Walden University
| Total Grad Surveys | 107 |
| Females | 67 |
| Males | 40 |
| Avg years at University | 2.5 |
| Research Quality | B (7.1) |
| Research Availability | B- (6.5) |
| Research Funding | C (4.8) |
| Graduate Politics | B+ (7.5) |
| Not Errand Runners | B+ (7.7) |
| Degree Completion | B (6.9) |
| Alternative pay [ta/gsi] | C+ (5.4) |
| Sufficient Pay | B- (5.8) |
| Competitiveness | B (7.1) |
| Education Quality | B (7.0) |
| Faculty Accessibility | B+ (7.3) |
| Useful Research | B+ (7.8) |
| "Individual" treatment | B (6.7) |
| Friendliness | B (7.0) |
| Safety | C+ (5.7) |
| Campus Beauty | C+ (5.0) |
| Campus Maintenance | C+ (5.2) |
| University Spending | B (6.7) |
| Extracurriculars | C (4.9) |
| Scholastic Success | B+ (7.6) |
| Surrounding City | C (4.4) |
| Social Life/ Environment | C (4.4) |
Social Life/ EnvironmentC
Useful ResearchB+
I enrolled in the PhD program originally. I agree with the other reviewers that once you reach the dissertation stage and needed to look for chairs and supervisors is when you are stuck and on your own. After numerous attempts with success or support from the University, I downgraded to a Masters degree, greduated and left. Whilst doing the Masters, I enrolled at a brick-and-mortar Global Top 10 University. I eventually completed my PhD thesis (with special merit mention by the examiners) at the Brick and Mortar University. The Walden route was a waste of time and money.
Question
Recommended: The Purpose of a Higher Education
Do not trust what the faculty tells you during the residency(ies) about your Chair to be in charge of you at any moment and about anything. My Chair was not checking my work in a timely manner, did not provide me options, and at no time was helpful. I wish it was easy to change a Chair, but the department policy makes it almost impossible. For a graduate study, the thesis is everything. If a department set you up with a careless Chair, you are in serious trouble.
FRAUD! I enrolled in this school pursuing a doctoral degree in public policy and management. After being lied to about the length of time it would take to complete my program plus the total cost, I ended up withdrawing and now I am drowning in student loan debt. Walden ruined my life.
Recommended: Starting College (General College Advice)
The Nursing Field Office is a joke. First of all you speak to a different person each time and that is if you can get a hold of someone in the office. They don't communicate with you and they wait until the last minute if at all to tell you a site has been denied. This has been a total nightmare for me! I have worked hard and now my degree may be worth nothing! TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY! I AM COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED!
Walden University FNP and AC-AGNP programs are comparable in regard to the didactic component of other online programs, and like most similar programs the student NP must find their own preceptors, while daunting this is a doable task, however what is frustrating is the Universities affliation agreement department. The University alone negotiates contracts with prospective clinical sites, without student participation in the approval process, however I have found much too late that the personnel in this department are either uninformed or simply do not care enough to do their job correctly. I was told by a western regional manager that a large health system I had submitted as a clinical site for approval, only accepted their own employees, this is simply an untruth, so I was lied to and to make matters worse, he informed me, I am sure without intent, they had this information 3 months prior, I wonder if I had not called if they would have told me at all. There are multiple complaints on the student forum on the universities website in which student complain bitterly, are frustrated, receive very little or no help to resolve clinical site approval issues and frequently, are simply dropped from classes without their knowledge. While I feel that the didactic portion of my education is average, the support from the university, and their ability to perform their contractual obligations is abysmal. Many students are either forced to change their focus of their program just so as not to waste money, or walk away and start again with a more reputable school. This was a mistake, and I regret having gone as far as I have in this program. Walden University is a very poor choice for FNP education, I only wish I had chosen more wisely. Do your due diligence prior to enrolling, they simply do not live up to their hype.
“Want to learn how to waste a lot of money and have employers just laugh at your degree, go to Walden Not-a-Real University.
This "school" is the poster child for a predatory, unethical online school. To begin with, the instructors will vary of course as is typical with any academic institution. Some are very engaged and proactive whereas with others, you are lucky if they post two or three times in the course over the entire term. Where this school truly fails is in reference to the dissertation "courses". As part of your dissertation if you are pursuing a doctoral degree, you will be placed in a series of never-ending dissertation "classes" in which you are required to work towards your dissertation. Note, these "classes" are supposed to be monitored by an instructor however this is not the case. They market the program in such a manner as to tell students that you will work productively with a dissertation committee in an expeditious fashion towards your research. I am currently in my tenth "class" with no end in sight. The instructor is simply non-existent. Students continually post in the questions for instructor forum and in the discussion forums to no avail. The class as a whole has repeatedly complained regarding the lack of any guidance whatsoever but without any resolution. Walden will also charge you $3,000.00 per each of these "classes". Because of the lack of available instructors to serve on dissertation committees, you are forced to work with whoever is left over. The lack of communication is absolutely appalling. I once waited 9 weeks...yes WEEKS for a reply to an email. Feedback of any kind on your dissertation drafts will take MONTHS thus the justification to keep you locked into these classes indefinitely. It is repulsive how this school can continue to get away with this completely unethical (and let's face it illegal) business practice. Once you are done with your required coursework and begin the dissertation process, you are essentially stuck. You can either withdraw with no degree to show plus a mountain of debt or continue to process with the false hope of one day finishing....plus an even bigger mountain of debt. Enrolling in this school was unquestionably, unequivocally, the worst decision that I ever made. This school absolutely needs to be investigated for false business practices.
I have just finished my first semester at Walden University. I am "attending" online from the United Kingdom, because I am active duty military. I already have my BSN, and I am now working towards my Masters, with a focus on Nursing Informatics. I compared about 15 schools and then finally decided upon Walden after speaking with some past graduates. There have been absolutely NO negative surprises at all during my first semester. They automatically send your books to you (included in cost of school), the discussions are useful, and the papers you have to write are just difficult and long enough to make sure you learn something...not so difficult that you have to spend 40 hours on one. So far, I have nothing but praise for the process, the school, the instructors, the price, their helpful online research library, their online writing center, the academic advisors, etc etc. I highly, highly recommend Walden University.
They tell you the first class is free. However, whether you finish the "free" class, you're charged $100. A couple years later, I get another "bill" showing that I now owe thousands of dollars for tuition. Starting out being lied to gave me the impression it would always be like that.
This is simply not a program that an MSW candidate should consider. There are far better options out there.
This university is currently in the candidacy phase of its accreditation for social work, which should be of note to many.
IT use and infrastructure is lacking. Research capabilities are more limited than in lesser-known undergraduate programs. This is surprising.
Walden will admit virtually any student. The theory is that the high caliber of the program will weed out unsuitable candidates. This may, in part, be true, but it is not universally true. The demands of the work required is often mixed as well; in some classes it would be rigorous, while in others it is far below quality undergraduate work.
Professor quality is mixed, but is generally poor. Good professors stand out because they are rare.
Communication is challenging at best. This is a large university and you really are just a number. The academic advisers consist primarily of graduate students who moonlight in this role as a means to receive a tuition discount. This is reflected in the advice given (often incorrect).
The students that defend this university do so with such vehemence, it is often unclear if they are actually students. For those that may be, it is possible that they have never attended a quality online program before, or have relatively low academic standards. Producing a two-paragraph discussion post, two requisite discussion replies, and a short paper each week is hardly rigorous, yet this is the format of all of the classes I've attended. Occasionally, there is more required, but it is not often.
