Master Degree Suggestions For Teaching College Level Courses

[emichele20]

Hey Everyone,

In my previous "I'm Done" post I stated that I was going with CSU but I think that I may need to expand my options a bit. I have a 3 and 5 year old of which both will be in school next year and finding aftercare (as they get out at 2:15pm) along with working an 8 to 4 will not work. My plan is to find a masters program without entrance/exit exams, low cost, and can be completed in a year or year and a half. I would like to do online teaching until they are both old enough and then I will return to the federal government. I wanted to know if anyone can recommend any online programs that fit the bill. I know that liberty university is one but I think that they have a comprehensive exit exam. I tried to figure out WMNU's online masters program but I was confused on what I could major in for the first 18 credits. I would love to do business but it looked as if I could only take 9 credits in that area.

Any info that you could give on the school and their learning format would be great. I am noticing that most schools do not even let you take a look at the syllabus before starting the class which is the case with CSU . I have been spoiled by my TESC.

Thanks

[rebel100]

What are you looking to study?

The WNMU MAIS is versatile http://ggsc.wnmu.edu/Brochure/MAIS%20Brochure.pdf in addition to whats listed in the link there are also writing, criminal justice, and history concentrations available. They offer in state tuition but limit you to 6 credits per semester if you take the discount. So it would take at least 2 years to complete the program and that would include 2 classes in the summer. That doesn't meet your time frame. I am only in my first course in the Writing concentration at WNMU. It's OK, I actually feel like it could be a little more challenging. I expect a high grade in the class and while I am learning I think I had tougher courses (scholastically challenging) at the undergrad level. Then again some of the history classes are daunting with much more reading than I care to do. They essentially let you choose if you want to do a total of 36 hours and test for your competency, or complete 30 hours then write a thesis for the rest. You have to get your advisers to agree to the plan pretty early in your studies...some may not let you choose.

Eastern New Mexico University offers the discount like WNMU. ENMU has an MBA track. I was curious if one could take 6 hours at ENMU and tranfer it back to WNMU. That would give you 5 classes then do a thesis for three hours to complete 18 credits in Business, then do 9 and 9 in two other concentrations. http://www.enmu.edu/future-students/onlinedegrees.shtml

[CLEP101]

Why not AMU/APU? That's another option for you. Most of their Masters all have 8 week courses and can be complete in the timeframe you want. It's taking me a long time just because I do one course at a time. The history degrees all have 16 week courses though.

[rebel100]

AMU/APU is actually my fallback plan if anything happens to the discount at WNMU. I believe they accept 15-18 hours in transfer! Perhaps that would be an affordable way for you to accelerate your degree CLEP101....just thinking outloud.

[jt003806]

Hey Everyone,

In my previous "I'm Done" post I stated that I was going with CSU but I think that I may need to expand my options a bit. I have a 3 and 5 year old of which both will be in school next year and finding aftercare (as they get out at 2:15pm) along with working an 8 to 4 will not work. My plan is to find a masters program without entrance/exit exams, low cost, and can be completed in a year or year and a half. I would like to do online teaching until they are both old enough and then I will return to the federal government. I wanted to know if anyone can recommend any online programs that fit the bill. I know that liberty university is one but I think that they have a comprehensive exit exam. I tried to figure out WMNU's online masters program but I was confused on what I could major in for the first 18 credits. I would love to do business but it looked as if I could only take 9 credits in that area.

Any info that you could give on the school and their learning format would be great. I am noticing that most schools do not even let you take a look at the syllabus before starting the class which is the case with CSU . I have been spoiled by my TESC.

Thanks

Some accrediting agencies require Graduate Schools to have their students take entrance examinations. For example, Rutgers School of Public Administration told me that they do not care if I take the GRE,GMAT or LSAT, however they cannot offer a degree to anyone who does not submit a score to them. I was told, by admissions, that I needed to take one of the above by my 18th credit, however I do not need to be concerned with a potential low score impacting my standing with the school.
I am not sure if this applies to teaching

[emichele20]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. APUS is looking like a good option too. I am going to sleep on it and make my final decision tomorrow.

[emichele20]

Anyone have any reviews on WGU (Western Governors University)?- I am liking their pricing along with APUS.

[rebel100]

Some others I seriously considered before choosing WNMU:

Minot State MS in Management. $300/cr, fully online, http://www.minotstateu.edu/business/pdf/...e01.12.pdf

Chadron State offers several Masters programs at around $250/cr. Degree Programs - Graduate Studies - Chadron State College They have some unusual entry requirements for their MBA...but they might prove beneficial to some.

