Question for Ted Heiks

Hi Ted.

I am very interested in the MA program in Civil War Studies at American Military University.

Can you share any other info on the program and how it works. Are the papers APA? Do they use Blackboard?

Thank you.

Best wishes for success and please keep us posted as you go through the program.

 

(1) Hi C. Novick!

(2) I'm very interested in American Military University's MA in Civil War Studies too. Good choice!

(3) The MA program in Civil War Studies is a 36 semester hour non-thesis program. You will take:

03 hrs. methods course, which is:
RC 500: Research Methods in Military Studies
09 hrs. introductory CW courses, which are:
CW 500 The Civil War Seminal Event in American History
CW 501 Civil War Strategy & Tactics
CW 502 Civil War Command & Leadership
15 hrs. elective CW courses, which can be chosen from amongst:
CW 510 The Antebellum South
CW 511 Civil War Naval History
CW 512 Civil War Logistics
CW 513 The Civil War: A Soldier's View
CW 514 1863
CW 515 Civil War Political Stewardship
CW 516 Lee & His Lieutenants
CW 517 Grant & His Lieutenants
CW 518 Civil War Economics
CW 519 Civil War Intelligence
CW 520 Civil War Medicine
CW 521 Civil War Society & Culture
CW 522 Reconstruction & Post-Civil War America
CW 523 1862
CW 524 Civil War Cavalry
CW 525 Gettysburg
CW 526 1864
09 hrs. outside minor courses, which can be chosen from amongst anything but CW and LW courses.
36 hrs. total

The above, by the way, describes the MA in Military Studies with concentration in Civil War Studies. There is also an MA in History with concentration in Civil War Studies, which has a slightly different course distribution. I'll get back to you and post that too.

There were three Civil War Studies professors at American Military University when I was there for my first go-round at an MA in Civil War Studies (from 2001 to 2003).

Prof. Barry Shollenberger teaches RC 500, CW 500, CW 501, CW 502, CW 515, CW 517, CW 518, CW 519, CW 520, CW 521, CW 522, CW 523, & CW 525. He's a great guy. And he loved my papers on Ewell at Gettysburg, John Calhoun's political theory, Chamberlain at Gettysburg, and the Civil War diaries of black women preachers.

Prof. Ed Hagerty teaches CW 501, CW 502, & CW 516. I believe he wrote a book on Collis' Zouaves. He's a pretty good guy, usually. He did, however, once tell me that he didn't like my finger-pointing attitude when I emailed him one time to point out that he had required a couple of journal articles for one of his courses without giving the names of the journals they were in. He requires a series of short reaction papers rather than one major term paper for the introductory courses. He didn't like my paper on Pickett at Gettysburg.

Prof. Eric Wittenberg taught CW 524 & 525. He was the author of _Gettysburg's Forgotten Cavalry Actions_ as well as author & editor of several books on Bvt. Brig. Gen. James Harvey Kidd. And a hellaciously nice guy he is. Too bad he's no longer with us.

Other professors added while I was out of the program (2003 to 2005) include: Stephen Bacon (CW 514 & CW 523), Stephen Carney (CW 524), Stanley Carpenter (CW 512), Stephen Ramold (CW 521), Eileen Scully (CW 513), & Charles White (CW 514).

The courses require an unproctored midterm and a proctored final. Most require a major 25-page term paper, though some require a series of short reaction papers in lieu thereof. Prof. Shollenberger requires two "enabling activities." You can be guaranteed that the enabling activities will include all of the weekly definition questions listed in your course syllabus. And there will, of course, be essay questions (usually of five paragraphs' length each).

There are three semesters each year, but new sixteen-week classes start at the top of each month. There are also eight-week and even four-week classes available, but be warned (whoever asked this in a previous AMU thread), yes, they will still expect you to be able to cover the same ground in a four- or eight-week class that you would cover in a sixteen-week class.

As to the amount of time allowed to start, when I was given my original letter of acceptance in March (mid-Spring) 2000, I was given two semesters (Summer 2000 or Fall 2000) to register for my first class. Having been financially unprepared to register for Fall 2000 classes, I was granted an extension to Spring 2000, when I registered for Barry Shollenberger's MC 500: Research Methods in Military Studies. Unfortunately, I came into some personal crisis that caused a bunch of courses to lapse into F's and washed from the program in 2003. Having recieved my letter of re-admission in April 2005, I was given 60 days to register for my first class. I will start by retaking Barry Shollenberger's CW 522: Reconstruction Post-Civil War America in June 2005. You might inquire with them as to whether the two semesters vs. 60 days if the difference between initial admission and re-admission or the difference between the policies of 2000 and 2005.

As to the amount of time to finish, there is a seven-year drop-dead date, which they will still hold you to even if you delay entry into the program, wash and get re-admitted, take stop-outs, or whatever else.

