side for a bit of fun, I just happen to be able to get a degree while doing things I may find interesting like Philosophy and English.

- Additionally, any degree is fine to get on my work's "degree program", that is to jump straight in at Staff Officer grade. That is currently 2 grades above me. Anything that helps give me more chances to be promoted is grand with me.

wwwJ4mmYcouk · 12-17-2008, 10:59 AM

Afro my girlfriend works for IBM, and they do not employ people without a degree. If you have a degree they do - relevant to the company or not. The reason is it shows you have taken your education further, you can study, you are committed, and intelligent.

So if TRD got a degree, be it relevant to his career or not it opens up so many more options/opportunities!

rzr · 12-17-2008, 11:06 AM

This would make a fantastic Random Thought.

bluguerrilla · 12-17-2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rzr

This would make a fantastic Random Thought.

Your post would have been great unposted.

lol Intro to Philosophy.

A friend of mine in college took it and couldn't take a chair not being a chair so he dropped it.

esupin · 12-19-2008, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluguerrilla

lol Intro to Philosophy.

A friend of mine in college took it and couldn't take a chair not being a chair so he dropped it.

Philosophy is pretty whack. I have friends who take it, and I've read some of their papers. So far their class has discussed teletransponders from Star Trek, Calvin and Hobbes (the Calvin duplicating himself episode) and The Prestige, and conversations with the devil (but who knows what the devil would actually say?).

**robertsona** · 12-19-2008, 07:06 PM

keep psuedomodding rzr you're doing a great job

**devonin** · 12-19-2008, 08:47 PM

If you need any help with the philosophy, let me know

I have the degree and don't charge for it *grin*

Also, if that course is worth 10 points, and you need 60 points to be given a degree, I would be very leery of assuming that such a degree would actually be officially recognized by anybody. Last I checked, one generally needs to take 30 classes for a bachelor's degree, and 40 for an honours bachelor's degree. At 10 points per course, that's 300 and 400 points, not 60.

**foilman8805** · 12-19-2008, 08:56 PM

Yeah, I'd be curious to know whether or not this institution is accredited - your degree may turn out to be not worth as much as you thought.

Gotta agree with dev too...you didn't explicitly say Bachelor's Degree, so is it just a certificate, or an AA maybe? Six classes doesn't cut it for a B.A., or a B.S.

Good luck regardless though, man. If these courses can move you up the pay scale, and grab you a promotion, then more power to you.

**TheRapingDragon** · 12-20-2008, 05:01 AM

I'm not sure what accreditation it has but I'm sure it's not as valued as a bachelors degree. Still, that's only the aside, I'm only doing the courses for fun and that happens to be a reward if I continue finding courses I enjoy.

I'm sure I'll cope, Dev, but cheers. I'll pester you if I have any questions haha.

foilman - It's not an institution doing this. It's a university. The one my fiancée is currently doing her final year of her degree in. They are up there as far as universities go.

**igotrhythm** · 12-20-2008, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esupin

Calvin and Hobbes (the Calvin duplicating himself episode).

Which one? The good vs. evil one (where Hobbes says near the end, "Wow, how existential can you get?"), or the one where the duplicate makes duplicates? I'm guessing the former, but I just thought I'd clarify.

12-17-2008, 10:33 AM	#1
TheRapingDragon A car crash mind Join Date: Aug 2005 Age: 36 Posts: 9,788	Back to school Ya, one of the people I was training in work was looking at this book for open learning courses. I asked to look and checked it out. Turns out if you get 60 CATS points you can be given a degree in Liberal Studies (a degree's a degree). I enrolled for my first course this year, Intro To Philosophy, 10 CATS points. Starts 29th January. Work allow me to come in slightly later on the days I do it to accommodate the course. In around 4 years, while still working, I'll get a degree. Next year I'll look at literary courses to supplement my tutoring (I do tutoring on the side for some people, grammatically and structurally alter their essays etc.) so maybe I can do it for people for money. Random but hey, thought I'd share. Last edited by TheRapingDragon; 12-17-2008 at 10:35 AM..