Fundamentally, the Social Work program is in flux. There are a great many details to be worked out. For the cost (and for comparison, understand that each class is 5 credits, so the tuition for the quality is unacceptably high) it is not worth consideration. As an aside, I have read this in other reviews but did not truly think it was an issue - the student body. Even in an online setting, cliques develop. It is actually possible to be harassed and targeted by other students. I know this because I have personally seen this happen. Apparently, the code of ethics that binds students is simply not enforced. Please look elsewhere for an affordable, academically rigorous, and respected degree.
Walden University is a school for those that are self-motivated and disciplined in their approach to academics. The classes require scholarly writing and research, at least in the nursing program. My undergraduate program was at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and I majored in engineering, so I know what rigorous is. Walden does not quite approach that level of difficulty, but it is a viable alternative for those students who have a full time career, family, and limited time to attend a brick and mortar school. I found that the amount of time put into the coursework was (surprise) directly related to the grade received. Instructors are always available, which means that I have always had the cell number of each instructor and was able to call them if any questions arose. Any time I e-mailed my instructor, I received a reply within 24 hours. The grades are fair, but you as the student must put in the effort. In the nursing program the students are required to find their own sites for clinical hours, which can be frustrating. I suggest that any prospective student research appropriate clinical sites the first year they begin the program so that they will be prepared by the time clinicals begin. The number of clinical hours are comparable to brick and mortar universities, and like most graduate programs in nursing the student is responsible for their own proficiency while working with the physicians. The family nurse practitioner (FNP) program requires a national exam to become certified, and Walden prepared me for that test. In some fields, where you go to school may be important. as a FNP, passing a national certification shows that you have obtained the knowledge needed to practice. I recommend Walden for the MSN in nursing.
Several of the "positive" comments seem to think that those of us who are unhappy with is school is because we are somehow not cut out for graduate school, couldn't hack it, or somehow "flunked out" and we are now unhappy. However, they fail to consider that some people fall for the marketing and apply and get accepted (Walden University takes everyone who applies, especially if you qualify for student loans). But once you start taking classes there and realize the school is a scam, some want to say that it is our fault and we are now just bitter that we couldn't make it.
Does it not seem that a smart person who is dissatisfied with the quality of a school would leave and not stick around and graduate? Why waste the time and money on a useless degree?
If you want to take a survey of people who posted a negative comment, start with me: NO I did not graduate. I left Walden, and TRANSFERRED to a real school (non-profit, fully-accredited, brick and mortar) where I am now EARNING a real graduate degree and not simply buying a diploma.
Walden University is a scam. I did enroll there and took some classes but soon relaized that this was not a legitimate way to earn a degree. If you are thinking about attending this school PLEASE DON'T! if you read the postivie comments on here, please know that Walden University (like many online schools) uses a service that monitors sites like this and they produce positive comments to off set the negative ones.
Walden University will run up student loans and keep you hanging on to the dream and you'll never graduate. RIP OFF SCHOOL STAY AWAY!!!!
Do not waste your time with Walden University! This "school" is the post child of a predatory, for-profit online school. Absolutely terrible experience to the degree that myself and several other students are working on a class action suit. ***AVOID****AVOID****AVOID*****
The Social Change is just a hollow voice. There is no help whatsoever with this University (staff or library or writing center or advising) The adviser left more than 8 months and I was never informed who my adviser was.
The Professors/Instructor's grade papers like machines, and never care about what we write or the passion we have of "social change" they are just butchering the grades by all kinds of colors on the paper.
They expect "all" students to be "same".
How can it be? You accept students from all over the world, don't expect them to be good at writing and other mechanics like those who had a formal education in the USA.
Instead of beginning the classes with all of them at the same time same pace, ask the students where they had their formal education, and put them in writing and reading, analyzing and researching short courses to be familiar with their policy, format and other stuff, then keep the students in classes with other "fast moving" "not helping" anyone kind of students, and Professors, you don't know if they are "real" or not.
I was given a really bad grade"F" and then I was given an "I" and "U".
Don't waste any money here. Find some other place to start over.
Take my advice.
I'm a recent graduate of Walden University's Doctor of Business Administration Program and I would have to say that I'm very happy and pleased with my experiences at the University. I thought about giving up over 10 times because I was constantly challenged and pushed beyond my limits while working 60+ hour work weeks and being deployed to various contingency assignments while working for the US Military. I regularly spent 8+ hours daily working on my doctoral study and getting my proposal and doctoral study kicked back many times throughout my doctoral study journey. It?s not easy which is why many don?t graduate. Walden University has made tremendous strides in increasing the level of academic rigor in their programs thus why you are seeing an increased rate of students not succeeding. Before attending Walden University I also graduated from two previous brick and mortar institutions with a focus in Accounting. It's interesting to see that most of the negative comments are from students who simply did not have what it took in order to perform at a graduate level.
I would have to admit that I think Walden University accepts more students already knowing most of them don't have what it take in order to graduate. In return, Walden University makes a tremendous amount of profit because of this. I remember attending my first DBA residency and looking across the room at a number of people and asking myself how in the heck did "they" get in the door. But there were also hundreds of talented business professions attending the residencies as well. From VP's of Boeing, Motorola, Lockheed Martin to CEO's of major logistics, consulting and financial companies HQ in Dubai, Saudi, Switzerland, Brazil, the USA and many more. It was an amazing networking event if you took the time to talk to people and get to know them.
But the bad part in accepting students you already know will fail is what you see in comment boards such as these. Where disgruntled students enrolled into a program thinking something would be handed to them and in return failed miserably. I remember asking for the statistics of Walden University DBA graduates around November 2013 from the university and I was told since the DBA program was initiated in 2007 there have been less than 46 graduates from the program. Now remind you this equates to less than 8% of people who enroll in this program have graduated. This is not because they didn?t like the program but because they couldn?t get their research proposals approved by their committee members. Walden University academic standards in the DBA program I must admit are tough.
It would be interesting to take a survey of those who have posted negative comments in this board and find out whether or not they graduated. From reading the previous comments it appears 93% or more of them didn?t graduate!!! And as a result of not being handed a diploma they are now bitter. In the PhD, DBA, DM, Ed programs etc at Walden University many of them simply can?t get their proposals passed by the institutions academic review departments to include the their first and second committee members, methodologists, their URR, the CAO and so on. These people never get to the part of completing their doctoral study because they can?t even come up with a hook and anchor for their problem statements.
It?s intriguing to read the comments where the graduate student couldn?t perform at Walden University and received bad grades and are now deciding to attend other institutions they think are harder. I'm not connecting the dots with understanding how you think you will perform better at another institution you perceive as being more rigorous in comparison to Walden University where you failed and in return claimed the coursework was not challenging. This does not make sense!! With that said I?m proud to be a graduate of this school because I know I worked hard to earn my degree.
I have spent thousands of dollars on a program that requires the student to secure their own clinicals. I think it should be illegal to charge tuition, when the student is the one busting their but. Walden is a waste of time and money. Go somewhere else
I have been attending Walden University for over 5 1/2 years and would never recommend this school to anyone. This school is a fraud and is only after your money and government financial aid. The doctorate process is BS and the instructors should be fired and the school should be shut down. If anyone wants to do a class action, I am here. This school needs to be stopped.
