I'm looking for some feedback. I live in an area with limited on site access to doctoral programs, and therefore looking at online programs. I don't plan on teaching as a career later, but cannot rule that possibility out. Is anyone here familiar with or taken any of the doctoral programs at the University of Phoenix? What was your experience? Would you recommend them? I'm specifically interested in what sort of experiences you've had surrounding their reputation. Thanks!
I'll ask the question just because I know someone else will ask it sooner or later: Why do you want/need the doctorate? As far as UoP goes ... its doctorate programs are probably decent enough. The problem may be reputation, as you've noted. Although UoP has large physical campuses, they are seen in the minds of most as being an "online school". I was talking with some friends recently about online study options for another friend of ours, and UoP was mentioned derisively ... along the lines of "Just go to UoP haha" ... now, again, I mean no disrespect to those who have attended UoP, I'm sure it's programs are decent, but this is the perception many have due to UoP's advertising and aggressive recruitment to their online programs combined with the still somewhat negative public perception of "online degrees" in general.
UOP is a good school that suffers from a bad reputation. The programs are solid, I know because one of my good friends is a prof there. However, due to their mass marketing techniques they have earned the reputation of the McDonald's of higher ed. among many in academic circles. They are also very expensive. TESC, NCU, and others offer degrees that are cheaper and you basically get the same thing. The problem with a distance degree when you want to teach at a university is the fact that most traditional institutions will not honor them. That is changing slowly. City colleges and online schools will allow you to teach with a regionally accredited online degree, but you will most likely not get a tenured university job. Hope that helps, Mike