Amberton $705 per 3 credit course (almost as cheap as WNMU but without the 6 credits per semester limit), Amberton University - Graduate Degrees I particularly like that they accept a good bit of transfer into their grad programs, and they offer several Graduate level Certificates that are applicable to their Masters degree's Amberton University - Certifications I imagine an MA from WNMU backed with a Ceertificate in say Human Resource management...it would give you the basics to teach in a wide variety of classes at the CC level....of course my actual teaching experience at that level is very limited.

In the end I chose WNMU for ease of entry and cost. It's probably not the very best program for me, but it fit my overall goals. Choose your classes carefully and getting the MA MAIS really isn't breaking the bank or about to cause my head to explode from the stress.

[emichele20]

Some others I seriously considered before choosing WNMU:

Minot State MS in Management. $300/cr, fully online, http://www.minotstateu.edu/business/pdf/...e01.12.pdf

Chadron State offers several Masters programs at around $250/cr. Degree Programs - Graduate Studies - Chadron State College They have some unusual entry requirements for their MBA...but they might prove beneficial to some.

Amberton $705 per 3 credit course (almost as cheap as WNMU but without the 6 credits per semester limit), Amberton University - Graduate Degrees I particularly like that they accept a good bit of transfer into their grad programs, and they offer several Graduate level Certificates that are applicable to their Masters degree's Amberton University - Certifications I imagine an MA from WNMU backed with a Ceertificate in say Human Resource management...it would give you the basics to teach in a wide variety of classes at the CC level....of course my actual teaching experience at that level is very limited.

In the end I chose WNMU for ease of entry and cost. It's probably not the very best program for me, but it fit my overall goals. Choose your classes carefully and getting the MA MAIS really isn't breaking the bank or about to cause my head to explode from the stress.

thank you rebel100 for your suggestions. i forgot all about grad certs . i wanted to know if you would mind sharing your degree plan for WNMU? thanks

[rebel100]

My degree plan is still something of a work in progress. they require either 18/18 credit distribution in 2 areas or 18/9/9 in three. I was initially attracted to History as my core but decided against it once I met a couple of the Instructors (not that they are bad...to the contrary, they are demanding) I decided I just don't want to work that hard for the hope of one day maybe teaching at the CC level. I may however pick up 9 credits as there are a few History topics I would like to explore.

I think my emphases will be Writing. 18 credits, just 6 classes and the exit requirement is the submission of a portfolio of the work you have already done in the classes you took. I like to write, so the classes seem almost easy and they have some excellent instructors. Currently I am taking "Writing for Magazines" with Sharman Russell. I will likely pick up 2 more Writing classes over the summer so I will be halfway to my 18 credits by August. I sort of have a rough idea that I can be so close to finished with 18 Writing credits that I can maybe find an online adjunct position by next year even before I actually have a Masters....it happens, we will see.

I also have extensive background in Emergency Management/Emergency Medical Services. WNMU doesn't offer that but they do have a strong Criminal Justice Dept that offers courses like "Legal Aspects of Terrorism", "Drug Wars", and "Border Issues" I will do at least 9 credits in the CJ department. I believe that that along with my experience should allow me to teach in Emergency Management related topics...at least once I'm already on campus and within EMS where I'm already qualified. The hospital where I work likes to see these classes on my reimbursement forms...they make sense for an Emergency Manager.

More than likely that will be my route 18 Writing/9 Criminal Justice/9 History. Portfolio to exit Writing and either a combined exit Thesis for CJ/History or Comps...I haven't decided yet. And I may yet chuck the History and go with Business...I just don't care much for the business titles they have. the Education dept. has several courses offered as well...they would be pretty easy I think and would make some sense instead of the history as well...they will force me to decide and declare soon I'm sure.

Note that WNMU allows you to bring in 6 credits of graduate level work. Morningside College has 4 credits that have been approved by my CJ advisor and I can pick them up at my own pace for about $100/cr. I'm still working on approval for two more, hopefully I can shorten my stay while keeping below the 6 credit max for the tuition discount..........BTW Morningside has a MA in Teaching that may be the cheapest Masters I have ever seen at around $5500 and only about 1 year to complete using VESI courses and the Morningside Core. Problem is it doesn't prep you to teach at the CC level so its of limited utility IMO.

You should also know that WNMU will take 10% down on your classes and let you make 4-5 monthly payments on the balance as you work through the semester. Makes the finances a lot easier for me!

Best,
Mike