PUG has removed some master's degree programs from ExcelTrack

[RbxFunRocks]

Around 6 months ago, I remember seeing that the school offered master's degrees in IT and Cybersecurity management through their competency-based ExcelTrack program.

Out of curiosity, I went to check Purdue University Global's ExcelTrack page just now. As it turns out, their graduate-level selection has been reduced to just their MSN, Nurse Executive Leader, and MBA degrees. It seems like more schools are getting rid of some CBE options, like NAU with all of their Personalized Learning degree programs.

Why do you think PUG removed these?

[jch]

People noticed the unfortunate change recently, but we don't have any info as to why PUG did this.
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid413199

[walruspanda]

Here's my best guess. Looking back at the first module in each of my MSIT classes last term, here were the number of students in each class:

Required for MSIT and MS Cybersecurity:
IT513: 19
IT590: 10

Required for MSIT only:
IT504: 10
IT526: 7

Required for MS Cybersecurity, optional for MSIT:
IT535: 4
IT592: 3

All these seem to be the only sessions of the classes in ExcelTrack.

Making some assumptions and extrapolating from that, every term PUG was getting maybe 13-17 new students in MSIT and 5-8 students in MS Cybersecurity in ExcelTrack, with (as you'd expect) some attrition along the way as students decide not to continue on. I assume they just decided those numbers weren't worth the effort in continuing the programs.

My BSIT classes had for the most part north of 20 students in each module, and the one MBA class I took had north of 30, so those numbers are a little more sustainable -- which is why I assume they're still available in ExcelTrack, at least for now.

[fromthedepths]

I'm currently enrolled in the MS Excel Track program for Cybersecurity. I spoke with my advisor about if the program was discontinued and she said that the option is still available but there is a discussion on extending the terms to 10 weeks.

I'll report back on the classes/modules as I complete them.

[bjcheung77]

Interesting, seems like a program in progress, it's expensive and harder to complete terms with it being at 6 weeks I think for grad. If it is extended to 10 weeks like undergrad, it'll be more cost effective for students. Hopefully the price doesn't jump that much if it goes to 10 week sessions or terms.

[fromthedepths]

10 weeks would work better from a grading standpoint. I've had to hound my advisor 3 times already to get my papers graded :|

[walruspanda]

Interesting, seems like a program in progress, it's expensive and harder to complete terms with it being at 6 weeks I think for grad.  If it is extended to 10 weeks like undergrad, it'll be more cost effective for students.  Hopefully the price doesn't jump that much if it goes to 10 week sessions or terms.

Just to clarify, PUG has made it official that terms are going to 10 weeks for everyone who's currently on six-week sessions. Here's the email I got:

"Dear student,

"The Purdue Global School of Business and Information Technology 6-week E track calendar is being discontinued after the 2404E session (starting May 15, 2024) and all students currently enrolled in programs on E track who have not yet graduated will complete their programs on the 10-week C track calendar, starting with the 2403C term on July 3, 2024. This transition will not cause any delays in your studies and does not require any action from you.

"This transition will allow you to graduate sooner by taking two classes every 10 weeks instead of every 12 weeks, you’ll see a minor savings on term-by-term resource fees, and if you’re in a multidisciplinary program you won’t need to switch tracks at a later date, as all other graduate programs are now on the 10-week calendar."

Tuition wasn't announced in that email. The undergrad 10-week ExcelTrack terms are $2500, and the Masters in Nursing 10-week ExcelTrack terms are $3200, so I'd assume somewhere in that range. Currently it's $1700 for a 6-week session.

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I'm currently enrolled in the MS Excel Track program for Cybersecurity. I spoke with my advisor about if the program was discontinued and she said that the option is still available but there is a discussion on extending the terms to 10 weeks.

I know of a student who started MS Cybersecurity Exceltrack on the current term (February 14th), so as of then they were still allowing students to register. But there doesn't seem to be a way for any student to register for MSIT or MS Cybersecurity ExcelTrack any more, so my assumption is that they're winding the programs down -- basically allowing current students to continue, but not taking in any more. 

That said, in this case I don't have any special knowledge, I'm just inferring based on the changes that PUG has made to their website.

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10 weeks would work better from a grading standpoint. I've had to hound my advisor 3 times already to get my papers graded :|

Yeah, PUG's BSIT was bad on that front, but the MSIT is worse. Grading has been glacial. I'm just glad my advisor was willing to open up many classes for me at once, so that way I always had a different class to work on in the days until the next module in the first class was opened.

[fromthedepths]

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Yeah, PUG's BSIT was bad on that front, but the MSIT is worse. Grading has been glacial. I'm just glad my advisor was willing to open up many classes for me at once, so that way I always had a different class to work on in the days until the next module in the first class was opened.

I wish they would open all of the modules in the class. I'm already waiting for the classes that were already opened up ☹️

[walruspanda]

I wish they would open all of the modules in the class. I'm already waiting for the classes that were already opened up ☹️

Yeah, I ended up in that spot a couple times for both the BSIT and MSIT. I ended up working ahead on future modules using the course preview, which usually matched the actual module assignments closely enough. Not ideal, but I found it better than doing nothing.

[fromthedepths]

I wish they would open all of the modules in the class. I'm already waiting for the classes that were already opened up ☹️

Yeah, I ended up in that spot a couple times for both the BSIT and MSIT. I ended up working ahead on future modules using the course preview, which usually matched the actual module assignments closely enough. Not ideal, but I found it better than doing nothing.

Ohhh I never thought of doing that. Thanks for the tip!!!