I am completely frustrated with this university. While I completed my coursework some time ago, I have been struggling for THREE years to pull together a committee for my dissertation. I have found that I am completely on my own during this process and each time I talk to an academic advisor I get conflicting information. After two years straight of getting no support, I finally began complaining. I was told repeatedly by advisors on the phone that if I was unable to get a committee chair, then I just wasn't trying hard enough! I am still without a chair and still without support. I have spent more on this degree than I was led to believe in the initial contact with Walden University and now I feel like I just wasted $100K because they refuse to help me get a committee chair so I can get this process going!
I don't agree with the reviews that the courses were "easy". That was not my experience. I had great professors who I felt really challenged their students. The coursework was enlightening and I put a great deal of work into my learning experience, and quite possibly the reason I felt challenged.
However, I am more than disappointed in the dissertation process. Not from the perspective of putting in the hard work... I am more than willing to do that! I just cannot get any cooperation from the university to help me after three unsuccessful years of trying to get this process going! I have even had the director of my degree program tell me I wasn't trying hard enough. So, beware! If you are considering enrolling in the doctorate programs where a dissertation is required, you are on your own. Literally.
Wa;den University is a huge disappointment. I regret ever enrolling. I hope anyone who is thinking about going to this school will read the negative reviews on this site and hopefully be persuaded to choose a different place to get an education.
What a joke. I had high hopes when I enrolled, but quickly learned that Walden University is not an institute of "higher learning." The best decision I made was to transfer to a real school and get my degree the right way. I only wish I had done more research and found this site before I spent any money on classes at Walden. I hope that at least a few people who are considering this "school" see the amount of negative reviews and keep from making the same mistake I did. DO NOT GO TO THIS SCHOOL!
Choosing Walden was not one of my best decisions. It is not a very well respected school and it lacks important accreditation. I wised up and dropped out and transferred to a real school where i can get a degree that matters. Don't be fooled into thinking Walden is a real school. They give diplomas to anyone who will pay the tuition. You'll be left with a huge bill or a lot of student loan debt and a degree that is not worth the piece of paper it is printed on. Do not go to Walden!
Walden University provides a rigorous online doctoral degree. It doesn?t come with lots of bells and whistles, nor does it come with a ton of snob appeal. If it is snob appeal that you?re searching for, then by all means, go to another University. The last thing I want to read is another Walden U review that is based on an individual?s angst over the ability to wow their neighbors. Move on.
Walden, however, does provide a true doctoral experience. By the end of your dissertation, you have worked ? and worked hard ? for your degree. If you really have any doubts about the quality of program, just look at all of the accreditations that they?ve garnered for their majors. There are professional accrediting bodies affiliated with their education, nursing, public administration, public health, social work and business programs. Surely a diploma mill would not go to these lengths to prove itself to ensure the quality of their degree. Are all of these professional organizations wrong? Really? But if you really want to see additional work, go look up and read a few random dissertations from Walden graduates and see for yourself. Compare those dissertations to, say, a dissertation from a state school like Morgan State, Kean University or Seton Hall. You?d be hard pressed to tell the difference. Oh ? and just so you know ? while other institutions have run afoul of their regional accreditor, Walden just had their accreditation renewed for another 10 years.
Now it is an online degree so you do have to be self-motivated and very organized. There are no parking problems as you would experience at a ?live? school, but the work is still due at a certain time. Every course, as you would expect, requires research papers, hundreds of pages in articles and books, and independent work. I keep hearing this comment that ?you are teaching yourself? which is just baffling. If you were in a ?live? institution, you would also be teaching yourself. Doctoral work is predominately independent work ? you are supposed to be out there creating new knowledge. Hello! Even with that, you do get feedback from your instructors that help guide your research.
Walden isn?t a perfect institution; it can certainly improve on a few things. It can look at how it admits students into their doctoral programs, but the weak students are gone fairly quickly (I argue that these folks shouldn?t be admitted in the first place). It can do a slightly better job at quickening the approval of the research proposal. And finally, it must become more competitive and offer even more scholarships to high end students.
Look, if you want a tenure track job, and you need the degree to fulfill some great vanity drive, then by all means, find another school. Walden?s good, but it can?t stroke your ego. If you are committed to social change, and you want to be an active scholar-practitioner, Walden has all of the pieces needed for you to get the job done. I just finished my doctorate and I already have two chapters in two different books on my research topic.
You do have to be entrepreneurial with this degree. You can?t sit back and expect the world to give you a lifetime tenure-track 2 classes a semester job at $100G. That?s not happening for Walden graduates. But if you have a quality research topic, are dedicated to your discipline and to the University?s mission of social change, you will be able to produce quality applied research.
For the folks that thought online learning was somehow easier than ?live? institutions, think again. I can?t wait for the next 10 years to unfold when even more folks will have taken online education and then ? finally ? the myths surrounding the rigor of online learning can be dispelled.
I?m proud of my Walden University degree. My dissertation and work can stand on its own. If you were one of these delusional folks that tried to enroll and then dropped out after a year, then that?s on you. Please look in the mirror before trying to stain the integrity of a University that is composed of hundreds of scholarly professionals.
This is a lousy school. The faculty are not engaged in the class (as all are full-time faculty at real schools, so they just basically monitor the online classrooms at Walden and do not teach). The "teachers" offer no support and the classes actually teach themselves. You read, you summarize, you post your work, you learn nothing. This school is not a real school. You only buy your degree, you don't earn it. I am embarrassed to admit that I was a student at Walden, but I wised up and left as soon as I found out it was a diploma mill. Save your time and your money. Go to a real school.
Tuyen Nguyen is a horrible "teacher" ... and I put quotes around that word because he didn't really teach anything in a recent class I had with him. He graded each week's assignments (discussion and papers) very quickly; grades were posted before the week was even over in most cases. So he didn't even read the assignments. CONTENT doesn't matter. As graduate students who pay a lot of money for these courses, we deserve better. Nguyen provided no feedback except generic comments that he cut and pasted over and over. He is one of the worst teachers at Walden University and I have filed a complaint against him with the administration.
Tuyen Nguyen is a horrible "teacher" ... and I put quotes around that word because he didn't really teach anything in a recent class I had with him. He graded each week's assignments (discussion and papers) very quickly; grades were posted before the week was even over in most cases. So he didn't even read the assignments. CONTENT doesn't matter. As graduate students who pay a lot of money for these courses, we deserve better.
Nguyen provided no feedback except generic comments that he cut and pasted over and over. He is one of the worst teachers at Walden University and I have filed a complaint against him with the administration. If you had similar problems with Nguyen, I encourage you to contact academic advising and to also contact Dr. Tim Radak, the Academic Program Coordinator for the PhD in Public Health program at
With that said, however, I have left Walden University and will be finishing my graduate studies at a real school. I refuse to spend another dime on courses taught by lazy, incompetent "teachers" like Tuyen Nguyen.
If you are fed up with Walden University, please realize you have options. I spoke to two program directors at other schools and found that most of my credits will transfer. You do not have to start over if you leave and go to a better school.
I don't think Walden faculty post positive comments on this board. But I do think the Walden University marketing department does. Many of the positive posts do not sound at all the way a student would, even if they are happy with the program they are in. They sound like the brochures the school sends out. Because Walden is a for profit university, they do not want anyone to not attend the school based on a bad review posted by a dissatisfied student on this or similar sites. I am sure they monitor their rating, and with a few manufactured positive comments they can neutralize the real negative ones. People who are dissatisfied are 100 times more likely to post on a site like this than people who had a good experience.
