Peterson's "Independent Study Catalog" is good in premise, but suffers from two fundamental flaws: it is way out of date, and the organization is sometimes difficult to follow. The book was very complete when it was published, but is now eight years old, which is virtually an eternity when talking about distance learning. It lists not only degree and certificate programs, but courses that can be taken (some for credit, some not) from various institutions of higher learning. Unfortunately because it is so all-encompassing, courses for high school equivalency are listed alongside classes for a Master's degree. I think it would have been more productive for Peterson's to break it down by type and level of programs. As it is, the reader spends a lot of time flipping back and forth between the index section and the entries in the main text. While this book may be dated and not the most user-friendly in the world, it is undoubtedly a great resource for people who are looking for distance learning courses and programs. It excels in listing not only institutions with complete degree and certificate programs, but also schools which offer individual courses for credit (or not) allowing people interested in taking a single course in nuclear power (for example,) to find that there are two schools allowing students to enroll in introductory classes in that one area. I recommend this book as a starting point and as a reference for people interested in different distance learning options.
Excellent tool
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
This is an excellent resource. I am a faculty adviser and use this book all the time. For a variety of reasons, students need to find independent study classes, especially while they are performing internships or community service. This book has helped me find the course opportunities for them. I think it is great and am awaiting the next edition.
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