Liberty University vs Excelsior

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Calibuddafly, Sep 17, 2009.

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  1. Calibuddafly

    Calibuddafly New Member

    Ok...I understand that Excelsior accepts the most credits (up to 15) but I'm a little confused. I went to the page that lists the requirements for their MA program. Are ALL those classes required? I'm not concerned with the double posting of the courses, I'm just trying to narrow down the classes that I need based on the number of classes that I want to matriculate. Seems like a very long program (some courses 8 weeks long, some 12 weeks). Or are these classes a pool of courses that are available that a counselor tailors to each individual? Am I correct in stating that courses available change each term? Besides with a Thesis, Tracks 1-6, and the Independent Learning Contract, it all seems so daunting. Anyway, I sent out an email to their Military Admissions department and they have yet to respond. I still don't know what type of delivery the classes are given. Is it the video method? Or is it something like Blackboard (threaded discussions, classroom interaction) Will I need to buy books?

    Liberty University on the other hand responded right away. They only accept 6 credits however only 30 credits are required (or 10 courses). So I need 8 to graduate. All courses are 6 weeks with a 10 day break in between each session- overlapping once sometime in the summer. Like TUI they offer reduced rates for active duty/veterans. However, books have to be purchased.

    So based upon what I know right now, Liberty seems to be the better choice for me. Has anyone experienced any positive/negative situations from either school? Is there a lot of writing or testing in either school? Can someone help me out on the degree requirements for EC? I don't want to "jump the gun" so to speak. I'm open for any feedback.

    Thanks!
     
  2. friendorfoe

    friendorfoe Active Member

    Accepting 6 credits into an MS program is pretty much par for the course at the grad level. Of course Excelsior may accept more but 6 credits out of 30 isn't unusual.

    Oh I forgot to add, my sister in law is an undergrad there (Liberty) and loves the school.
     
  3. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 17, 2009
  4. Calibuddafly

    Calibuddafly New Member

    Thanks friendorfoe,

    I went over Excelsior's website with a "fine tooth comb". I even found the method of delivery demo.

    I'm going to pursue their MBA program. With all the previous credits that I have, I will knock out 50% of the requirements.

    BTW I contacted them by phone but the wait time talk to an advisor was ridiculous.
     
  5. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

     
  6. friendorfoe

    friendorfoe Active Member

    That's a bit disconcerting that they don't answer their admissions phones. I wonder if that says anything about their student support?
     
  7. Calibuddafly

    Calibuddafly New Member

    I've been trying to get in contact with an advisor yesterday and today. No such luck. I also went over each course in the MBA program and I found out that a proctor exam is required for one of the courses. Also didn't realize that quite a few of those courses are 15 weeks long.

    Still researching other schools...
     
  8. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    It has been a few years since I received my BS from Excelsior (1992) but I always communicated via snail mail (probaly email is used today). Perhaps Excelsuior does not want to spend a whole bunch of money on people answering phones all day to save on student fees, or maybe they are not fully staffed yet following summer recess. I have always found that information on their degrees and programs is detailed very thorougly in their catalogs and website.
     
  9. friendorfoe

    friendorfoe Active Member

    Call me a skeptic, but I'd consider student support to be a requirement. Sometimes you just have to get a human being on the phone. I'm having a run around now with American Airlines who mistakenly applied a charge to my card and guess what? No humans to call, you can email or fax. I faxed and nothing happened, it went into a black hole. Now I have a dispute pending and the whole affair has been terribly frustrating. I can't even imagine how much more so if my college operated in a similar manner. You're not paying for their buildings, to use a desk, soak up electricity of use their water in the bathroom, you are paying for a service. When the service is compromised, well....

    But then that's my standard, your experience may vary. Good luck on your program.
     
  10. PerpetualStudentJay

    PerpetualStudentJay New Member

    Does anyone have any recent experience with both of these that they can share? I've completed degrees at Excelsior before and am considering Liberty. I am trying to get a feel for if their content / assignments follow a similar structure.
     
  11. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Normally, I'd say go for the option that gets you the degree you seek most quickly. Unless there is a huge gulf in the cost, or the reputation of the school, just get it done. This is especially true for working adults who are going back to get a bachelor's degree and to continue working in their current careers. The degree is likely going to work to keep you in the running for opportunities denied to those without a degree, rather than particularly promote your career progression. Get it done.