Walden is an okay school if you want a PhD in name only. It?s a good option for foreign students and for those who do not meet the requirements of a traditional program. You do not need to take the GRE or GMAT to get in, and you don?t have to have a very high undergraduate GPA. Walden takes anyone who applies, as long as they can pay the tuition or qualify for financial aid.
It is funny to read the comments that say how Walden is a good choice for those who work full time or who have families and cannot commit to a traditional ?brick and mortar? education. But there are many ?brick and mortar? schools that offer online degrees, abd their programs are just as convenient and flexible as Walden?s. But these schools do require entrance exams and they are competitive to get in. Many schools only accept a limited number of new students each year. They don?t accept everyone who applies, but choose the best applicants. There are many online programs that do this. These are typically public universities and they are fully accredited. For profit schools like Walden get a general accreditation but often lack specific accreditation for programs, such as schools of public health or schools for nursing. It is extremely important to know if the graduate school you are applying to has been accredited in your program of study. Many employers will only validate degrees from accredited programs and schools. If you scroll through the negative postings on this and similar sites, you?ll see several posts from students who couldn?t get the jobs they wanted in their field because of the lack of accreditation at Walden. Do not be fooled by the marketing that brags Walden is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The HLC accredits both good and bad schools. There isn?t much value in that accreditation.
Just know what you are getting when you apply to Walden: a degree that is in name only and that may not be recognize or accepted by professional organizations and employers in your field. If you want a quality education but cannot attend a ?brick and mortar? school because you work and/or have a family, consider an online program from a real school that is fully accredited and will provide you with a quality education and a degree you can be proud of earning.
I left Walden University when I finally realized that I wasn?t earning a graduate degree, I was buying one. When I applied at Walden and saw how easy it was to get in, it should have been a huge red flag for me. And looking back, I guess there was something in the pit of my stomach that just didn?t feel right. It wasn?t until I started taking classes that I began to realize that this program is not focused on learning, but rather on money. You pay thousands of dollars for courses that are high school level. If you can read a book chapter or an article and summarize it in three paragraphs, and occasionally write a longer paper, you?ll get A?s. That?s fine if that?s the type of ?education? you want. But if you are really looking to be challenged to develop critical thinking skills and be able to analyze information and engage in the type of discussions with peers and coursework that fosters the type of learning that should be taking place at the graduate level, you won?t find it at this school. Mediocre work is acceptable, so you don?t have to work very hard. Sure there is a lot of reading and weekly discussion post (often just a simple 200-300 word responses to basic questions about the assigned readings), but it?s not very challenging work and you won?t learn much doing it. Many of the ?positive? comments mention that to succeed at Walden you need to be willing to ??work hard? ? but that refers to being able to read a lot and summarize the information for weekly discussion posts in two classes over a 12 week period. In other words, this is ?busy work? that may take some people a lot of time to do. The problem is, it is not learning. It is not the type of work that really allows you to think for yourself and engage in meaningful dialogue with the instructors and fellow students. Everyone answers the same questions and basically writes the same summaries of the information. It?s dull, boring, uninspiring work. And you pay $2500 per class to do this! I thought the introductory started like this but expected the higher level courses to be more of what you?d expect in a PhD program. But even the 5 credit ?advanced? courses are the same. What finally got me to leave the school was the fact that in my last class at Walden, my teacher waited until the last week to grade 5 assignments. This included my final paper which was 21 pages long. The electronic classroom tracks when you submit assignments and when they are received, viewed, and graded by the instructor. These 5 assignments were all graded within a 2 minute time period. In other words, the teacher did not read them. So what pride can I take in getting an A in the course if my assignments weren?t even read? The content of what you write, and therefore the content of what you actually learn in the classes at Walden, does not matter. Just pay your bill and submit something that can be graded so it can appear that actual learning is taking place. It really is a shame. I am actually embarrassed that I was a student at Walden for over a year before I finally woke up and asked myself ?what am I actually learning?? ? I don?t want to buy a graduate degree. I want to earn one.
I left Walden after 15 months because I felt the quality of the PhD in public health program is very poor. Yes, I got good grades, but I didn't feel I was learning anything. All we did was busy work, papers and discussions that were repetitive. It got to the point where I could reuse a lot of assignments and discussions I did for previous classes. But we shouldn't have to pay all that money just to do the same work over and over. And I had 2 really bad teachers in the past 2 quarters. Tuyen Nguyen in my research class wasn't even reading the assignments we submitted. He had them graded before the end of the week. How could he read 20 papers in a few hours and have them all graded? I had a lot of trouble contacting academic advising and think there is poor support for students all around. Plus, Walden is not very respected in public health. A PhD from Walden is considered equal to a MPH, so the degree isn't worth the paper it is printed on. I made a huge mistake choosing this school. I wasted several months and lots of money. I am in the process of applying to a real school to first get my MPH and then after I complete that, I will get my PhD in health sciences. In the end I want to feel that I accomplished something important and not just jumped through some hoops and paid a lot of money for a worthless degree. I want to be proud of the school I attend and the work I do. I could never be proud of Walden.
This is my last week in Walden University and I have NOTHING but POSITIVE things to say about Walden. Since day one I have NEVER had any problems with communication between my professors, colleagues, and faculty. I entered Walden at a very difficult time in my life and being at Walden allowed me to take care of my mom and earn an education!! I am a STUDENT! This is NOT a game! I am so grateful to Walden and the experience. This is my 3rd degree and I am mentally exhausted, but if I had to do it again, Walden would be it!!!!!!!
I've attended both brick and mortar schools and online schools. I have never had a GPA lower than 3.75 since high school, and have received scholarships, and been accepted in to numerous colleges since then. I chose to go to Walden because it makes sure the faculty and staff are quite knowledgeable in their fields, and up-to-date on current research, legislation, and accreditations. I recently transferred from a popular brick and mortar school in NYC to Walden this Fall and must say that I am completely humbled. They follow the scholar-practitioner model of education, and will guarantee that you are up to par on your research writing skills. I cannot tell you how many times I have felt like giving up because my work was so heavily scrutinized, however, months later I have realized just how much I have improved. Just about everything that I write or discuss is empirically based and research driven. These professors know their stuff and have been very resourceful in providing their expertise and real life experienced in the field. Therefore I am appalled after reading the negative comments. Walden University is NO diploma mill!!!!!!!!!!!! This school is regionally accredited and has also received program accreditations, which are difficult for traditional colleges to obtain. When you have programs like CACREP behind you, trust and believe you are getting a quality education. I compare the information I get from Walden with other students in other schools, and they are blown away by how much I have grown since I left the other institution. So please consider the positive reviews before harping on the negative ones. Perhaps those with negative experiences were not prepared for the tedious requirements of virtual learning. I hope this helps.
