Question for Grand Canyon University doctoral students

I recently matriculated at Grand Canyon University seeking my PhD in Industrial Organizational Psychology. I am beginning to question my decision as it seems that there are several students who have had problems at the dissertation phase where it seems that the school purposely delays approvals and requires significant rewrites just for the purpose of costing students more money. I am reading too much into internet complaints? Does anybody have firsthand knowledge of the GCU PhD process that would be willing to share their experience. I am trying to decide whether to continue at GCU or to consider other schools.

 

This is a complaint heard about several schools. I don't think we have any members in that specific program but perhaps a lurker or two could be persuaded to come out of the shadows . . .

https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/northcentral-sued.52780/

Also, most schools have Facebook pages. You might make a connection there.

 

Isn't this pretty typical for all programs, online or traditional? Some people stay forever in PhD limbo, never quite able to get things through, just hanging on. I don't know if GCU is unusual in this respect. (Now I have to get back to my own online studies--midterm today, not in a PhD program, a masters)

 

I can't answer your specific question but I'd encourage you to search for students on LinkedIn or on GCU's FB page as Kizmet suggested. If you need to explore alternate programs, check out Touro University Worldwide's Psy.D. in Human and Organizational Psychology or Adler University's Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

All the best!

 

I am in the GUC Doctorate in business Administration with an emphasis on data analytics. I am not in the dissertation phase yet but have completed the first residency and am already working on my prospectus and proposal. Talking with some professors at the school, they seem to have an issue with many students not having writing up to par for doctorate level work. Some hire professional editors like I plan to do as it can actually end up saving money if they are able to fix most of your writing mistake quicker resulting in less money spent in continuation classes. The core classes are fairly easy as I usually write my papers a day or two before they are due because I am more focused on my dissertation work and the teachers are not harsh graders from my own experience. The goal from the core classes is just passing them as what's really important is the dissertation. In order to graduate as early as possible, you basically need your proposal done by the time you get your chair. A lot of people don't even have a good prospectus at that point which can eat up a lot of time. GCU has been a great school for me so far and even though they were for profit when I started, they never felt like it except that they are a little easier to get accepted into.

 

Also, when it comes to the residency, it is what you make of it. The residency is what can set you up for success before you get your chair. Coming out of residency, you should have an established topic and have the tool needed to write the prospectus as well as the proposal. You can then take that to the second residency and have them give feedback on how to fix any issues so you get to your chair with a better chance of getting your topic approved quickly and potentially defend your proposal quickly.