NCU or Columbia Southern for DBA - Warning...Long Winded

Good Evening,
I'll begin by giving a little background information about myself. I'm currently an active duty Air Force officer on the medical admin side. I have an MBA-Healthcare Administration through NCU and I'm looking at starting my DBA within the next year. I will be using the GIBILL-Chapter 30 (Benefits look to outweigh new benefit since I'm still active duty) to pay for the degree. Looking at NCU and Columbia Southern and taking just one class per semester, the GIBILL should cover either degree. NCU's tuition, barring no dramatic increase for their active duty enrollees not using TA, will cost me about $945 a class while Columbia Southern's would be closer to $800. I know NCU is Regionally accredited and I can specialize in Health Care Administration and get the most out of my credits (sounds like I have a choice) but I'm still intrigued by Columbia Southern's program. This degree will not get me promoted but I love learning and I'm also interested in teaching online classes (I realize I can now with my Masters) in the future. I'm also under no stress to finish in a certain timeframe (NCU allows 7 years and Columbia Southern allows 10 I believe).


With all this presented, what school would be more beneficial to me? I want everyone to consider that I've been in the Air Force for about 8 years ( 1 officer and 7 enlisted) and I am afraid of the rigor that will be involved with a doctoral program. However, with enough time and being able to concentrate on one class at a time I think I'm very capable of being sucessfull in either program.

Does anyone have experience with either program that can say "You need more experience", "This program is better", "This program is really hard", or "This program is great and I find it easy to balance spouse, kid, and school". Are these unrealistic expectations?


Thanks for the feedback!

 

I would recommend NCU over Columbia Southern, just because of RA having more utility than DETC.

 

Ditto to what Bruce said.

 

Merry Christmas Dono - I think that many people get to this point where they have to choose between two similar programs. You've made a decent argument for NCU but you've said virtually nothing about why you'd choose Columbia Southern. "I'm intrigued" isn't a real selling point. Based on your own words NCU is the clear choice. I think you're right.

 

I pondered this exact very same thing a couple years ago. I was the 2nd person accepted into the COLSOUTH DBA (“accepted” I believe is synonymous with “filled out the form” just like most of these online schools). I am a big fan of what the DETC has done over the past 10 years and have several masters from DETC schools, which I think are terrific. However, after much heart searching and great thought, the amount of work that goes into a DBA, you have to position yourself for the one thing that the thing really provides, the ability to teach, so you HAVE to go RA. Even DETC schools require RA degrees for their teachers (baffling, BTW).

I think DETC schools are fine for Masters and below, as I consider those business degrees, but the doctorate, like it or not, really only carry weight in academia. In 20 years time this will be different, but that is a long time to wait on principles. All IMHO.

 

As someone who hires online faculty, I can tell you that an RA doctorate from NCU would be far more advantageous than an NA doctorate from Columbia Southern, if you wish to teach for a regionally accredited university like mine.

 

I agree with David on this as well - I've taught at a DETC school (Andrew Jackson) and I felt the material was first rate. However, I believe that David is correct; for the doctorate, you should go RA.

Good luck in your studies.

Shawn

 

Tony, would an NA doctorate be an automatic disqualifier for your school if the position requires a terminal degree?

 

I can't think you all enough for your input. Happy Holidays.

 

With degrees being "easier" to earn (online options), an RA PhD will set you apart from others with only masters if you want to teach. PhD will probably equal more options.

If you are afraid, perhaps you should not start on this path. I don't say this to be a smart ass but to point out that it is not easy. I am taking one class at a time with time off in between classes. I have been working on it for almost 5 years and that does not make it easier. My suggestion: go for an RA PhD and take one class at a time and see how it goes. Best of luck!

 

You know, Bruce, this is an issue that I am going to bring up to our administration. The Sullivan University System is a rather unique entity. The three campuses of Sullivan University are regionally accredited by SACS, while Spencerian Colllege and Louisville Technical Institute are nationally accredited by ACICS. At the present time, Spencerian offers just a few online courses and LTI offers none, but this will change in the near future. Sullivan currently offers 18 of its 40 degrees online (with a number under development).

Faculty teaching for Sullivan must have RA terminal degrees. However, I do not see why there would be a problem with hiring someone with, say, a DETC doctorate to teach for Spencerian or LTI. I'll have to verify that with my V.P.

 

Could that hurt future chances of RA accreditation if they go down that road?

 

Probably not. SACS requires a certain percentage of the faculty have RA terminal degrees. If we were to pursue RA for these two colleges, we would make sure that we have met the SACS requirements beforehand.

 

NCU all they way for between two.

 

Still, NCU is a better alternative despite everything: Tuition Hikes and Fees

CSU DBA program head was the president of SCUPS (CAL SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY) and NCU at one time, so,in a way there are similarities with the programs. Still, a DETC accredited degree has lots of limitations.

A doctorate is not easy and involves lots of writing and lots of research, and if you do not like writing or researching, you will have a hard time.

Best of Luck.

 

I agree, due to the level of the degree. My friend loves NCU, and is almost done with her DBA. Dave Lady also recently completed his DBA from there. Good school.

Abner

 

I'm not Tony, but I do work on faculty hiring. At my school an NA doctorate would be an automatic "no" for a tenure track position - especially when a job ad has requirements of "...earned doctorate from a regionally accredited school or foreign equivalent" . Regards - Andy

 

What about non-tenure track or adjunct?

 

It appears that NA doctorates are here to stay, so it's probably a good idea to start thinking of a policy to address it.

 

I'm not sure the question has come up. But in any screening process we always go through a "weed out" process. NA doctorates are unlikely to make it to serious consideration. If you have to say "no" to someone - something as obvious as having a doctorate from a school that isn't RA is an easy call.

Regards - Andy