Double Dipping Courses at WNMU

Hi all!

I met with our division assistant superintendent this afternoon to chat about doing dual enrollment courses next year. Because it's a public school, not only do I need the 18 hours, but I also have to be endorsed in the subject and have that endorsement appear on my license. The license is no problem, as the 18 graduate hours will add on to the undergrad hours I have to meet the minimum number required for polysci.

However, she also called the community college guy who handles all the "approvals" to teach. He looked at both APU and WNMU because I had taken courses at both schools. When he saw that there were numerous courses at WNMU that were cross listed between subjects, he said I could "double dip" and have those courses count towards the 18 hour requirement for both disciplines, in my case history and polysci. He did say, however, that it wouldn't be optimal to take 18 hours of courses that are cross listed and that he would recommend that I do the 18 hours of polysci, since most of my courses were polysci already, and that 6 credits from those cross listed classes could count toward history. Then I would only need 12 credits in history for a total of 30 credits rather than 30. I thought this was great because it would save time and money. Yippee!

Just wanted to share this. I don't know if other schools will say the same thing, but I'm happy they feel this way.

-Matt

 

Matt,
Great news.
I hope you have this agreement documented somehow - at the very least a letter or memo from you to your division assistant superintendent outlining your understanding.
Ian

 

The assistant superintendent had no say in it. It all came down from the community college. It seems like standard practice from what the guy said on the phone. I know from talking to the current adjunct who teaches the US history course at our school that they considered some of his religion and archaeology classes as history. However, the guy said specifically that because WNMU lists the courses in the catalog as HIST/POLS it could count for both, even if it isn't necessarily dictated on the transcript.

-Matt

 

>>

Excellent news!!! Talk about shaving off some time!!

 

At the community college where I work we often do this with adjuncts. We currently have engineers, physical chemists, material scientists, geologists, and meteorologists teaching a conceptual physics class. We can pretty much get away with hiring them if they have at least 18 graduate hours of physical science related coursework.

 

Update

So I had originally started this post with some joy that I would be able to use some of my credits for both disciplines. I had a hunch that I needed to double check, and after waiting for 2 months for the community college people to get back to me, they told me I couldn't count a course for two disciplines after all. Bummer!

It definitely seems like they pick and choose who they'll do this for. The guy who is currently teaching the class I'll hopefully be teaching has a Masters in Religion, and yet they let him count his religion courses as history. We also have another teacher who only has 12 graduate credit hours in math, yet the community college let her teach a pre-cal course by filling out a waiver.

Bottom line is that if I get 6 credits in the spring and 6 in the summer, I'll be good to go. Last summer was hell doing 6 credits, but I'll do what must be done.

-Matt

 

How are you liking WNMU otherwise? Are they providing good indepth courses in your opinon? I'm seriously considering them for next fall, myself (Once I finish off this bachelors, finally)

Thanks
-T

 

Well, I'll put it to you this way. I've really enjoyed my courses. They're challenging, and I actually feel like I'm learning something. Of course, I've only taken courses with two professors: 2 with Professor Warren and 3 with Dr. Manzanarez.

What I dislike about WNMU is that the online program seems to be a bit disorganized. I can't seem to get a definite answer about exit requirements or how many classes I have left to take. I guess that's because the program is relatively new and they're working on the kinks.

For the price, it's a steal. I know there's the saying "You get what you pay for" but WNMU is definitely worth it.

-Matt

 

Wasn't the bottom line on exit requirements that you could either do a thesis or write comps in both history and poli sci and the students get to make that choice?

 

Essentially, yes. The choice is basically comps or thesis. However, it's the details I'm interested in. For example, does the thesis have to involve both disciplines, or just one? When does one take the comps? WHERE does one take the comps? Do comps include courses that are transferred in?

I'm just waiting on answers, and it seems like no one has them.

-Matt

 

Hi Matt,

I just finished my "Frontier Law Enforcement" (Warren) and "Cowboys and Presidents" (Sohler) at WNMU. I am there to get those extra 18 credits in History to teach...I'm not certain I want to actually finish the degree.
There are a few kinks, but it is worth it, and the FLE course was GREAT fun.
Unfortunately, without thinking, I signed-up for FLE as a criminal justice class rather than a history class...so I have to take an extra one if the registrar won't change the designation post-class. Haven't asked yet...and it may be the deciding point on which I decide to stick out the degree or move on to that UNISA Ph.D.

My impression is that they do not yet have the distance learning thing down yet. I think it's getting better all the time...but, they seem to have the same initial insecurity that many b&m institutions have, almost like they feel guilty (?) for offering a distance learning masters.

"Let's create more work for the distance folk," without much more actual information.

So...it's kinda like that to me.


I do recommend the program. It's a very good way to grab credentials to teach two subjects and the professors are certainly competant...but be prepared for an inordinate amount of work...even for a graduate program. (I do know, I have been through two of them).

Matt: doing that short summer semester makes you my new hero. I can't imagine.

Dan

 

Yes, very disorganized. They really need some help with their payment options- site's been down since the 6th for payments (when they were supposed to be back from winter break). i'm STILL trying to pay lol... However the classes are very thorough, the instruction is great, and for the price it's a steal. I paid $977 for 6 credits of grad level English and Writing courses. I couldn't find that anywhere else at all.

 

I'm kind of still waiting too. I was told I need to do a portfolio for the Writing concentration and a thesis for the English one. The thesis just involves English but since the two are so closely intertwined, it most likely would be different for two completely diff. subjects like CJ and English.

Luckily I missed the whole debacle with trying to deal with the comps.

 

My impression is that they do not yet have the distance learning thing down yet. I think it's getting better all the time...but, they seem to have the same initial insecurity that many b&m institutions have, almost like they feel guilty (?) for offering a distance learning masters.

 

Does anyone want to guess on how long it will be until the Summer 2010 schedules will come out?

 

I'd guess March or April... But it seems like even after the schedules come out, they continue to add courses.

-Matt

 

Well, good. I got admitted for Spring 2010 but was too late for financial aid and my dad got hammered by a series of financial crises but dad says he'll pay for summer term if I can get re-admitted.

 

Here are some of the courses for Summer 2010, but it looks very premature as of today. I'd say around March it should be more complete.

http://192.136.110.30:8080/webtm/sched.jsp?termCode=201030&campus=online

 

Thanks! No History of Political Science yet, but good to know where I can find it.

Great find!
-Matt

 

I recently enrolled as an online graduate MAIS student at WNMU effective summer 2010. My concentrations are English and history. I read your thread this evening and I thank you all for the information you have provided. I was also somewhat confused about the cross-listed courses and the respective exit requirements for each concentration.

Overall, what do you all think about the WNMU online MAIS program?