Excelsior MA Liberal Studies

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by P. Kristian Mose, Oct 13, 2003.

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  1. P. Kristian Mose

    P. Kristian Mose New Member

    Is there anyone on this board who has actually pursued this program, not just talked about it? It seems well-designed, and as we know generous in its transfer credit, but I would like to know what the Great Books-flavored required courses actually feel like. The readings look good, but how good are the profs, for example? I investigated a while back and most did not look impressive in their backgrounds or current achievements (they often seemed to be young struggling gypsy scholars). Of course that does not mean they might not be superb teachers, but my sense is that the Excelsior "resident" faculty is as transient as the students!

    I'd also like to know what how much intellectual interaction there might be among students in this master's program. I know the courses are delivered online -- and theoretically interactive -- but there is interactive online learning and pretend interactive online learning.

    Any thoughts?

    Thanks,
    Peter
     
  2. jon porter

    jon porter New Member

    Peter,

    The Profs are excellent -- of course, I might be a little bit biased, being one of them. I only really know my colleagues in the Graduate Research and Writing course: most are fairly senior -- indeed, I get the feeling that I'm the youngest. Since I don't teach a substantive course (to use the lawprof jargon), I can't speak to the interactivity of and within the courses; MLS-500 (Graduate Research and Writing) is very much one-on-one.

    All the best,
     
  3. P. Kristian Mose

    P. Kristian Mose New Member

    Thanks, Jon. Can you give me a sense of what the students are like? Their average age? Ability level and/or educational background? I would assume these are all over the map, yet I am guessing that most students have done some grad school at some point in their pasts, or else they might not have selected Excelsior in the first place.

    How often do you conduct a Research and Writing tutorial with someone for Excelsior, and how many other tutors are there? How are your colleagues selected, and what else do they do to earn a living? I'm curious.

    Peter
     
  4. jon porter

    jon porter New Member

    With the Buckley Amendment and all, I'm not sure I can legally answer the first part of your question -- and in many cases, I simply don't know. Several military students, thanks to the link-up with eArmyU; several based abroad, which seemed to be a deciding factor for them at least, and many others in fairly isolated regions, so DL was their only viable option.

    I teach the MLS students as they come in, usually only about two at a time, tho' I once had four. At least ten of us teaching MLS 500; we all seem to be full-time academics -- I think one or two are deans -- based all over the country.
     

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