Charles Sturt University (Australia)

Is this University recognise in US?

If anybody attending any courses from this Univesity, could shed more lights on their distance learning courses. More specifically on method of delivery - effective or ineffective so on and so forth.

 

Hello,

I'm an just starting my second semester of the DBA program remotely from the US. Your receive a large binder and books related to the course. It steps you right through with extensive required and recommended readings. I have 3 assignments due which are scheduled and outlined the guide. It is very complete and just requires the ability to stick with it to get through.

The instructors have been helpful when asked and prompt on returning inquiries. Forums for each subject are also provided if you want to post to others a question.

The first semester was rough due to my inexperience and studying Multivarite Stats but, I made it through.

The program is laid out clearly a steps you right through the program.

Hope it helps.

Humbug101

 

Yes.

Jeff

 

It depends. Charles Sturt University is a recognized member of the higher education system in its home country, Australia. It is a perfectly acceptable place from which to earn a degree. But recent research shows, at least in the academic/admissions world, foreign schools meeting GAAP (which Sturt does) are significanly less acceptable for admission to U.S. school than schools accredited by one of the regional associations. We do not know if this measured effect extends to the workplace. Personally, I would expect to come across some situations where the degree would either prove unacceptable, or require some explanation. This isn't due to any weakness in Sturt, but in the process of using a degree earned at a foreign school. Also, you may encounter situations where you are excluded (like applying for a job) because of the degree and not know about it. This is a dilemma for almost anyone pursuing a degree from a foreign school, regardless of that school's quality or the quality of the course of study.

Many people are comfortable with that. Perhaps they have other, strong reasons for pursuing the degree. Or perhaps in their lives they don't anticipate situations where the degree would be brought into question. That certainly was the case with me when I was contemplating pursuing a Ph.D. from the CEU via MIGS. I knew a properly-issued doctorate from an unknown Mexican university would suit my needs just fine. It was the process that became abhorrent.

Rich Douglas

 

Your process should go something like this:
First, make yourself comfortable with a foreign degree. 3 things should help.
1) Browse faculty listings from good US schools. Look for situations where the terminal degree is from a foreign school (suitability for teaching) and where lower degrees are from foreign schools (suitability for advanced study). You will find a surprising number but look for yourself.
2) Look into US work visas. This may sound strange but the US government offers different types of work visas to "foreigners" with professional credentials and jobs in the US. The majority of these are granted to individuals with foreign degrees. You will find that hundreds of thousands of TNs, H1Bs, etc. are granted every year to individuals with foreign degrees and jobs in the US but again, look into it yourself.
3) Ask knowledgable individuals (i.e. obviously not Rich Douglas). I have worked for 3 of the largest firms in the US and have not encountered any bias against foreign credentials. HR directors have confirmed this. My organization hired an individual with foreign credentials last month. My firm does not have any alums from Charles Sturt (according to the database) although we do have a couple from the University of Southern Queensland and some other Aussie schools).
4) Check out the school. Get a copy of Goode Guide (Australia university review). Charles Sturt has an office in Canada which primarily serves the MBA program (Robert Miller 905-648-7130). He provided me with a document from the University of Toronto attesting that CS was equal to UoT standards. He may have some information from a US source.
5) Avoid prejudiced fear mongers. Yes, you may find bias against a Aussie degree... or because you when to Oklahoma State... or because you didn't go to Harvard... and so on and so on. You may equally find an Aussie degree to be a great competitive advantage in an era of internationalism and globalisation you will bring a point of differentiation that another graduate from a state U does not bring.
6) Bottom Line... as I was told by a HR director... a good school is a good school regardless of the country of origin. Pick the best school/program that meets your primary constraints (and a degree from a specific country should "generally" not be a primary constraint).

 

I am interested in the Charles Sturt DBA program. Can anyone tell me the total cost associated with the distance learning DBA, the estimated time it will take to complete part time, if you can do it completely through distance learning, etc.

 

Hi Mark,

The CSU DBA can be completed in four years part-time and the cost for me is $2200AU per semester. Cost about $1,100US depending on exchange rate, i.e. very cost effective. For me it is totally external, with no trips "required" and at this point none are planned. They have however added an "induction" program requirement that may mandatory, however they waived mine and allowed me alternative requirements to meet it. I am currently starting my second semester.

Hope this helps.