The Oct 30, 2013 post by the ?psychology? student is a bizarre conspiracy theory. Walden employees and professors wouldn?t waste their time posting on this useless site. I?m a PhD student at Walden that is posting simply because I hate the stupid baseless rants being posted here against Walden. I wish more Walden Alumni would post, but it?s a waste of their time too. Just as this is a waste of my time because any gorilla can post their thick-skulled baseless nonsense on this site - none of it has to be supported by any facts whatsoever. Nonetheless, another great recent example of Walden being a reputable school is that 4 Walden graduates were just awarded the federal government?s Presidential Management Fellowship. Over 12,000 recent graduates nationwide applied, but only 663 were selected. A very small and elite group of young leaders. And, yes, ?Mr. Oct 30 2013 Psychology? every so-called ?non-profit? makes profit. The only difference between a proprietary corporation and 501(c) corporation is the regulation that stipulates how and what a 501(c) (socalled "non-profits")can do with their profits, and quite routinely the ?non-profit? corporate boardrooms vote to pay themselves large amounts of the profits in the form of immense salaries, bonuses, retirement packages, severance packages, etc. that rival and sometimes surpass socalled for-profit organizations. Lastly, even thought the dissertation approval process is grueling at Walden, that is how it is at every university. The folks complaining on this site about Walden and its dissertation process are not going to find it much different elsewhere.
After reading the positives in the site, I cant help but feel that many are written by faculty. The reference to the student couldn't make it in any graduate program, and all schools are for profit makes me wonder if that's actually a student who has experienced the doctoral study approval process. Doubtful.
I am currently a PhD student at Walden, working on my dissertation. I would agree and empathize with much of the below reviewer?s comments. However, I do not think any of the below experiences, or even my challenges, are unique to Walden University. The recruiters at every school hype their programs and institution. Moreover, PhD programs are all extremely expensive. Nevertheless, Walden's tuition is in the median range at $470 credit. Therefore, I do not think Walden deserves a negative review designation based on issues that are endemic to nearly every PhD program. Lastly, using the colloquialism of "for-profit" to describe Walden University is charged with so much biased, as if there is such a thing as an altruistic "non-profit." There is no such thing as a ?non-profit;? every 501(c) corporation makes profits, and many of them pay their CEO, COO, CFO and their other leadership huge salaries and bonuses that are often superior to their proprietary counterparts. Walden University is a private proprietary institution that cares about positive social change and wants its student's to succeed in their professions, because their graduates are a reflection of Walden.
While at the end, I am happy with my dissertation. That being said, I sufferred from the institutional growth experienced by this for-profit university between 2006 to now. My Chair and commitee were experts, however the support and advisement by my initial faculty mentor (primarly instructor) was poor. Too many students, not enough personal attention by advisors or faculty. Also, I am saddled with student loan debt; program length expectations were not consitant with the recruiter I spoke with at start of the program. The time to get through the program was poor given I already had 2 masters degrees. Total program completion for PhD - 6.5 years, 125K. The program has improved somewhat over the last year, the writing center staff are friendly and provide great expertise; but doesn't make up for the poor delivery of service/guidance experienced between 2007 and 2009. I also had to take a leave of absence for one year, when my funds ran out. Overall it has been 8 years since I started, but 1.5 years I was out of the program at various times. Think carefully about being able to complete the program you select, make sure you will have a return-on-investment. Keep faculty accountable for timelines if you are in a research based program.
Don't take the negative views for face value. Contact or visit Walden in person in downtown Minneapolis, MN. Visit Walden's web site for information and phone numbers: http://info.waldenu.edu/?comm_code=GOOG0060&infinity=gaw~Brand%2BSPART%2BUS%2BCA%2BENG~Brand%20Generic~9820409051~walden%20university%20program~b&gclid=COicnLiCrLoCFYpDMgodkkoARA
Walden's graduate school cost of $470 credit is comparable or better than most graduate schools in the United States. It's a great deal, and I recommend you check it out for yourself.
The complaints on this board against my Walden University are so vague, inaccurate, and poorly written, that it shouldn't be difficult to read that the people complaining would not make it at any graduate program.
Walden University is a fine school. President Clinton is its Chancellor. It's a member of the NASPAA. Walden is regionally accredited and was easily renewed this past summer for another 10-year term. Walden has also bestowed the largest number PhD degrees to African Americans than any other university in the world. To get a PhD, you have to be smart, be able to work independently, be self-motivated and have the necessary perseverance to get through the many challenges of writing a reputable study. It?s the same as at any university! I think the complaints on this board are more about the complainer?s own failures, than a reflection on Walden.
My opinion about Walden University as an international student is very negative. For international students is discrimination in the English as a second language. This university has as slogans, Higher degree, Higher purpose and a third party We are In this business. In my view these pay more attention to only do business with students. My job was returned by the subject 15 times and got a Chair that had no experience in my field but the most beautiful was they charged me. This University knows that doctoral students can pay only by federal loans and loan a maximum of $ 138,000. This university students financially exploits and then give the title. In my opinion it should be investigated in the use of federal funds. I as a current student of this university do not recommend my advice is stay away from them.
Walden will get you to the end of the DBA program but make it impossible to get through the study approval process. You will have to take the study course repeatedly and still have new requirements put on you. Go to a difference school for a doctoral degree. Walden only cares about generating money.
I am currently working on my dissertation for my PhD in Public Policy and Administration. Walden University is a serious school with a mission to encourage positive social change. Walden University is in large part responsible for the flood-gates opening with online programs at nearly every resident-based university across the entire United States. Because of Walden University, even Ivy League universities, such as Columbia University in New York City, are even offering entirely online degree programs. Walden has been regionally accredited for decades by the same accrediting agency that accredits the University of Wisconsin, University of Minnesota, Carlton College, and every other accredited college in the Midwest. Walden's accreditation has been in good standing and never challenged, in fact, it was recently renewed for another 10-years. I love my school, and do not tolerate anyone dismissing my education or my university. Walden Alumni please step up here and defend your Alma Mater.
The top five universities that grant the most doctoral degrees to African Americans are ranked as follows: Howard University, Nova Southeastern University, University of Michigan, Walden University and the University of Maryland. In its mission to support diversity and social change, Walden has also been at the forefront of challenging conventional thinking in education with its online delivery, and has thus opened undergraduate and graduate degree opportunities to adult learners with families that otherwise could not afford the time or lost wages to pursue Masters or Ph.D. degrees. Today, in large part due to Walden and other proprietary universities, nearly every regionally accredited university in the United States has online degree programs, which is testament to the validity and trustworthiness of online programs. Moreover, Walden's quarter-century of continuous accreditation also proves their high standards of educational rigor and mission.
Much of the stated complaints in this review board on Walden University are full of misinformation. For instance, the current graduate tuition at Walden is only $470 per credit, which is comparable or below the cost of most graduate universities. Any of the alleged doubling or tripling of so-called costs is a result of the student taking more financial aid than is necessary to cover their educational costs. This is the student's choice, and is a situation at any university.
My experience at Walden has been positive. The financial aid office is helpful and courteous, the student services department is always available and helpful, and advisors are able and willing to assist quickly and informatively. Walden has assured me over again that they want me to succeed, but I also have to perform quality work in order to do so.
Like any university, most of the learning is achieved through independent reading, discussions, and writing assignments. This is also the case at Walden University. Likewise, the number of complaints regarding limited access to professors is simply naive. Access to professors at any university is limited, and pretty much no matter what university you attend; the vast majority of the learning is performed by the individual themself. No graduate students at any university are being taught one-on-one all the information a course provides. Anyone that has gone to graduate school knows that most of the course information is disseminated through assigned reading, writing assignments, lab work, and course discussion - very little course information is actually conveyed directly by course professors. This web site should screen the negative posts more carefully; they seem to be from the same misinformed and disgruntled individuals over again. Likewise, anyone reading the negative posts should be able to tell from the writing quality that the complainer is probably at fault, not Walden?s.
