Author Topic: Athabasca a good choice?  (Read 3164 times)

Gizbar

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Athabasca a good choice?
« on: July 22, 2013, 05:53:33 PM »
Canadian related details here:

Thinking of a second degree if accounting (first was philosophy).  Would just take accounting courses, but the federal service prefers full degrees in accounting.  Athabasca would be fastest and is all online, which I like a lot.

But, does it work?  As in, will people respect it like an in class degree?  They're accredited, not like a usual "buy your degree" bogus program, but what will employers think (bonus points regarding government employers).

Not sure where I should post this, so please tell me if I chose wrong.

Thanks!

MMMdude

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Re: Athabasca a good choice?
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2013, 08:23:39 PM »
Do you already have a job with the gov't.  If not your comment about is odd about it.  I am in a position where i hire junior/intermediate accounting positions.  As a second degree/mature student option it is fine and their program is supposed to be pretty good.  Sure you want to move into accounting though?

Spudd

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Re: Athabasca a good choice?
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2013, 11:46:53 AM »
I can't speak to how well-regarded the program is, but I took a course there a couple of years ago and thought the quality was just as good as any university-level course I've taken in the past.

kdms

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Re: Athabasca a good choice?
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2013, 12:18:49 PM »
Currently being a Canadian federal public servant, I can tell you from personal experience that when the job posters go out, they will not specify what university your degree comes from, or at least in the last 10 years I've been with the GoC I've never seen one that has.  I'm pretty sure they can't; it's against the public service employment act (which may or may not apply to the department you're thinking about; check what rules they fall under.)  They can specify what degree they want to see, what specializations they want you to have, but you've already covered the key word - accredited.  The wording has always been 'requires a degree from a recognized/accredited university or post-secondary institution in the specified field or.....'

I got my degree long-distance from Memorial University in Nfld while doing night shifts on Vancouver Island.  They didn't care - I had the required degree from an accredited university.

My only question is why Athabasca?  From the research I did when I was looking for a place to do my studies, they were incredibly expensive - actually the most expensive in the country.  Is there no other institution that offers the courses you're looking for?

If you're looking for a government job (I can only speak for federal here, don't know about provincial) go to the jobs.gc.ca website and check out how they word their job posters, you'll start to see a pattern.  It may not need to even be a Canadian university you attend.

DD2013

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Re: Athabasca a good choice?
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2013, 11:07:52 PM »
Its odd actually for any other online, pseudo school, it ould be a bad idea but the Albertan ones like Athabasca seem to be a special case.  I have seen many people with degrees from joke schools like DeVry Calgary or shitty, glorified community colleges like the Uof Lethbridge get good jobs from them but only in Alberta though

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!