Recent Graduate of NCU

Six years full-time...this person must be going from bachelors straight to PhD.

NCU requires 81 credit hours to obtain a PhD. You can complete the degree in three years assuming you 1) have 30 graduate hours to transfer (i.e. a masters degree); 2) take two courses per semester; and 3) complete the dissertation in a little over a year.

So far I've completed one course with NCU and it was not easy. I have a masters degree from an RA B&M university and so far NCU is on par with them. I recently took one course with an RA B&M university (after I completed my first NCU course) that just started offering PhD courses via distance learning. The coursework was a lot less rigorous than that of NCU; I dropped the course and went back to NCU.

I am not familiar with NCU prior to October 2004, so I cannot speak for their rigor prior to this time, but I can say that NCU is definitely set up with the learner in mind. The first course was challenging but fun. I learned way more than I thought I would and, so far, I would recommend them to anyone.

My two cents...

Corey

 

No, 6 years after his MBA. Getting a PhD from a top school like TUI is not an easy thing, the guy had to publish in top journals, and conferences before even being considered for graduation. It is typical for many people to spend up to 7 years in a PhD at a top University. My MBA took me 5 years part time and 20 -30 hours a week of work. As I said, there is huge difference between some Universities when it comes to rigour.

 

I too know of people that took 3 years to complete their MBAs. They have and MBA, I have an MBA. I needed it to get promoted at work, and it worked. To be honest, at the time of enrollment, I did not care much if NCU had good reputation or bad. I needed an MBA and needed it fast and also needed it from a proper school and not from a mill.

NCU has many rules and regulations in place but how closely they were followed, is another story.

As for courses, I'm sorry, but they were a piece of cake. How difficult and how much research does it take to write a comprehensive essay on any best manager you ever had? Not much. And that, was a real course assignment.

I am not advertising my MBA from NCU cos I know it's at the bottom of the pit. Regardless of what other may say or have said, getting it was a peice of cake with very little work. (I did do some work, but no where close to what my friends did at other brick and mortar schools).

 

If you did attend NCU, would you post some of the course syllabii and the actual text of the assignments? That would be interesting...

Thanks,

Dave

 

c_plager. Mabye you need more challenge. Harvard University has a open admissions program. Their online Masters degree in Information technology management should provide the challenge you seek. Also, New York University, Columbia Univesity, and Stanford University offers online graduate programs that may quench your appetite for rigour. You sound like a person who would enjoy the challenge of an MBA program from the University of Washington.

I am an NCU grad student as well. Northcentral does have its strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths
------------

- Flexible payment schedule
- Staff is attentive to the needs of students
- Learning Management System easy to use
- Degree earned completely online

Weaknesses
----------------

- Cost
- The burden of interacting in class ( discussion boards, e-mails ) is on student. Capella University does an excellent job of monitoring faculty performence. NCU should learn from capella ( aka benchmarking )
- 16 week waiting period. I believe that most NCU courses can be completed in 8 weeks. NCU should change its policy to allow students to begin courses every 2 months, instead of 4.

 

c_plager,

If you're willing to say... where did you get your undergraduate degree... and in what???

And at least you can say you have an RA MBA.

I could be wrong, but I would speculate that NCU's owner (Mr. Hecht... sp?) has tried to tighten up some of the academic programs, due to the voicing of concerns at DegreeInfo.com. I'm not a betting man, but....

 

I think several things have gone on that have made positive changes at NCU. I think the thread on Academic Rigor in the student forum with several years worth of entries pounding this thought into the administration, the federal funding for students, and the participation in the federal distance learning program have all contributed to active work on the programs. In the business area folks have offered to consider a tuition increase if NCU would get ACBSP accreditation. I really can't say since my experience is only over a year and a half. I'll be done in two months (just kidding)

I don't think you can measure rigor by length of a program. Content and outcomes would seem more appropriate to me.

However, I have no doubt that a part time DL program can not impart as significant an educational benefit as a full time program.

However, I also have no doubt that a 6 year full time educational program will offset my 25 years of experience.

Hence my desire for a more practioner based program.

 

I love this nonsense!

I am currently in RSH8904B, which is the 4th Research module for the dissertation process at NCU. If this is easy, then I must be a dolt. I have had my work returned to me constantly by my commitee, demanding the slightest erro, whether it be citing, methodology, or grammer be corrected. NCU is determined to make me work for my dissertation, and is not "giving" me my degree by any means.

NCU turns every assingment into turnitin, requires contact with the professors, and is going through a huge transition right now. The university is having a campus built in Prescott (40 acres too), added the School of Education, and is about to implement a new website, school seal, diplomas, etc. The school is growing and shows a lot of promise.

