New student?

I'm curious if there are others beginning new programs this fall. I've decided to pursue the online M.Ed. in school counseling at the University of West Alabama. It is the only completely online program of which I am aware that includes state certification. The only part that is not online is the internship. Yes, you actually have to relate to real live children.

It will be my second master's degree. Anyone else taking the plunge?



Tom Nixon

 

A qualified "Yes, a doctorate".

I'm almost certain that I'm going to enroll at Northcentral University for their non-resident Ph.D. with a specialization in Criminal Justice Administration.

I say "almost" because I'm in the process of trying to convince my wife that I need yet another degree.

If I do decide against the doctorate, there are several Master's programs that greatly interest me......

 

I start my Ed.D. with Nova on September 8th. My wife started her Masters with Nova on August 11, and we have a 5 month old son and work full time jobs. I believe "crazy" goes without saying!!

Duff

 

We are just completing an MA degree in criminology and one of my friends is considering getting a second MA in education. I just don't understand why he'd pursue a second MA instead of going for a PhD.
< scratches head >

This Fall, I will be enrolling in Northcentral Universiy's PhD program (in criminal justice), but it is contingent on some financial issues that are cooking.

 

My Master of Computer Science degree was brick-and-mortar. Being way-back-then, it didn't include Web programming courses. I also felt that I didn't know enough about biotechnology. So over the last 3 years, I took 7 courses to upgrade my professional skills. But I wasn't pursuing another degree, and I've stopped now.

Any chance I can get a "Still has problems, but lack of formal education is no longer one of them" certificate?

 

I started my doctorate exactly one year ago.

 

I'm just starting the second year of a doctorate program through UNISA.

 

I'll take one of those also, and Supersize it.

 

Undergraduate courses?

I read much here about additional degrees but nothing about undergraduate certificates that might have the same utility.

 

I'm still working on the MBA and BA. I'll finish the MBA in 2005, if I stay on track. Once the MBA is completed, I intend to more aggressively pursue the BA from UNISA.

Additionally, I intend on taking either the SPHR or PHR certification exam next year.

 

Re: Re: New student?

Often it probably doesn't make sense. In your friend's case, I'm not sure that I understand either why he would choose to do that. He could just as easily get into an Ed.D. or Ph.D. program in education.

In my case, there are no doctorates in school counseling online that also provide state certification. I wouldn't do it anyway because I have no need or desire for a doctorate. Also, given my present career-track, it would probably work against me. It's unclear in my field (and others, I suspect) whether someone is willing to hire a person more "qualified" than he/she is. The general qualification for any of the three types of jobs that I would pursue is the master's degree. I've never met *anyone* with the doctorate.



Tom Nixon

 

decimon asks:

> Undergraduate courses?

Some of them.

University of Massachusetts Lowell
Continuing Education 90.301 “Java Programming”
(I believe this was 3 undergraduate credits, despite being offered by "Continuing Education".)

Northeastern University
Computers 5639 “C# Programming”
(This was 2 CEUs, continuing education units.)

Boston University
Graduate Medical Sciences Biotechnology 160 “Biotechnology”
(I believe this was 2 undergraduate credits, despite being offered by "Graduate" Medical Sciences. I don't think any of my classmates were pursuing a degree.)

Harvard University
Biology E-101 “Genomics and Computational Biology”
Computer Science E-162 “Distributed and Enterprise Computing”
Computer Science E-237 “Programming Microsoft .NET”
Computer Science E-259 “Developing e-Business Applications Using XML”
(These were 4 graduate credits each. The Genomics course is also available for undergraduate credit, and is available to Harvard non-extension students as Biophysics 101 or Genetics 224, and to MIT students as Health Sciences & Technology 508.)

> I read much here about additional degrees but nothing
> about undergraduate certificates that might have the same
> utility.

As you might guess, the above courses do not correspond to any official certificate. But they did address gaps in my knowledge.

 

The "301" indicates that's an undergraduate course. All online, off-campus, evening, and other non-traditional courses at UMass-Lowell are offered through Continuing Education. My degree was awarded by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, but all my courses were scheduled and offered through Continuing Education.

 

Thanks. I find this interesting as you did what you needed/wanted to do without spending years or the price of a Lexus on what would be mostly superfluous and surely forgotten before very long.

 

My employer reimbursed my tuition 100%, so much less than the price of a Lexus. But nobody asked me to take courses: I chose them, and my boss rubber-stamped my choices. I thought it would be a great mistake to work so near Harvard University and not get "Harvard" on my résumé.

 

PHD at Curtin University of Technology -- Advisor is arranged and dissertation proposal is well underway. Well..... that was the plan until just this week when a fantastic job opportunity with the State Dept of Ed sort of appeared out of nowhere. There's no way I can do both -- the job would involve a lot of travel and probably 60 hour weeks. Also, there would be no need for a phd because I wouldn't be making any more career moves -- the job is so perfect that I would continue until retirement (admittedly not all that far off if counting years of service in education LOL). *sigh* Decisions, decisions.

Leslie

 

I'm planning to finish the Lancaster MA in Philosophy and the Environment this Fall. The dissertation is due September 12 and I'll be pounding away at the keyboard every day until then...

 

Fall term

Beginning doctorate program at NCU Department of Psychology, concentration in Health/Behavioural Medicine.

 

Guess I'm one of few who's planing to start working on "just" BA degree

 

me too, sort of...

I too am beginning a bachelor program, but not a B.A.

I've started the Bachelor of General Studies at Fort Hays State University with an "emphasis" in Food Science.

What does everyone think about the difference between the B.G.S. from Fort Hays and the Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies from Excelsior College? I will likely retire in this civil service job I find myself in, so the utility of the degree means little. Promotion might come up but I am very comfortable, so it isn't likely (a GS-8 ain't much but the pressure from above is low). My question is primarily a matter of asthetics. Does a B.G.S. from Fort Hays State University sound better than a B.S.L. from Excelsior?

The requirements for the degree from Excelsior can probably be met (by me) before the B.G.S. from Fort Hays, since Excelsior accepts more testing for credit.

Of course there is the M.L.S. at Fort Hays that one might drift into after the B.G.S.

Ron Dotson