Continuing Education and Distance Learning Resources
Compiled by Gail Goebel Nakada

There is no excuse for not pursuing continuing education these days, and being in Japan is certainly no obstacle. In the bricks and mortar world, Tokyo has a wide variety of English-language options for undergraduate- and graduate-level studies in a range of fields. Several schools, such as Temple University or the McGill MBA program, offer flexible evening and weekend class scheduling for working students. Business and IT executives can target management training seminars or time management courses at Oak Associates, AMTGROUP, and Franklin Covey. In the online world, the Web has opened up many international educational resources to the distance learner through accredited private or government colleges and universities. The following abbreviated resource guide should jump start students onto the right path. See the Online Extras section on the CJ website for additional information. Note: Inclusion in this listing does not in any way imply an endorsement for the school and is for the reader's information only.

Distance education -- a few tips

Distance learners need self-discipline and self-motivation to succeed. No one is going to push you to complete an assignment or finish your course. Distance learning courses are scattered all over the net. Check carefully whether the school you are considering is accredited and state- or government-licensed. Some DL websites will look great until you read the fine print -- or notice the lack thereof. If "accredited" or "licensed by" is not listed right up front, be suspicious. If the school has such a certification, they will flaunt it proudly. Do not study with a non-licensed institution -- it may turn out to be nothing more than an overpriced fee-based diploma mill. If you are considering a US institution, verify their authenticity through the Department of Education in the school's home state or call the US Department of Education (DoED) in Washington. You can also check for complaints with the Better Business Bureau.

Here are some other tips:

* Accreditation/licensing does not necessarily mean that your course work will be accepted by another university should you want to transfer. Check with universities to which you might want to transfer for acceptability.
* Be aware that some schools have residency requirements which would mean an extended stay at the school.
* An invaluable resource book is "Petersen's Guide to Distance Learning," by Petersen's Guides, available from Amazon.com and in Japan, from the Foreign Buyers Club, tel: 078-857-9001. The book lists 2000 degrees and programs from 900 accredited public and private colleges, universities, and private schools in the US and Canada. Another excellent resource is: John and Maria Bears' "Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees Nontraditionally (13th Ed)" (ISBN: 0962931241).

Distance Learning Programs

Regents College (US)
Regents is one of the oldest DL universities. It has an impressive list of accreditations for its varied degree programs. Regents is accredited by the (US) Commission of Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The information on their accreditation page will give you a good idea of what to check for on other sites. They have no residency requirement.

7 Columbia Circle
Albany NY, 12203-5159
www.regents.edu

Southern California University (US)
The SCU for Professional Studies (SCUPS) offers associate, undergraduate, and graduate degrees in a wide variety of fields.

1840 East 17th Street, #240
Santa Ana, CA 92705-8605
Tel: 800-477-2254 or 714-480-0800
Fax: 714-480-0834
www.scups.edu

Frederick Taylor University (US)
346 Rheem Boulevard, Suite 203
Moraga, CA 94556
Tel: 800-988-4622 or 925-376-0908
Fax: 925-376-0900
www.ftu.edu admissions@ftu.edu

Western Governors University (US)
This site enjoys the support of corporate and government agencies -- it's establishment was initiated by a group of governors from a number of Western states. Despite all the PR, big sponsors, and competency-based rhetoric, we could find no mention of accreditation or licensing. Proceed with interest but caution.
www.wgu.edu

Open University (UK)
Britain's Open University is a public university offering a broad array of classes and degrees.
Open University
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
United Kingdom
www.open.ac.uk

Open Learning Australia (Australia)
Australia, too, has an active and well-policed distance learning community. For a good overview of what schools there are offering, go to the Open Learning Australia website. www.ola.edu.au

Distance Learning Center (Tokyo)
Below is a small sampling of the DLC's affiliates. Log onto their homepage to access these and several other universities in England and the US.
The Distance Learning Center
1-4-3, 202 Maruyamadai Wako Shi, Saitama 351-01
Tel: 048-463-3077
Fax: 048-464-4199
www.distance-learning.org

University of London (UK)
Offers a Master of Laws (LLM) degree. For information, send a message by e-mail to: uoflondon@distance-learning.org with your name, telephone number, postal address, and e-mail address.

Newport Asia Pacific University (US -- See preceding article)
The NAPU Graduate School of Education offers a Master of Science in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), a Master of Arts in Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (TJFL), and many other TESOL certificate programs. The Graduate School of Intercultural and International Relations offers a Master of Science in International Communications.
www.asiapacificu.edu/

Leicester University (UK)
Offers a Master of Science in Finance and Master of Science in Marketing. Examinations are held at a variety of centers around the world, as well as at the University. It is also possible for overseas candidates to sit their examinations locally if special arrangements can be made. Access the DLC website www.distance-learning.org.

(See the expanded version of this article in the extras section)

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