Also, I find your post offensive. Much like the poster that created the Capella Universitysucks website, I ask what are you accomplishing by your post? You are trying to discredit everyone who goes to the school? You're trying to make everyone who gets a degree there look stupid? Why would you discredit yourself? If you don't like your alma mater, why would you try and hurt others attending there?

The university is RA, recognized by the USDE and is perfectly acceptable. I am completeing a real dissertation, have a real commitee, and it will be recorded in DAI.

All you're doing is spreading hate.

Good luck to you and I hope your MBA finds you a wonderful job with excellent employment.

 

BinkWile's NCU comments

The thread author's comments are childish, misguided and trivial. No absolution here pal.

Hey BinkWile,

I've got like 5 days left to accept my admissions offer to do NCU's PhD BA Finance program and have been talking to Susan Penn, Lorraine Dischinger and had a converstation with Kieth Harman.

Would you please elaborate on your above quote as to the improvements planned for NCU?

Thanks

MW

 

Keep your shirt on... The thread starter seems to be a brick & mortar troll trying to diss Northcentral for some reason.

Does someone who starts out saying "I chose a certain school because I am a half-wit slacker" seem credible to you?

Dave

 

Re: BinkWile's NCU comments

Some are quoted here by NCU President:
http://www.ncu.edu/message_from_the_president.asp

 

Hi Chuck!

The Criminal Justice specialization courses that I participated in at NCU were excellent.

I am told that new power point presentations and homeland security couses have been added to the degree program. They appear very interesting. You will enjoy your coursework.

Best regards

 

What BinkWile just said, says it all ...

 

I agree...I finished my first course in three months and I have to take a month off before I can start my next course.

NCU used to allow students to do this. The reason NCU changed this was so that they could offer Title IV financial aid. Since I am not receiving Title IV financial aid I asked if this still applied to me and they told me that it has to apply to all students despite their financial aid status.

But on a positive note...

"NCU was among only five higher education institutions in the nation selected by the U.S. Department of Education in December 2003 to participate in the Distance Education Demonstration Program. This pilot program allows distance learners access to Title IV federal financial aid."

I believe NCU is heading in the right direction.

Here is the press release concerning NCU receiving Title IV financial aid: http://www.ncu.edu/news/press_releases/display.asp?press_release_id=31

 

Local Prescott newspaper article on NCU

This is interesting:

Source: http://www.prescottaz.com/PRESCOTTAZ/myarticlesearch.asp?md=v&p=1066351&s=356&pubid=13600


Northcentral University’s impact: Official says town will reap benefits

By Nathaniel Luedeker
Special to the Tribune

Dr. Donald Hecht, head of Northcentral University, said at Thursday’s Town Council work session, that the Internet-based college would provide jobs and revenue for the town.

Hecht said that the university would employ about 100 full-time staff after phase 1 of the proposed university is completed. The average earnings in the Prescott Northcentral University campus are $42,000 per year.

Also, he said, the university would generate revenue for Prescott Valley. He said that he suspects phase 1 of the university would be able to accommodate 5,000 online students who are paying $4,000 per year. That’s a total of $20 million a year, he said, a lot of which would be going back to the community.

The Town Council is considering authorizing a development agreement with the university that would bring the campus to Prescott Valley. The agreement would require the town to annex 71 acres of land near the eastern end of Superstition Drive and help the university, at the university’s cost, in obtaining an easement from The Arizona State Land Department.

In addition, the town would also provide the potential university with municipal water and sewer services, and several construction improvements to the site.

In exchange, the university will give the town all money collected monthly from a university surcharge on revenues from tuition, sales and rents. Hecht said the university would also pay the town $2 “per course started” on a quarterly basis and would reduce tuition by 10 percent for Prescott Valley students.

The Prescott campus, he said, had 7,000 course starts in 2004 and he said the potential campus could have as many as 20,000 course starts.

“We believe NCU and Prescott Valley are a good fit,” he said.

Besides the university, council discussed changing the regular council meeting times from 7:00 p.m. to 5:30. Most of the council gave the idea favorable review, but noted that the public should be given plenty of notice before they would authorize a resolution pertaining to the matter.

The Town Council also seemed to agree about a resolution that would allow the areas of Castle Canyon Mesa and the Prescott Country Club to participate in free dump day on May 1.

“Of all the events the town sponsors this is the second or third most popular,” interim town Manager LarryTarkowski said.

The two locations above are not in the municipality and the county would pay the costs to participate.

