University of Phoenix or American Military University?

[1Adam12]

Hello, I'm in the process of trying to get enrolled into some online college courses. I've been looking at both the University of Phoenix and AMU. I understand that Phoenix is a larger university and their rep tells me that getting a degree from them would be better than one from AMU because they are a smaller school.

However, I'm interested in working for places like Homeland Security and AMU provides Degrees for "Emergency and Disaster Management" "Homeland Security" "Intelligence Studies" "Middle Eastern Studies" "Security Management."

All these areas are of interest to me but the Phoenix rep tells me that a Bachelor's in Homeland Security for example won't benefit me any more than a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice when it comes to finding a job.

Anyone here have any experience with AMU/Phoenix that might give me some guidance as to what school can better serve my needs?

[TxIntel 1978]

How about "none of the above"? UofP has a bad re****tion and stigma around it. Same with Amer Mil Univ. Whenever my company gets a resume with them listed, they go automatically to the bottom of the pile.

If you are looking to do online, check with local universities and inquire about their programs. Some, like the Univ Of N Texas, have several online programs... and they carry considerably more weight than UofP.

[show_stopper999]

agree with the above... It depends on your goals. I need a degree for my commission and it doesnt matter from where or what its in, but i know a lot of companies wont take UoP degrees. Didnt know the same about AMU. I think AMU has a decent rep within the federal government.

Regardless of what you pick, the line that UoP is better cause its bigger is total BS to the millionth degree. Both colleges are FOR PROFIT, so deal with their pitches like you would a salesman.

[1Adam12]

Any suggestions for online schools? The Universities in my area don't have any online programs and going to classes just isn't an option.

[SteveLord]

As said previously, UoP negative feedback outweigh it's positive by a lot. Be careful.

Do your research and Google anything that sounds too good.

[SGT Bart]

I goto Liberty University online,have been for 2 1/2 years. It is a private school, and some of the degrees(psychology for example) aren't deemed as valid (forget the technical name) as it is a private school and Christian based. I'll be getting a master degree in criminal justice from another school to show diversity, but DEF DO THE RESEARCH!!

p.s. My wife works for LUO and she gets 95% (100% seemed in accurate) negative feedback from univerity of pheonix students allllllllllllllllll the time, a lot of transfers from there as well, and a online advising department that is deemed as unfriendly and not a lot of help. ((** WARNING**))

[1Adam12]

Wow, I really shouldn't have jumped head first into this whole thing. I just want to get some school out of the way before I deploy. My personal life won’t allow for me to do the traditional school thing so my only option is to go online.

I have been reading some reviews online about University of Phoenix and AMU and I'm really starting to get turned off from the idea of going to either.

I don't want to waste my time and money for a worthless degree. I have been seeing a little better reviews for Capella online. Anyone here hear anything about them?

[notyetdead]

I don't want to waste my time and money for a worthless degree. I have been seeing a little better reviews for Capella online. Anyone here hear anything about them?

They're mostly famous because they have use their big marketing budget for online banner ads. They were ranked 23rd of the past 50 or so online-only universities by an online education group. They have a 100% admission rate for folks in their undergrad programs (read: have a pulse) and they award "life-experience credit."

That last one pretty much slams the door for any program. Schools that give credit for "life experience" in lieu of coursework devalue their degree and it doesn't get held in high regard by others. It's a scary thing to pour that much money down the hole for an online degree that may have little to no value.

If you're interested in learning for learning's sake, there are lots of quality online courses available.

If you're interested in a degree for professional reasons, I'd do whatever I could to attend actual classes locally. If that's just not in the cards, I'd look at online degrees offered by brick-and-mortar schools. They exist, but they're expensive and competitive to get in to since they're honest-to-god schools. Options of degree type are somewhat limited, as few subjects lend themselves to mastering with zero actual interaction with faculty and fellow students.

[Bingo]

Wow, I really shouldn't have jumped head first into this whole thing. I just want to get some school out of the way before I deploy. My personal life won’t allow for me to do the traditional school thing so my only option is to go online.

Listen up here's what you do.

Many accredited schools, that are deemed traditional, ALSO all have online classes now. Many degrees are offered online.

Not only that, I will bet you most universities (even Harvard and Community Colleges) all offer online classes.

If you are trying to knock out a few classes, I would recommend "general education" classes such as, math, english, sciences, communication. All universities will recognize transfer credits from accredited community colleges.

Even better, lets say you goto supercool XYZ University, you can receive your entire degree online in Criminal Justice, and on your resume, it will make no difference if you obtained it online or not.

HOWEVER, if you attend Univ. Of Phoenix (which I suggest you don't) everyone know you did it online. The same assumption cannot be made if you list "graduated from Ohio State" or whatever school.

Good luck.

