Nova Southeastern masters with no thesis or exams? Doesn't seem rigorous.

I notice that Nova Southeastern University is offering an online master's degree program in education that can be completed in less than a year, has no exams and no thesis requirement. This does not sound like the rigorous program I would expect from Nova. Anyone have thoughts on that?

Nova Southeastern University

 

I don't know anything about that program, but after I looked at your link, I found another Nova Southeastern program that looked interesting: MS in Brain-based Teaching. Do you know anything about this program?

I'm very interested in how the brain works, how it can change, and how it's effected by nutrition, so I'm intrigued by this program. I don't know anything about BrainSMART though and wasn't able to find much by googling.

BrainSMART - Graduate Education & Professional Development

 

I don't know about it either, but maybe I could use that info to fix my brain.

 

My MSEd from Walden didn't have any exams or a thesis either. We did have quizzes each week and a major research project, however. In the end we had to put together a portfolio, but no comprehensive exams or a thesis. My wife's MAEd at the College of William and Mary was the same way. I think both of us would agree, however, that our programs were still rigorous.

-Matt

 

The MBA I completed through Regis U didn't have any exams or thesis either......but it was hard as nuts. There's no way one could complete it in one year unless he quit his job and worked on it 50 hours per week.

 

Unlike many online and non-traditional schools, it is important to understand that the different colleges at Nova Southeastern University are not run as one monolithic institution as far as academic programs are concerned. Each of the 16 colleges runs their programs independently. The College of Business or The Graduate School Computer and Information Sciences do not know what the School of Education is doing. The School of Law is less concerned about what goes on in the College of Medicine. As in many traditional colleges, the rigor of the programs that are offered by the 16 or so colleges varies a great deal. Some of the Colleges don't even have DL programs.
Which college is offering the program?

 

Frankly many, if not most, education master's no longer require at traditional state universities and colleges no longer require exams or thesis. They allow for that choice. Typcially you have a choice between a 30 master's with a thesis, professional project or other formal paper or....36 hours and no thesis or paper. Typcially it means an extra semester. I am aware of more than 100 B&M campuses tyhat have gone this route.

 

Wow, very interesting. I didn't know about that trend. I've had my master's for about 8 years and I didn't hear anything about that practice back then. Must be newer than that.

 

Education. I guess that practice is more prevalent than I thought, just seems so light weight. Must be OK though.

 

Why does it not sound rigorous? Why does it seem unusual for Nova?

 

I have been looking at this program as well as the MHS which are only $300 per credit. It looks interesting and the price is right.

 

I am not familiar with programs in the school of education. My degrees are from the school of computer and information sciences. However, it appears that the master’s degree in question (M.A.T.L) is special and new. It is in fact different from other master’s degree programs that are offered by the school of education. Master of Science :: Masters Degrees :: Fischler School of Education and Human Services

 

There goes another of my preconceived notions about Nova; I thought they were always very expensive.

 

I suppose I just can't imagine a graduate degree that does not require a thesis. I have to admit that I'm unfamiliar with the format at Nova. I was also unaware that there were legit master's degrees that did not require a thesis. From the replies I'm getting, I suppose I was in the dark on that subject. Still, it seems weird to me. It must be OK because I have heard that Nova is a great school and I would assume they would not offer a degree that was lame.

Hey, maybe they'll offer a doctorate that does not require a dissertation? :smile:

 

Neither of my two MBA degrees required a thesis or a comprehensive exam. :saevil:

 

Yesh, it is.

 

OK, shows my level of expertise about master's degrees....NADA! :smile:

 

No thesis on most MBA's? Wow, I chose the wrong masters! I wrote a 90 page thesis for my master's, took months.