? Taking the plunge into AMU's MPA program ?

Advice from AMU graduate students only!!! Please!!!

I'm thinking about taking the plunge into American Military University's MPA program. If you are or were an AMU graduate student, any advice that you can give right now is much appreciated, such as:

• How long assignments are.
  .
• Exam methods:
  - online multiple choice tests
  - sit-down in-resident proctored testing
  - timed online tests
  - essay tests
  - writing long papers for a grade
  - or a combination of the above?
  .
• In general, how hard are AMU's graduate courses?
  .
• Is there enough time in each course to comfortably finish it? Or do you always feel rushed?
  .
• AMU is also a regionally accredited for-profit institution, so any thoughts on this are also appreciated.
  .
• Insert your own important opinion here:___________________

Comments?

 

I am not a graduate of AMU, but I am full-time faculty there - send me a PM if I can help.

 

Completed my MBA in IT Management earlier this year, YMMV.

How long assignments are: Papers that were not Final or groups were from 5-7 pages with pretty strict APA guidelines (seemed like they were looking more at APA than content, again YMMV). Post on discussion forums weekly and reply to 3 classmates. I had very few group projects but they went reasonably well.
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Exam methods:
- online multiple choice tests - Yes
- sit-down in-resident proctored testing - Yes, for only one test.
- timed online tests - They were all timed
- essay tests - Yes
- writing long papers for a grade - Yes, varied by course and instructor and length was from 10-25 plus sources
- or a combination of the above? - Oops, I saw this late, most tests were a combination of the above, with essay question being the most numerous and multiple guess being rare.
.
In general, how hard are AMU's graduate courses? - I do not know how to quantify this, compared to the courses I took in residence with Webster University and online with Amberton I would rate AMU in the middle. For me it depended on the course material. Finance was a little more difficult than Marketing, for instance.
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Is there enough time in each course to comfortably finish it? Or do you always feel rushed? - Yes, but you will feel rushed if you put off the papers, although I did have a few long nights writing a paper or two
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AMU is also a regionally accredited for-profit institution, so any thoughts on this are also appreciated. I really liked the school, and went because they had a great deal for me in using my GI Bill, I actually made money monthly by attending school with AMU. Degree utility? Still remains to be seen. I am an old enlisted military guy, so nobody cares if I have a degree, and I do not advertise it. I am not getting any job offer based on the degree.
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This one will be tough, but if I had to do it all over again I would attend a different school. Maybe online, but most definately one that has a more solid B&M reputation. Starting with a state school closer to me.

Good luck with your decision. AMU is a fine school with great customer service, good instructors, and awesome students (I'm in the military so I have an obvious bias.

 

I have a B&M Masters from a big-shot state university, but nobody cares!!!

As an online adjunct instructor, the biggest eyebrow raising question that people ask about online degrees is, "How do you know they're not cheating?"

The military aspect of it is definitely appealing.

Thanks for the feedback on American Military University!

 

Cory pretty muched summed it up. I will be on my 8th MBA class starting next week and can say I have had a good experience with AMU so far.

- timed online tests Some of my tests were timed and some were not. When they were timed, I had 3 hours to complete it.

Is there enough time in each course to comfortably finish it? There is plenty of time to finish the course. You can request an extension if you fall behind or get deployed. I have had to request 2 extensions which last 30 days.

AMU is also a regionally accredited for-profit institution, so any thoughts on this are also appreciated. AMU is a reputable accredited online school (Among online communities and government agencies), and was affordable for me. It also met my need for flexibility (attending/logging in anytime I wanted).

I can't say if I were to do it all over again, that I would go elsewhere. I believe things played out as they were supposed to. However, if I didn't need the time flexibility and can afford to go to a more expensive school, I probably would have just gone to a B & M school nearby.

Good luck on your decision .

 

Does AMU use APA or MLA???

 

It is instructor preference - at least in the programs I teach in.

 

All 8 of my classes required APA format. I just used an APA software program that works with MS Word which saved me a lot of time.

 

Which one?

 

I used StyleEase. Another program that I hear is great is PERRLA. Look into them. StyleEase is $35 and PERRLA is $29.

 

Thank you very much.

Off topic but at least for me (Mac using Safari) your signature is messed up. It is showing all of the language for font/color and everything instead of the fonts/colors because I think they have all of that turned off for signatures.

 

Your welcome, anytime. I tried to fix my sig earlier, but couldn't figure it out this time. I think the Mods told us what to do, but I forgot. I'll figure it out later.

 

Still chewing

I'm still chewing on the different MPA programs between Marist College and American Military University. Here are some things to consider:

• Tuition for AMU is $900 per 3-credit course. Tuition for Marist College is an astounding $2085 per course, but I'm eligible for their tuition reduction program, which brings it down to $1000 per 3-credit course. Thus, Marist College is only $100 more than AMU per course.
  .
• Marist College is NASPAA accredited and AMU is not. However, AMU will be seeking NASPAA accreditation in the future. Here is a personal message about AMU and NASPAA:
  "You’re correct that AMU is not currently accredited by NASPAA, but it is my intent to seek such accreditation. Towards that end, I’ll be receiving training at NASPAA’s annual meeting in late September 2010 and we’ll subsequently seek accreditation as soon as possible. The process is extensive, though. 2011 is the earliest this might happen, although it could be as late as 2012 or 2013. I hope this helps."​
  AMU is RA, but if they get NASPAA accreditation, then their degree with have equal utility IMO.
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• AMU will invariably accept more transfer credits. A preliminary evaluation indicates anywhere from 6-12 transfer credits. A formal evaluation is forthcoming. Marist College will probably only transfer a maximum of six credits -- if I'm lucky.
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• AMU offers a concentration in human resources, which is extremely appealing, while Marist College offers a straight MPA degree.

Both MPA programs look outstanding, although Marist College already has an establish reputation and preexisting NASPAA accreditation. However...

I'm probably going to sharpen my pencil and go with whoever gives the maximum number of transfer credits, thus offering an MPA degree for the lowest possible cost. If AMU accepts 12 credits, that's an upfront discount of $3600. If AMU requires 24 credits for the degree, then the cost will be $7200. If Marist College accepts 6 transfer credits, then 33 more credits will be required, thus equaling $11,000.

I'm leaning heavily towards AMU, but Marist College is still on the A-team.

Still chewing...

 

Have you looked at UI - Springfield? They are only about $14K and NASPAA. How about Valdosta State?