Why NCU over TUI for Ph.D or DBA?

I have been on the board for awhile and notice that most people on this board going for a DBA or PH.D in Business Administration choose NCU over TUI. My question is why?

I have called both schools and both a very helpful. From my research both are RA, both are 100% distance learning. TUI offers FASFA financial aid but is about 10k more the NCU who does not offer Federal Financial Aid.

The time frames for completion seem to be close but TUI may be a little longer etc. TUI is contected to a B&M school in NY I believe.

So I am curious why most people on this board choose NCU over TUI for their Ph.D or DBA program?

Can you all shed some light for me? Am I missing something?

Thank You,

Joe

 

When I completed my MS from TUI, I looked t the PhD program and they were not accepting new studets. Even if they weer, I would have gone with NCU.

NCU has books with the class (which I like), they are cheaper, if would have cost me more out of pocket because of the cost per calss/continiuos enrolment rule/tuition assistance, and I like the fact that they offer a specialty in the PhD program.

 

I looked at both schools (and a few others) and my choice came down to the following:

NCU was

* Self-paced
* No residencies
* PhD program in Technology Management
* Regionally accredited
* Rigorous coursework
* Relatively Inexpensive

In addition, books were used in each course (I didn't like the e-delivery method of TUI's course material...e.g., books on CD).

The final kicker for me was that I spoke to about 15 people from NCU, Touro and Walden the NCU folks had nothing but wonderful things to say about NCU. Walden and Touro folks said good things, but they were not quite as convincing as the NCU learners.

You can read my entire thought process for choosing my DL program on my blog (see link below). The specific post about choosing my DL program is here -> Choosing a DL Program

 

For many of us, the cost of a program can make or break the piggy bank. With that in mind, we are following the dollar.

 

I agree about the piggy bank but it is also nice to keep getting federal loans and not have to require payment upfront or in big payments as I do not think I will be able to afford this.

So if the costs where down at TUI would you have chosen TUI over NCU?


Is there any TUI people here for their Ph.D program that chose them over NCU for any reason? I would love to get both sides of the story. I wou;d also like to speak to students from both programs as this is a big choice to make for me.

 

If the cost of TUI was less than or equal than NCU, I might have been persuaded to go with TUI's program, mainly because they offer Federal Financial Aid. However, I am still more interested in the delivery method of NCU as compared to TUI's method of delivery.

If you would like to chat about my experiences at NCU, just let me know.

 

Eric thanks I will take you up on this soon. Thanks for your help. I just wish some of the TUI people would come out and talk already about their experience of their Ph.D program in Business Admin. lol

 

When I first came to this forum in 2001, many people were laughing about Touro i.e. the name sounds like a lawn mower, etc. Consequently, I never considered them for a Masters degree and eventually got a Masters from elsewhere. However, in retrospect, I think that Touro is fine and would place it in the same class as Northcentral, Walden, Capella and all the others. The advantage for students in all of these choices is that they are DL.

When deciding which DL program to enter, a student must obviously consider:
1) Cost $$$
2) Degrees offered
3) Acceptance of transfer credits
4) Reputation (subjective)
5) Regional accreditation
6) Total credits required for graduation
7) Delivery method i.e. textbooks, CD, internet, correspondance, a combination, etc.

 

When I was looking into DL PhD programs, I compared TUI and NCU. I like TUI because they are non-profit, which is the topic of many heated debates on this forum, but ultimately NCU won me over. I chose NCU over TUI for the following reasons (in order of importance to me):

1) Cost
2) Specialization choices
3) Use of actual textbooks

Many people argue that TUI is a branch campus of the B&M college in New York but I think the two are separate colleges. If TUI is a branch campus, then why isn’t the degree from Touro College and why don't they have the same accrediting agency? I attended a branch campus of Penn State University for two years while working on my undergraduate degree and my transcripts state Penn State University. I also attended a Florida Institute of Technology satellite campus for my master’s degree and my transcripts state Florida Institute of Technology rather than Florida Institute of Technology International.

The other thing that NCU now has going for them is that they are a candidate for ACBSP. If they are successful, then IMO this will be a big step up from TUI’s IACBE accreditation.

 

Re: Re: Why NCU over TUI for Ph.D or DBA?

Good points...I had overlooked NCU's ACBSP candidacy. This is another reason that I would choose NCU again over Touro.

 

"I just wish some of the TUI people would come
out and talk already about their experience of
their Ph.D program in Business Admin."

Hi Joe,

Be glad to answer any questions on the program.

