Online ME Masters Degree: Balancing Work and Education - Advice Needed"

[cstoos]

I have been looking at getting my ME Masters degree, but I am currently working full time and will definitely not be taking time off to pursue it (meaning, I want to accomplish it while working).

My only local option doesn't really offer night classes for engineering graduate degrees so that leaves online as my only real option. There is info online about which schools offer online degrees, but I don't know anybody who has done this as an ME. Anybody have any experience/advice on the matter?

 

[Smed]

I actually just completed my masters through a distance program. Many schools now support satellite classes. There were even classes that weren't initially setup to be online that were then modified at my request. Most of the courses I took were through a satellite connection where I connected in from a local community college, and one of them was delivered online, which I simply watched from home. The hardest part was performing the research, which really required face to face meetings with my advisor. I ended up making a 2 hr drive to the school every other week.

Send me a pm if you have any specific questions.

 

[cstoos]

Thanks for the reply. That is pretty much the type of information I am looking for. I have been worrying about things like labs associated with classes, necessary software programs that I won't have computer lab access to, etc.

A two hour drive every few weeks wouldn't be too bad, but the school I have been leaning towards is about a 20 hour drive from my location. I think that added distance would complicate things even more, which stinks because UW-Madison has a highly rated online degree program with emphasis in my field (IC engines).