# Finance Degree by correspondence



## Dopplegangerr (Sep 3, 2011)

I am looking into doing a finance degree by correspondence. I am working "full time" but my current job barely keeps me active. I will not get into the details of what I am doing at the moment (all legal/legit do not worry) but just lets say I am living in the middle east and typically work between 8-10 days a month with an amazing amount of time sitting around the computer doing nothing. 

I am keen to do a degree because: 

a) I have so much free time and would like to use it constructively
b) Personal accomplishment
c) Possible change of career, what specifically I would like to do I am unsure of but I believe that when studding I should be able to narrow my interests and possibly discover a career path
d) A challenge
e) Why finance, well it interests me

Now I have never attended University, I have only done a Culinary Arts Diploma 10+ years ago but I am really excited to study again, I love to learn and am always pushing myself. 

All morning I have been looking at different websites. 
Most of the schools in the United States with online courses I was looking at were very expensive and had courses in taxation and other things I thought might be very different for a Canadian.
Schools in the middle east where I live had mandatory courses in Islamic Culture and Arabic language, even for a finance degree.
For Canadian online Universities I found Athabasca University which seems to be a very interesting degree.
Or the Edinburgh Business School that says I can go straight in and do a MBA or MSc straight away with out a undergraduate degree if I just complete three of the courses first to be accepted, and then they will count towards my MBA anyways. I can sit for the exams here where I live as well even though I will be studying everywhere.


I am interested if anyone here has followed a similar path and what they thought of correspondence. Also if anyone knows a school I should be looking at and maybe a handy link to them. I will keep searching but thought I would get a thread going on this straight away to see if I can get a little advice from the lovely people here at this forum.


----------



## stephenheath (Apr 3, 2009)

I did the Athabasca MBA and it was quite enjoyable by correspondence, although they do have a mandatory couple weeks where you have to attend with other students, so even if you did them back to back you'd have at least one round trip plane ride as well. Athabasca designs their correspondence courses quite well, my wife did a regular university level course through them and it was very methodical and well presented. You may be able to do the MBA without an undergraduate if your work experience compensates and I think you need to write one challenge exam.


----------



## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

I took an anatomy class at Athabasca and it was quite good. The correspondence format is well done. I can't speak to the finance side of things, but an endorsement for Athabasca. The only issue you might have is that I had to go to a local institution to write my exams, and they might not have any where you're located. But I think there was a workaround you could use.


----------



## bayview (Nov 6, 2011)

Although I havent gone through it, the UOL programs is pretty well known in the UK & commonwealth countries but probably unknown in Canada. I think some of its programs are pretty good especially Economics and UOL has ties to solid institutions eg London School of Economics. 

http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/


----------



## jcgd (Oct 30, 2011)

I don't mean to highjack the thread, but how well does having a degree from somewhere like UOL work out in Canada? It's something I'd like to look into, but have no idea how practical it would be.


----------



## bayview (Nov 6, 2011)

@jcgd. Your qt is valid but I dont know the answer whether any Canadian employers know about the UOL program. I doubt coz not much info on the web except some comments about the Law Program. I do sometimes wonder why UOL did not take off in Canada even in a small scale.


----------



## jcgd (Oct 30, 2011)

Yes, after searching around online I couldn't find much about UOL and Canadians. After a talk with my parents we agreed Athabasca would be the best fit for me.

OP, in case you are interested, this is why I choose Athabasca:

Affiliated with some Canadian Universities, including Dalhousie University in Halifax (My home province)
Batchelor of Commerce program
Individual online learning
AU exams writing center in my city (Calgary)
Cost (~$660 per course or $6630 per year)
No program deadlines (must take a course within year to stay enrolled) 
6 months to complete courses (1-4 credit)
1 - 6 courses allowed at a time
Courses start on the 1st of each month (flexibility)
I can continue working full time while earning a degree


----------



## londoncalling (Sep 17, 2011)

I know I am a little late but I will throw out my 2 cents as well. Memorial University offers online business degrees. My wife has taken courses from both Athabasca and Memorial and finds them equal in all areas aside from price. Memorial does not require face to face sessions for its online courses but does have "illuminate"(online instructor led lectures and q and a) sessions from time to time. The sessions are recorded and able to be viewed by students unable to attend. The other difference would be that Athabasca has continuous enrollment where Memorial does term courses. I myself prefer the need for deadlines and being allowed an entire year to complete a course would not work for me as I would start with gusto then do nothing till near the end. I am also considering going for a finance or economics degree by correspondence when I can find some. Right now I am too busy starting a new job and working way too much overtime. Hopefully, things will slow down in the next 6 months. Please let us know where you end up...

Cheers


----------



## Dopplegangerr (Sep 3, 2011)

Thanks London, I will look into Memorial as you said.
I still have not made a decision yet. I started seeing a new girl about 3 weeks ago and that has taken up a good portion of my free time, she is also looking to study something in Aviation so we are looking to start our studies at similar times so we dont feel guilty when our nose is in the books and not paying attention to one another.

At the moment I am considering doing an MBA in Finance threw the Edinburgh business school, I can do the exams where I live in the Middle East and they do not require me to have an undergrad degree.

Will update when I make a decision.
Cheers


----------



## bayview (Nov 6, 2011)

>Dopp. Dumb qt:

Your location is Ontario and you said you live in the Middle East - do you mean the Arabic region or the mid east of Ontario. (I'm new in Canada - still learning). Thks

All the best to your studies and new realtionship.


----------



## Dopplegangerr (Sep 3, 2011)

I am born and raised in Ontario and when I joined this forum I was living back home in Ontario, I keep all my money and investments in Canada as well but I moved over to the Arabian Gulf at the end of last year for work.


----------

