Walden vs. William Howard Taft

Discussion in 'Education, Teaching and related degrees' started by tico, Jan 22, 2012.

Loading...
  1. tico

    tico New Member

    I want to complete an M.Ed degree online. I work in a community college in student services and I am not planning on seeking a Ph.D or moving into Teaching.
    Some of the student services positions are actually part of the faculty group and require a masters degree. I have been accepted to, but not started, a program at Walden (RA) and I am also looking at Taft (NA). Walden is RA but Taft's degree is actually an M.Ed instead of an MS.

    Does anyone on here have experience with Taft (or point me to a forum with more info, a quick search only resulted in a few mentions here and there)
     
  2. AdjunctInstructor

    AdjunctInstructor New Member

    All I can say is that Taft's degree is very low priced which is a nice thing. However, being DETC accredited it has less utility than a Walden degree. However, if your community college would accept Taft's degree then I would certainly go for Taft's M.Ed.. More over lets say at some future point you need a regionally accredited M.Ed. or Ed.S/Ed.D many regionally accredited schools will consider giving transfer credit for your Taft M.Ed. Good luck.
     
  3. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    I have not been a student at Taft, but I do know Taft is held in good standing as a school.

    Abner
     
  4. StefanM

    StefanM New Member

    I would advise seeking a different program. In higher ed, there is often a bias against for-profit universities, and non-RA schools are often dismissed entirely.

    There are plenty of applicable degrees offered by distance from non-profit, RA universities. I would recommend that you continue your search.
     
  5. Steve King

    Steve King Member

    Based on your original post, it looks like you are well aware of the issues surrounding NA versus RA. In my opinion, that is the only reason to consider a different school. If NA meets your current and future needs then I think Taft is an excellent choice.

    My wife started the M.Ed. program at William Howard Taft University this month. Students can enroll in classes on the 15th of any month. So far, I am pleasantly surprised with the quality of the program. The textbooks that Taft required for her first three courses look very good. I've enjoyed just flipping through them when she wasn't reading them. As an example, one of her professors is using the book, Educational Psychology: Windows on Classrooms (8th Edition) and another professor is using The Sociology of Education (7th Edition).

    Her professors all seem very good. As with most DL programs, they are "practitioner-scholars" in their field. The lectures/slides that accompany every course compliment the textbooks nicely, from what she says. All of the professors claim to respond to e-mail quickly and to be very accessible; but it's too soon to confirm that since she just started the program eight days ago. Her assignments look comprehensive, but doable, as long as you read the book and view the lectures. Mostly short answer questions, sometimes limited to fewer than 300 words each.

    Comparing what little I've seen of the Taft program, I like it better than what I experienced at TUI (which is RA). My other degrees weren't via DL so it's hard to compare them with Taft. As AdjunctInstructor pointed out, the tuition costs for Taft are remarkably low. My wife took advantage of a scholarship Taft offered last month, which was simply too good to pass up. I just noticed that Taft is offering a similar scholarship until March 31, 2012. Total tuition for an accredited M.Ed. would be $4,050, which is definitely worth considering!

    Best of luck in your decision!

    Steve

    P.S. Taft University is also offering an online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program scholarship for slightly less money than their M.Ed. scholarship.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 23, 2012
  6. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Both schools have BIG negatives:

    Walden is very expensive
    Taft is not universally accepted

    There are SO MANY MEd programs around, why have you narrowed it down to these two? It's likely that your own state university has an online MEd program. Why not there?
     
  7. tico

    tico New Member

    I am in Canada, and we do not have very many online M.Ed's to choose from here. I do not have a 4 year degree (3yr undergrad) so I do not meet the admission requirements for some schools.
    I find many of the US schools are highly expensive and I found Walden (~$15,000) and Taft (~$9000) to be reasonable. Taft is actually an M.Ed where as Walden is an MS. (M.Ed is more for K-12).
    Some M.Eds require a residency component which I am trying to avoid.
    I realize there are many schools, but I have to narrow it down to make a choice.
    I have looked at the threads with all of the M.Ed programs and slowly sifted through them all.
    One of the nice things about the Taft M.Ed is that it includes courses about student learning, etc as well as some leadership/admin courses so you get a bit of both sides, educational theory as well as educational admin.

    I find that many of the US schools with affordable tuition are better if you are an "in-state" student. Many schools charge way more for out of state.
     
  8. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    One possible reason for the OP is that he/she has no plans to leave the community college and is looking for a bump in pay.

    At my former rural community college, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a DETC degree in that instance.

