Earning My Doctorate Online

Support From Viking

2009-10-29T00:54:00Z

Scott,

I wrote to you a few times last spring/summer if you recall. Since I've least written, I have graduated from Kaplan with a BS in paralegal studies. I can't find a job, so I'm considering doing a BS in accounting from Southern New Hampshire, and then possibly a MS in accounting from the University of Connecticut. My ultimate goal is to become a CPA, but that is way into the future.

I see that you withdrew from Walden. I think you made a good decision. Unless you are planning to become a full time professor or want to work in research, I don't really see a benefit to a doctorate. Traditionally, these are the fields that doctorates were meant for. If you’re planning to work in the private sector or even as an adjunct professor, an MBA should be more than adequate.

With that said, I'm sure you will be very successful in your career and I would not regret the decision to withdraw at all, especially since you did not like the program. I hope your job search is going well. Mine is horrible and a complete disaster.

Anyway, good luck to you in the future.

Thanks for the support. I was not willing to do the Walden program for two years if it didn’t hold my attention. The program seemed to be focused on things that I was not interested in. It was very much like hard science and did not focus on a lot of the leadership topics that I enjoy so much. I have since enrolled in Gonzaga University (my new blog should be up soon) and I’ve had more fun in the first three days than I did in more than two months at Walden.

I am sure the Walden program is good. It seemed to be of high quality. It just was not for me. Hang in there with the job search. Things are getting better.

Add to:

Fan Mail from Jan

2009-10-24T12:00:00Z

I did read your blog and the experiences you wrote about regarding Kaplan University. I wanted to share with you that I am just starting out with my education in IT (Web Development). However, I wanted to ask you how your overall experience with Kaplan was. Was it worth it? How the rest of the world and employers receive you with a Kaplan degree. Did they think it was OK or were they impressed with it?

I’m actually an international student so I won’t have a lot of contact with US companies, but I would like to know how they react to it.

My employer at the time was absolutely supportive of it. But how companies look at online degrees will vary. Since they are becoming more accepted every day, I would think one would be hard pressed to run into a problem. It also depends on what kind of job you are looking for. It is probably safe to say that someone with an online degree probably will not be an investment banker on Wall Street. But there are always exceptions to the rule.

I think the more popular online education becomes, employers will be more understanding. Those that scoff at the online programs from accredited institutions are simply ignorant in the arena of distance learning. Perhaps it is up to us (the students) to educate those who don’t understand. I consider all online learners to be pioneers in this field. We have a responsibility to teach as much as we learn.

One thing that is happening right now that is solidifying the validity of distance education is that many major universities that have been traditionally on-campus only are adopting online programs. This is going a long way to help the cause.

Add to:

No More Walden For Me

2009-10-23T08:27:00Z

My short tenure at Walden University in the Doctor of Business Administration program has almost come to an end. I have submitted the form that withdrawals me from the program. I have spent the last several weeks pondering this decision and I think that I have made the right decision for me.

Walden seems like a great institution. My reason for leaving was not the fault of Walden. As I was plowing through my second class at a very slow and uninteresting pace, it became harder and harder for me to get my level of enthusiasm up enough to even post to the online message boards. The material we were discussing was dry as anything I had ever read. Furthermore, my classmates did not seem to be very engaged. This left me in a position where I felt I was not getting what I needed from the class.

It got to the point where I was dreading the reading and assignments. This is not like me. I am usually very happy to learn something new. But this program, unlike my work at Kaplan University and Norwich University, never grabbed me or held my interest in the least. At the same time, I kept trying to think of ways that I would use this new knowledge. I really could not think of anything that I would want to do for a living where this information would be applicable on a regular basis.

The bottom line is that the doctoral program was not for me. I saw no point in spending the next two years doing something I was not enjoying. Furthermore, I didn’t want to spend that long doing something I actually considered torment or torture. The program was simply not exciting to me. When I consider something to be a burden or such a significant monkey on my back, it is time to do something else.

I am in the process of enrolling at Gonzaga University. This is the program I was considering before I enrolled in Walden. They have a great M.A. in Organizational Leadership. In looking at some of the course material, it seems like a true liberal arts program and will be a new experience for me. I am looking forward to this very much.

I will post again to let everyone know about my new Gonzaga blog and document my experiences thus far.

Add to:

Changing Direction

2009-10-14T12:00:00Z

Today may be a turning point in my educational journey.

I spent most of the day yesterday contemplating my educational future. I firmly believe that I am not done with my education, but I am beginning to rethink my decision to pursue a doctorate degree. I am not sure what advantages it will have in the long term and I am just not sure it is what I want to do. Not to mention that two years is a long time doing something you don’t want to be doing in the first place. At this point, I am actually considering (very seriously) enrolling in the Masters of Arts in Organizational Leadership at Gonzaga University.

From the Gonzaga web page: “The Masters in Organizational Leadership is an interdisciplinary, online leadership degree that combines cutting-edge research from the social sciences, communication field, arts, humanities, and business, into a transformative leadership masters.” This looks to be a well rounded degree program that I would absolutely love. I really dig leadership concepts and in recent years, I have embraced the humanities and other subjects that should be included in every degree program, in my opinion.

I am going to call Gonzaga today as a matter of fact and see how easy it will be to get in. If that task is no more difficult than getting into Norwich or Walden, I may look to withdrawal from Walden this week. I have looked at the curriculum that is staring me in the face at Walden and I just do not have the fire that I usually exhibit when it comes to my education. It does not excite me. Therefore my desire to push forward is dwindling quickly. I think I would get a lot more from the Gonzaga program. More on this as it develops.

Add to:

Instructor Deployed

2009-10-13T13:35:00Z

We’ve read numerous times about how distance learning has helped students all over the world achieve their dreams. But what happens if you are an instructor who is deployed overseas? Well, if you are Cheryl J. Wachenheim, you make it work. This online instructor from North Dakota was deployed to Iraq and didn’t miss a beat. After buying the communications infrastructure to make it happen, she continued to teach economics classes. Read the story here.

I also recently found an article that applies to me. School is replacing the workplace for many people in this economy. I’ve always thought that the only two constants in a down economy is an uptick in the crime rate and more people going back to school. I am not sure about the former, but the latter is certainly happening now. I am certain that with distance education making leaps and bounds over the past five or ten years is contributing to that. I am happy to see so many people investing in themselves. Read the story here.

On the job front, I am still looking. I have a phone interview this week with a company that I would really love to join! They are on the cutting edge of digital publishing and would be a great field to get into. Pretty soon I want to outline the thought processes of someone who is out of work and going to school at the same time. Finding a job is hard. School is actually less interesting than in the past. At the same time, I know I need to do the right thing. More on that later.

Add to: