I have to say that I have been very impressed with the reviews I have read about Aspen University.  Once I have my BA, I'll sign up for their MBA program, if they ever offer the $4,500 tuition again!

 One thing I have to say is I think Aspen needs to overhaul its web site.  It is a mess.

 

 

Hello Kaiser,

I am on my fifth course in the MSIS program at Aspen, and I would advise you to be prepared to cover things like regex, templates, object oriented concepts, etc. for the programming classes (yes, there is some math too!). I have successfully completed the C++, Java, PHP, and HTML/Javascript courses, and I was quite pleased with how the modules pushed me to learn. The questions range from generic to very challenging, especially in the C++ course. Another surprising course was the PHP course that incorporated security theory, and the Web Programming course was much more vigorous than I expected (and that was good!).

 
Overall, I have learned more in the last five months than in my last two years for my BSIS, and I am very pleased with the 'Independent' option for study. If you are not a self starter, or you have trouble pushing yourself to learn, you probably should go for the 'Interactive' option.

 

Good luck!

JR
 

Hi,

 I am new to this forum and am interested to know more about Aspen University. I must say that people have been very helpful in this forum especially in this Aspen thread. I am just planning to do online MBA in Project Management from Aspen and would like to know your thoughts and any help in this regard.

 Regards!

It really depends on your personal goals.  There's nothing wrong with Aspen to be sure, however it is worth considering that they are a DETC accredited school.  If this meets your needs, go for it.

Thanks! Actually, thats the point I am confused about.

 Let me tell you that I am an experienced professional and want to get MBA degree to advance my career. Please advise if DETC accredited scholl would really matter for me or not?

Regards!

Here's my two cents ... I've never had a prospective employer ask me (or anyone that I know) "Does your MBA program hold regional, national, or specialized accreditation?"

The word "accredited" has never come up at all, in fact. 

MBA programs are not all equal, that's for sure. But everyone here will likely tell you that you simply have to assess your needs to make that call.

 

 

Helen is right on.  However be aware that with certain professional licenses accreditation will be specified.  For example in getting your CPA in Texas or working in law enforcement and meeting education standards for TCLEOSE, things like that. 

As for interviews I've never had it come up.  When taking advantage of employer reimbursement I have had it come up however.

In my opinion DETC is the granddaddy of distance education accreditation and is not a close second to regional accreditation but instead an equal.  Not everyone shares my views on this though so that is something to consider.   

How much is the MBA program at Aspen these days?

In my opinion, Aspen's graduate programs are a bit pricey for a DETC-accredited school:  $300 per credit hour, or $900 per course.  There are less expensive regionally accredited options out there. 

Aspen had a good thing going with their $4,500 tuition for the entire program, if you paid up front.  Ashworth University also used to have very inexpensive graduate degree programs, but those have nearly tripled in price. 

 

 

At that price I would go with regionally accredited.

Wow! That is way too expensive for Aspen U. I signed up for the $4,500 prepay plan. I think that, for the price I paid, Aspen is a great school and fits my needs very well. I'm in my fourth course and am learning quite a bit. I wouldn't pay much more than $4,500 for the entire program, though. If you can, I would hold out until they offer another prepay plan. It seems like they do that every couple of months or so. I would be very surprisd if they don't offer another inexpensive prepayment plan by mid-summer. I've been following them for a while, and it seems that the prepay price fluctuates but is always under $5,000.

Cajun:

Helen is right on.  However be aware that with certain professional licenses accreditation will be specified.  For example in getting your CPA in Texas or working in law enforcement and meeting education standards for TCLEOSE, things like that. 

As for interviews I've never had it come up.  When taking advantage of employer reimbursement I have had it come up however.

In my opinion DETC is the granddaddy of distance education accreditation and is not a close second to regional accreditation but instead an equal.  Not everyone shares my views on this though so that is something to consider.   

How much is the MBA program at Aspen these days?

I wish what you and Helen said is true. It is common knowledge that some degree from regionally accredited schools are being questioned.  I don't want to mention school name here and just to make a point. Picking a program at a particular school is a personal choice, and if you are lucky, ever thing will turn out fine. The interviewer will not mention what they think about your degree during the interview. But that does not mean they will give you the same credit with the next candidate with a Harvard MBA.

You just made Helen's and Cajun's point, actually.  If an employer is going to question a regionally accredited degree then you have to start wondering about what their selection criteria is.  There aren't too many employers out there which specify "RA degrees only", but I have seen some job ads which state "no University of Phoenix or DeVry graduates need apply". 

 The choice of school is a personal one, and each student has to determine if a degree from a particular school will suit their current and future needs.  For some, a degree from Aspen may work just fine.  Other employers may question any degree earned online, RA or not. 

By the way, I have never lost out on a job opportunity to a Harvard MBA.  There just aren't that many of them out there. 
 

tcord1964:

You just made Helen's and Cajun's point, actually.  If an employer is going to question a regionally accredited degree then you have to start wondering about what their selection criteria is.  There aren't too many employers out there which specify "RA degrees only", but I have seen some job ads which state "no University of Phoenix or DeVry graduates need apply". 

 The choice of school is a personal one, and each student has to determine if a degree from a particular school will suit their current and future needs.  For some, a degree from Aspen may work just fine.  Other employers may question any degree earned online, RA or not. 

By the way, I have never lost out on a job opportunity to a Harvard MBA.  There just aren't that many of them out there. 
 

I like your confidence, but we all need to be realistic. 

Cool........I'll bite.  Hit us with some "reality" then.  What do you think?

I wanted to add that the BSIS was earned at a regionally accredited school... 

JR 

 

xsys:

Hello Kaiser,

I am on my fifth course in the MSIS program at Aspen, and I would advise you to be prepared to cover things like regex, templates, object oriented concepts, etc. for the programming classes (yes, there is some math too!). I have successfully completed the C++, Java, PHP, and HTML/Javascript courses, and I was quite pleased with how the modules pushed me to learn. The questions range from generic to very challenging, especially in the C++ course. Another surprising course was the PHP course that incorporated security theory, and the Web Programming course was much more vigorous than I expected (and that was good!).

 
Overall, I have learned more in the last five months than in my last two years for my BSIS, and I am very pleased with the 'Independent' option for study. If you are not a self starter, or you have trouble pushing yourself to learn, you probably should go for the 'Interactive' option.

 

Good luck!

JR