    Shawn
     
  9. Sacricolist

    Sacricolist Member

    Instead of considering the high price tag of Walden and the national accreditation issues of Taft, why not consider Western Governor's University (WGU Online University | Online Degree Programs, Accredited Bachelor's and Master's.) or the American Public University System (American Public University System - Official Site - 877-755-2787.). Both of them offer better opportunities, are reasonably priced and are regionally accredited. They also offer M.Ed degrees.

    Or you could consider the ever popular Western New Mexico University (WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY.) which offers an MAIS which two 18-credit hour concentrations. Those concentrations include education, psychology, MIS and some limited business courses which may prove useful in your current student services position.

    Hope this information helps.
     
  10. tico

    tico New Member

    thanks, I will look into this information!
     
  11. major56

    major56 Active Member

  12. ryoder

    ryoder New Member

    Northcentral University Catalog

    Master of Education Degree Program

    NCU has a 15.5K MEd with a specialization in Leadership in Higher Education.
    This specialization just be the MBA of higher education.

    This specialization prepares students to excel in higher education leadership and to pursue careers as higher education specialists and managers. The focus is on legal issues, finance, and organizational leadership in higher education.
     
  13. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

  14. msmarttinez

    msmarttinez New Member

    Hey Steve,

    I read this comment you made on 2002, I am very interested in hearing how did it go for your spouse after completing the M.Ed. program at Taft University? (The over all, tuition fees, textbooks, graduation, M.Ed. Degree acceptance and employment opportunities.

    I hope you can still give feedback about it. Thank you!
     
  15. AzadH

    AzadH New Member

    Curious

    I am curious as well how this program is structured, I am tempted by their low tuition.

     
  16. AzadH

    AzadH New Member

    I am curious as well, I am tempted by their low tuition.
     
  17. Sacricolist

    Sacricolist Member

    An alternative option for an inexpensive, regionally accredited M.Ed degree is the American College of Education: Online Masters of Education Degrees | American College of Education. They advertise the price as $8000 for the total tuition.
     
  18. powerman033

    powerman033 New Member

    Misinformation Regarding National Accreditation vs. Regional Accreditation

    There is tons of misinformation in this thread. Here are the facts:

