competency-based, self-paced degree programs

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by raeofsunshine, Sep 9, 2013.

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  1. raeofsunshine

    raeofsunshine New Member

    Hi all! So I joined this forum a couple of weeks ago after being a lurker for quite some time. I have been trying to get information on self-paced degree programs but I think that is a relatively new concept here since most people steer me toward the Big Three even when I ask about something totally different. I have already read extensively about testing out and applying those credits toward a degree at one of the Big Three. I have nothing against The Big Three and have certainly learned a lot and recommended that approach to a friend since learning about it here.

    In the meantime, I am still researching as much as possible on self-paced degree programs. I thought I would add the term competency-based to the type of program I am looking for. Schools like NAU and Patten offer self-paced degree programs that show you the entire degree plan up front. If you know a subject, you can prove it and move on. If you kinda know it and need some instruction, then you can take that route, too and test out of some - but not all - of the coursework. So, it is possible to complete a course in the same amount of time as testing out.

    Testing is less expensive, but not if your employer offers tuition assistance for an actual degree program. I looked at Straighterline and it wasn't so bad but I would have to pay out of pocket and two kids in college equals no extra cash...lol.

    I gave Patten a test drive and I actually like the way it works. There is not a ton of coordinating on your own so you can just focus on learning the material. People were VERY accessible and responsive, and proctoring is included through Proctor U at no additional cost. Patten would not cost me a dime, but they only offer degrees in business. I get the sense that NAU's personalized program is similar except their information is not so transparent and they require full payment up front. I might still end up going with them but, unlike Patten, they won't defer any payment. Another option is to go with Patten to accumulate credits and then transfer them to another school. Patten does give a project/assignment for at least most if not all courses. I think NAU does also.

    By the way, I can gladly share my experience with Patten if anyone here is interested.
    I hope to make a decision in the next two weeks.
     
  2. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

  3. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    If Patten meets your needs then go for it.
     
  4. Petedude

    Petedude New Member

    Patten sounds tempting to me too-- a competency-based master's degree might be easier for me to work around my schedule.
     
  5. raeofsunshine

    raeofsunshine New Member

    I like Patten's setup but it doesn't meet my needs, which is why I've been trying to get more info on other self-paced programs.
     
  6. raeofsunshine

    raeofsunshine New Member

    They let you try before you buy so you can set up a free trial account and poke around.
     
  7. raeofsunshine

    raeofsunshine New Member

    How does WGU do testing? Online proctor or do you have to find a proctor? What program did you do and what were the classes like?
     
  8. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    This is what intrigues me about them. You know what you are getting into before enrolling and could concievably shave a considerable amount of time and therefore money off of the program by bing ready for your exams fore even enrolling. There would still be work to do, but much less than enrolling cold.
     
  9. rebel100

    rebel100 New Member

    Are YOU giving advice on how to finish your degree quickly? :)
     
  10. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    :haha: :p

    Advice, no. Chronologically quick, no. Semestorally quick, yes.

    I'm only a year behind my original schedule for getting my BA. Not too bad, considering how many real life setbacks have occured and the fact that there was no urgency to get it to begin with.

    If I ever did an MBA, I'd aim to be as absolutely cost effective as possible, which makes my Patten scheme likely the #1 option.
     
  11. raeofsunshine

    raeofsunshine New Member

    Actually, I have to correct myself. You can try out the undergrad coursework. Not sure about grad.
     
  12. raeofsunshine

    raeofsunshine New Member

    It seems like Patten also assigns a project for most, if not all, classes. I don't know what the turnaround time would be like for assignments.
     
  13. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    You can. I've done it. It's not as straight-forward to find since you can't select MBA as your program for course auditing, but you can still open up the MBA courses from the course menu. If that sounds confusing, it's because it is confusing. They seem to not want to allow people to peruse their MBA courseware, but left a backdoor open to do so anyway.
     
  14. Petedude

    Petedude New Member

    Didn't notice that. Hope they've learned their lessons from WGU's Taskstream challenges.

    Some of both when I was working on my BS with them. They were just introducing online proctoring when I was finishing up. Other proctoring was done through Prometric learning centers for WGU-specific exams and through exam-specific testing providers for certification exams.

    I should go into more about WGU when I have more time.

    That I can tell, all you can do at the grad level is sample Patten's learning platform via guided tutorial. At the bachelor level, it looks like you can actually audit courses.

    It would be nice to see the graduate syllabi so you can sneak some reading, but then, there's always Google-- look up similar courses elsewhere and read their texts to warm up.
     
  15. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    You can check out every aspect of graduate courses except the practice exams and the directions for each course project. You can look at all of the assignments, read the course material (some of it is actually via links to third party websites) and even take the practice quizzes for each unit.
     
  16. Petedude

    Petedude New Member

    Cool. Now if I could just find a Decision Analysis course from some college with single course enrollments. I like the idea of transferring that one in as opposed to being "under the gun" to wrap it up within a four month period alongside other courses.
     
  17. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Does Patten take MBA transfer credits? I was under the impression that they didn't. Not to make you panic- my memory might not serve me correctly on this one. If they do, I think you stumbled upon quite an idea. Transfer in the hardest courses to make a one-semester shot more doable. Then again, it does depend on the cost of the courses. Since a Patten semester is only 2k, you might spend about as much on 2 (or God forbid, 1) transfer course(s) as you would on an entire semester at Patten.
     
  18. raeofsunshine

    raeofsunshine New Member

    I don't know if they take transfer credits or not in the MBA programs. Good question for an enrollment counselor.
     
  19. erik8944

    erik8944 New Member

    I would not recommend Patten. I completed 4 classes at Patten online and recently decide to go elsewhere. They pride themselves on this based learning, but they do not supply you with the material to do well on their final exams which count for 50% of your grade. In each class I brought my concerns to my advisor and instructor and both kept telling me you can't just memorize and pass our exams. I kept telling them I totally understand, but I can't master concepts if I'm not given the material to do so. I would do fine on the pre-finals, but found the finals to have way too many questions on material not covered in the given course material. I passed my 4 classes with C's and that was barely passing each final. I had to get A's on the course projects to pass the classes. It became very frustrating knowing I was studying all the course material and it didn't help. I was told the finals are made by evaluators that do not have the course material. I tried to explain to my advisor that Leadership and Management classes are way too broad not to be given the correct material to pass the exams. They kept telling me if I learned the objectives I should be able to do well on their exams. They use a lot of jargon to defend this type of testing. I had just had enough and called it quits at Patten. When I first discovered Patten I thought this sounds way too good to be true, and it was. I will follow my first instinct next time. Good luck and let me know if you decide to go to Patten.
     
  20. Petedude

    Petedude New Member

    Sorry to hear about your issues with Patten.

    While their online program is new and quite probably has lots of kinks to work out, I'm surprised it's that bad given they should be largely co-opting coursework and materials from New Charter (well, unless New Charter has gotten THAT bad).

    I don't mind studying on a given topic with minimal guidance, but it sounds like you were given NO guidance.

    Hopefully Patten will start getting feedback like yours and fix the program quickly before the accreditors come around again.
     

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