Touro University--opinions please

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by armywife, Jun 21, 2003.

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  1. armywife

    armywife New Member

    I am finishing up a Masters in Education at UOP and I've been looking into doctorate programs. I need something that is similar to UOP where it is completely online with no residency requirements. I also like the way UOP's format works. It is not done through live interaction so I can do it when I have time. I tried going through a school originally where the classes were live via the web and it was just not a good match for me because my schedule was very hard to match up with being able to sit in the chair and watch a live class. That is why I like it being at my convenience.

    I have looked at the Touro website but I still can't quite figure out how the format is going to be. Is it in a message board format similar to UOP using Outlook Express? Or is it live etc? If anyone is familiar with UOP I would like to know how it differs. I will readily admit UOP has been a total cakewalk for me. Very easy. If they offered a doctorate I'd do it in a second. So how does Touro compare?
     
  2. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

  3. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    An added question:

    How much are doctoral credits at Touro?
     
  4. duff

    duff New Member

    I have been looking for the right program for me for almost 2 years now and I looked at all of them. I changed my mind so many times. I finally stumbled across a program that no one ever talked about or seemed to know about.

    Nova Southeastern University has an online program (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership. There are about 11 specializations. They are also about to put their Ed.D. In Higher Education completely online as well.

    Both programs are entire online programs except for a 2 day orientation in FL. That is manditory, but after those 2 days, you don't have to do any other residencies. I have been speaking with the director of the program for quite some time now. It runs about $500 a credit hour and is 66 semester hours. It requires an "applied" dissertation vs. a "new thoery" dissertation.

    From my understanding you don't have "live" classes over the computer. They have discussion forums that I believe you can post responses to at any time and other interactions which can be completed on your time. Here are the links and I hope you find the program useful. I was just accepted and will be starting in the fall.

    Because their programs are changing (to being online) make sure you contact the school for the most up to date information.

    http://www.nova.edu/cwis/disted/orgleader.html

    http://www.nova.edu/cwis/disted/dhel.html

    Duff
     
  5. Bao

    Bao Member

    You can go to this site for further information about TouroU teaching methods.
    http://www.tourouniversity.edu/faq/teachmethods.htm
    At TouroU, a semester is lasted 12 weeks. You will have six modules (six cases study) and a session (semester) long project. You will have two weeks to complete each module. During each module, you will have to "collaborate with other students on cases." In other words, it is a message board format similar to UOP. You will have a live session for every module where you can ask your professor questions about the cases. I do not think the attendance of these live sessions is mandatory because its copies will be available on the website of your course. TouroU will not be a cakewalk in my opinions. Nevertheless, with dedicated efforts (2 courses every session), you should complete all 48 credits of required coursework in 1 and 1/2 years. The final step is the completion of the dissertation.
    http://www.tourouniversity.edu/coe/phd.htm#dissertation

    Good lucks,
     
  6. armywife

    armywife New Member

    Nova Southeastern

    Thanks for the info but the reason I have been unimpressed with Nova is because although it says they have a lot of online programs I find most of them to be "field based" or being held at extension sites not truly online. I have to have somehting with no residency and 100 percent online. But thanks anyway!
     
  7. Steve King

    Steve King Member

    Obviously, any RA doctorate degree program will require a lot of time and effort on your part. Even though Bruce has found a University of Phoenix’s Doctor of Education program for you, I think you should look around and be sure that you have chosen the ideal program for your specific situation. It’s easy to continue at the school you know, but you don’t want to begin a doctorate and then begin to wonder if there isn’t a better program out there for you. Once you’re done with school, you’re “stuck” with the program you chose. I’d look into every 100% distance learning program you can find and seriously consider Touro University International.

    What Bao described is accurate. The classes at Touro are 12-weeks long and require three different things every two weeks. (Some courses require a fourth.) For every two-week module, you will read some “background” articles and papers on the topic at hand. From there, you will conduct your own research using the school’s virtual library, the Internet, and possibly your own library (I only had to go once). Touro’s library has an incredible number of current academic journals and well-known publications. It also offers access to ProQuest.

    The three things required of you every two-weeks are: 1) a paper on the case study presented for that module, 2) another step completed in your session long project and 3) participation in the threaded discussion. That participation usually means answering the professor’s questions, which is usually related to the case study, and responding to another student’s posted response. Your paper on the case study must be well referenced and is anywhere from 4-14 pages long, depending on the case. The work you complete toward your session long project can be shown in about two pages. At the end of the session (semester) you will have submitted five to six case study papers, participated in six discussion sessions, and completed one large session long project.

