$900 Patten Elmwood Master of Leadership and Management (NA DEAC)

The DEAC has approved the already nationally accredited Patten University to launch a new division named the Elmwood Institute. The Elmwood Institute currently offers one program, a Master of Leadership and Management.

Tuition is currently listed as $25 per credit x 36 credits = $900 for the entire degree ($75 per 3-credit course).

Each course is completed within a 16-week term but is described as "self-paced." The start of each calendar month is the start of a new 16-week term, so terms overlap.

In addition to the 12 courses there is a comprehensive exam or an approved project.

A bachelor's degree or international equivalent is required for admission.

The non-Elmwood Institute main body of Patten University continues to offer several programs at more normal tuition, $330 per credit graduate level.

This Patten University is not regionally accredited. The name has a complicated history. A school named Patten University was once a brick-and-mortar institution in Oakland, California and once held regional accreditation from WASC, but in several asset sales it converted to for-profit online and then lost its accreditation. Later its name was acquired by American Graduate University. AGU then changed its name to Patten University while retaining AGU's own pre-existing national accreditation from the DEAC.

 

Wow! That is amazing.

 

AGU has a very long history of delivering DL programs in contracting and project management.

 

While trying to find more information about this school/program, I found a job listing for a President of Elmwood. https://ats.rippling.com/newuni-careers/jobs/ad95449b-4b92-41e5-80b3-dc9561abd814

It seems they have a target market identified. I am curious if that is why tuition is so low, or if it’s to try to entice people who would otherwise look elsewhere for their learning. From the job posting, it looks like Elmwood is seeking their own accreditation to be a stand alone entity.

 

I also wanted to add… since they seem to have gone through some name and ownership changes over the years, I have to wonder how stable they will be.

 

The cost is intriguing, but it should not be compelling. The real price is the work involved and the limitations of such a degree.

 

Looking at the hype in the sister forum I guess this offer has the potential to be real competition to the ENEB programs
I wonder if the program requires to attend live online classes or live online exams or something like that, I couldn´t find any info on that on the homepage.

However I´m not sure where this price development will lead in general regarding universities. I guess the "middle class" schools will face a difficult future.

 

In case some have not found the catalog online, here is a link.

https://www.elmwoodinstitute.org/_files/ugd/5460d1_b348b7b42c31461abebaecaa1f3e2236.pdf

 

The final project is rather thesis-like and harder than the comprehensive examination. It is, essentially, a researched project plan (not execution) to tackle a business-related problem.

The course is self-paced, essentially. They have terms, but they're nonsensical. Each begins monthly, and you can take 1-3 course per 16-week term. Thus, with such rolling enrollment, you're basically free to start and finish each course when you wish (within the monthly limits).

Note that the program has proctored quizzes and exams, but it is on the student to procure proctors with whom they do not have prior relationships that could call their objectivity into question.

The school, despite its DEAC accreditation, doesn't participate in Title IV (federal student aid). But with a total program tuition of $900, that doesn't seem necessary.

They expect students to take 3 years to do his program, but it could be done in 4 months, theoretically, plus the time to do the comps or the project. It seems a year to 1.5 years would be reasonable for a motivated student.

We do know that degrees from DEAC-accredited schools are not accepted in some employment and academic situations. The extent of this is not known. Better that each individual examine his/her own situation and act accordingly. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the real cost for the degree isn't measured by the tuition. Rather, it is the effort expended to earn it, the sunk cost of foregoing other options in favor of this one, and the value of the degree to one's life and career.

 

It is good for those who just need a Master's in the job requirements checkmark.

 

thanks for mentioning about the proctored quizzes and exams.