Kennedy-Western Equals Degree Mill

Re: Graduate Program

QUOTE]Originally posted by Richard A. Suhar PE CMfgE


I can't speak to the MS but here are the Ph.D general requirements:

Entrance:
1. Minimum of 5 years related occupational experience related to the progam under application.

2.A Masters degree degree preferrably in the same field as the doctoral program. (My sidenote: Some programs such as Engineering Management are interdisciplinary.)

Graduation: total of 63 semester hours.

Typically these hours are split among:
1. Dissertation 12 hrs (Mandatory)
2. Transfer credit from student's MS Transcripts 30-36 hrs
3. KW coursework 12-15 hours
4. Balance - "Life Experience" on your job and or documented seminar speaking engagements.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ahhh...boy does that make me jealous

 

Of course, Mr. Simpson was acquitted of murdering those two people. He did, however, wrongfully cause their deaths. It is this distinction that permits him to improve on his golf handicap while enjoying the security of his retirement funds--untouchable in the civil suit.

 

Re: Graduate Program

Thank you very much for the information.

I believe it's obvious that they don't publish this information because then their marketing interface people have more flexibility in what they can offer.

I'm unclear on what is meant by number 2. What this means is that credits from the master degree are used for the Ph.D. graduation requirements? How can this work? This sounds fishy to me. If that is what it means then what if they got their Master degree from KWU? It was stated on the KWU Pub forum that the KWU graduation requirements seemed to be about 5 classes plus the 12hr paper for each degree. That would seem to indicate that there wouldn't even be 30-36 hrs of master work to transfer? It also appears that the Work Experience is triple/double counted if also used for previous KWU degrees.

I think an interesting experiment would be to see if someone could get accepted into KWU to their Ph.D. program if they didn't even claim to have an accredited Bachelor degree. They could claim they have a Ph.D. from one of the degree mills listed in the degree mill chapter of Bear's Guide and they want to upgrade their degree to a KWU Ph.D.. Would this experiment cost anything? Are there any application charges at KWU? I might be willing to pay a reasonable application charge for this experiment. Would anyone care to make a friendly wager on the outcome? I'm willing to bet that the person could get accepted into the KWU Ph.D. program.

 

Graduate Program Requirements

Transfer of the Masters program credits is not really fishy. Walden was ready to accept any of my courses other than thesis less than 10 years old into the Ph. D. in their engineering management option as was the University of Colorado. Same goes with my alma mater Lehigh University. That is a problem with being out in industry and away from the academic environment . So organizatons like KWU take advantage of the situation by not expiring the credits.

As far as your experiment goes... it will cost you $50 and whatever fees you pay to have your tanscripts sent in. However they may be on the look out for your ringer if one or more of the posters who have been accused of being schills and or KW employees really is. I know the KW Moderator does monitor the Pub and occasionally pull the plug on highly infalmatory posts.

I would suspect there is double accounting for those individuals persuing a multiple degrees at KW. I have noticed in web searches some individuals who have two KWU degrees and One fellow, and Electical Engineer holding some patents with all three KW degrees.

For all the criticism, I am amazed that KWU just rolls on like a juggernaut oblivious of all detractions. They really could be on the vanguard of distance education. They have some really outstanding faculty and strong graduate courses. It's their apparent secrecy that seems to stand in the way of serious progress. In chatting with older graduates it appears the they have made progress in moving toward greater emphasis on synthesis of thought rather than regurgitation of fact in the graduate courses. I suspect the expansion of the faculty to do course design and exams played a significant role in the shift.

Having been an educator over the last decade and doing a lot of test design work, I appreciate the level of effort that has gone into the exams I took. The faculty I took coursework from were good at providing feedback.

So much for the preaching... Lest I be accused of being a degree mill appoligist Just thought I might add some insight to KWU.
I am sure I will get slammed again in my email. It happens...

Regards,

Dick

 

Re: Graduate Program Requirements

 

Re: Graduate Program Requirements

I still suspect that RJT may be a shill but I seriously doubt that KWU would be willing to reject potential revenue because of a chance that one of their prospect customers might be some jokester from degreeInfo.

My dear Dr. Suhar, I find it difficult to believe that people would really be slamming you in email. I find your posts most delightful and believe you and your posts are completely truthful. We may disagree on the value of a KWU degree but I really consider that a trifle compared with the grander and more complete Dick Suhar.

 

Re: Re: Graduate Program Requirements

Nothing about the administration of KWU surprises me. I do know they have a lobbyist on the payroll that works with the Cal legislature and an attorney by the name of Upton that represents their interest on an on going basis. I discovered these fact in internet searches. In addition, they are members of the Better Business Bureas in LA and Cheyenne. In the last several years they only has two complaints registered and on was resolved. 37000 student and only 2 complaints is really something..

I occasionally get threats about being "outted" to the University of Phoenix administration. However, they don't care about faculty with unaccredited doctorates. They just care the employee has the experience and RA masters degree. Official policy is not to use the non-RA credential in official UoP publications.

RJT remains a mystery to me. I did sent an email congratulation on completing the coursework and closing in on the thesis. The email didn't bounce and I received no reply. I have found no one posting in the Pub with those initials or posting style. Apparently RJT does monitor both the Pub and this forum. So RJT, I do wish you success with yuur progam and I do hope you meet your future goals.

I guess this thread has about run it course.

