ECU or Frostburg State MBA

Discussion in 'Business and MBA degrees' started by thepurplethread, May 25, 2011.

Loading...
  1. thepurplethread

    thepurplethread New Member

    Hello everyone. I have lurked here for a while, but just registered as a member today. I'd like to thank all of you who have contributed so much helpful information regarding distance learning and various programs.

    I have been considering pursuing an online MBA for some time now, and I have narrowed my search down to either East Carolina University (ECU) or Frostburg State University (FSU) in Maryland. I currently live in Charlotte, and I know that ECU has a great program. However, my undergraduate degree was not in business, which means that I would have to take several business foundation courses before moving on to the actual MBA core courses. I did take a couple of business courses as electives when I was in college. While ECU does let students waive some of the foundation courses if they've completed a comparable course at the undergrad level, according to their website it looks like they will only grant the waiver if the comparable undergrad course was completed in the last 5 years. That means that I can't waive any courses because I graduated in 97 and haven't taken any college courses since then. So while I tend to prefer the ECU program (especially since they have an MIS concentration option), the reality is with all of the extra courses I'd have to take, I'm probably looking at needing close to 60 credits to complete the program.

    Frostburg State University (FSU) is part of the University System of Maryland. I lived in Maryland for several years prior to moving to North Carolina, and I always had the impression that their undergraduate school didn't have the best reputation (ie, lax admission criteria, at one point known as a party school). However, I never heard much of anything (good or bad) regarding their graduate school. I have reviewed the requirements for their MBA, and it appears to be a pretty decent program. While of course they have foundation/pre-req courses, they do not have as many as ECU and they don't have the 5 year rule for waiving comparable courses. So it appears that I would be able to complete the FSU program with 45 credits as opposed to 60 for ECU. I will be paying for my education out of pocket (no employer tuition assistance), but FSU has extremely reasonable tuition for out of state folks, so that's one aspect that I'm not considered about.

    With all that said, I would love to hear from anyone who has had direct experience with either of these programs. I know the final decision is up to me, but it never hurts to hear from others and consider their experiences. I'd like to hear any info you have to share. Thanks in advance!
     
  2. Hokiephile

    Hokiephile New Member

    I grew up in Maryland. I was going to say that Frostburg State's reputation is a bit dinky, UG or Grad, but you seem to already know that. At least the UG part. The ECU degree might carry more credibility, especially if you're staying in the 'linas.
     
  3. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    I can't comment on either of those schools, but what might be helpful for those replying to your post is to explain why you are getting the MBA, and also why you've narrowed down your choice to those two schools. (Otherwise you will likely receive dozens of posts like "Why not consider the MBA from _____ instead?")
     
  4. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    If I was you, I'd speak to someone at ECU about waivers. You'd be amazed and what they (any school, not ECU specifically) might waive regardless of how long ago a comparable course was taken.
     
  5. Fortunato

    Fortunato Member

    I took four ECU MBA elective courses for my graduate certificate in finance program. Overall, I found the courses to be pretty solid, and I wholeheartedly recommend you choose ECU over Frostburg State, but I did have a few quibbles with the program.

    I felt like too much time was spent reviewing the basics in advanced classes - for example, in all four of the courses I completed, we spent significant time going over the Time Value of Money. While that is an EXTREMELY important concept in finance, it's also covered in any introductory or survey finance course, and I felt that the time spent reviewing it was wasted, especially in light of the fact that some of my courses reached the end having to leave some material out due to time constraints.

    I also ran into problems with the fact that a lot of material is recycled from term to term, including course content and calendars. There were several incidents where the syllabus said one thing regarding due dates, but the online platform said something else, and confusion reigned because the professor didn't notice the discrepancy until people missed the first deadline.

    There is a fair amount of teamwork in the program, and the quality of my classmates had a wide variance (to be charitable). There were plenty of people I worked with that I'd love to have working for me now, and there were a good number of folks that I scratched my head about wondering how in the world they finished a bachelor's degree, nevermind making into the second year of an MBA program. I suppose this will be the case no matter where you go.

    Finally, my last quibble was that ECU doesn't seem to do a good job of ensuring that courses will be available to ensure that students can graduate on time. I took way longer than I expected to complete the program because there were semesters where no course in my certificate program was offered that I hadn't already completed. I was assured multiple times by admin staff that the school is aware of the problem and is working to fix it, but in an era of budget cuts, I wouldn't hold my breath.

    On the bright side, the professors were solid, the course material was super-engaging (one of my courses had a stock market simulation contest that was an absolute blast), and part-time students are eligible for the same recruiting and career services benefits as full-time (which is not the case at most b-schools). I thought the fact that exams were proctored was going to be annoying, but the UNC system has a great web site that lists proctors all over the state. Simply enter your ZIP code and the system will pop up a google map listing dozens of nearby proctors. I never had any problem scheduling exams, even when I forgot to get a proctor until the last minute.