    But this comparison is a bit different. You have to consider the implicit ramifications of having a Liberty University degree on your resume. Some people might run into conscious or unconscious bias--and never know it. (To my knowledge, no one has measured to what extent this might exist.)

    If Excelsior seems a bit more distant, keep in mind their (a) volume and (b) history. When I did an associate's and two bachelor's, I communicated with them exactly once on degree-related matters: to see if a particular course at a particular school would meet their particular requirement. Other than that, the only back-and-forth was submitting applications, receiving admissions, receiving graduation letters, and then diplomas.
     
  12. JoshD

    JoshD Well-Known Member

    @chrisjm18 is currently working on his PhD at Liberty University and may be able to give a little bit more insight in regards to their course structure.
     
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  13. PerpetualStudentJay

    PerpetualStudentJay New Member


    Great Point Rich, that's what I'm struggling with. I'm not sure how others will perceive the degree. Candidly I've never really thought much about Liberty University in either a favorable or unfavorable light despite their former President having extremely conservative / radical views. I suspect the average person wouldn't care but HR departments might take a moment to pause and look more closely at my qualifications if they see that.
     
  14. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I didn't want to hit it too hard since many would find no differences anyway.

    I'd rather have a doctorate from Liberty than none at all--and it's not even close. Whatever impressions such a degree might leave with some people, the degree can change your life and how you practice professionally. That seems like a bigger issue.

    Liberty is one of the pioneers in distance education. I suspect their processes are pretty mature by now. But you'd know that first-hand.
     
  15. JoshD

    JoshD Well-Known Member

    I would suspect that you would be surprised at how many HR Departments do not care where your degree came from. The education component is (although not always) a "check the box" type thing. After a couple years in the workforce, they care more about your experience and accomplishments. If you have a guy with a HR Degree from a great university with 0 years of experience going up against a guy with an HR Degree from Excelsior or Liberty with 15 years of experience, I would imagine 99/100 times they would select the latter.
     
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  16. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    I can tell you that all of Liberty's courses are taught from a Biblical worldview. If you can adopt to incorporating the Bible into your assignments, you'll do well.
     
  17. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Hold on. I didn't know this. I thought their DL offerings were secular.

    Are you saying that if one takes an MBA online from Liberty, Christianity is injected into each course? Can I assume, if so, that written assignments must reflect this perspective, too?
     
  18. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Perhaps you're thinking of University of the Cumberlands, whose DL offerings are secular?
     
  19. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Yes, sir! Every course I took at Liberty (core/advanced-focused, research, educational electives) required integrating a Biblical worldview. Dissertation courses, however, do not have this requirement, but students are welcomed to include it (I choose not to do so). From undergrad to doctoral, regardless of discipline, must include the biblical worldview. In fact, before I enrolled, it was a DBA student who gave me some insights regarding the Christian worldview because I was concerned about it. Based on my experience, one doesn't have to be an expert on the Bible or get too deep with their Christian worldview for some assignments. Usually, I Google something related to the topic I'm writing on. So, I'll search for something like "Bible on XYZ," and many scriptures pop up. There's also https://www.openbible.info/topics/, which was my main go-to source. Most of the time, a biblical verse is enough for discussion posts. For papers, usually, you have to write an entire section (paragraph or two) on the biblical worldview. Others may require you to integrate it throughout the paper. In these cases, a verse in each paragraph is fine. Some papers are exclusively biblical. For instance, I had to write a Biblical Position Paper (crime and sin nature) in my first course (Theories of Crime), which was supposed to be entirely referenced in scriptures. In Advanced Correctional Policy, I had to write a Biblical Worldview of Corrections Paper. In Stress Management in Criminal Justice, I had to write a Biblical Worldview of Law Enforcement Paper.

    Here's an excerpt from a Quantitative Research Methods discussion post I did:

    The removal of unintentional biases will be challenging to remove since we describe these as implicit biases. This category of bias is typically unknown to us, which makes it difficult to avoid. According to Pannucci and Wilkins (2010), every publish study almost always have some degree of bias present. Nonetheless, Christians should prayerfully seek God’s assistance in removing unintentional biases. Proverbs 3:5 (NIV) states, “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

    :D:D I faked it until I made it (almost)... but I am a Baptist Christian anyway. I just don't go to church or consider myself to be a devout Christian.
     
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  20. Steve Levicoff

    Steve Levicoff Well-Known Member

    Or, as an Apostolic/Pentecostal bishop once told me, '"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit." :D
     

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