[Rokovak]

I'll echo the suggestions to find an online program from a traditional four-year college. If I were you I'd look for a school in your state so you don't get taken to the cleaners on out-of-state tuition and fees.

[notyetdead]

HOWEVER, if you attend Univ. Of Phoenix (which I suggest you don't) everyone know you did it online.

Not true. Where are you getting this from, Bingo?

U of Phoenix offers online training, but also has hundreds of campuses in most states. It's not an online school, it's a brick-and-mortar school that also offers online courses.

[richierich]

Phoenix is a rip off!

Check out: http://www.pec.ngb.army.mil/training/centers/esc/

Military Credit Evaluation & Degree Plans

The ESC provides automated degree planning, military credit evaluations and college credit assessments to Army National Guard Soldiers, their spouses, and Army National Guard civilian employees at no cost to the individual. The ESC also serves as a virtual counseling center and information clearinghouse for Army National Guard education. Service members can take advantage of every opportunity to complete their degree by maximizing non-traditional academic options and supplementing them with traditional classes or courses.
If you are a member of the Army National Guard, we strongly encourage you to fill out our educational evaluation application so we can help you with your educational goals.

[Bingo]

Not true. Where are you getting this from, Bingo?

U of Phoenix offers online training, but also has hundreds of campuses in most states. It's not an online school, it's a brick-and-mortar school that also offers online courses.

You're right I misspoke. Here's what I meant to say, If you attend Univ of Phoenix, then I am willing to bet the majority of people will assume you did it online only (diploma mill). There are too many negative connotations associated with UoP. Why bother with it at all, when there are more established and respected schools in the higher education hierarchy that may be attended and avoid any such negative feelings of UoP.

UoP is a "for-profit" University. Anyone attending such universities should be extremely suspect of that. UoP has brought alot of the negative attention to itself. I would recommend to anyone seeking to knock out a few classes just avoid this university altogether.

[Bingo]

Any suggestions for online schools? The Universities in my area don't have any online programs and going to classes just isn't an option.

Where are you located?

[1Adam12]

Where are you located?

Sorry about the late reply. It looks like I spoke too soon. I did some looking at Northeastern state University here in Oklahoma and they do offer online courses. I'm going to be contacting them Monday to see what all I can get done online.

I really appreciate all the great advise from everyone. Looks like you guys may have helped me avoid making a big mistake.

[bojangleman]

Have you checked OU, and OSU, and even UCO out?

Because i know for a fact they all have online courses. haha

Alex

[LRSU_Dog]

This is very interesting... I never have considered Uni of Phnx, and have recently been reading some articles about how corrupt and fraudulant various aspects of thier organization is/has been.

I have been considering AMU however, they are accredited by the same region as the university I got my BA degrees through, University of Colorado at Boulder (Go Buffaloes!!!) And, as I have been looking at possible graduate degrees (undecided on which route as of yet) have not heard anything bad about them.

Last week I was in D.C. and they have posters all over the place, especially in the areas around the Pentagon (along with a few other colleges that sell catering to the military).

As far as being in class or distance learning - that should not be a big issue. Either way you will be in working groups and teams toward project completion, on in a classroom, the other via video conferencing - which if you follow business trends will find very little difference in the operation of either.

[notyetdead]

Last week I was in D.C. and they have posters all over the place, especially in the areas around the Pentagon (along with a few other colleges that sell catering to the military).

Colleges advertising themselves by putting up lots of posters near big businesses is not exactly an endorsement.

AMU has the same problem that U of Phoenix has: it's a for-profit company whose product happens to be degrees. They are incented to accept anyone with a pulse and further incented to graduate anyone whose check clears. There's a reason why there's no example of a well-respected for-profit university. They're degree mills.

Any local college will have a much better name value than the U of Phoenix's and the AMU's. If folks are married to the idea of online learning, look for an online program for a reput-able school.

[LRSU_Dog]

Well (to learn, not argue) I can see and understand the whole public v profit issue.

I have researched AMU and looked at the people (faculty) who teach these courses and run the programs, and many of them come from, and are resident faculty at some very respected colleges and universities accross the US and abroad. Unlike UoP which cannot claim that as I understand (they will let anyone teach for them is what I heard from a friend of a friend...) I cannot blame an educator who moonlights from the main campus at UofX to AMU...

Keep in mind that all schools shoot for a profit, even state schools... and remember that all private universities and colleges are also for profit. And all schools pomote themselves via some format or another, so that issue really has no creedence, anyone with a brain (yes I know that is a big statement to make) knows the difference between an advertisement and marketing versus truth in reality... yes i know that is asking a lot of some people...

I was advised at CU-Boulder when I talked about this issue and AMU to make sure the college and thier programs were regionally accredited (which they are) - like the time-honored universities and colleges that we know and love, and have stickers all over our cars and sweat-shirts.