NCU was not RA when I made my choice. For me,
I still would have chosen TUI over NCU.

TUI has been very good in working with me. Their
method of delivery suits my learning style quite well.

This is an important choice, do your research and
select what "fits" best for YOU.

Regards,

Billy

 

TUI's mainly weakness in their lack of specializations. A general business PhD is hard to sell in the already saturated market of PhDs in business.

NCU offers a great range of specializations. On the other hand, NCU is a pure virtual school that might be hard to sell if you would want to pursue a tenure track position at B&M.

TUI might be seen with "better" eyes due to its association with a B&M school in New york.

Neither are top schools and both pretty much at the bottom of the scale so I would go for the one that best suits your needs.

So if you would want to pursue a teaching career as a full time professor, I would look for a more tested product as NOVA or Argosy with many faculty members in tenure positions.

If all you want is a PhD for a pay bump, consulting or adjunct work, both TUI and NCU would do the job.

 

Cheerleaders!

"So I am curious why most people on this board choose NCU over TUI for their Ph.D or DBA program?"

That's easy. NCU has way better looking cheerleaders!

 

Re: Why NCU when there are Reputable Options ?

What you're missing is the poor judgment shown by some people on this forum.

In the real world, NCU (Northcentral University) is a dubious place to get a doctorate. It is selected only by people who want a vanity degree for whom academic reputation is irrelevant, or people who are not good enough to get into a real doctorate program and have delusions about equating a doctorate from NCU with a doctorate from a real school.

NCU is Regionaly Accredited, but from there on down the news is all bad. NCU was started out in 1996, by someone who previously (and still ?) runs the disreputable and non-accredited "Southern California University for Professional Studies". (This connection is curiously ignored in the profile of NCU's President and Founder). NCU has no tradition of scholarship. It exists purely as a place to exchange money for a degree - though admittedly a step up from a diploma mill.

NCU's profiles of School Officers lists only third-rate academics with no great accomplishments at other schools. There is no faculty in the traditional sense. The learning is self-paced, with professors said to be "'guides' not teachers".

In short, NCU plays to bottom feeders who want the status of a "doctor" title, want a cheap and relatively quick doctorate, and don't want to concern themselves too much with issues of school reputation or scholastic integrity.

Like it or not, that's the truth out there in the real world.

There are good DL doctorates from established reputable schools. I don't know why anyone would degrade themselves to choose NCU.

 

Kalos thanks for your honest opinion and assessment and after doing some research I did find that connection and felt as if the school was trying to just give me a sales pitch. But before this thread becomes a war I also notice there is a place and time for everyone and NCU may be for some people. What I would like to ask you Kalos is what DL schools would you personally recommend for a Ph.D in Business?

Thank You.

 

I wouldn't put much into Kalos' "research". He/She has been strongly against any of the DL PhD programs in the US. I'm sure the answer from him/her will be to tell you to go to one of the UK based schools that will cost you an arm and a leg.

 

Just a note for Kalos:

You should take a look at the various mentors listed at NCU.

I see PhD's from Harvard, Kansas, Iowa, Arizona, Ohio State, Washington, DePaul, Stanford, Georgia, Minnesota, Fordham, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Tennesee and other "top tier" unversities that you seem to be so high on.

In addition to the above, there are PhD's from UNISA, NCU, Walden, Capella, Nova Southeastern

What's wrong with someone trying to better themselves with a PhD? I am one of those "bottom feeders" that you are speaking of and I can tell you right now that my application was submitted and accepted at quite a few doctoral programs across the US. I didn't take any of them because I couldn't afford to leave my full-time consulting job to work on a PhD.

 

There are always willing mentors from good schools slumming for a buck. Admittedly, RA makes NCU one of the better worthless schools.
Warnborough University also lists "mentors" from good schools. Essentially, the university splits sucker fees with the mentor...

 

Please enlighten us Kalos on the programs that you are accepted into and or would attend.

 

Likewise, I applied and was accepted into a B&M school’s PhD program. After taking one course, I decided a PhD in Business Administration from NCU would be more beneficial than a PhD in Engineering so I decided to continue with my studies at NCU. My professor for the course from the B&M school had a PhD from Princeton. Sure he was smart, but he was a lousy teacher.

Kalos, everyone is entitled to an opinion but it would be nice to see what DL doctoral programs you have been accepted and/or would attend. From the nature of your posts, there doesn’t seem to be any RA DL doctoral programs you would recommend. Rather than look for fault, offer suggestions.