I am attending Walden's PhD program in Public Policy and Administration. Prior to joining Walden, I was attending Hamline University's Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) program in St. Paul, MN. Walden's PhD program has a great scholarly research focus that provides many courses in how to perform qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research. Hamline's doctoral program is only a practitioner program that does not teach scholarly skills in using the three approaches to research. Moreover, all Walden PhD students publish their dissertations to the U.S. Library of Congress ProQuest Database. Hamline's DPA dissertations, like most other colleges, do not publish in the Library of Congresses ProQuest database. Additionally, Hamline and most other resident universities use the same "Blackboard" system for both their on-campus and online programs, and consequently use the same discussion board, assignment submittal, and grading systems as Walden. The only difference is that Hamline and other resident universities typically require students to attend one-class a week. A weekly in-person class does not make a big difference in the education. Moreover, Walden is accredited by the exact same regional accrediting board as the University of Minnesota, Hamline, Macalester, St. Thomas, etc., and has the same level of regional accreditation as every other regionally accredited university in the United States. Walden?s accreditation has been in good standing for about a quarter-century. Walden University is a great school, especially for working adults with families that cannot afford the time or lost wages to reside at a resident university while they acquire their PhD. Lastly, there are many Walden graduates teaching at many prominent universities across the United States, which is testament to Walden?s capabilities.
a) Walden University charges the student's tuition full cost for several text books, and this is a forced issue (not optional). Further, most of the book we receive we don't even need, nor will we use. Yet we pay literally hundreds of dollars for them. I spoken to faculty about this issue with no resolve, I have even threatened to go to another school if they didn't allow me to purchase my own books. They declined.
This is the first case in my entire academic career where a University has forced books on their students, at full (insane) costs, and most of the books are irrelevant.
b) The tuition is MUCH more costly than the numbers they share on their website!!! My MS in Clinical Psyche degree was quoted at $23K and I'm now up to $40K in just two years!
c) There are NO teachers at Walden University, only GRADERS. What they do is check for things like: # of references/citations, and page length. That's about it. There is little to nothing ever mentioned about what is actually discussed by the students. In some courses I didn't even use references and still recieved A's. There is absolutely NO feedback from professors!!
MY OPINION: If you're trying to get a certificate in something or looking at just getting an extra degree in education, or humanities, something simple, then the online is about the same I imagine as it would be anywhere else. But if you're looking for a good psychology program, there are OTHER SCHOOLS ONLINE that are much better! Seek them out. More and more big name universities are offering online programs for graduate students. Do you're research! My final opinion on the school is that I got suckered/scammed. While I did learn from the program, it has been entirely my own efforts, doing my own research and drawing my own conclusions. Very disappointing and I will now be paying back horrible student loans for the next several years at least. How much does a student loan payment cost post graduation at Walden? Try $300x weekly = 15 years +
Hope this helps someone. I'm not here to angrily smear the school, just trying to warn.
BEWARE!! Do not waste your time or money on Walden University!! I have had an extensive amount of experience with this online university. Over 10yrs. I received my M.S. in Psychology and am nearing completion of my Ph.D. in Health Psychology. I have to say my master's process was met with supportive and knowledgeable faculty that guided me and moved me along in a timely fashion toward graduation within 3yrs. The Ph.D. program however, is a complete and utter failure and nightmare. I am a professional and a therapist with a private practice for over 5yrs. The sheer arrogance and abusive behaviors allowed by dissertation committees at Walden is appalling! I had to fire my first committee members due to their stalling, run around, incompetence and forgetting what they even had me revise! All the while happily taking my money. The next committee was abusive, minimized my concerns when addressed, dismissive, and utterly unsupportive. This is the SAME committee that approved one of my colleagues all the way to IRB only to have IRB say "Walden doesn't allow that type of study"!!! Are you kidding me? Why didn't the faculty know? Why did they string her along for 2yrs? She's in a class action suit now and I wish her the best. I was determined not to let Walden get the best of me and am powering on! In this last stage of URR review after my study is completed, the URR points out many sections in chpts 1-3 (proposal stage) that she wants included and rewritten AFTER full review and approval by THREE faculty! When asked how was my proposal passed by three faculty mbrs when sections of the proposal that are required are NOT in there, they had nothing to say! So four years of run around, many thousands of dollars in debt and I'm still fighting Walden to complete! When taking my legitimate concerns to the program director, he consistently minimized and dismissed me as "overreacting". It's a farce. They are very unprofessional. They hold the student to a high standard but many faculty don't even know their employer's own policies to justify their sitting on a diss committee! Outrageous! Do NOT waste your time. Go to a reputable school!!
I completed a Bachelors degree at a prestigious university and then entered a PhD program at a traditional brick and mortar college. Life intervened and I left the PhD program with a Masters degree. When I first looked into Walden I was a little uncertain, but the staff was friendly, they were accredited, and they accepted several of my PhD courses from my prior University. I am an extremely disciplined student, and while I missed my personal deadline for completion it was due to missteps on my part. I had several peers who left the program and the common thread between all of them was they lacked perseverance. Walden is not an easy program. You won't get calls from your adviser asking for an update on your dissertation. You won't meet for beers with classmates and discuss methodological issues with your research. You are solely responsible for moving your project forward. That will mean a minimum of a 18 months of late nights hammering away at your research. There is no short route to a PhD - if you are choosing this program because you think it will be easier then you are making a mistake. Would I prefer this teaching style for a bachelors? Probably not. But this is exactly what I expected in a PhD program and I got out of it what I put into it.
I actually really like this school for an online institution. I took a couple of classes at Keller and the University of Phoenix. Compared to them, the professors have more real world experience, have higher standards, require more research, and actually review what students submit. I didn't get quite the diploma mill sense from Walden. I like the professors and how much they're able to relay real-life experience into it. I felt like the Keller most of the professors were more academic in their experience. My advisers were helpful when I needed them (which wasn't much). Financial aid wasn't an issues. I also like their 24/7 chat support. They're there to help you with anything from getting your pop server info for email, to blocks, missing text books, etc.
Walden is the best online school I have seen so far. Laziness in doing your work will cost you dearly. Therefore, I suggest that only students who want to work hard should consider going to Walden.
The university set-up is similar to that of a call center. The staff lacks the knowledge to answer questions in detail. Their answers are similiar to a movie script. I have found that on many occassions, I'm having to educate the staff on various transaction on my accounts. During one conversation with a staff member he referred to me as a "customer" not a "student". They have continuously messed up my information in the system.
Walden University is a big mistake and I will probably resent it for the rest of my life. The administrators of this school are big liars. Don't believe anything you hear about walden University and social change. They say they are for social change which is good, but I have never seen Walden doing anything about social change besides ripping off students poor students. It's all talk and politics but no substance. You don't need even to go far to find out about Walden. You can just look at the people they hire. What's the percentage of the African Americans in the Walden administration? While over 50% of their students are African American or Hispanic, 99% of the administrators and faculty are white women and white men. This is probably THE WORST you will find anywhere in the country.