12-17-2008, 10:43 AM	#3
wwwJ4mmYcouk FFR Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: England Posts: 1,031	Re: Back to school Good Luck dude... You must have a busy busy life style. __________________ Frank Lee Morris Μήπως πραγματικά πνιγεί;

12-17-2008, 10:47 AM	#4
Afrobean Admiral in the Red Army Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the moon Age: 36 Posts: 13,262	Re: Back to school Paying time and money to get a degree that won't help you in your current job or a potential future job is stupid. A degree is a degree, but play to your strengths. Don't waste your time, effort, and money getting a piece of paper that won't help you. If you're going to lay down the cost on this sort of thing, put it toward something you actually want or that will help you. ps if all you tutor on is grammar and structure, you probably won't learn much of use in that sort of course. You should be essentially completely competent in those regards already. __________________

12-17-2008, 10:48 AM	#5
TheRapingDragon A car crash mind Join Date: Aug 2005 Age: 36 Posts: 9,788	Re: Back to school Busy enough but I'm enjoying everything I'm doing at the moment. Cheers for the luck guys. EDIT: Afro: - Tutoring is just for fun as I enjoy doing it, I cover all aspects of English / English literature but as I'm currently helping degree-level students (friends of the family + Krissy) I don't exactly understand the substance of the essays, merely can help with making the essay sound correct. - The degree isn't for the degree. It's to do some courses on the side for a bit of fun, I just happen to be able to get a degree while doing things I may find interesting like Philosophy and English. - Additionally, any degree is fine to get on my work's "degree program", that is to jump straight in at Staff Officer grade. That is currently 2 grades above me. Anything that helps give me more chances to be promoted is grand with me. Last edited by TheRapingDragon; 12-17-2008 at 10:52 AM..

12-17-2008, 10:59 AM	#6
wwwJ4mmYcouk FFR Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: England Posts: 1,031	Re: Back to school Afro my girlfriend works for IBM, and they do not employ people without a degree. If you have a degree they do - relevant to the company or not. The reason is it shows you have taken your education further, you can study, you are committed, and intelligent. So if TRD got a degree, be it relevant to his career or not it opens up so many more options/opportunities! __________________ Frank Lee Morris Μήπως πραγματικά πνιγεί;

12-19-2008, 07:06 PM	#10
robertsona missa in h-moll Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: nyc Age: 28 Posts: 3,995	Re: Back to school keep psuedomodding rzr you're doing a great job __________________

12-19-2008, 08:47 PM	#11
devonin Very Grave Indeed Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 40 Posts: 10,098	Re: Back to school If you need any help with the philosophy, let me know I have the degree and don't charge for it grin Also, if that course is worth 10 points, and you need 60 points to be given a degree, I would be very leery of assuming that such a degree would actually be officially recognized by anybody. Last I checked, one generally needs to take 30 classes for a bachelor's degree, and 40 for an honours bachelor's degree. At 10 points per course, that's 300 and 400 points, not 60.

12-19-2008, 08:56 PM	#12
foilman8805 smoke wheat hail satin Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: LA baby Age: 35 Posts: 5,704	Re: Back to school Yeah, I'd be curious to know whether or not this institution is accredited - your degree may turn out to be not worth as much as you thought. Gotta agree with dev too...you didn't explicitly say Bachelor's Degree, so is it just a certificate, or an AA maybe? Six classes doesn't cut it for a B.A., or a B.S. Good luck regardless though, man. If these courses can move you up the pay scale, and grab you a promotion, then more power to you.

12-20-2008, 05:01 AM	#13
TheRapingDragon A car crash mind Join Date: Aug 2005 Age: 36 Posts: 9,788	Re: Back to school I'm not sure what accreditation it has but I'm sure it's not as valued as a bachelors degree. Still, that's only the aside, I'm only doing the courses for fun and that happens to be a reward if I continue finding courses I enjoy. I'm sure I'll cope, Dev, but cheers. I'll pester you if I have any questions haha. foilman - It's not an institution doing this. It's a university. The one my fiancée is currently doing her final year of her degree in. They are up there as far as universities go.

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