    Today’s distance education students are a truly remarkable and diverse group with unlimited potential. Their success is vital to our nation’s future at a time when the resources available to support new initiatives to increase postsecondary attainment are severely constrained. More than ever, distance education is key to expanding learning opportunities that serve the unique needs of students. DEAC accredited institutions are commended for their innovative approaches our institutions are taking to address some of the most difficult challenges facing education in the United States and around the world. As a community of educators with a broad spectrum of missions, the DEAC is making distance education more powerful for all students by creating more opportunities for students to engage in learning that is relevant to their lives and that prepares them for success in their career, their workplace, and their communities.
    The comparability of national accreditation to regional accreditation, however, is an important issue that continually receives attention by current and prospective students and within the broader higher education community. It is also a subject of much debate among policy makers and regulators. Transfer of credit, admission to graduate schools, eligibility for employer-sponsored tuition assistance, and eligibility to take licensure examinations necessary to enter certain professions often hinge on whether an individual attended a regionally or nationally accredited institution. This paper provides a brief overview of the Distance Education Accrediting Commission accreditation standards and procedures within the context of this comparability.
    The Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) is a private, non-profit organization that accredits institutions that primarily offer distance education. Founded in 1926, accreditation by DEAC covers all distance education activities within an institution and provides a single source of recognized accreditation from the primary school level through professional doctoral degree-granting institutions. No other accrediting organization represents the broad spectrum of mission among distance education institutions like the DEAC does.
    An important baseline for establishing the comparability of institutional accreditation is the recognition process for accreditation. In the United States, the federal government, through the U.S. Department of Education recognizes accrediting organizations and aims to assure that the standards of accreditors meet expectations for institutional participation in federal student aid programs. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) also plays a significant role in the recognition of accrediting organizations. CHEA is the only nongovernmental higher education organization in the U.S. that undertakes a process to review accrediting organizations through a formal process established by representatives of the higher education community.
    The academic quality and accountability criteria DEAC must meet to achieve recognition by USDE and CHEA are the same criteria regional accreditors must meet to achieve recognition.
    DEAC’s Recognition by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE)
    DEAC initially received federal recognition in 1959 from the U.S. Commissioner on Education, the predecessor to the U.S. Secretary of Education. DEAC has continually held recognition by the U.S. Department of Education ever since. Federal recognition aims to ensure that accreditors meet expectations for institutional and program participation in federal activities, such as federal financial aid
    programs. Currently, the federal recognition process is carried out by the National Advisory Committee for Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI). The NACIQI provides recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Education concerning whether accreditation standards are sufficiently rigorous and effective toward ensuring that a recognized accreditor is a reliable authority regarding the quality of the education provided by the institution it accredits. In 2012, NACIQI recommended to the Secretary of Education that DEAC receive recognition through 2017. DEAC’s scope of recognition by the Secretary of Education is:
    The accreditation of postsecondary institutions in the United States that offer degree and/or non-degree programs primarily by the distance or correspondence education method up to and including the professional doctoral degree, including those institutions that are specifically certified by the agency as accredited for Title IV purposes.
    DEAC’s Recognition by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
    CHEA was formed in 1996 by presidents of U.S. colleges and universities to strengthen higher education through strengthened accreditation processes. It promotes academic quality through formal recognition of higher education accrediting bodies and works to advance self-regulation in higher education through accreditation. Recognition by CHEA affirms that the standards, policies and procedures of accrediting organizations meet the academic quality, institutional improvement and accountability expectations CHEA has established. In addition, CHEA recognition is only available to accreditors that primarily review degree-granting institutions. CHEA has continually recognized DEAC since 2001. DEAC received its most recent grant of recognition from CHEA in 2013. DEAC’s scope of recognition by CHEA is:
    The accreditation of higher learning institutions in the United States and international locations that offer programs of study that are delivered primarily by distance (51 percent or more) and award credentials at the associate, baccalaureate, master’s, first professional and professional doctoral degree level.
    Above and Beyond the Recognition Criteria
    Recognition by both the USDE and CHEA demonstrates that DEAC meets the same quality expectations for standards and procedures that are implemented for the recognition of regional accreditors. Recognition serves as an important baseline to establishing the credibility and reliability of an accrediting organization, however; DEAC takes additional steps above and beyond recognition requirements to establish the comparability of its accreditation process to that of regional accreditation. The DEAC works carefully and methodically to assure that its academic quality standards are equivalent to those of regional accreditors. Academic quality refers to the results associated with teaching, learning, research and service to students within the context of institutional mission. There are no significant differences in the academic aspects of the accreditation process employed by the six regional accrediting groups when compared to the accreditation standards and procedures implemented by DEAC. In particular
     DEAC’s experience reviewing distance education spans nearly 90 years and covers all aspects of delivery, whether online learning, competency-based learning, or correspondence learning.
     DEAC’s accreditation standards for degree programs are aligned with the accreditation standards implemented by the regional accreditors.
     DEAC degree standards are outcomes focused and state: “Graduates of distance education degree programs must exhibit skill and knowledge attainment through the demonstrated achievement of educational objectives and outcomes comparable to those of accredited resident degree programs that are similar in nature and level.” When granting accreditation, DEAC reviews all programs offered by an institution for evidence that this standard is met.
     DEAC reaches its judgment on its “comparability” standard by employing subject matter expert faculty who teach at regionally accredited universities and who serve as reviewers for the American Council on Education Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT). The subject matter experts assess the quality, relevance and academic soundness of the curricula offered by DEAC institutions against curricula offered by regionally accredited institutions. These evaluators use a comprehensive and detailed assessment instrument that involves over 250 questions, through which they are able to make fair and precise judgments on the comparability of programs to the curricula of regionally accredited institutions.
     DEAC accreditation standards require bachelor’s degrees to have at least 120 semester credit hours, consistent with regional accreditation standards, and like the regional accreditors, DEAC standards mandate that a student earn at least 25 academic credits at the institution awarding a degree credential.
     DEAC requires the same amount of general education credits (at least 25 percent) for a bachelor’s degree program, as do each of the regional accrediting organizations.
     DEAC accreditation standards require all degree granting programs to administer proctored examinations at appropriate intervals thought-out all programs of study.
     DEAC standards for faculty are the same as for each of the regional bodies (e.g., faculty must possess a graduate degree from an accredited institution in a related discipline to instruct students enrolled at the bachelor’s level).
     DEAC institutions use the same learning management platforms, the same research databases and the same textbook materials as do regionally accredited institutions. Moreover, many DEAC institutions employ the same adjunct faculty who likewise teach at regionally accredited institutions.
     Several universities that are accredited by DEAC also hold regional accreditation. The Presidents and Provosts of these institutions report that DEAC’s process is equally if not more thorough and stringent than the regional accreditation processes. For example, DEAC reviews all programs offered by its institutions; regional accreditors do not.
     
  19. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Powerman seems to have copied this little essay directly from the DEAC website. Please resist the temptation to repeatedly post this little essay. You've done it twice now and IMHO that's once too often.
     
  20. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    I have nothing against DEAC accreditation; however, I have not found any value that would be added to a regionally-accredited institution (or to its online programs) by seeking additional accreditation by DEAC. An institution's online programs are including in its regional accreditation.
     

Share This Page