University of Phoenix also ACBSP?

The biggest problem with the University of Phoenix is probably its incredibly bloated size. I just looked at the BPPVE's Directory of Approved Institutions and found the the University of Phoenix is approved to operate from 56 different locations in California alone.

It's everywhere, on every streetcorner, a veritable McUniversity, creating the impression that it's the late-night drive-through window of higher education. And whatever the quality of Phoenix education, that ubiquity isn't going to impress the edu-snobs for whom 'degree' implies 'elite'.

University faculty unions positively hate the University of Phoenix. These academic worthies just shrug at the degree mills (those only effect students and employers) but turn passionate at the idea that Phoenix treats university faculty as low paid service-employees. ('Want fries with that?')

Anecdotal student complaints about Phoenix suggest that the organization might be having some difficulty maintaining uniform standards across the system.

And finally, one can question how an accreditor, whether it's ACBSP or the NCA/HLC, can possibly assess hundreds of separate sites/operations/campuses. Obviously teams aren't making site visits to all of them. So the whole thing is probably predicated on a bunch of glossy Phoenix submissions about their wonderful internal quality controls. That would result in Phoenix essentially accrediting itself and then presenting the results to the accreditors to approve. (And given Phoenix's incredibly deep pockets and legal resources, they'd better be quick about it.)

At some point a university probably grows too large to be credibly accreditable, and one can legitimately ask whether Phoenix has already passed that point.

 

Interesting statement. Being a doctoral student I would hope that you did your research and can defend your claim.

Using the following as references, what specific citations can you cite to back up your asertations?

1.ACBSP's 2004 Standards and Criteria

2.AACSB's Eligibility Procedures and Accreditation Standards for Business Accreditation adopted 4/25/2003 and revised 2004,2005,2006,and 2007.

In reference to number two could you please cite in the AACSB standards where an AACSB-accredited doctorate is required to teach full-time at an AACSB school?

IACBE is not CHEA recognized and was deferred again. Hence I have no interested in a non-recognized agency.

 

If you do a search for academic jobs at the http://www.higheredjobs.com/, you will find about 100 positions requiring AACSB accredited doctorates while none asking for an ACBSP doctorate.

This is by no means an academic research study but enough evidence that AACSB carries a lot of weight when looking for academic work. Yes, ACBSP is better than nothing but barely.

 

My questions had to do with the standards, not a popularity contest. The following was stated:

"their standards are definitely lower."

I was asking for proof.

In my MBA program if I made a comment like that in one of my papers without citing supportive evidence the paper would have been returned.

As for the schools requiring AACSB accredited dotorates, I believe this is the school's requirement, not the AACSB.

 

Well, it appears that the majority has won.
The consensus is that UOP has an extremely negative image.
They have brought this upon themselves.

 

Well to each his own. The good thing about DL is that there's a little bit of something for everyone. One person's trash is another person's treasure.

 

Huh? Hardly. In the over 500 peer reviews I've conducted, I'd say that good students are made to work hard for good grades and instructors work hard to produce a good learning experience. Speaking from the trenches, most of the "information" that I've read about UOP on this board is inaccurate. In general, the past marketing strategy has probably stimulated demand at the expense of branding. I don't cheerlead for any school, but thought I would put a little of the baloney in meat grinder...

Dave

 

I think that the main issue here is that many online, adult students (and even campus) students do not do enough research prior to selecting a college/university. There are many online schools out there, that are more prestigious and less expensive than U of P (e.g. UMass). Plus, U of P's cookie cutter approach does not do much for it's reputation.

Given the level of exposure that U of P presently has online (it is almost as ubiquitous as McDonald's or Budweiser), it's no surprise that the school enrolls as many students as it does. The question is though, how many of these students actually graduate from U of P? I imagine (but have nothing to support this statement) that the attrition rate is quite high. As a former (on campus) student at U of P, I remained at the school for all of two courses. I did not care for the group projects, nor did I appreciate the exorbant tuition fees. With that said, the facilites (while in an office complex off a main highway) were very modern and professional. They had electronic whiteboards in every classroom back in 2001!


- Tom

 

Frankly, most of the stuff you'll read about UoP online is going to be negative. The thousands of people like me who have completed the program, done the work, and went on in life simply don't pepper the internet with multiple tales of our "bad" experience the way someone does who has had a negative experience.

There is plenty about UoP to complain about. The endless nonstop marketing is enough to make anyone lose their lunch.