Humbug101

 

Do you know how many american residents are taking the program?
Do you have to take proctored exams?
thanks

 

Hi again,

To answer your questions, there are no proctored exams required as far as I know and none scheduled.

As for Americans, I'm the only one I know of and there is also a Canadian in the program at this point in time.

Hope that helps.

Humbug101

 

Lewchuk, I am not about to defend Rich Douglas because I am sure that he knows how to handle that. What I am about to say is that Rich Douglas is more knowledgeable than those individuals (outside this board) that you have in mind. He is more knowledgeable than most of us, including you. I have always said in the past and I have continued to say that you will probably find more informed people (DL issues) in this board than in any other place.

Ike

 

Personal attacks are not allow in this discussion group.
I think that both, Rich and LewChuck, have valid points. All things equal, local degrees are more accepted than foreign in industry. Why? Easier to verify, difficulties in finding equivalencies, and differences in education systems. In industry, experience and previous employment is the key for a good job, education is important but it is not necessary to go to a top school and having a local degree helps in the screening process. In the academia is a bit different story, the name of the school is important since the universities need to display them in their catalogues. In this case I’m better with the Lewchuck approach, an academic has far better chances with a DBA from Glasgow or Henley than with a doctorate from a weak school like NCU or a new one like Touro International. In my university most of the professors have foreign degrees but from known and well established universities.

 

Rich:

Do you feel that a DBA from Charles sturt would have more acceptance in the US than a one from MIGS?, I know that charles sturt has a very low reputation in Australia and the CEU in Mexico is not the school with highest reputation either.

 

To add to RF's post,

Since both USQ and CSU are at the low end of the Goode guide ratings, would either make any difference from an American point of view? Your opinions please.

Most have not heard of Sarasota/Argosy either.

My view is that if one is accepted, the other would also. Splitting hairs of one Aussie degree over another is pointless!!

just my unbiased view.

humbug101

 

If I was faced with taking either degree with all other considerations being equal, I'd take the Sturt degree. Neither school's reputation in their respective countries really matters much. The CEU and Sturt appear in the appropriate guides listing legitimate foreign schools. But the Austrailian system and culture is closer to our own, which might raise fewer questions. Also, Sturt has a system of awarding the degrees, which may make them more likely to be deemed as equivalent to ones awarded by U.S. degrees. Employers and foreign credential evaluation agencies might tend to come to the same conclusion. I'm not saying a doctorate awarded by the CEU isn't legitimate. I'm just saying I'd rather have one from Sturt.

And Lewchuck's comment is demeaning only to himself.

Rich Douglas, who isn't doing a doctorate at either school.

 

Are you implying that I am engaging in personal attacks? If your answer is yes, I will like to know how I have engaged in personal attacks.

Ike

 

I don't want to start a dispute between USQ and Charles Sturt. I know that in Australia CS has bad reputation between academics, but like you say, few people know about this. But it is not a personal attack, as a matter of fact at some point I preferred the CS DBA to the USQ because it was cheaper, it has no proctored exams (Thing that I hate) plus it can be completed on campus in case I wanted to go over for one session. But they didn't have a supervisor available in my area of research. The fact that it had bad reputation didn’t bother me too much because in Canada both universities are not known and is not likely that someone is going to ask an academic in Australia about them. BTW, when I asked about USQ to some academics they told me that the standards are more rigid than CS but it is not Harvard either.

 

I'm sorry Ike, it was directed to Lewchuck

 

BTW, I would prefer a DBA from CSU to the Sarasota one. Why? Cheaper and the for-profit aspect of Sarasota bothers me. When I asked for a catalogue to Sarasota University they followed it by a series of annoying phone calls that were selling it the same way a vacation resort sells its vacation plans.

 

I am not sure how the term "bigot" can be used in an affectionate fashion.

 

One thing to remember is that you cannot always extrapolate the US system onto foreign ones. Yes, Australia, the UK and Canada rate/rank their Universities but their systems provide much more consistent quality across the board... there is much less of a gap between worst and first. Students in these countries seldom fret about getting into a "good school" to the extent that many students in the US do. So I don't think either CS or USQ would make much difference but the fact that they are considered "weaker" schools in Australia also doesn't mean as much as if they were "weaker" schools in the US.

Interestingly, my firm does have graduates from USQ but non from University of Sarasota.