BIG News from UMPI

[ss20ts]

So, I haven't asked them for confirmation, but if you carefully read the Brandman website, it seems that you are not allowed to finish in one semester due to a limit in how many credits they let you take per each. If I read it correctly, then the potential is there to complete the UMIPI program both faster and cheaper than Brandman, if UMPI doesn't have the same restriction.

Back when I was considering Brandman, I meant to reach out to clarify that policy, but since other reasons led me in different directions, I never got around to asking. Maybe now is a good time, since I've already opened up my big mouth in this thread 

UMPI does not have any restrictions on the maximum credits you can complete in a term. Terms are 8 weeks so there is no way 99% of the population will complete the 12 courses in just one term. UMPI is not on a semester basis. It's on terms. There are two 8 week terms back to back which line up with their on campus semester, but you are not in a semester.

Yes, I understand. By "semester" I meant term.

Speedrunning through CBE degrees is never an easy task. The winning strategy is to find out as much as you can about the program before it starts and studying  one's butt off beforehand. When I was considering Brandman, my plan was to get the physical text books used for the semester-based OL courses that correspond with the MyPath competencies, then wear them out via independent study, annotations, flash cards, etc. I figured that if I studied hard enough before enrolling, I'd just have to worry about the time required to complete assignments and take the exams.

UMPI doesn't have textbooks. All of the course content is in the course like a Sophia course. No outside books are needed at all. No point in studying your butt off because at least 90% of the courses in undergrad are papers/projects. Grad will be the same. I actually expect there to be fewer tests in the grad program.

I'm curious what the courses will actually be like in practice, it'll be pretty cool to have another MAOL option instead of Brandman

University of Maine sounds much better than Brandman University on a resume, lol

UMPI is all self contained. The course material is the class. In the modules, there's readings, videos, discussions, and quizzes. In many ways it's like Sophia and LinkedIn Learning joined together. Then you have a Final Assessment which is a project, paper, or exam. The professor decides which of the 3 there will be. They use the CBE platform from Strut Learning. Send me a PM if you have any questions. I attend UMPI as an undergrad. I'll signing up for this next summer. I'll share more info as it becomes available.