As far as the educational quality...unless one has done the the work and been through the program, one is not terribly qualified to make a statement on it. That's what things like accrediting bodies do for us.

 

Huh? Hardly!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/education/11phoenix.html?ex=1328850000&en=5c8573d57de4bffe&ei=5088
http://www.newamerica.net/blogs/2007/02/u_of_phoenix
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/1/emw500185.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff225585.htm
http://uopsucks.com/
http://beautifulatrocities.com/archives/2005/06/remedial_higher.html
http://www.epinions.com/content_262282120836?linkin_id=8003929
http://www.epinions.com/content_343619964548
http://www.myuopmistake.com/
You can find countless articles but what's the point! Huh?

 

I would hardly call most of those references unbiased.

Being a UoP facilitator, my experience has been that most of the students who drop-out and/or complain are mad they just weren't awarded an "A" for making an appearance in the online classroom. I've received threatening, out-of-control e-mails and voicemails from disgruntled students who were shocked I failed them after they did about 30% of the work required for the class.

I should also mention the few times I've had to report students for plagiarism, UoP conducted a quick, thorough investigation that resulted in pretty severe punishment.

Is UoP for everyone? Absolutely not. I'm not a big fan of their marketing practices, and I do think some students slip-by the admissions procedure that aren't prepared for college-level work, but the same can be said about the Continuing Ed departments of almost any college or university.

 

I agree with Bruce. I have encountered numerous students at UOP that simply do not belong in a graduate program. I have reported at least one student for plagiarism in each of the last six graduate classes that I have facilitated. Not simple "forgot the quotation mark plagiarism", but blatant "steal work off of the Internet and make no attempt to cite it plagiarism". Open-enrollment is going to result in some students without the skills needed to survive in a degree program getting through. These students would have the same problems in a B&M or more selective DL program IMO, but many of the ones I have seen would not make it past the traditional admissions process either. With that being said, the students that do in fact do well in the courses I have taught have been very competent and dedicated.

 

Bruce and Truckie have hit the nail on the head. Any time you have almost zero admissions requirements, you're going to encounter a certain percentage of students who simply should not be there, cannot/will not do the work, and are just not cut out for college and/or graduate work. When they fail, it's the universities fault and we litter the internet with our tales of woe and the "evil u."

Many of these same students are the ones who never bothered to find out or understand how federal financial aid works as well. Then when they drop out after two weeks and their financial aid gets recalled, they think the university is evil because they owe them money.

At any rate, internet it like TV. Don't take everything you see/read at face value.

 

Many (if not all of them) ended up here www.uopsucks.com

 

These are not all articles, by the way... (At UOP we teach students to critically evaluate references.) Even the NY Times piece isn't a solid reference on the current state of UOP; it had a couple facts woven into a fictional doom and gloom theme, sort like a Tom Clancy novel. Still, UOP isn't perfect but the organization is relatively self-correcting and very response to students; I enjoy teaching there part-time.

Dave

 

I understand your position Better now!
I didn't know you teached there.......
I rest my case

 

Ripoffreport.com

Just go to Ripoffreport.com and type in University of Phoenix... there are MANY stories from students that have had first hand experience with the university. Then try typing in some other "online schools"... same thing. Then try typing in any B&M school and see what comes back... nothing or next to nothing....

 

There is no need to sweat it, you will be asked for an academic reference and an extensive research report by some of the "Academics" in this group to support you claim as the ripoffreport.com is not a reliable academic source. The reality is that UoP has low credibility as it is a real rip off for their value.

There are many options and this is by far the least respected and most expensive option around. I have a friend that made the mistake of paying them 20K USD for their MBA, he was happy by earning an MBA in one year from the comfort of his home plus he was not able to get the 600 GMAT required by University of Toronto or York in order to be admitted to a real MBA. He lives in the Toronto area and so far he has not even been called for an interview that requires an MBA, he has given up and it is now working on a real estate license but it is 20K short with a worthless MBA. I know it is only one case and not a real representation of the population but it is not something respected by any means at least in the Canadian market.

 

Phoenix is a sorry excuse for a university. Sorry, I can't provide references.

 

Honestly

I think times are fairly tough today and if someone wants a business job it will take more than just an MBA. In fact, I know a few Duke kids looking right now. That's a good school and yet they have people searching for a job, too. Not every can get into Harvard for sure.

Bing