Regards,

Dick

 

Re: Graduate Program

This is where I have a problem with K-W. A Ph.D. is typically 60 hrs. beyond the masters and 90 hrs. beyond the Bachelors. It appears that K-W is including the masters (in the 60 hrs. beyond the masters) for the Ph.D. which is not an acceptable practice. In effect, the 5 yrs. of work experience would translate to 33 - 36 hrs. of credit for life experience which is also questionable. I would surmise that this many hrs. of life experience credit does not show up on the transcript because it is being masked by prior masters work for a degree already completed.

John

- Whose Ph.D. was 60 hrs. beyond a masters with no transfer or life experience credits.

 

Re: Re: Graduate Program

All three of the KWU degrees are far below the standard amount of work normally required. So what does it mean that only 17% (as mentioned by Dick) of the students can complete the grossly substandard amount of work?

BTW does KWU collect the tuition up front?

 

Re: Re: Graduate Program

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And John, you will, then hopefully, empathize with one who goes
the MDiv--ThM--ThD route who must finish 120+ grad hours, thesis, meet two language requisites, and pass comprehensive exam BEFORE even beginning the doc program!


Bill

-who says,

Life just ain't fair!

 

KW

I, in the past checked out Kennedy Western
Had a 2 hour phone interview along with a
resume and credential overview.

I was informed I needed 5 classes to complete a BS.
I was informed the tuition was $5,300.00 up front.
I was informed I had 7 days to make a decision before
another $50.00 fee was charged and tuition review was
again required.
I was informed that my BS would NOT be approved at
RA institutions regarding application to a MS level.
I was informed that General Motors was the largest
tuition rembursement corp to support KW.
I was informed that KW's degree programs are for mid career adults who plan to stay in their present careers and enhance their knowledge with modern techniques.

In the end I turned direction and enrolled with
AMU regarding Certificates in IT and
AIU in pursuit of a BSIT.


Just my experience, I will not knock KW. All schools are money hounds but I could not pay 5k+ for a BS that would not be accepted at any other college masters program

Enjoy

 

K-W

Bill:

Thanks for sharing your report. K-W does now have a monthly tuition plan, and offers financing options.

The five classes does not describe the fact that the final propsal and final report count as two additional classes.

K-W was recently subject a WY DoE review at their CA offices, and they fully approved of K-W's cirricula. K-W is a fully compliant state liscenced post secondary educational insitution, and, as such, many large corporations including, HP and GM, as well as, branches of the governmnet recognize their degrees. The RA schools that do not, also may have difficulty transferreing DETC credits.

Thanks,

RJT
K-W, BS in Mangement, Anticipated 09/2002

 

Re: K-W

More shilling about the unaccredited, illegal in two states, university fraud. Does K-W remind anyone else of Columbia State?

 

Re: Re: Re: Graduate Program

My sympathies indeed

A significant effort and one to be proud of.

John

 

Re: Re: K-W

No. K-W operates something that resembles a university; Columbia State did not. Columbia State offered no instruction; K-W seems to offer a bit. And while K-W certainly advertises, it didn't have an ad daily in USA Today for several years, as did Columbia State.

There are varying levels of awful. These two schools demonstrate that point.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Graduate Program

Thankyou John

 

Re: Re: Re: K-W

Very true, on the other hand K-W charges more for a degree that probably has close to the same utility as a Columbia State degree, at least before fraud enforcement finally caught up with Columbia State and finally closed them down.

 

Re: KW

AMU is a far superior choice over KWU.

Thanks for the information. Did you have any college credits going in? If you had less than 60 college credits, did KWU give you an exam?

 

ANother Non-Typical Graduate Program

I guess I went to a non-typical school for my RA program at Lehigh University. I made the assumption that KW was a bit light to what my experience was at Lehigh in my graduate days...

And I quote from the Lehigh website for my major:

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
The Ph.D. program is designed to educate students to perform at a high level of proficiency in their professional careers. A typical program requires at least three academic years of graduate work. A student who enters the program with a Master's degree must complete a minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate work. A student who enters with a Bachelor's degree is required to complete at least 72 credit hours.

I suppose we Industrial Engineering types must not need the additional coursework like the other disciplines to maintain a national ranking among engineering schools. Congratulations on taking the additional coursework.

Regards,

Dick

A Youngstown State University undergrad with a Bachelor of Engineering who accumulated over 300 quarter hours prior to graduation with the BE with no transfer credit for life experience.

 

Life Experience

I guess the think that really bothers me with the many critics is that they are not allowing for the varient of credit to be awarded for "Life Experience". I can tell you that having worked in HR for tewelve years, dispite the fact that I do not possess a Bachelor's Degree, I know a "heck" of a lot more than a kid-off the street holding his/her Penn State or Drexel BS Degree. Why shouldn't K-W factor this? This to me this is a primary reason I chose the school. Put any experienced non-degreed manager, up against a kid with limited experience but with the "ink still wet on his/her college degree", and you know what you would likely find? Hands-down, you would likely find the experienced resource will produce more quickly and resourcefully, verses the kid who is just lerning the job. Why shouldn't this credible life achievement experience be calibrated?

I had over 100 RA credits, but if I had stayed with the same school, I'd have to take 12 classes. Why? because they failed to transfer several of my CC classses in the obtainment of my AS Degree. K-W accepted all credits, and excepted my life experience. The result was 5 classes and a serious thesis. This I feel is fair, and I do not feel, nor should any K-W student feel that heis or her degree is any less deserving, than had they remained in a RA tract, where credits fail to transfer, and life experience is not recognized.

Thanks,

RJT