Upper Iowa University or Bellevue University MBA

I am looking at MBA programs and want to know your thoughts between Upper Iowa University and Bellevue University

 

This is the academic equivalent of deciding between a Ford and a Chevrolet. Both basically sound products, and so the choice depends on a variety of specific factors, plus the realization that there are a great many comparable others out there as well.

In my book, Bears Guide to the Best MBAS by Distance Learning, I listed eleven of these specific factors to consider. That list is now expanded to 28, and will be included (and perhaps further expanded; suggestions welcome!) in the next edition. (Don't hold breath. Still waiting for Random House to decide if they want this; if not, and if they release it, then I go elsewhere.)

WAYS IN WHICH MBAs MAY DIFFER FROM ONE ANOTHER

1. Specialized vs. General (Generic MBA; in health care; insurance, banking, etc.)
2. Theoretical vs. Practical (How much math, Algebra? Calculus? etc.)
3. Cost
4. World View (international course content or US-focused)
5. Reputation
6. Ranking in US News, other rankers
7. Interactiveness with faculty, other students
8. Lockstep or flexible time
9. Number of Exams: many, few, none
10. Kind of Exams: proctored, open book; objective, subjective, home proctoring device, etc.
11. Writing: many papers, some, none.
12. Thesis or major paper required, optional (in lieu of 3 or 4 units), none.
13. Degree title (MBA, MA in Econ, MS in marketing, etc.)
14. Time involved (minimum, maximum)
15. Planning to go on for a doctorate? Yes, no maybe
16. 100% on line/distance or less than 100%
17. Concession for prison, disabled, blind, A.D.D., other special needs
18. Language of study; language of exams.
19. Case study based (the Harvard model; all, some, none)
20. Accreditation: regional, national, AACSB, state approval, etc.
21. School in US or in other country.
22. School also has on-campus MBA or other programs as well, or not.
23. Executive MBA vs. other kinds
24. Credit for prior academic work: much, some, none.
25. Credit for career experience: much, some, none.
26. Cohort groups working together: yes, no, optional.
27. Length of term: 1 month, 8 weeks, 10, 12, 16, etc. Mandadory or optional?
28. Availability of on-line reviews, student and alumni experiences.

 

Thanks for the info, I put my notes on each of those to get an idea on which school.

1. Both look good on specialization - equal points
2. Both have statistics, but I like the operations management, so I give nod to Bellevue
3. Cost would be equal because it's 13 classes for UIU and cheaper per class, but Bellevue is 12 classes.
4. Both offer International Finance and based on courses, I would say equal
5. No idea on this one - both appear to be small schools, but I like the courses on both. I would say equal.
6. From looking at US News, It says Bellevue is unranked, but it appears they didn't answer all questions. I would say UIU gets the nod.
7. Unknown
8. Both are online
9. I would say equal, because Bellevue has more homework assignments and exams, but UIU is more writing intensive
10. UIU would get the nod because Bellevue is proctored.
11. For me Bellevue would get the nod because UIU has more writing and Bellevue is more hw assignments
12. N/A
13. Both are the same, Only says MBA on both, but transcript says the specialization
14. Equal? UIU is 8 week semesters and can finish about 6 months faster, but it seems I would learn more by doing the 10/12 week semesters. From reviewing the sample syallbus, it looks like more chapters are covered, but spread out more. UIU appears to have 3 to 5+ chapters per week.
15. N/A - Not planning on going for doctor, but Bellevue does offer a doctorate.
16. Both equal as 100% online
17. N/A for me
18. N/A for me
19. Bellevue nod for me because I noticed you do more home work assignments from book
20. Both are equal on accreditation
21. Both equal as in US
22. Both schools have on-campus MBA option.
23. N/A
24. Bellevue was more flexible on prior credit.
25. N/A
26. N/A
27. Bellevue is 10/12 weeks and UIU is 8 weeks. I would say equal
28. Both seem the same, very little reviews, but I didn't read anything negative on both schools. I did like how active the linkedin for Bellevue is compared to UIU.

