What's your opinion of Online Universities such as American Military University, etc.?

This thread is an older thread; however, I wanted to take a moment to reply as I have a degree from AMU and have experience in the work place. I graduated from AMU with a BA Intelligence Studies with Honors - Cyber Concentration. AMU provided me with the opportunity to attend University full time while working full time. I completed two classes every 8 weeks for just about two years. With credits from University of Maryland, Central Texas College, ACE/CLEP, and CISSP credits transferred to the AMU. They are approved for GI Bill and are veteran friendly. They also are VERY supportive of deployments and approve extensions to complete the class due to the unique mission of the military.

My wife has a PhD from brick and mortar. She was really interested to learn more about online degree granting programs and was amazed at not only the 'required student weekly interaction' through forum posts; but also of the academic rigors to complete the class.

It is IMPOSSIBLE to plagiarize at AMU as all work is submitted through Turn-it In online, which compares your work to other work submitted on line as well as published on line. The university also blocks students from 'recycling' their own papers for multiple classes.

My professors in my program worked full time at DIA and other government agencies, providing 'relevant' information and qualified review of homework and papers beyond academic experience and research.

My employers have recognized my degree as well as my experience. AMU is number within DoD for enrolled service members.

Do not pay attention to the people who do not have real experience with the university. Any one that says 'from what I have heard' do not know themselves. I do. I enjoyed my time at AMU. I am returning for my MS shortly.

BTW: My employer payed for some of my classes at AMU.

I wanted to give everyone an update. I chose a college. I chose University of Virginia.
I chose it because after talking to a counselor there, I can apply my Associate's Degree and take classes through a satellite campus nearby me and knock my degree out in a year to a year and a half. After speaking to many folks in the Federal Goverment, I felt a brick and mortar school was the best option for me. I thank you all for your very valuable feedback and I apppreciate you all!

CW3 (Join to see), 1SG Michael Blount, SGT Ben Keen MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca, SSgt Alex Robinson, TSgt Joshua Copeland

Lisa, it's not unusual for people to justify their bias with unfounded assumptions. Especially if they think they are elite. It is a sad part of human nature among the less enlightened that can affect every aspect of life, including race, religion, vocation, culture, education, etc. It's also not far removed from tribal perspectives when people feared a stranger from beyond the forest simply because they were different, and represented the unknown. For example, I have witnessed internal military bias against non-resident school diplomas despite the fact the military says "they count the same", and despite the fact that some non-resident courses require a competitive selection. Promotion boards however, have cut down on that nonsense. I've listened to senior NCOs without higher education justify "no need for it" via disdain for younger NCOs pursuing higher education "because they obviously aren't spending their time with troops", because that is their view of reality, the thing that props them up. For them to admit otherwise questions their whole belief system. Of course their are many more positive people who encourage further education. When you work among thousands of PhDs you find many who think less of those who didn't attend the same school, or who found an "easier" way to obtain a document. My own extremely rare direct appointment as a concurrent ranked reserve commissioned officer was often viewed by my fellow senior NCOs as somehow "honorary" if they saw it as a threat; many suggested that I was a RIFed officer...yet it had it's own regulation and policies they chose to ignore. Similarly a West Point graduate, proud of his/her difficult achievement might think an ROTC graduate or a battlefield commission with the same rank didn't earn it like they did, despite the fact that a commission is a commission regardless of the source; and yet there exists a pecking order among sources of commissions that affects dates of rank, etc. I think you get the point. The trend today is moving more toward on-line education and combinations of on-line, classroom, testing, credit for military and other experiences, etc. As a member of Excelsior College Alumni Leadership Council I can tell you that Excelsior degrees are more widely accredited and accepted than some others. Key indicators for any serious school or university is accreditation and reputation, perhaps followed by graduation rates and employment. So yes, if the reputation of a school feeds negative perceptions, expect those who hold the perception to question it.

Where you get a degree from may matter when you're 22, but once you've garnered some life/work experience, the institution matters less and less.

The value of your degree has a direct correlation to the increase or decrease of that institution's reputation for excellence OVER TIME. (I'm paraphrasing my late father who had a doctorate in education from Rutgers, a school who's education program still enjoys an excellent reputation.) I would humbly offer that online program of study is still a very untested model. (Harvard was founded in the 1600's, Yale in 1701, Brown 1761, Oxford estimated 1096, Cambridge 1209, and Howard 1889.) I know many people who have rolled the dice by choosing to go the online route who have truly regretted it afterward. (That last part may be anecdotal, yet it is true.)

My experience has been that it does not matter were the Degree (online or B & M, public or private) comes from for a majority of jobs most will be trying to get. It usually needs to be in the field you are being hired into. A lot of jobs will not be open without the degree. The degree is like a prerequisite to get in the door and is like a check box and the hiring managers move on. Honor Societies are a plus. Anything to set you apart helps. People skills as well as technical knowledge and work experience can make a difference when there are many applying. I have an online degree from DeVry University.

I have heard similar things, but do not know for certain. Personally I would say it should come down to accreditation. Also, times are changing and traditional colleges are no different. More and more colleges are offering some or all of their programs online. I am currently half way done with my doctorate at a mostly online school, hope that the program accreditation will speak for itself in the end.

PV2 (Join to see)
It all depends on their accreditation. If they do not carry any, or carry the wrong type, their credits will not transfer to any other school. Not only that, but degrees obtained from these locations are not necessarily held in as high a view as those from accredited colleges/universities.

Online universities are merely the wave of the future. However, think from the perspective of a non-military related individual. With a title such as Amerrican "Military" University, many civilians would hold less value when it comes to determining wheter a degree would be considered valid or not. Personally, I have heard nothing but great things from individuals who attended AMU, but the title turned me away.

I eventually completed my undergrad studies with Ashford University which has a B&M campus in Clinton, IA. The program is ran similiarily to AMU. Since then, I have switched over to Columbia Southern University due to tuition rates for graduate studies.

PV2 (Join to see)
I think the on-line university is a wonderful option BUT if you are able to attend a brick and mortar school they will still be considered more highly. I think much will depend on what you are wanting to do with your degree? Most federal jobs require the degree and it just qualifies you for consideration. From a hiring stand point, I do not recall one time where the question came down to: "Where did they get their degree?" but it could? If it did, I think your MA from AMU would not stand up to one from Harvard, Yale or University of (fill in the state) but I think it would be okay with others like Bill Penn, ETC.