WNMU Spring 2011

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by mattbrent, Jan 9, 2011.

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  1. nikkita

    nikkita New Member

    Thanks,SurfDoctor, I did read the new user's part but forgot about the initial moderation period..
     
  2. GeneralSnus

    GeneralSnus Member

    Sorry for not clarifying, but the link in my post leads to the professor's biography.
     
  3. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    Just to give you a heads up, when you apply and start asking about transfer credit, go ahead and send your advisor course descriptions (and syllabi if you have them) for the courses you're trying to transfer. Once they get those and they can match it up to your transcript, that'll help speed up the process.

    -Matt
     
  4. nikkita

    nikkita New Member

    WNMU Catalog

    Matt, you have been a great source of information regarding WNMU's MAIS program. I reread the catalog and was depressed when I read that transfer credits have to have been in the last seven years which leaves me out. So, I assume that the seven year rule applies to transferring credits without having a graduate degree? Then, I remembered what you said about students already having a Master's needing 30 credits. I saw it on page 373 of the catalog and I emailed Danielle, online counselor at WNMU, requesting clarification as it does say minimum of 30 hours and is subject to interpretation (at least in my opinion as a former nitpicky lawyer). Anyway, thanks for all your help as I really like the program. I am hoping that Warren will be my faculty advisor.
    Regards, Nikki
     
  5. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    I'm not sure if Warren advises for History. I know he does Criminal Justice though... My advisors are Hernandez for History and Manzanarez for Political Science. Although, another piece of advice for you. Even if Warren isn't your advisor, he'll still answer your questions. When I was taking his classes, I'd ask him for stuff just because I knew he'd get back to me.

    -Matt
     
  6. nikkita

    nikkita New Member

    Warren

    Well, I thought that I could relate to Warren because I took a couple of Native American law courses. I originally asked you about him as I had heard him referenced in at least one class. He went to Washburn Law (as did my ex husband) and I went to KU. I guess it doesn't matter, though as Hernandez sounds good, too.
    I heard back from WNMU and they verified that I wouldn't have to worry about transfer credits so that is a relief. Thanks for all the guidance.
    Nikki
     
  7. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    Awesome to hear! Good luck!

    -Matt
     
  8. nikkita

    nikkita New Member

    C Grades

    I noticed in WNMU's catalog that you are allowed only two C's. After that , it is probation. ENMU's catalog says only one C is allowed. Is this pretty standard now? When I went to Walden, and a B&M Master's program before that, I don't recall that type of restriction. However, this was 20 years ago so perhaps things have changed. I knew a couple of people who got C's but counterbalanced them with some A's in order to graduate with the necessary 3.0.
     
  9. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    From what I've noticed most graduate programs at the masters level only allow 1 C, and you have to end up with a 3.0 GPA. Sooooo, if you've gotten all B's and a C, you're screwed. I'll be perfectly honest and admit I got a C in Warren's History of Crime & Punishment class. I missed 2 quizzes. It was last spring, and I was under a pretty hectic schedule. I'm happy to have pulled a C. It was only the second C I've ever gotten with the first being in my second semester of Calculus. Fortunately, I've gotten plenty of A's to counterbalance it. My GPA is fine at WNMU. I only needed it for the credit anyway, so a C really means nothing to me for this degree.

    -Matt
     
  10. nikkita

    nikkita New Member

    C Grades

    Wow, I guess my information is really dated or maybe they had that rule then and I didn't know about it. When you get your grades, at WNMU, does it show the grade distribution for the class? I was just curious as to whether they are a "hard" grading school, i.e. fighting against grade inflation?
    Sounds like you have done well there and you're right one C won't hurt.
     
  11. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    Instructors usually post the grades for individual assignments within Blackboard, so based on the grade setup in the syllabus, you can figure out what your grade is.

    -Matt
     
  12. nikkita

    nikkita New Member

     
  13. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

     
  14. nikkita

    nikkita New Member

    WNMU summer

    Matt, thanks to all your input I am going to take RR History with Warren in the Summer 1 session. I was also going to take Readings on the Vietnam War, in Summer 2, until I saw your post about Lavalle.
    Nikki
     
  15. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    You will LOVE Railroad History. I'll warn you. It's a lot of reading and quizzes, but the content is fun. I didn't realize that so much of our government and law was based on experiences with the railroads. It was a good course for me, as a teacher, because it seems like whatever time period we're talking about, I can pull in something about how the railroads were affecting what was going on at the time!

    You know, I hate giving Lavalle such a bad wrap considering I've never been in one of his classes, but my experience with him was just less than stellar. I was really looking forward to taking that Ancient History course a while back, but he just blew me off. I think he took something like 2 months to reply to an email. A "friend" of mine from the program took one of his classes and said it was awful. She said he never participated in discussions or anything and simply wanted a major paper, which he didn't really offer any comments on. I really like interacting in a class, so that type of structure just wouldn't fit me. It's a shame because I really would like to take courses on Ancient & Medieval history, but not if the instructor isn't going to make it enjoyable.

    -Matt
     
  16. nikkita

    nikkita New Member

    Matt, after reflecting on the program I think two courses, in the summer, would be too much for me. The four week RR course sounds great.
    As to Lavalle, I was looking at older schedules and I think he had eight books required for one course. I also looked at Corbett and for one of his classes (Terrorism and the Law, CJUS 549) the books added up to about $360! I am just doing this as another learning experience and not for a job. I do expect to work hard. However, I really don't want some super stressful class or the added expense. That is a ridiculous amount for books. It has been over 10 years but my law school books were, at the most, half of that for one class.
    I would be interested in how you like Jackson as the semester progresses as I am interested in both Public Admin and Water Rights.
    In the FAQ's, for the MAIS, they mention that they can be flexible in regard to courses. So, I am going to ask if I can do 18 in History, 6 in in Pols and 6 in either CJUS or Psy.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 13, 2011
  17. nikkita

    nikkita New Member

    I copied this from the catalog. HIST/POLS 578. Topics: The U.S. Constitution and History. Maybe (sic) repeated for a maximum of 12 credits (3). Does the last sentence mean that one could take this course (4) times with different topics, e.g., Marshall?
     
  18. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    I'll tell ya, 2 courses in the summer is doable, but don't expect to have a life! When I took Railroad History it was an 8 week class. I took it in session 1, which carried over through session 2. My session 2 class was 4 weeks, which was super intense. The next summer I only took 1 course through WNMU and it was a four weeker. It was with a different prof, too, and I think that also contributed to the difference.

    As for the credit distribution, I know that when I was going through they told me they required that one of your concentrations had to have 18 hours minimum.

    -Matt
     
  19. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    That's correct. I took it for "Age of Marshall" which was awesome. It was basically about how John Marshall defined the Supreme Court. I really enjoyed it, and Warren was an awesome instructor. When I was talking to him a while back, his plan was to design four courses. Here's a snippit from an email conversation from March 2009:

    "It will be renamed something like “The Constitution in History” or something like that, and there will be a cycle of at least four classes if approved. Constitutional Convention and the Federalist Papers, Age of Marshall, Lincoln, Taney, and the Civil War, and Industrial America. That’s the plan anyway."

    I know he got held up because the online program is growing so fast, and they're trying to get him to create more classes. I'd love to take more of them, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to since I'm graduating (hopefully!!!!!) in May.

    -Matt
     
  20. nikkita

    nikkita New Member

    Warren

    Matt, that's great news as I have an interest in those type of courses. Plus, I could probably get my 18 credits, in History, from Warren alone if that gets approved. Unless there is some rule against that that I missed.

    Thanks, Nikki
     

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