As to your course load, you must take at least one course every two semesters and you may take up to three courses per semester. The first is not advisable, however, as it will take you eight years at that rate, and you will not make your seven-year drop-dead date. The university does not like the second option too much either, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you care to explain to the faculty and administration that you are a man of leisure who has no need to work because rich Daddy and rich Uncle George are paying all the bills.

(4) I'm not sure that they have any officially preferred style sheet. Nobody seems to come crashing down on me too badly for using my old undergrad style sheet - the 1973 edition of Kate Turabian. (Gasp!) (I'm showing my age!)

(5) I'm kind of ignorant when it comes to computers. Should I assume that Blackboard is a computer technology that lets online students chat with each other? If that's what you're talking about, Prof. Barry Shollenberger uses NICENET to facilitate class discussions. I don't recall Prof. Ed Hagerty using such technologies. Hope I haven't displayed my woeful ignorance of computers too badly on this question.

(6) You're welcome. I hope this has helped.

(7) Best wishes to you, too, and keep us posted on your AMU program.

Ted.

 

Ted,

Thank you for the information. I appreciate your time. This helps me a great deal. The program seems like it would be very interesting! Business Admin and Management course work can get a bit dry. I am looking to shift gears and study something different.

I just have to see if I can handle both programs at the same time.

Thanks again!

 

Hi again, C. Novick! Always willing to help out a fellow DL student! Or is that learner?

By the way, I see you are doing a PhD at Northcentral University! Which subdiscipline of Business Administration are you focusing on? Their PhD in Electronic Commerce looks very interesting. At least I lust after such a degree and they seem to be the only ones offering such a field at the doctoral level. Also, I see that Northcentral University offers a course in Methods in Historical Research. Can you round up their reading list for me?

By the way, on the style sheet, Kate L. Turabian's _Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations_ (1996) is required for Historical Research Methods, Historiography, and Research Methods in Military Studies. On the other hand, for any of you still looking for an MBA degree (and AMU offers one in many sub-fields), Research Methods in Managerial & Information Sciences and Research Methods in Business Administration both require APA, _Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association_.

By the way, I also promised you the requirements for the MA in History with concentration in Civil War Studies. Here it is.

15 hrs. required courses:
RC 575: Historiography
RC 576: Historical Research Methods
OC 530: Graduate Seminar in World History
OC 531: Graduate Seminar in U. S. History
CW 500: Civil War: Seminal Event in American History
15 hrs. elective courses, chosen from amongst:
CW 501: Civil War Strategy & Tactics
CW 502: Civil War Command & Leadership
CW 510: Antebellum America
CW 511: Civil War Naval History
CW 512: Civil War Logistics
CW 513: Civil War: A Soldier's View
CW 514: 1863
CW 515: Civil War Political Stewardship
CW 516: Lee & His Lieutenants
CW 517: Grant & His Lieutenants
CW 518: Civil War Economics
CW 519: Civil War Intelligence
CW 520: Civil War Medicine
CW 521: Civil War Society & Culture
CW 522: Reconstruction & Post-Civil War America
CW 523: 1862
CW 524: Civil War Cavalry
CW 525: Gettysburg
CW 526: 1864
06 hrs. outside minor courses, which can be taken in anything other than CW and LW.
36 hrs. total

 

Oh! A few things I forgot!

You will take either CW 700 Separate Comprehensive Examination in Civil War Studies or OC 700 Separate Comprehensive Exam in History, depending on whether you pursue your MA in Civil War Studies through Military Studies or History.

You may take CW 690 Independent Stusy in Civil War Studies if there's something not covered in the regular classes like maybe Civil War Air Balloons or Civil War Artillery or whatever else.

Professor Ed Hagerty teaches RC 575: Historiography and RC 576: Historical Research Methods. Also, Professors Geoffrey D. T. Shaw (PhD, Vietnam War Studies, University of Manitoba) and Bryan Rigg (PhD, Holocaust History, University of Cambridge and author of _Hitler's Jewish Soldiers_ and _Rescued from the Reich_) are possibilities for teaching RC 500: Research Methods in Military Studies, in addition to Barry Shollenberger, mentioned above.

 

Hi Ted!

Yes, I am an NCU "learner" I am in the Management subdiscipline and have found NCU to be an excellent school.

I checked with my academic advisor who stated that the RSH9900B (Historical Research Methodology) is a new course that is still under construction. The syllabus and reading list are unavailable thus far. I'll keep a check on it for the reading list.

I have only written papers in MLA and APA. I'm interested in reading and learning Kate L. Turabian's _Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations_ (1996). Is Turabian more difficult than the other formats?

Both programs at AMU look very interesting. I'm really thinking about it. Thank you again!

