My life issues, NCU, and Degreeinfo

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by BinkWile, Apr 27, 2005.

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  1. BinkWile

    BinkWile New Member

    Hello to you all.

    It's been awhile since I posted, mainly due to new developments in my life. My wife and I have found our dream home 30 minutes away from her family, in Austin, TX... but I live in DC!

    Needless to say, my wife is determined to move (with or without me), and I am dealing with relocating, selling my house, working towards my dissertation, and finding a new job. So if anyone knows anything About Austin & jobs let me know!

    Now that I've vented a little... I have some interesting info I discovered about NCU. It appears that one can do multiple specializations in their Masters and doctoral programs. One can do so by taking 18 SH in each specialization. But for the specialization to be listed on the transcript & diploma, it has to be completed before one applies to graduate. So one could complete the dissertation process, and then wait awhile and take 18 more SH in another specialization (or more) and then apply to graduate. To get the second specialization afterwards would mean doing a second dissertation.

    Does anyone see the merits of doing so? Could you really wait out the anticipation after completing your degree? I know that the more credits one has, the more they can teach, and the more they can finagle their ways into job positions.

    Any thoughts??
     
  2. Andy Borchers

    Andy Borchers New Member

    Nova Southeastern's school of business does it a little differently. They allow student to come back after they graduate and complete additional specializations. I'm working on my third specialization now - first management, then IT management and now accounting.

    Regards - Andy

     
  3. kelechi

    kelechi New Member

    You can also do the same with University of Phoenix. Previously you can only add additional specialization before you graduate, but they changed it so that you can still come back and add additional specialization even after you have graduated.
     
  4. BinkWile

    BinkWile New Member

    Yes, but is this feasible? Or would it be worth it?
     
  5. Mr. Engineer

    Mr. Engineer member

    Ahh Austin - the only place in city in Texas worth visiting... (waiting for the mud to fly by)

    Jobs in Austin

    High Tech: Lam Research field service, Applied Materials manufacturing, Motorola, TI, I beleive ST has a small fab near there as well. Being the capital of Texas, I suspect that there are a lot of goverment jobs. There is a lot of openings for CO's in TX (of course you would have to leave your brain at home)

    Beleive me, much better climate than Dallas, Houston or El Paso. 6th street during the hot summer nights is a blast as well.

    (of course you can get on with the Texas DPS and in 5 short years become a Texas Ranger)
     
  6. DesElms

    DesElms New Member

    I would tend to agree with that. Good music there, among other things.
     
  7. Andy Borchers

    Andy Borchers New Member

    For me - it was entirely feasible and worthwhile. I've increased my value significantly by being able to teach in more areas. My major research area is IT. But I can teach management and accounting courses. For smaller schools that's a real plus. All too often a school may need "half a xxx person and half of a yyy person". Having flexible faculty can really make it easier for the school to meet teaching loads.

    Regards - Andy

     
  8. BinkWile

    BinkWile New Member

    Yeah I know, I love Austin. I'm not sure if anyone's been there in awhile, but when I was there last month, they had just finished building a new skyscraper, they erected HUNDREDS of new office buildings and apartments, the highway is enrmous now, and where there used to be nothing is now million dollar homes and cookie cutter communities. hat place is growing, fast!

    Hence my desire to get there before the inevitable happens: Ridiculous housing costs! It happened here in northern VA, and it's going to happen ther too.
     
  9. aic712

    aic712 Member

    UOP spec

    Hi,

    Yes you can add an additional specialization after you graduate, but it does not get posted on your diploma; what you get is a "continuing educaiton certificate." That is why I usually advise students to complete the specialization before their degree is conferred so they can get both majors (i.e management and administration) posted to their diploma and transcript.

    I cannot comment on the utility of an additional major/specialization because most of the time it seems to be a matter of personal preference rather than increasing marketability; and once again, that depends on what you want to do with the degree.
     
  10. aic712

    aic712 Member

    Hi BinkWile,

    I second that, Northern VA is ridiculous and overcrowded, they make it nearly impossible for someone my age just getting out of college to afford anything alone.
     
  11. David Williams

    David Williams New Member

    One of the most interesting sights I've ever witnessed is the bats leaving their home under the bridge in the evening.
     
  12. DesElms

    DesElms New Member

    That was just all the pople from these forums goin' out for a smoke.
     
  13. BinkWile

    BinkWile New Member

    I agree. We ended up here 4 years ago when my time was up in the marines. We bought a town house and both went to grad school. Now it has become ridiculous. It takes me 90 minutes to commute (both ways) there are no more trees, and the cost of housing has gone insane. The average home in Stafford in 2001 (before all of the insane consstruction) was around $150,000. That same home today is going for $450,000!!!

    Needless to say, when we found the price of homes in Austin compared to the profit we'd make out of the move, we decided that it would be insane not to move.

    The same thing is happening to Austin, in regards to construction, so itis only a matter of time before the housing market gets out of control. We need to buy now before its too late.

    Good luck to you in this area though!
     
  14. Tireman44

    Tireman44 member

    Bink,

    If you ever get the chance, go to New Braunfels and tube down the Guadalupe River. It is awesome. We go every July 4 th weekend( since 1976) and it hasnt disappointed yet. New Braunfels is 35 miles south of Austin on I35. Just a tourist tip.
     
  15. David Williams

    David Williams New Member

    Gregg, and how about a Shiner Bock to go with that Austin smoke!

    D.
     

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