    Some doctorate level classes will require and additional activity once every two weeks – live classroom participation. About half of the doctoral courses are “Horizon Live” courses. They require all students to meet online at one of two specific times/dates each module. The professor asks questions and students answer them individually. Everyone can hear the professor and see other student’s answers. This is also a good time to ask your own questions and get clarification on new ideas taught in the course. It is actually very helpful. Even with my crazy schedule, I found time to meet online once every other week for the one-hour Horizon Live course I had. Missing this live session every once in a while is acceptable too. Frankly, the professors are very flexible.

    As Bao said, “Touro U will not be a cakewalk.” But it will be a valuable learning experience. And in some ways that’s worth a lot more than the degree itself. After looking at many different schools, I decided to return to Touro. I was looking for a health sciences degree, so your situation is different. However, I found that spending time looking at other programs has made me that much more contented and focused on my studies at Touro.

    Good luck!
     
  8. duff

    duff New Member

    ArmyWife:

    Did you read my post at all? The Nova program is 100% online except for the one time 2 day orientation. What is stated on their website is not the most up to date information. I encourage you to contact one of the advisors directly and speak with them. I just want you to have the most up to date information so you can make the best decision for yourself.

    Duff
     
  9. duff

    duff New Member

    You may also want to look at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Their Ed.D./Ph.D. can be completed 100% online as well. They strongly encourage an on campus experience but it is not manditory. They use Lotus Notes for their courses.

    Duff
     
  10. armywife

    armywife New Member

    Thanks

    Thank you both for the information.

    Thanks a lot for that excellent and detailed info on Touro. That is exactly what I wanted to know which was how they did their format. It definately sounds like something I can handle. I just have to determine if their degree will be useful to me or not. BTW, I see you went to GMU. I am from Alexandria, VA myself originally so I practically grew up at GMU!

    I'll check out NOVA more...like you said..there website in my opinion and could be more informative....too many of their porgrams in the field in which I am looking at are field based and require short trips to the campus. It could just be my field of interest is like that but even short term trips to the campus are totlaly out of the question for me. I live in Alaska and I have 3 kids...I am not doing any program which has me going there for even an hour. It just isn't going to happen. That is why I can't do Capella.
     
  11. GBrown

    GBrown New Member

    Re: Thanks

    Armywife,

    I'm stationed at Fort Wainwright and am willing to sit down with you and show you one of the courses. I have been with Touro for 2-1/2 years now and am a graduate assistant and Ph.D. student. Let me know if you're interested.

    My wife and I frequently travel to Anchorage if you're stationed at Fort Richardson. Let me know...
     
  12. armywife

    armywife New Member

    Alaska

    Wow! I can't believe it!! We are on Eielson AFB so we are neighbors!! My husband is actually army but we are stationed on the air force base because he runs the vet clinic here. If you have pets you probably know him because he goes back and forth between both clinics here and on Wainwright. Maybe you can email me with some more info if you get a chance.

    [email protected]

    Thanks!!!
     
  13. Steve King

    Steve King Member

    Re: Thanks

    What a small world! You and GBrown are virtual neighbors and you and I are both from Alexandria. I was born and raised in Alexandria -- a T.C. Williams H.S. graduate and everything. Pretty neat.
     
  14. armywife

    armywife New Member

    Steve King

    Steve King,

    Do I know you? I think I might!! I also graduated from TC Williams. I graduated in 1990. My maiden name is Holly Jordan. I think I remember a Steven King in my class. Funny how you run into people in cyberspace from past lives!!

    Holly
     
  15. 4Q

    4Q New Member

    So what did you decide, Armywife?
     
  16. armywife

    armywife New Member

    No decision yet. Most of the ed degrees I've been recommended are Admin/Management oriented which isn't really my interest. I'm more interested in something in Child Development/Educational Pscyhology etc. It is not really mandatory that I get a PhD. I only plan to use it mostly for myself. I am not interested in going into the admin/management end of the school system so I want it more for personal reasons and possibly to teach at the college level part time. I am not trying to get into academia but I'd like to teach a class or two for University of Phoenix or Rio Salado. I like doing distance learning so I'd like to teach a distance learning class too. I also would like to maybe teach a lower level undergrad class at a local community college and I could do all of this a little bit easier with a PhD although I can still do it with the Masters I've been told. I just have to find a program that interests me.

    I'm looking at NorthCentral which has a PhD in Psychology but I'm not sure how useful this degree would be. I am not sure it matters if it is APA approved or not but I'm not sure how useful it would be for me. I am also looking at Capella but unfortunately they require 3 one week trips to the school which would be pretty much impossible for me to do.
     
  17. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    If you're planning on using the Ph.D. as a teaching credential for community college or other undergrad classes, then a Northcentral (or any other RA) degree should suit you just fine. APA accreditation will only be an issue if you want to be licensed as a Psychologist, and even then there are several states that only require an RA degree that is substantially in compliance with APA standards (Harvard's Psychology department isn't APA-accredited).

    For a Psychology Ph.D. that's RA and totally non-residential, I think Northcentral is the only option around right now.


    Bruce
     

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