I need to help my husband decide between 2 MEd programs. He just got a new job (YEAH!) teaching culinary arts full time at a university! We are packing/moving as I type this. A requirement is that all chef-instructors hold master ed degrees by 2016. They do, however, expect him to enroll for fall term. (He's not in a hurry to complete) His employer will reimburse us for 90% of the cost. He's trying to decide between APUS and Northcentral. Both have similar courses. Northcentral can be faster and APUS can be cheaper, but since those are not really huge priorities, anyone have any experience they'd like to throw out with one or the other? Lastly, please don't suggest any other programs, he has already received approval for choosing one of these and we'd like to get his application process underway without re-requesting new approval. Thanks a bunch! :flowers1:
A few thoughts about structure and content?: All of APUS' M.Ed. programs seem to be intended for and focused on PK-12 education. The Elementary Education and Secondary Social Studies degree titles are designed to lead to teacher licensure, would include related experiential requirements, and don't appear to be be available to residents of NC. The Teaching degree title has some concentrations that might be relevant – Online Learning and Instructional Leadership especially. But the program is described as being for "licensed classroom practitioners." So you'd all have to see a college instructor could both be admitted, and do any work-related projects integrated into the coursework (I don't know whether there are, I'm just thinking aloud) in a college - or homeschooling? - context. Guidance and Counseling could be an interesting crossover into counseling and human services content, but it's 48 semester hours while the other titles are 36. The other degree title is in Administration and Supervision. It's described as focusing on PK-12 settings and includes a total of 180 hours of field experience and internship, and there might be work-related projects integrated into other coursework (again, if there are any). Meanwhile NCU has a small stack of specializations including Leadership in Higher Education, E-Learning, Adult Learning and Workforce Education, and others, not tied at all to a PK-12 context.
Jennifer, I have a lot of experience with NCU. The academics are solid but the admin is/was lacking. If you are not dealing with financial aid that should remove about 85% of the admin headaches. I would ask them if they have any continuous enrollment rules. I remember hearing that students needed to enroll in X number of classes per year and it turned out to be more of a fulltime load as opposed to a parttime load. I am cannot comment on APUS because I have never taken any classes there. Unlike others, I prefer not to comment on things that I do not have knowledge of :dunno:
Johnathan- good catch! I think it will have to be Northcentral. Back when he submitted the school choices, he was looking at the MBA at APUS vs the MEd at NCU. After he was hired they essentially told him the MBA was out, so without doing my proper homework I simply assumed the MEd at APUS would be comparable- WRONG! You're right it's really only k-12, so NCU it is!
Thanks Julie, thanks Randell! And you know you are free to comment in MY THREADS whether or not you know a damn thing. I do it all the time.
I really like NCU and would recommend it to anyone not overly concerned with the fact that the school is online only. If you ever want to talk about the NCU experience feel free to give me a call. PM me for my number. I have taken a large number of courses at the school and so has Randell.
If the employer is paying 90% would you consider Walden? (Sorry... Gotta push my alma mater!) They have programs that aren't designed to lead to teacher licensure. The program I did was geared towards already licensed teachers, but they have programs in Adult Education and Higher Education as well. Their Higher Ed program actually has a concentration in "College Teaching & Learning". It's about $600/credit though. Man, I wish my employer paid 90%! :deal: -Matt
Good to hear he has made his decision. I can help him with any questions concerning assignment submission, book purchasing, looking up syllabi on the learner site, APA formatting etc.
Thanks everyone! His paperwork/transcripts, etc are being processed as I type this. I'll report in from time to time on his progress. Monkey see, monkey do, I've applied to Canisius' MS Applied Nutrition (non-RD track). Canisius College -- Where leaders are made
When I signed up at NCU I was able to pay over the phone and get access to the site, the research library and my first course's syllabus within the hour. I was working on my first assignment about 2 hours after making my call to their enrollment department. If that isn't customer service I don't know what is.