Contact the reporter at [email protected]

end

 

Ha! No he or she doesn't.

Also, as Messagewriter indicated, it does appear that NCU is going to build what seems to be a "campus" in Prescott. While this could mean a proprietary "campus" like Strayer or UoP, or a campus like College Park MD, or Norman OK, is yet to be seen. I've asked about it, but it appears that the college is being very quiet about it right now.

I would think that they must be building a campus to offer regular B&M courses in the area. Why else would they buy 40 acres? They also changed their slogan from "We put people first in distance education" to "The better way to earn your degree." Also, they are talking about unveiling a new mascot, website, diploma, and school seal on the learners page. Dr. Hecht wants to revamp the place I believe.

While I doubt we'll see the NCU Roadrunners taking on the UT Longhorns in the Rose Bowl any time in the future, I think that if NCU opens any sort of campus, even if it resembles UMUC's in College Park, it can only help the college's credibility, and will help the local community out as well. I would keep my eye on NCU.

 

Excuse me! 71 Acres!!!

I just re-read messagewriter's post. Wow!

 

If they actually go through with this and build a B&M campus i might seriously think about enrolling in their PhD program. I'm guessing that in having a regular campus they will offer the students the option of taking some of their classes in residence. This would eliminate some of the discrimination towards a DL only university.

 

From my experiences in earning a D.B.A. at California Pacific University and now in the dissertation phase of the Ph.D. at Touro University International, I don't think that short residencies are that meaningful for a doctoral program. What makes more sense than onsite residencies is to encourage students to meet with their professors and cohort at appropriate academic conferences. The context of these conferences for generating publications and building the c.v. is much more meaningful than requiring students to come to campus.

Dave

 

NCU's new facility

A.

stumbled over this on the internet: interesting. It's just a notice on the Browning Moore Associate's site (Architects).

Source: http://www.browningmoore.com/news.htm#northcentral

BMA Awarded Northcentral University Campus
Prescott Valley, AZ - One of the leading distance learning institutions in the world has selected BMA to master plan and design some 300,000 square feet of adminstrative and learning buildings for its new 45-acre campus in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

"We hope to break ground for our new campus by the first of next year. What is sure to be a beautiful new facility will give us ample room to service our increasing enrollment, and will allow us to grow not only in faculty and staff, but to expand our programs as well," said President and CEO Dr. Donald Hecht.

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Northcentral University offers adult degree programs from the bachelor's through the doctorate level in an online format.
end

B.

A faculty member at NCU PMed me and said that he thought NCU's new facilty was administration only (office space) with future expansion room for instructional purposes. There are local newpaper adds online that comments on the ongoing negotiation with the local municipality. I'm in real estate, and can see that Dr. Hecht is negotiating to have the city pay for some new roads, etc. via bond issues with his company (NCU) providing the cash flow to service the bonds: typical economic developement stuff. And of course the area residents are involved with their input, as demonstrated by this paper's article shown below.

Source: http://www.prescottaz.com/PRESCOTTAZ/myarticlesearch.asp?md=v&p=1066351&s=356&pubid=13600

New access

road needed

EDITOR:

The addition of NorthCentral University to Prescott Valley will be an asset to our community.

Our concerns, as neighbors of this facility, are the current plans for the access road that begins on Superstition Drive, directly across from George Andersen Park, then traverse across State Trust Land to the university.

Currently, Superstition Drive is the feedr road to the southern side of Unit 20 and carries a great deal of traffic, especially at the intersection of Navajo Drive.

Doctor Hecht, president of the university, will open the new facility with 50 employees, thus adding a potential of at least 100 additional trips on Superstition Drive each day.

In the future, the staff will grow to 250 employees, (a minimum of 500 additional trips) greatly increasing the traffic and safety on this residential street.

Since this is the only proposed road, all construction, utility, vendor and employee vehicles must use Superstition Drive to access this new facility.

We request the Prescott Valley Planning and Zoning Commission reevaluate this proposed access road and look at alternative routes.

We feel the most logical options for access are Fain Road to the university or Valley Road to the university or even both, since both carry commercial traffic and are less utilized by children.

If current plans are carried out, we are extremely concerned that the additional vehicles will create both safety and traffic hazards on Superstition Drive, and especially at George Anderson Park, where the road will begin.

This park is used for baseball and soccer practice and games, has a play area for small children, basketball hoop, a ramada with tables, barbecue grills and restrooms and is busy with families enjoying these amenities.

Don Coartney

Ingrid Shipman

Judy and Bob Beedles
end