University of the Cumberlands Online PhD in Information Technology

Discussion in 'IT and Computer-Related Degrees' started by Marcus Aurelius, Jan 29, 2018.

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  1. tpg

    tpg New Member

    The last 4 courses (DSRT 736, 839, 930, and 931) are all 4 months courses. You need to take it in the same order after every 4 months (Total: 16 months).
     
  2. Mansah Musa

    Mansah Musa New Member

    Yes, but they can be taken with other classes. For example, in my next term, I'm scheduled to take 736, ITS 836, and ISOL 631. If you plan right and have time, you can finish the whole program in 16 months, but you have to put in some serious work. For me, I think I will finish in 27 months because I have taken two terms off to cool off.
     
  3. DrSchmoe

    DrSchmoe Member

    Hey All, I got accepted to the program and may start in the fall semester, depending on whether I get over my reservations. I'm a little worried about the things I read in some of the posts (the anger against students with foreign-sounding names). I'm American, but I don't have a typical American sounding name. Do we get a chance to get on cam and speak to professors so they know I'm American? Are the xenophobic attitudes that we see amongst the students here shared by faculty and staff, as well? I know you can't know for certain, but do you get that vibe? I'm just overall concerned about this. I've seen some people who posted here saying they took 4-6 classes and then exited. I'm not rich enough to experiment with $6k. I guess I have a few months to mull it over.
     
  4. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    What a laughable concept. Get over yourself. Let your work speak for itself. Who cares if you are American or otherwise?!
     
  5. DrSchmoe

    DrSchmoe Member

    I totally agree. The concept is laughable. But it's reality. I used to do phone sales (in the 90's). Even though I had solid leads, I couldn't get any sales. My boss asked why don't you identify yourself as "Bob Johnson"? Boom, That fixed the problem. Sales and commissions through the roof. "Who cares?" I care. I don't want profs to see my assignments, and say, "foreign name... foreigner, thus he can't write... C+". There was someone on this forum who said he is an instructor for this Ph.D. program. Look at his rant on people with foreign-sounding names. I don't want to be in a program where instructors are biased, or discrimination is rampant. The reputation will catch up to them. Search around degreeinfo... this is the only school where bias against foreign-sounding names is a problem.
     
  6. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    I don't have the time to read everything here, so I must have missed this, but that sounds serious. Can you point us to it?
     
  7. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    I believe it's this thread, starting on page 5.
     
  8. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Ah, I see what you mean. He sounded less hostile towards people simply for having names uncommon in the U.S., and more aggravated by what he saw as rampant academic dishonesty. But at the same time I recognize that's easy for me to say since I have a German surname and that probably qualifies as "American sounding".
     
  9. DrSchmoe

    DrSchmoe Member

    Yes, I think you found it. For the record it's post #110 on Page 6, posted on Sept. 25, 2018. I think his post would've been awesome if it were about the rampant cheating in general, but he attributed it directly to non-American-sounding students, and who are on F1. How does he even know who is on F1? He ties the cheaters to F1 with "these people..."
     
  10. Mansah Musa

    Mansah Musa New Member

    As a real foreigner with a foreign name, who has been living in the US for 20 years, I know what you mean. I agree a little bit of bias exists, but if you can over-perform on your work, it won't impact you in any meaningful way. I'm an A student, but the day I put my picture on my profile, I started noticing the degradation of my grade. I would suggest you don't put your picture there out there. Unfortunately, in some classes, some professors may need to see your picture in the introductory phase. If possible, try to profile professors at ratemyprofessors.com and collect intelligence about them, so you have an idea of how they grade and what not. Overall having taken many classes and six left to go, I say let your work speak for you. Follow all instructions, finish all homework, and submit them by 11:56 PM or due time, and you will be fine. A caveat, If possible, take professors with foreign-sounding names, or black, and your problem is solved. By the way, per peer-reviewed research, they are less likely to be biased.
     
  11. DrSchmoe

    DrSchmoe Member

    Incredibly well-written post, Mansah! You have a very positive outlook in life, and that will carry you far. I canceled my admission after all. I know for others who dropped out of the program gave one reason or the other, but in reality it's a culmination of many reasons for all of us who choose not to pursue. Haha for me, I didn't even take one class. I think I have other concerns about the program. It's going to be ~3 years full-time commitment, which means I can't work on other things that could help my career (i.e opportunity cost). It all comes down to what you want to do in life, and what you need to do to get there.
    Anyway, while I'm still here, I'd like to share my experiences with this university, as many who are looking may want some additional personal experiences.
    I applied on a Friday and also requested all my previous universities to send e-transcripts. All my transcripts were shown as "Received" the following Wednesday. I got the offer of admission on the following Monday (so about 1 week and 1 day total). The administration I worked with were awesome. They really have their stuff together. I was contacted by several people and they got my email account set up, phone numbers to call or text if I have any issues. So, I would like to thank the staff for making it so easy to apply and onboard. And based on what I've read in this forum, this degree is the real deal. This place is no diploma mill based on the attrition. Good luck to you all!
     
