European-American University™

Our times see a curious disconnect between education and degrees. In employment, a degree is often demanded even when it is not needed, and is used to distinguish between applicants even when the employer has little idea of what a given degree genuinely represents in terms of educational value. For many, the currency of degrees has become little more than the social cachet of prestige and titles. The degree as a commodity has strangely become worth more than the education it represents, even when it is in a subject with no relation to the employment field. And for many adult distance learners, the prospect of learning seems to hold limited interest unless it results in the award of a degree as evidence of their achievement.

This is not how things should be in an ideal world. We have argued, and continue to make the point, that employers should not demand a degree unless they are competent to establish what that degree means in terms of competencies and educational attainment. But we must acknowledge that this is not what happens in the world as it is, and that world is one in which our students must strive against the increasingly competitive odds of the modern marketplace.

Today, we see experienced executives lose out to inexperienced youngsters not because of their knowledge and competencies, but because they lack the crucial piece of paper - the degree - that the employer looks for. Sometimes, those who may have been in a post for years without problems are told that unless they earn a degree by a given deadline, they will lose their job.

All of this is part of a trend identified by David Hapgood as early as the 1970s in his book "Diplomaism". He wrote,

What can be done? The simple answer is that because non-traditional education makes earning a degree a quicker process and one that is individually-focussed, it offers real solutions to the problem. If you already have the knowledge, but just need the degree, one of our APEL or dissertation-based programs for experienced candidates can make the degree you want achievable and meaningful. And if your aim is to learn more in your field, our flexible taught programs offer the opportunity to do this as well. You can ensure that when you are up against another applicant of equivalent experience, your degree can offer you the edge that might well make the crucial difference.

This is not a quick fix solution. EAU offers no guarantee as to minimum time limits, nor does it award degrees without full evidence of academic attainment, sometimes requiring very considerable additional work. In doing this it ensures that its degrees represent credible standards of achievement. EAU is one of the few legitimate institutions in the world today that offers genuinely non-traditional pathways to earning a degree - a result that could pay off many times over.

Sometimes, intelligent and otherwise ethical people are tempted to take a short-cut to their goal by simply buying a degree outright from one of the many diploma mills that operate on the internet. At EAU, we warn you very strongly against this strategy. An unearned degree is like a time bomb in your resumé - and for people every day who are fired, exposed by the media as frauds or even sent to jail, it can blow up spectacularly. Acceptance of legitimate distance learning degrees earned from private non-traditional institutions is not yet universal, but when you can point to a credible institution, program and faculty as evidence in support of your degree, you should find it easier to win the respect that you deserve.

At EAU, our programs are tailored to the needs of working professionals. Many private sector employers are enthusiastic about the idea of a non-traditional degree from a private, independent university (check in advance to ensure that a degree from EAU will meet your needs) and some will offer promotions or salary increases linked to the earning of a degree. Why not show your employer the EAU website and invite them to learn more about our programs and processes?

Why earn a degree?

The #1 reason why people don't earn a degree
"Oh, but I'm 42 years old and this program's going to take two years, so I'll be 44 before I finish!"
"And how old will you be in two years' time if you don't earn your degree?"

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