American Military University - New Programs

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Bruce, Oct 14, 2001.

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  1. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    I was surfing some old bookmarks and happened upon AMU's site. They have added a bunch of new programs, including graduate degrees in Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Political Science, and National Security Studies. They also have over 30 graduate certificates in very interesting and topical areas like Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Middle Eastern Studies.

    AMU continues to be my favorite DETC school. I remember they were going to go for RA at some point, but I don't know if that's still in the works.
    http://www.amunet.edu


    Bruce
     
  2. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I would add ISIM to a very small list that certainly includes AMU.

    It remains, however, that no DETC-accredited school has gone on to RA.

    Rich Douglas
     
  3. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Has anyone found out conclusively what the situation is with the College for Financial Planning? They have both regional and DETC accreditation. It seems unlikely to me that they would seek DETC after regional, as well as being a huge PITA to prepare for simultaneous accreditation standards.


    Bruce
     
  4. Smudge

    Smudge New Member

    Bruce,

    I also like AMU. Actually, I applied there and was accepted, but got wet feet at the last minute because of no RA. Last I knew, they were still working towards that goal, but it is always a slow process. If I recall correctly, the Southern Association has never accredited an institution that is "distance only".
     
  5. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    As I recall, at one time AMU's website stated that they had applied for RA, and SACS listed them as an "applicant". (Unlike some of the other regional accreditors, SACS lists applicants even before they are granted candidacy.) Well, after a while the 'applicant' listing dissappeared from the SACS site and the reference to applying for RA dissappeared from the AMU site.

    I have heard by word of mouth (reliability unknown) that AMU was rejected for candidacy, and that the reasons did not involve academic quality so much as its distance-only format and some other administrative/organizational stuff.

    SACS has never been very friendly towards distance education. Walden was rejected by SACS and forced to relocate its headquarters to Minneapolis. It applied again there, and was accepted by NCA.
     
  6. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member


    Not so unlikely. We hear about UNISA considering it. We know the CLMS at U. of Leicester got DETC accreditation long after becoming a recognized university.

    On this side of the water, the US Open University pursued both simulteneously. (DETC came first). But RA then DETC? That wasn't the original statement. It was the other way around. DETC then on to RA.

    CFP was accredited by DETC in 1995. It was also granted accreditation by the North Central Association that same year. Their timeline is at http://www.fp.edu/aboutCFP/timeline.asp

    Both forms of accreditation occured during the same year. That must mean that the CFP was made a candidate for accreditation well before DETC accreditation.

    Again, no college or university first accredited by DETC has become RA.

    Rich Douglas
     
  7. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    I definitely plan on studying for a graduate certificate or maybe even a degree from AMU in 5 or so years, after my "formal" education is done with. This would be purely for my personal interest, so accreditation issues wouldn't matter.


    Bruce
     
  8. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    Western Governor's University is accredited by DETC and is also currently a candidate for regional accreditation.
     
  9. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    My comment isn't about schools that pursue both at the same time (or within a short time of each other). It is about schools that operate as DETC-accredited without being RA (or in the process of it), then go on to RA. That hasn't happened. That USOU and Western Governor's are both DETC-accredited and RA candidates is irrelevant. I'm talking about schools that went the DETC route and operated there for some time. None of them have gone on to RA. It is a simple notion. And it remains true.

    Rich Douglas
     
  10. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    But what is "some time"? A year? Two? Five? It would be impossible to say with such an arbitrary clause thrown in there. A DETC school could achieve RA 3 years after DETC, and you could still say you were right, because it wasn't "some time".


    Bruce



    [Note: This message has been edited by Bruce]
     
  11. PKomarnicki

    PKomarnicki New Member

    I am enrolled at AMU. I was told that they were a candidate for RA, and were not approved (I guess it's the same as denied) They have made a pledge to become RA (although I'm sure there are tons of schools that have promised to become RA and have failed to do so). Since they have been honnest in the past (thier website states that they tried to become RA and did not), I have every reason to believe that they intend to meet SACS standards; I don't know id they will be able to do so, but in the end I decided it didn't matter to me. A DETC degree would meet my needs so I would be ok with AMU and, they offered a masters' program that I would not be able to take anywhere else. Plus, I like the fact that AMU is honest about their status.
     
  12. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

     
  13. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I'm not trying to be "right," Bruce. It's not that big of a deal. There have been a couple of schools that have earned DETC accreditation while also pursuing RA, but there have been none that have been operating with DETC only for any length of time (how about 3 years, okay?) that have gone on to RA.

    It is a simple notion.

    Rich Douglas
     
  14. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    AMU was never a candidate for RA. Candidacy is a very specific stage in the process. Schools can expect to stay as candidates for a year or more (3-5 seems like a good mid-range figure).

    Yes, AMU has been strident in communicating their status along with the nature of their operations.

    It sounds like you've made a very informed decision to attend a very good school. Good luck!

    Rich Douglas
     

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