BEWARE!!! Walden University's DBA program is a scam. They take your money and spend weeks and weeks going thorugh approvals with you rchair, second chair, methodologist, URR, IRB, etc etc etc. They continue to kick papers back for fixes, and then it gets to the next level and gets kicked back again for different things, most strictly based on opinions. Total lack of communication. This school is a joke and if I wasn't already 40K in the hole with them I would tell them to take it and shove it. Any info on a class action suit against Walden please forward to my e-mail because I would love to hop on board
Don't WASTE your $$$$$$$$$$$$$ EdD Program Walden Ed D program DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!!!!!!!!! I have been w/Walden in Ed.D program since 2006. I have been attempting to get the URR to approve my dissertation, which my chair and co chair OK'd. No Luck! It seems the URR has no clue about my topic and the achievement gap for Latino students. There has been NO MOVEMENT since the first week of October, when my chair submitted the dissertation. Any one else have these issues. I will NEVER RECOMMED WALDEN TO ANYONE. I could have gone to Seton Hall, joined the fast track cohort and been done in 2 years for LESS $$ and not have to defend my doing an Ed.D online. What a mistake! I will never recommend Walden; in fact I will dissuade anyone from taking courses at Walden!
I am working on my PhD and expect to finish in a few months. I have 3 Master's degrees from esteemed "brick and mortar" universities and must admit that the academic rigor is at least equal or greater than I experienced in my other schools. My research committee members are responsive and helpful. The advising office and research staff have been responsive and have helped me tremendously. The Writing Center is world class. I have never received such tremendous editorial assistance at any of the universities where I have studied or worked over the past 30 years. The degree has taken longer to complete than the recruiter had estimated but most of the delay is related to my pace of writing, not a fault of Walden. In addition to my work at Walden, I am on the faculty of another university. My employer readily approves of the level of rigor my Walden degree. I would select Walden again!
As an Ed.S and Ed.D. student I have found the overall school experience very positive. Not every aspect of the experience has been perfect, but neither was every experience at a former large state university. I do not understand how a student can say the school is "racist" when all work is online. Maybe it is the quality of that persons work and they need an excuse for their inability to succeed. The school does require self motivation and does require scholarly work so be prepared to work and do not expect handouts so typical of today's society of no work and blame everyone but yourself.
When I joined this university couple years ago, I was very excited about the opportunity of get my PhD in Education. But, I hate this place now. I am finding out even if I get a PhD from this school, it's worth nothing. People don't respect online schools and, now that I have been at Walden for couple years, I can see why online schools are not respected. If you follow the news, you will come to the same conclusion. Following some complaints here in this forum, I found out that Walden is really made up of racist people who have minimal academic credentials. The administrators are mostly people with some political affiliations rather than any academic background. Most of the professors and mentors are incompetent. My mentor doesn't seem to know anything about research. How did she get her doctorate? Unlike traditional schools, Walden doesn't seem to have many standards for its professors, mentors, and administrators. I am stuck in this situation with thousands of dollars in student loans.
I believe that Walden is too inconsistent. Some students on this site have stated that only stupid students are the ones that are rating Walden poorly. I take great exception to this. I am a really strong student. I am also a college professor myself. I did this program because at this point in my life, I wanted a program that I didn't have to drive to every night. I am also a strong researcher with a lot of experience. However, it is not acceptable for instructors to take up to three months to get back to students. Some instructors were great and some were just plain stupid and frauds in the field. The problem with Walden is that there is no recourse for these problems and the delays end up making the cost of the degree go up.
Walden University students receive no support from the administration when problems are issues arise. If you have an issue with a grade, the instructor has the final authority. No need to appeal, because the appeal will not be in your favor. The appeal process has got to be the biggest joke. If you have an issue there is no one to talk to. You can send an email or two to the dean, but that won't guarantee you will be heard. Someone has to call them on their antics. The Federal Government should be reviewing their practices. In fact, I have heard nothing about their graduating rates.
The university changes its polices constantly. Moreover students have no advocates other than their student advisers. The turnover for advisers and administrators is very high. This school is very expensive and few people in the field respect the degree. My advice is to skip Walden and go the traditional route or distance learning. Now, days most traditional schools have an online presence. Walden isn't the only horse and pony show. At more established schools, you get the support of a department and proven success. It will take Walden sometime to get up to par. In the meantime, their students are paying thousands of dollars throughout the year for Walden to pay top dollar to their faculty and purchase more media advertisements. Don't believe the hype. This school doesn't care about your student rights or whether you complete a degree.
I have seen more incompetence at this university than any other place in the country. Before you sign up, you should do your research to find a reputable university. You can also hire an independent consultant to help you make a good decision. Don't fall for what you hear from their representatives or anything positive you read in the reviews. If you look closely at the language and the timing of those positive posts, you will know they are coming from the administration of the university who is trying to help the university's poor image. Good luck.
Having just spent 2+ years completing my MS in Mental Health Counseling I have to say I am incredibly happy with my educational experience. While doing my internship I found that I was consistently ahead of my peers who went to traditional universities some with price tags much higher than Walden. Also to the gentleman who posted that was upset because the university did not setup an internship site for him. I know having done some research beforehand that thinking you would be placed at an internship site is not something you will commonly experience in graduate work and it seems pretty petty to use that as the basis for not liking your program.
When selecting any school or program it?s important to know what you are getting into, these courses are not for everyone and I know that a good number of people that I started with over two years ago did not finish their degrees. I don?t think that this is different than any other school environment, the professors at Walden will help you but they won?t carry you. If you think online means easy you are better off not even applying to any graduate program let alone this one.
In response to some of the other claims that were made in these reviews I have never once seen a situation at Walden that could be construed as racist or sexist on the part of the faculty. The faculty population is fairly diverse in terms of ethnic, cultural, and yes sexual orientation. The residencies you attend should demonstrate this fairly effectively when you meet your professors face to face. To the claim that the professors are all former Walden graduates, I can say in my program this is most definitely not the case. Not one of my professors was a former Walden graduate; they came from universities such as Penn State, University of Texas, Yale, Harvard, and Notre Dame Etc. They also were not recent graduates many of these individuals had counseling practices of their own so they have knowledge beyond academic that they can offer to further discussion and learning. Lastly to those who have complained that they weren?t able to resubmit work after it was graded for reconsideration and a higher grade, I would suggest you work to ensure you have a complete understanding of the assignment and do your best work the 1st time around, most undergraduate professors that I had at a traditional school wouldn?t do this either.
The one issue / complaint that I did see that held some validity was that some of the professors could be harsh at times. This is something that I did occasionally experience (3 times in 2 and a ? years) but in some cases because of the method of communication (email / messaging) it is possible to construe a tone that is not intended by the sender of the communication. In those rare cases that I have had issues that went beyond what I felt was appropriate I recognized that I have exactly the same options for resolving the situation in a digital classroom as I would in an actual one. If this occurred in a traditional school the administration would do exactly what Walden does in those cases and if you think differently you are fooling yourself. Lastly you do have the option to take note of the professor?s name and make sure should you end up in one of his / her classes in the future you request a section change. To my knowledge no student that has requested a change such as this has been denied that change if they had a good reason for requesting it.
In terms of a general disclaimer I am in no way affiliated with Walden University in any other capacity than that of a student. If you are looking to learn and not afraid of the work load then this is the school for you, if you are looking to coast and do the bare minimum do not apply to this school. You will be writing a negative review on this site someday in the future after you discover that that attitude won?t get you a masters or doctorate degree.
When I read some of the negative comments here I wasn't surprised at all. This is a school of thieves and liars. As soon as they get you in, they drop you in the cyberspace to sink or swim. This is especially true if you are a minority. They treat you like a child. If you are considering this school, do yourself a favor, find another place. By the way, don't trust any of the positive postings here. I am confident most of them are made by the administration in order to balance their negative image.
