NCU MBA and PhD

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by maw, May 27, 2008.

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  1. maw

    maw New Member

    Hi Everyone.

    This is my first post here. I wanted to know if anyone here has received a MBA at NCU and gone on for a PhD in BA. I know the I want to go for my PhD at NCU since the curriculum fits my goals the best. Specifically I like the available courses in the Management of Engineering and Technology .

    I am going to start my MBA program in the fall and I wanted to see if there are any advantages to getting the MBA at NCU also. Mainly if more credits can be used toward the PhD than the 30 that can be transferred in from another school. One advantage I see to the NCU degree is using up some of the electives in my MBA degree that I wanted to take in my PhD program.

    Thanks again,

    Michael
     
  2. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    I caution against anyone earning multiple degrees from the same institution - in some circles this may be held against you. The term is "educational incest." I am NOT SLAMMING NCU, but if NCU is your choice for a doctorate, you might want to look elsewhere for the MBA.

    Shawn
     
  3. dlady

    dlady Active Member


    Tradition would hold that you certainly want to get your undergraduate and your graduate degree from different schools. I have not seen any tradition for differentiating a masters and doctorate. I suppose tradition would suggest that the masters degree was for people that dropped out of the doctorate program, but that has changed over time.

    However, as offered, you get the most leverage from differentiating schools for each degree. And since there is really no prestige factor involved in most of the on-line schools we are choosing from, you might as well differentiate.

    BTW, I am in the NCU Management of Engineering and Technology track and think it is a very good program.
     
  4. maw

    maw New Member

    Good points guys. The way I am approaching these degrees is much different than when I was an undergrad looking for graduate physics programs. Then I was looking at prestigous schools and thinking about how each school attended looked on a resume. Now I just want to learn what I can.

    I had originally planned on attending different MBA and PhD schools for the reasons mentioned above. In thinking about it further I started thinking that I might be able to get the most out of both degrees, for what I want to get out of them, by sticking with NCU for both. I would be able to take more specialization classes this way and I would have a nine credit head start if all the MBA credits are transferred in. I would be saving around $4500.

    Another factor that has me going in this direction is the lack of group work at NCU. I recently completed a class for my PMP certification and I ended up doing all the work since everyone in my group was a dud. They all got credit though. In my day job I deal with group situations all day long so a break from depending on other people would be a welcome thing.

    That is just a little more of where I am coming from.

    Thanks,

    Michael
     
  5. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    You could also save a good deal of $$ by picking another school for a DL MBA.

    http://www.geteducated.com/rankings/best_mbareg.asp

    Shawn
     
  6. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Have you considered the D.B.A. vs. the Ph.D.?
     
  7. maw

    maw New Member

    I have looked at both the D.B.A and the Ph.D. At first I thought the D.B.A. might be the better route since the concept of original research can be scary at first. But, it has always been a goal of mine to get a Ph.d so I decided that was the route I wanted to take. I have already been tossing around some dissertation ideas and I have a few years to nail it down.
     
  8. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    I would pick the program that works best. I agree with the idea of earning degrees from different schools. NCU will only award 30 credits toward the PhD regardless of where they were earned.
     
  9. dlady

    dlady Active Member


    You will like the NCU program. Good luck.
     
  10. maw

    maw New Member

    I talked with NCU today and this is what I found out regarding my initial question.

    All 36 credits of the MBA from NCU will transfer into the Ph.D program at NCU. In addition, there are two classes that are required in both degrees and these can be replaced with electives in the Ph.D. As an added bonus that I did not anticipate, by earning both degrees at NCU you get a 25% discount on the second degree obtained. I think this seals my decision for NCU. I will be able to take all the electives that I want and get a substantial discount in the process.

    Thanks for everyone's comments,

    Michael
     
  11. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    The tuition for the same courses in the MBA is cheaper than in the Ph.D. so earning the MBA first will save you some money.

    Reduced tuition is always good news.

    On a related note, once enrolled in a Ph.D. doors will start opening career-wise that might not otherwise have been available. Good luck!
     
  12. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    Thanks for the info I thought only 30 credits would transfer (sometimes it is good to be wrong). A discount tuition - sign me up!
     
  13. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    This is tricky, in my opinion a PhD in business is normally good for two things:

    -Research positions in government or fortune 500 organizations
    -Research and teaching

    A PhD from NCU would not really help much for a research position within the government or a top firm since they alway look for graduates from top schools. As for research and teaching, a PhD from NCU might limit your options to community colleges and some low tier schools that are short of faculty in a certain field.

    I would think that an MBA from NCU would be ok if the PhD is from a better institution. I know that it might cost you more and take more years to finish, but I would look for a school that can open more options for future. Nova has better history of graduates teaching full time and so Walden. I know they are not cheap but you are getting a more tested product. I would also look at Baker College that might look a bit better in you resume or even Andrews University. As more B&M schools start offering distance learning PhD opportunities, PhDs from places like NCU will start losing value so it might wiser to look for the long term.
     
  14. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    Wow! Stunning! :eek:

    I went to NCU for several reasons, to include:
    - cost / financially within reach
    - the coursework can be done when it's convenient for the student, instead of adhering to a regimented attendance schedule.

    Only 30 external credits will transfer in, but if the credits are in-house from NCU, then more than 30 can be transferred into the program.
     
  15. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    Outside of academia do employers really care that much about where someone earned their Ph.D.?

    One of the draws of NCU is the step-by-step dissertation process the student is guided through (8 dissertation courses).
     
  16. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    I wouldn't worry too much about getting the master's and doctorate from the same school. This is very common nowadays, with the rise in programs with direct admission from the bachelor's to the doctorate (with the master's in passing).
     
  17. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Good point, but most industry employers wouldn't care about a PhD in business on the first place. Besides self improvement, the only motivators that I can see for getting a PhD is to call yourself a doctor that can be a good marketing tool for consulting or if you want to be qualified to teach at the University level.

    At least for teaching, it would make more sense to maximize the value of your degree and get it from a place with a solid reputation. It would cost you more money and time but you can get more value out it (in this case more teaching gigs at better schools).

    If you want to do it for consulting, it would be probably better to get a state approved doctorate that can give you the right to call yourself a doctor and put the title in your business cards and concentrate more in marketing. Not many customers would ask you about the source of your degree and if they do, it wouldn't make much difference Baker, NCU or CCU.
     
  18. maw

    maw New Member

    My long term goals do not involve teaching full time. I may want to do some CC teaching or some online teaching but that is not a primary goal for me. I have a good job now and I am on track to replace the current VP when he retires so I am mainly looking to get the Ph.D to further my knowledge and satisfy my goal of getting a Ph.D.

    I also want to have the Ph.D so when one of the idiots I always seem to end up working with on the business side of the house says "What do you know about Business? You are an Engineer," I can point at the Ph.D framed on my wall and say "how about that!" :)
     

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