Re: University of Phoenix
Posted by Dana on 8/23/06
I have to disagree with a lot of what was written in this comment. My first concern is the presumption that University of Phoenix (UOP) "can produce a degree faster then other schools". It is my understanding that four years is about right for a bachelor’s degree. Students who attend UOP for their bachelor's only spend two years in the program because they are expected to already have their first two years completed when enrolling. And there is MORE time spent in classrooms and internships then the typical private school. (UOP students attend all year, with no breaks, and most private schools I have examined have no internship requirements). And a semester hour is a semester hour; UOP has to meet the same requirements for accreditation that all other schools must meet. This leads me to my second concern, that an education from UOP is inherently somehow less then one you would receive at another school. In any college there will be several examples of students who just don't "get it". If there are students teaching themselves statistics from a book, then obviously there is a problem with the instructor. (And I think you will find your fair share of bad instructors at any institution.) In such a case the onus is on the students to either seek further instruction from their teacher, or else file a complaint. I transferred from a traditional school to UOP, and in many ways have found the education experience much more intense. My work is held to a higher standard because I am being taught by the same people I hope to work with when I graduate. The learning team model is annoying, because I hate working with groups. The intention is not for the students to teach each other, but it does happen. Even though I hate it, I do see the benefit: In the future, I will have to work professionally in groups, and in the real world I will work with these people who do not "get it". UOP has given me the opportunity to go back to school and get a quality education and still be there for my family and hold a decent job. This said, when I apply for graduate programs, UOP will not be receiving my application. Too many people think UOP is a lesser school!
On 6/17/05, Mr. H wrote: > On 6/16/05, John wrote: >> I am currentlty attending the University of Phoenix's >> program for IT. I have not been 100&37; satisfied. I have >> been doing some pretty heavy research trying to find some >> alternate opinions on the quality of education, and the >> recognition of degrees provided by other educational >> bodies and employers, by the UoP. Some factors I have in >> my favor, is although I am employed full time, I am still >> in my 20's (for a bit longer :) , I have no family, and no >> children. I feel that I may be selling myself short if I >> continue on my current path. While I really want my >> degree, I want to be proud of the name, and I want to work >> my tail off getting it. Your opinions and advice are >> greatly appreciated! > > John - A lot has been said about UOP on these forums. My take > is this: UOP is regionally accredited and many students get > what they want educationally and professionally. However, if > you want broader acceptance by the academic community and all > employers, then UOP is not your first school of choice. > > From what I can deduce, the main reason UOproduce > degrees faster than other schools is that they require less > total hours of work per course than traditional > quarter/semester schools. > > Also, UOP uses a lot of collaborative learning...students > learning from fellow students. Some people do not find that > method appealing if it is used exclusively. (I ran into two > UOP students trying to teach themselves statistics out of a > book...they were trying to cover the whole book on their own). > > However, for some adults, UOP is the only way they can get an > accredited degree and getting it helps their career. > > Good luck!
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