For me, that comes out to 24 for Bellevue and 21 for UIU. This gives me a better idea that Bellevue is good for me. I don't care to much about proctored exams, but it's only 1 to 2 exams per semester. I would like to finish the degree sooner, but I do like the idea that I can spend more time on the content, as my main focus is to learn, retain, and show prospective employers the knowledge I have gained.

 

Not sure why you put N/A here. I do not know about Bellevue, but UIU has a final written project for the MBA program. The project has to be related to the field of your concentration and can be either a qualitative or quantitative study. The length for the final project will be 30 pages or so, with a minimum of 10 references and a literature review.

 

When I put N/A there, I really meant that question was not a deciding factor on my decision. I interpreted those decision making factors from the other person who posted to be subjective. Meaning, the questions were not right or wrong answers, but answers to those questions only for me based on what I am looking for in a program. I have researched a lot of schools and was down to just those two left. Both were very good schools and so comparable, I had a hard time deciding on which one. I was already leaning toward Bellevue, and those questions helped confirmed my decision.

 

I really like Bellevue for reasons pretty much irrelevant to the present discussion. After my non-compete agreement with Edinburgh Business School expired in 2003, Bellevue was eager to get me involved. The Provost came to California to talk (she served on Rich Douglas' guidance committee), and I spent a most impressive few days on the Nebraska campus (complete with seeing Warren Buffett, who lives nearby, 'dining' at the neighborhood Dairy Queen, apparently one of his favorite haunts). Life was just too full for another major involvement then (and now), so I said no, with regrets.

(I did write them an amusing essay to send to prospective students who complained or worried about the school name, which they knew only as a hospital for the criminally insane in New York.)

 

Kemposun, does UIU not require proctoring? I am interested in their BS program and I cannot find information regarding the exam delivery method (only the independent study method.)

 

The advisor I spoke with said their degree programs are not proctored. I think this was one of the reasons why I noticed they require a lot more writing assignments and discussion board posts. I think it's their independent study program that requires a proctor.

 

Thanks for the information! That is good to know. Unlike some, I am not purposely avoiding proctored exams to cheat the system; I am just located in Canada and the proctoring fees are a pain - not to mention the time off of work (as the library only proctors during normal business hours.)

I've been researching UIU for a little while and have not been able to find anything derogatory as of yet.

 

Hi there...I'm currently a Bellevue grad student in their MS Management Information Systems program and my experience with them has been nothing but thumbs up all the way.

I will say that I have trouble with their student portal (known as BRUIN) since they basically have 2 different ones that act as independent data silos much to my frustration. But the school itself and pretty much everything else has been awesome.

The instructors are pretty interactive, the discussion forums are pretty good, the one thing that gets me is the group work. There's always a minimum of 1 group project per class. It's always interesting stuff but out of the 3 classes I've taken I had one okay group, one really excellent group and one group that just never got it together. Having to tow four other people along for the ride is never fun. In all fairness however I earned my MBA at Ashford University who also used some group work of which I had a mixed experience there as well.

I wouldn't judge too much by the syllabus they (Bellevue) puts online being that they may change it and indeed I have had 2 out of the 3 classes where the professor did change at least one aspect of the syllabus from the published version. Bellevue certainly has their fair share of writing assignments, I just have to do the book work in addition to some of the writing assignments. Almost every class requires some kind of final paper or final report (Ashford was the same way) and the scope of the work is pretty far reaching given the fact that this is a graduate class. I do think that Bellevue's longer semesters tend to dig more into the meat of a subject than some shorter semesters will, but then that may just be my perception as my MBA studies covered a similar amount of content, just in a much shorter length of time.

When I chose Ashford for my MBA it was between Bellevue and Ashford. I chose Ashford because of the shorter semesters but now that I'm not really in a rush and I can kind of sit back and just enjoy the experience of earning a graduate degree, I really like Bellevue just as much even if their online interface isn't as slick.