WNMU syllabi or info from current/past students? Writing heavy?

I am loving the fact that Amberton put the syllabi online. From reading them, I feel I get such a better feel for the courses. On the other hand, i am somewhat shocked at the difference in the level of work required between the courses. Even between differnt sections of the same course taught by different professors. Like, one professor will have 8 discussion questions and a final exam, and another will have 4 8-10 page papers and a final 20 page paper.
I am pretty much torn between Amberton and WNMU right now, and I wish i had some way to get more info about the WNMU courses. I have clicked the button to get more info, but usually all that gets me is the name of the book they use for the course. I am much better at exams and discussion/shorter essays than long research papers. Are the WNMU courses focused more heavily on papers or exams? Does it just depend on the course?? I don't want to come off like a whiner "I want a degree without doing any work, waaaaa" because that's not the case. But my strengths and talents in life do not lie in the task of writing.

 

If that's the case, graduate school is going to be very difficult for you.....it's VERY writing-intensive.

 

I am finishing the WNMU masters degree with concentrations in English and Writing; and Bruce is correct, it is very writing intensive. But, one would expect that with these two concentrations. I also have Masters degrees in Theology, Business, Psychology, and Counseling - all of which were writing intensive. I am not sure you will find a masters degree that does not require copious amounts of writing. If you do, please post it here. On a sidebar, WNMU is the most student-friendly school I have attended. Please do not interpret this to mean easy!

 

I echo what everybody else said about grad school being writing intensive. I will say that econ and finance was less so.

The only option I see for you to avoid all the papers is to go for the Edinburgh Business School MBA which is all exams.

Edinburgh Business School: Distance Learning MBA and Online Business Courses

 

Thanks everyone. I wonder if online degrees are more writing intensive than face to face ones? Probably half my office has or is completing a masters in counseling or social work at our local state university, and I'm pretty familiar with their programs, and I must say those programs are not nearly as writing intensive as what I am seeing online. Some courses have no lengthy papers at all, or at most 1 or 2, generally under 15 pages. Another coworker who decided to move from social services into teaching and just completed a masters degree in education with certification, had numerous group and individual projects, but no papers over 10 pages at all.

Kudos to all you who are in/have completed grad school

 

From what I gather in my own experience, graduate courses in the US are extremely writing intensive but grad courses in other countries such as the UK and India are more like undergrad courses here in the US where students take 4 tests per course and a handful of quizzes for credit.
NCU for one requires a TON of writing. It is what it is.

 

http://www.degreeinfo.com/general-distance-learning-discussions/35100-new-users-ask-where-did-my-posts-go.html

 

My first Master's was residential, and required a ton of writing. My second was a blended format (short residencies with online work), and it was just as writing intensive, if not more so.

 

I think that is probably true for lots of graduate degree programs - it certainly was for both of my masters degreess.

But that is an opportunity - what I did was take two courses simultaneously; one that I thought would be less difficult with one more difficult.

I found math and engineering courses to be not writing intensive but requiring lots of homework and tests.

 

Sorry to be late to the party, but I thought I'd share about my WNMU experience. I did History & Political Science, and I'm extremely happy I did. I enjoyed all of my courses, and it was obvious that each instructor was passionate about the subjects. There was some difference from instructor to instructor regarding the amound of writing. I'd say at a minimum I was writing at least 20 pages per course. In most instances it was a little more. Now that's not counting the discussions. Those completely varied.

-Matt

 

I second Matt's observations. I am currently concentrating in History & English, and I have found 20 pages to be about the average minimum. Some classes do require longer papers ranging from 10 pp. (more common) to 25 pp. (less common).

When you rap together all your writing for the course over the semester, you might be looking at around 50 pp., but that is with discussions and everything. It seems like a lot, but it's certainly doable, and all that time just makes you a better thinker and writer.

I've heard the writing concentration is really writing heavy. I have a friend that is doing it now, and she practically had to write a whole book and try to get it published! I know it's great to aim high, but that just sounds like too much for a semester.

Like others have already stated, whatever program you choose, chances are there is going to be a lot of writing.