Of course the one thing that would feel wired... not attending courses at a school with a football team... did I mention GO BUFFALOES!!!

[notyetdead]

I have researched AMU and looked at the people (faculty) who teach these courses and run the programs, and many of them come from, and are resident faculty at some very respected colleges and universities accross the US and abroad.

Uh... How hard did you research this? I just looked over their Faculty list and they show 29 faculty, of which only 1 is full-time faculty (problem). Of the 29 faculty members, only 5 have doctorates (problem). 3 of their faculty got their graduate degrees from University of Phoenix (problem).

As for the folks that came from "very respected colleges and universities", I don't see it. A dude got his PhD from U of Texas, but he doesn't teach there. He teaches at a community college. Several of the teachers don't list any affiliation with any university. Many of the folks either do not post their bios, and most of those that do don't show being on faculty at an actual university.

Where are you getting "are resident faculty at some very respected colleges and universities" from? Only 18% of their core faculty have PhDs. Less than 4% of their faculty are full-time. Very few listed any other colleges they actually teach at. AMU's faculty list and qualification reads worse than most community colleges. This is not a real university by almost any yardstick. It's a degree mill.

But to each their own. I've just seen too many resumes of folks that went shopping for an easy degree and spent a lot of money only to realize that years later, no one values it. Schools like this prey on folks who have an itch to get a degree and then they find out years later that their degree isn't worth anything to any employer who gives their resume more than a once over for a check box. Buyer beware....

[Chaplain4me]

Depends on what you want to do.

If you plan on working for yourself, then go anywhere that is cheap.

A lot of the time, a name is just a name. I went to bible college, and read the same books and covered the same material as I do in the third largest seminary in america, that is known for it's academics.

When selecting a college it reallly depends what you're looking for.

Online isn't always the best.

I worked in enrollment management for three years.

I think UoP is a bad idea. It's expensive.

If I where you I'd seriously thinkg about doing ROTC at a college campus.

Or attending somewhere like VMI. Just thought I'd transpose my wants on you LOL.

Some think that the reason college means anythnig at all, is you have to want it to accomplish it.

What I mean is that once you're done, your furture is up to you. Blood sweat tears and breaks.

[LRSU_Dog]

Umm.. there are 29 faculty members whose last names start with "A", "M" has 147... those are just the two letter I looked at. Good break-down of the "A's" though. it has been over a year + since I really looked at the list, and I am sure it has changed... But, once you get to another letter of the alphabet you see more...

[7011USMC]

Umm.. there are 29 faculty members whose last names start with "A", "M" has 147... those are just the two letter I looked at. Good break-down of the "A's" though. it has been over a year + since I really looked at the list, and I am sure it has changed... But, once you get to another letter of the alphabet you see more...

Bring on the dissecting.......

[notyetdead]

Umm.. there are 29 faculty members whose last names start with "A", "M" has 147... those are just the two letter I looked at.

Good point, I should have specified I only read A. It's pretty underwhelming. Not sure where these great faculty are, but none of the ones I read were anything other than what you'd find at U of Phoenix and the like. It reads like a bad community college, with PhDs in the small minority and few who are moonlighting from dayjobs at great schools.

Compare it with the faculty list at a local university and the difference should be pretty apparent.

But hey, to each their own. And buyer beware.

[chd]

I'll add my $0.02...

After getting my B.S. from a top-15 undergraduate business program, I took some online undergraduate classes at UMUC and am currently finishing a M.A. International Relations at AMU... all for fun and personal enrichment.

The online undergraduate online classes were a joke in my opinion, filled with morons who couldn't write or convey logical thought. Undergraduate classes, for the most part, are best taken in a traditional setting with a professor actively teaching and leading discussions. It's tough to get the depth of knowledge necessary in the online format. You'll sell yourself short by taking undergraduate classes online, but if it's the only option, it's the only option.

The graduate-level courses at AMU have been shockingly interesting and challenging. Most of the students are military officers, former military in the private sector, high school teachers, NGO or IGO professionals. etc. Everyone writes decently well and takes from their diverse experiences to add to the class. All of my professors, less one who is instructing a basic research methods class, have Ph.D.'s from traditional universities. For a program like this, the online format works.

One final note is that I would never expect an employer to value my degree at AMU and would even consider not listing it on my resume under certain circumstances. It takes away from my undergraduate degree, in my opinion.

As an undergraduate, the best option is to seek a traditional brick-and-mortar school that offers classes online, so maybe you're only going to class a couple nights per week and supplementing with the online ones.

The last thing you want is to spend money, time and countless other resources pursuing a degree that doesn't get you where you need or want to go.

Again, just my $0.02...