    Overall, I'm glad I entered and finished the program, even though my career interests moved away from finance while I was studying at ECU. If you're planning to stay in NC, the large alumni base that ECU has here is an incredible asset, and the price is really tough to beat. Best of luck in your decision!
     
  6. thepurplethread

    thepurplethread New Member

    Thanks so much to all of you for taking the time to respond! You all brought up a great point that I meant to touch on in my original post but it slipped my mind. I don't plan on staying in North Carolina indefinitely. I'll probably be here for another 5 years or so, but my plan (if all goes well) is to move back to Maryland eventually.

    As for why I want to pursue an MBA...I am currently working as a Business Analyst/Jr. Project Manager. As I mentioned, my undergrad degree is not in Business. It is actually in Psychology. How I ended up in my current field is a long and strange story, but suffice it to say that life's twists and turns led me to where I am now. I enjoy what I do, and I want to grow in this field. I feel that getting an advanced degree will help better prepare me to move up in my career and provide me with knowledge of some core business functions that I wasn't exposed to as an undergrad. I narrowed my search to ECU and FSU because they are both accredited, brick and mortar schools that I can afford without burying myself in debt.

    Interestingly enough, after I first posted my question I actually found out that UNC-Greensboro offers an online MS in Information Technology & Management. It's amazing how quiet some of these online programs are kept, as I am familiar with UNCG but I had no idea this program was in the works. I believe the first online class for this program is scheduled for Fall 2011. While it's not an MBA, it does address both the IT and management aspects in which I'm interested. Not to mention that UNC has a great reputation, so I don't have to worry about how my school will be viewed by potential employers even after I leave the Carolinas.

    Thanks again for all of your input. Fortunato - I definitely appreciate your candid response. Interesting quibbles you had with ECU. I wonder if UNCG would have similar issues. The lack of availability for required courses would definitely be an annoying factor.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 25, 2011
  7. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    Keep in mind UNCG is not the same thing as UNC-Chapel Hill. While UNCG is a fine school, it's not the flagship university and it's rep won't really carry outside of the Carolinas.
    Another thing to keep in mind, your MBA and where it was earned won't mean nearly as much in 5 years when you leave NC. At that point your experience post-grad degree is what will matter most. If your next five years will be spent in the Carolinas go to ECU as it has name recognition in the area. I'm originally from SC and I was unaware of FSU until you posted about it here.
    Just my 2 cents.
     
  8. Hokiephile

    Hokiephile New Member

    If you're moving back to Maryland I would definitely go with ECU if only because Frostburg's rep in Maryland is basically one of "meh."
     
  9. thyslip

    thyslip New Member

    I did my MS in Technology Systems at ECU and really enjoyed it. I highly recommended the school and the online programs. I agree with precious poster, call the admissions office and MBA program, they might give you some waivers. Good luck.
     
  10. thepurplethread

    thepurplethread New Member

    Thanks again everyone.

    AUTiger - I definitely understand that UNCG isn't viewed the same as Chapel Hill. However, I think UNC in general (not just Chapel Hill) is a bit more well known outside of the Carolinas than ECU. Before I moved here, I hadn't really heard much about ECU at all. I had actually considered the part time MBA program at UNC-Charlotte, but due to my schedule I really need the flexibility of an online program.

    You've all given me some food for thought. I will definitely contact ECU admissions regarding the waivers.
     
  11. JeepNerd

    JeepNerd New Member

    UNC-G and ECU are both "University of North Carolina" schools and I would say they both rate about the same. My brother is working on his Masters (Tech Systems) at ECU and really enjoying it.

    He DID get messed over a bit in that a class will not be offered this fall, and so he will have to take 1 class next spring to graduate. IF...his counselor had been helpful, he could have done the pre-req and taken that class this year instead and finished up in December.

    ECU and UNCG are both AACSB so that is a MAJOR plus if you are looking at the MBA, not sure about your FSU program?

    University of North Carolina Online: Home

    That is a complete listing of ALL the online education available in the state!!

    UNC-CHAPEL HILL.. has an online MBA now but $$$$$$

    Western Carolina has Masters of Project Mgmt & another MS in Entrepreneurship

    NC State has online MBA now...

    So LOTS of choices for IN-state tuition Masters programs!!

    (NorthEastern is opening in Charlotte too with a bunch of new programs and they have a pretty big reputation too!)

    http://www.degreeinfo.com/distance-learning-discussions/38407-northeastern-expanding-charlotte-nc.html
     
  12. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Heh, I work in higher education in the D.C. area, and was thinking exactly the same thing.

    -=Steve=-
     

Share This Page