  12. snark

    snark New Member

    I am a student at UC. I don't see any bias at all and the students treat each other exceptionally well. Everyone that I have come into contact with is extremely positive and professional.

    With regards to grading variability, my experience has been that some professors have higher expectations for A-level work than others, which is somewhat similar to how some professors don't put any time into the classes that they teach and how others are truly exceptional and engaging. I am hoping that Mansah's experience can be attributed to the sort of variability that I experienced instead of bias, but maybe that is wishful thinking on my part. Mansah's experience has shaped his (or her) perception in a negative manner, which is quite unfortunate.

    The original complaints were with students submitting absolute crap and cheating. Cheating still exists, but it is dealt with quite severely now. Students that plagiarize the first time receive a zero on an assignment. If they do it a second time, they receive a zero in the course and do not receive a refund. The third offense results in dismissal from the college.

    Cheating was so bad when I took my first class a year ago that multiple students would post exactly the same paper to discussion forums, or they would attempt to make a submission unique by changing words using a thesaurus--a lot of their word choices were so ridiculous that they appeared to write like 3rd-graders. That may sound like hyperbole, but it was the sad unfortunate truth at the time.

    Student work was very good overall in my last session, but some folks seemed to panic the last week and submitted the same papers. I am in two classes this session and so far one person submitted a discussion post that was a direct 2-page copy from the textbook. Fortunately, this sort of this is becoming rarer as time goes by.

    Cheers!
     
  13. DrSchmoe

    DrSchmoe Member

    "perception in a negative manner, which is quite unfortunate"

    See what's going in Minnesota? Any doubts now about "bias" against ethnic minorities in America?
     
  14. cwocarpenter

    cwocarpenter New Member

    I'm starting in the program in the fall. I've read through the blogs and I thank you all. I've been involved in adult education for many years as both a student and an adjunct. I have seen many of your examples in some of the courses I taught (some weren't set up well and as a new adjunct you are told "don't touch"). I've always believed that output is a function of input and I'm doing this for myself and hopefully to open up more teaching opportunities. I'm not delusional about getting a tenured track job at Stanford I just want a better gig than the once every six months that I have now.
     
  15. goodman19

    goodman19 New Member

    Hi All, I am a new student and my first class starts in 2 weeks. I am enrolled in ITS 832/lecture/A03 InfoTec in a global economy. For those who have taken the course, can you please provide some advice? I cannot find any literature about the course. Thanks in advance.
     
  16. snark

    snark New Member

    Welcome aboard Goodman!

    The title of the course is misleading.
    I took the course last spring. It was focused on IT use in e-government, and in making public policy. It discusses using computer a variety of computer simulation techniques to model the behavior of populations or large groups of people when they are presented with a change in policy, legal, or economic environment.

    We used "Policy Practice and Digital Science: Integrating Complex Systems, Social Simulation, and Public Administration in Policy Research" as our textbook.

    There is a great deal of writing in the class. I viewed the class as basically a 50,000 foot overview of possible simulation techniques, which gives you enough information to manage employees that are creating simulation models. If you are interested in simulations and modeling, it can be a great class to identify possible research paths that may lead to a thesis topic.

    Best of luck in the program.
     
    newsongs likes this.
  17. goodman19

    goodman19 New Member

    Snark, Thank you very much for the useful information. I appreciate it.
     
  18. mbarker

    mbarker New Member

    I am considering UC for PhD IT. My goal is to become tenure track professor at a Tier 1 University in their IT and cybersecurity program. Is UC's program rigorous and reputable enough, do you think for this goal? I really like the price tag! Does anyone know how South Dakota's program meets this standard? That is the other one I am looking at.
     
  19. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    It's extremely doubtful that either school would help you reach that goal. To even have a realistic chance at this, you'll need to get into a tier one school, attend full time, and be as much on campus as the pandemic will allow.
     
  20. snark

    snark New Member

    Hello mbarker,

    The answer to your questions are most likely --no and no.

    If you want to be tenured at a tier 1, then you need to attend a tier 1 and the reputation of your advisor in your research area is probably even more important. You might want to apply to tier 1's that interest you. If you are admitted, the education will probably be free and you will probably receive a stipend too.

    Good luck with your future goals!
     

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