Anyone that has attended NCU: Questions!

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by wssf, Apr 14, 2005.

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  1. wssf

    wssf New Member

    Is there anyone here who has taken courses through NCU?
    I'm in the process of applying to one of their Master's programs, but would like to hear from someone who has firsthand experience with them. Thanks!:)
     
  2. c.novick

    c.novick New Member

    I found my MBA program at NCU first rate. If you check the history bank here there is a lot of information about NCU previously discussed.

    If you have specific questions I would be happy to assist you. Additionally, there are many other NCU students on the board here.

    Best wishes with your school search.
     
  3. wssf

    wssf New Member

    Hi there, and thanks for responding! Can you tell me a little about your coursework for your Master's degree? What kind of work did each class entail? Weekly written assignments? Proctored exams? Research papers? Any information of this kind would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!
     
  4. c.novick

    c.novick New Member

    Hi!

    Well, ... your first course should be LS6010, which is an excellent "tune-up" for APA writing and research methods. There are many weekly assignments with a detailed and massive final project.

    From there... each course is different. On the whole, many courses required peer-reviewed journal article abstracts, detailed case analysis, mini-papers, question responses, project studies, and final papers/ final projects. Final papers were about 10 to 40 pages depending on the course/ mentor. I never had to take a proctored examination in my program.

    You work at your own speed as long as you complete your course in the 16 week semester. Courses start every 1st of the month. No cohorts and group projects. The style of NCU is more self paced, independent study with mentor assistance as needed.

    Hope this helps a bit. :)

    Please feel free to PM me for assistance as well.
     
  5. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    I am on my third class. The classes are challanging but not overly difficult. I have enjoyed the classes so far.

    PM me if yoou have any specific questions.
     
  6. colmustard

    colmustard New Member

    ncu

    I teach there and find the experience enjoyable with much rigor and quality.
     
  7. wssf

    wssf New Member

    Hi Colmustard,

    Can I ask you how you applied for a teaching position at NCU and what their requirements were? Thanks!
     
  8. colmustard

    colmustard New Member

    NCU

    I applied there as one would anywhere that is accredited. I submitted ooficial transcripts and was interviewed on the telephone by the Chair of the Dept and another professor. Only difference between there and a traditional university, in this respect, is I did not go for a campus interview and teaching presentation. Requirements for the position was a PhD in Health Care Administration, online facilitating experience, and experience working with non-traditional graduate students.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 15, 2005
  9. suelaine

    suelaine Member

    Recommending NCU

    I am still just finishing up my first class with NCU. I found it to be quite challenging, and absolutely worthwhile. I teach online for two other colleges and I have taught classes at B&M community colleges. I have taken courses by both distance learning and in B&M situations to earn my BS and MAT degrees and this first course at NCU is of comparable rigor to other courses at other Universities. Quite frankly I am a bit skeptical when I read posts from students at any RA accredited DL university about the classes being too easy or not rigorous enough. Unless you are given a child's text book or the course only cover's 1/3 of a text that is meant to be covered in a college semester, then the claims are not that valid. I say this because education is what you make it. If learning is what you want to do, then make the most of it and study your books (and get outside sources on the topic) even beyond what is required by your professor for your coursre grade. I get really tired of hearing people blaming their schools for what they perceive as a poor education. I think this should be more obvious for adults, especially adults who choose a more independent method of earning their degrees. The school provides the basic framework and offers you guidance, valid evaluations and verification of your progress, and an accredited degree. The learning is something you do yourself. Terrible as this will sound to some, as long as the school was RA accredited, somebody else's opinion on the "rigor of classes" would not even be something I would consider in making a decision where to continue my education. I consider affordability and convenience to be far more important than somebody else's perception of rigor of the classes. First of all, if it is accredited, this means a standard amount will be covered during the courses and college level resources will be used. As for me, even in the "easiest classes" I have ever taken at B&Ms or otherwise, I have always gone the extra mile and learned even more than what was asked of me in the class. Because I could not afford other options anyway, I did earn most of my undergraduate education at state schools with reputations as "being easy to get into" and people at more elite schools joke about the caliber of student there so I have had defend my choices since day one, to a few people anyway; really most people don't give a hoot where I went to school. Now I have two daughters that went to Ivy League schools (one is now at Princeton) and they don't dare say too much to me about my school choices because they know that I believe I can get just as good of an eduation as they are getting because of my own self-motivation to learn. They are young and "into" the idea that they are at the best possible schools so I'm sure they don't totally agree with me, but maybe someday they will! I just thought of one more situation I'd like to mention here. I took a graduate class (as part of my undergrad degree program) at one of the hardest to get into state schools in my area. It was probably the EASIEST class I have ever taken in my life. It was called "Multicultural Education." We took turns reading multicultural children's books and telling stories. I think our grade was based on that too (no quizzes or tests) and I'm pretty sure every one in the class recevied an A. Was this worthwhile? You bet! One day we went to an actual "multicultural" school and helped kids who were in summer school. I don't really live in a "multicultural area" and so this was an experience I would never get anywhere else, or any other time in my life. In spite of no rigor at all and the easiest A ever, I learned as much in that class as most others I've taken!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 16, 2005
  10. colmustard

    colmustard New Member

    NCU

    Sue, Thank you for your passion about the rigor and quality of learning one may find in non-traditional education. Lewis
     

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