Would a masters from UMUC be considered a joke?

I'm trying to find out whether this is a school that is reputable or not.

 

I doubt it...but they cost a boat load.

 

It is reputable and slightly expensive. What program are you looking at?

 

environmental management

 

You might also look at Harvard Extension - Graduate Program in Sustainability and Environmental Management | Harvard Extension School

 

Actually, the HES Sustainability program only requires one on-campus course (the final one) which I beleive can be completed over a summer session. So, you're really only looking at about 8 weeks in residence. Not terrible.

 

Not a joke

The school is reputable, public, non-profit, and part of the University of Maryland system. The only other characteristic you could want is elite, and that is something UMUC most assuredly is not. Personally I like UMUC's accessibility, but its cachet with employers is the same as the lowest rung of Maryland public schools like Frostburg and Salisbury. In-state employers will recognize the name, but it'll be just another degree with out of state employers. Military/DoD-affiliated companies will probably be most favorable towards the degree.

If you're in-state the tuition is a good price, but there are better deals out there for out-of-state civilians.

Their business programs have specialized accreditation with IACBE, but that has virtually no meaning. IACBE has only just been recognized by CHEA as a valid specialized accrediting agency, but does accredit many other DL schools.

 

I have served on hiring boards at both community colleges and public and private universities and have had candidates with degrees from UMUC. The degree was never considered to be substandard, much less a joke.

 

You may be correct with most of these facts but there are few, if any of our members who can uproot themselves from their jobs and families in order to move to Boston, even for just two months.

 

Yes, but with a couple of years to plan it out, someone smart enough to get that far into the degree could figure out the residency thing. How about a weekly air-commute to, say a Monday class w/ a same-day or next-day return? Work it out with your employer to change your schedule or take vacation/leave for those Mondays or Tuesdays. It could get expensive, but if planned and budgeted accordingly, it could work out, especially if you live somewhere where the flights aren't that long. I could see making it work. Wouldn't be the easiest or cheapest thing, but it's no pipe dream. Remember, it's one class and that's it. One tough commute to satisfy your Harvard residency requirement.