Degree Acceptance Question

I have an undergraduate degree from a non-accredited school but was able to get accepted into a regionally accredited MBA program. I believe it was because the non-accredited school was a legitimate B&M school that did not want to be accredited for religious reasons and the regionally accredited school, which was also a religious school, was familiar with the college. After I complete my MBA, I am considering working on a second Master’s at a second tier University. However, I am concerned they may not be as accepting of the non-accredited undergraduate degree. Would they take into consideration the regionally accredited MBA even though the undergraduate degree is the underlying degree for the Masters? Perhaps I would have better luck going for a doctorate since the Masters is the underlying degree. The only problem is that I was seeking to major in Project Management and there are no distance learning doctorates in Project Management available in the U.S. At least I am not aware of any.

 

Um, I don't even know what project management is, but I would think that the sequence--UA degree first, RA degree next--ought to demonstrate that you can handle yourself in an accredited grad school. I can't prove this, but I doubt that an UA bachelor's will be a sort of scarlet letter given what you did next. For that matter, even if you hadn't done the RA master's, it might have been possible (I stress *might*) to get in on a probationary basis anyway. Give it a shot! All you've lost is an application fee if it doesn't work. Good luck to you and welcome to the board.

Janko the Mad Priest

 

I agree with Uncle Janko. They may want you to take some additional courses for the Master's degree if your other degrees don't cover some of the undergraduate courses required for your new Master's. This would be a common situation no matter what the source was. It is also common for the student to try to negotiate/explain why you have already satisfied the undergraduate course requirement. (I'm not in the least bit knowledgeable in the Project Management field of study that you mention so perhaps this won't be the case in that field? )

 

In the field of project management if already have MBA then it is better to earn PMP qualification.

As many job oportunities in Project Management require or give advantage to Professional Project Managers certified / registred by PMI - Progect Management Institute.

More than that PMP will provide you with accredited undergraduate credit that is defined by ACE.

A coworker at my previus employment had PMP and he got generous academic credit at WGU.

Check around what is more valuble combination of MBA and MsPM or MBA PMP.



Learner

 

I work in that field and I agree with Learner, the PMP is extremely valuable and recognized in the field of project management. But it is not a simple thing to obtain. College graduates have to document 4,500 hours of PM work, and have to have had 36 months of PM experience during the last 6 years. Plus, there's the exam, which requires you to have a good understanding of the PMBOK (the PM Body of Knowledge--not a book, but the universe of PM-related information). For those that can do it, the PMP can bring significant career advantages.

 

Thank you all for your help. I will look into PMP certification as my next step.

 

I've attached the list of graduate schools that PMI suggests for further research in Proj Mgmt studies.

http://www.pmi.org/prod/groups/public/documents/info/pdc_graduateschools.asp

You might consider Colorado Tech Univ. They are a registered PMI education provider. They have an on-line MS in Mgmt (Project Mgmt). They also offer a DM (Doctor of Mgmt) with limited residency and a non-dissertation approach. The program is designed to get you through your final project (no pun intended) within 36 months.

If you hold an MBA, I agree with the others that a PMP may be a better way to go. The PMP is becoming an essential credential especially when considering industrial, mechanical, and electrical engineering projects e.g. information technology, high-value construction, aero/astronautics. However, you didn't mention if you have experience in the field and specific knowledge areas which is a prerequisite. These knowledge areas are prescribed by PMI and require years of dedicated Project Mgmt work prior to certification. The PMI certification board will review your background prior to qualifying you to take the exam. There is quite an industry being built up just for exam preparation. I hold a PMP and the exam is significant. Check out their website under certification. They'll walk you through the process. www.pmi.org

As a side note... the last time I looked PMI was not yet recognized by US DOE as a professional accreditor, yet they are recognized world-wide as the leader in project management certification and do accredit degree programs.