 

Please clarify for me.

Ted, when you present your materials list, do you mean excerpts from the book or the entire book (and consequently all of those books for a single course)? I've read much of Eric Foner's Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, and I know it's not light reading (and it is a great book). I guess I am trying to get an idea of how long a course is and what the load is. So am I reading you correctly when I see that you have number of entire books to read and likely write on during a single semester course? Thanks!

 

Good. Hopefully someday I'll enroll in the PhD in E-Commerce.

Thanks for checking on the RSH9900B reading list.

Turabian is really not much more difficult than MLA.

You're very welcome! AMU is a very good school and have found their CW program quite interesting. - Theo

 

Also, should you opt to go for the History route rather than the Military Studies route for your MA in Civil War Studies at American Military University, the Graduate Seminar in World History is taught by Douglas E. Streusand, author of _The Formation of the Mughal Empire_ and the Graduate Seminar in U. S. History is taught by Paul Gelpi, author of _The Rise of U. S. Airpower in the 1950s_.

 

Re: Re: Question for Ted Heiks

Oops! It is actually: CW 510: Antebellum America

 

Re: Please clarify for me.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to find which moving box my old Spring 2002 CW 522 Reconstruction syllabus is packed away in. And the online classroom for American Military University's June 2005 classes (where the new syllabus is located) doesn't open up until May 25, 2005. So I can't really answer your question right now except to indicate that, yes, AMU does have very heavy reading lists.

 

Oh, by the way, a few additional details that I forgot. AMU does have very quick turnaround on their admissions decisions. They'll email you within a day or two. And registration for courses starting June 6th closes as of midnight May 29th EST.

Does that mean one can still register up till 11:59 pm on the 29th? Or is 12:01 am on the 29th too late?

 

Re: Re: Question for Ted Heiks

Oops! Meant to say "Spring 2001." Oh, well!

 

Re: Re: Question for Ted Heiks

Oops! Meant to say "Spring 2001." Oh, well!

 

Re: Re: Question for Ted Heiks

Ted,

I'm going to call AMU tomorrow and register for the MA in Civil War Studies . Hopefully I can handle both programs. We'll see how it goes. It just looks so fascinating.

Thank you for all your time and assistance.

 

Re: Re: Re: Question for Ted Heiks

A little lesson I learned about trying to carry two graduate programs at once is that one should never attempt to take CW 521: Civil War Society & Culture, CW 522: Reconstruction & Post-Civil War America, and CW 524: Civil War Cavalry at American Military University while simultaneously taking HUX 504: Defining the Humanities: Art, HUX 572: Key Periods & Movements: Philosophy: The Biblical Movement, and HUX 599: Thesis at California State University, Dominguez Hills at the same time. It didn't work too well.

Which is not to say that one shouldn't try to take two graduate programs at the same time. Just don't try to take three classes in each at the same time.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Question for Ted Heiks

Wow, now that's stressful. I'll just do one course for each program.

Quick question... I just filled out the AMU application and faxed in the TCE Request form. Does AMU request the official transcripts from my other schools? Is there anything else I need to do?

Thank you.

 

!

Normally, you need to send an official transcript showing that a bachelor's degree has been conferred from an institution accredited by a recognized accrediting body. However, if I read this right, since you already have a master's degree, the master's degree transcript (as per your TCE Request) suffices. But I'd call them or email them Monday just to make sure. For those of you out there who may still be considering AMU, the tutition is $250/hr. (grad & ug), the Transfer Credit Application is $75, and the application fee is $50. They do take plastic in the form of Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. But they don't take American Express!

 

C.novick,

I just submitted a TCE a couple of weeks ago. They can get the transcript for you, but they need your permission to do so. (There is an extra form you will have to fill out.)

I just sent them my transcript rather than wait on them to do it. Also, it should take six weeks ONCE THEY RECEIVED all required documents. They say 4-6 weeks on the website, but they sent me an e-mail saying that they had a flood of TCE requests the past few weeks so it will take six weeks, not a maybe there.

Also, as far a payment is concerned, they have a payment option for no additional fee. When you register you will pay 1/4 of your balance. Once your courses start you will pay 1/4 each month until the balance is paid-in-full. They automatically debit (charge) your account so there is no need to manually submit a payment each month.

 

Re: Please clarify for me.

And the official answer is that you will read all of the following for CW 522: Reconstruction & Post-Civil War America:

Foner, _Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution_ 621 pp.
Franklin, _Reconstruction After the Civil War_ 227 pp.
Gallagher, _Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History_ 218 pp.
Golay, _A Ruined Land_ 321 pp.
McPherson, _Abraham Lincoln & the Second American Revolution_ 152 PP

Total Reading: 1539 pp., plus, of course, whatever reading you need to do in order to do a reasonably good job of writing your term paper.