Walden is mostly concerned about its reputation and it does everything possible to promote itself as a leader. Sadly, this is all talk and gimmicks to trick the unsuspecting prospective students. As far as I know, the administration of Walden does absolutely nothing to improve its services and treatments of students. This is the biggest issues that I have with Walden. Another issue that I have just found out about is the quality of the professors and administrators. I googled few of them and I found only couple with some kind of achievement. Many of them are new graduates from Walden or other online schools, which is really shocking to me, but it explains why my mentor has no clue.
I graduated with the Ph.D. in management recently. Walden provided an outstanding educational opportunity. I developed research skills that have helped me to get my first 2 articles published in peer-reviewed academic journals. I have also been hired full-time as a professor at a traditional university with 3,000 students. Apparently, the negative comments are from folks that don't belong in any college as you have to put in some effort.Also, they are huge on positive social change. The university has a coordinated worldwide day of service every year...but you must participate.
I made a major mistake by joining Walden University and I will probably resent for the rest of my life. The administrators of this school are big liars. Don't believe anything you hear about walden University and social change. They say they are for social change which is good, but I have never seen Walden doing anything about social change. It's all talk and politics but no substance. You don't need even to go far to find out about Walden. You can just look at the people they hire. What's the percentage of the African Americans in the Walden administration? While over 50% of their students are African American or Hispanic, 99% of the administrators and faculty are white women and white men. This is probably THE WORST you will find anywhere in the country.
My experience is with the Ed. D. program, the academics and research were rigorous. I believe I learned a lot from this program.
However, they drastically underestimate the time and expense this program will need for completion. From my experience it has been almost double the time and cost. Their benchmarks that they say should take two weeks may take an entire semester or more. As several other individuals have stated it sure seems as though they are more about generating revenue than helping you complete the program. To complete the program I spent twice as long, and spent twice as much money as I thought I would at the beginning of the program.
The instructors are helpful, but limited in what they can do to help guide a student through the process.
If I were starting over I would not spend my money at Walden University; I would look elsewhere for a more positive experience.
I agree with most of the negative comments I read. I also agree that there are some positives that may have come from the university. They are monitoring comments to add the positive comments I have read because there is nothing positive about Walden. It was a huge mistake. I hve been so frustrated with Walden because all they want is my payments. As long as you are able to borrow and pay them, they will keep you around. I just don't understand why they are keeping them around. They need to shut them down. It is a scam. I also feel they are racist and I want my money back.
The good:
- Set your own study/class schedules
- Plenty of writing practice
- Fairly well organized syllabi provide a challenging educational experience; this is not a diploma mill
- Set your own study/class schedules
- Plenty of writing practice
- Fairly well organized syllabi provide a challenging educational experience; this is not a diploma mill
- Qualified and supportive faculty and staff
The bad:
- Limited faculty engagement in the online course environment; expect to learn from the other students' comments on your posts
- Some students in the early courses clearly do not belong in the PhD program; Walden accepts all comers (at least those who can pay)
- Little opportunity to progressively work towards a coherent dissertation topic while in the coursework; expect to play catchup once you enter the dissertation phase
The ugly:
- Expensive, very expensive
- A long journey, very long
- Not helpful as a step to a brick-and-mortar university position, but might get you a job in distance education, lead to a promotion in the job you already have, or fulfill a personal goal
If I had it to do over again......I'd go to law school. Three or four years and you are done.
Research Topic(s): Clausewitz and Peace
Now that I am nearing the end of this dissappoining journey I will caution certified accounting or finance professional to steer clear of Walden--the university lacks the resources (databases, professionally certfied facilitators, etc.) to support a DBA in finance or the MS in Accounting. While most institutions offering such degress understand that the primary financial data intermediaries such as Compustat (Research Insight) or minimally Mergent, are essential to proper research and practice, Walden simply does not subscribe to any relevant resources for actual professionals. My research is on discretionary accruals and the cost of data collection has fallen 100% on my shoulders. The advice given was that I should water down my approach to a qualitative study--RIGHT! The university also does not have a robust staff of scholar practitioners with CPA, CMA, CFA, or CIA credentials. Perhaps in time they will choose to build a "real" program for busy professionals but it is not there yet.
I have started work on my dissertation with Walden. I've been a student for 4 years. I must say, I felt "duped" by the recruiter when I was considering Walden as my school: The recruiter grossly underestimated the cost of school (he did not mention any of the hidden costs). Also, if you are like me and you work full-time and have a life, it is quite difficult to plan your residencies far enough in advance that you can also plan how you will fund them. Because of this, I had to borrow more than I needed each quarter, never knowing for sure if I would go to a residency that quarter or not. As a result, I ran up much more debt than needed. The costs of books, e-books, dvd's, computers, residencies, travel and lodging adds up to many thousands of dollars (easily over 10k for me). Tuition itself is about 10k per year at 1 class per quarter. Dissertation is 20k, plus whatever my expenses will turn out to be to complete my research (you can't hope, prey, and wait on a grant...we have a time table to follow). Add this cost to my masters (done at a high-quality brick & mortar school), I have over 130k in student loans to repay.
My main criticism of Walden's program is the quality of the class content and virtual classroom experience. Two words to describe it: it's terrible. But that's not so much Walden's fault as it is the nature of online classes. But by the time I realized the program was not for me, I had already spent a lot of money. I felt I had no choice but to continue and finish the program. Besides, how else would a 42 yr old full-time worker and family man get his doctorate? I could not go away to a traditional school; Walden was my best option.
I don't think Walden is engaging in fraud, like other for-profits have been accused of. They do seem to care, and they are serious about helping you succeed. I will say this: others are right when they said, "You get [from the experience] what you put into it." In the online environment there's only so much you can put into the experience. There is no substitute for brick & mortar environments, so if the "college experience" is what you want (in addition to a good education), I would not recommend any online school.Good luck in whatever you decide!!
Dear sir,
I would like know who her name Dr.Angkana Jatraputra she tell graduate at Walden University Minnesota, she bad lady, she ugly ....... please tell me about her at
I would like know who her name Dr.Angkana Jatraputra she tell graduate at Walden University Minnesota, she bad lady, she ugly ....... please tell me about her at
Thanks
Hoper
Hello All,
To dispel any myths, I am not a member of the Walden faculty. Like many, I am a working professional trying to complete my PhD. I've read every comment on the blog and have to be brutally honest.
To dispel any myths, I am not a member of the Walden faculty. Like many, I am a working professional trying to complete my PhD. I've read every comment on the blog and have to be brutally honest.
Distance learning is not for everyone. Do your research first. Getting a PhD is expensive...Know what you're getting into in terms of totality of all aspects of the course. This includes travel and housing costs to residencies. If you walk in blind, you can get hurt.
This is not an undergraduate or a master's program. Expect to be challenged. Help does not mean getting the work done for you. Some have a definition of help similar to my third-grade daughter. She asks for help with her homework and then expects me to give her the answers. You are not going to get that in any PhD program. Don't expect a do-over on completed work. Again, this is a PhD program.
Time to take the training wheels off. You are in the program to prove you can conduct INDEPENDENT scholarly research. So, before you enroll in any PhD program, know what your getting into. It is a lot of work, and much of it will be done without the "help" some of you are used to getting.
About racism. In an online course, how can you tell the color of someone's skin? I agree that the university should strive to reflect the make-up of society and I am not niave enough to believe that discrimination of many types (ethnic, rcial, sexual, etc) does not exist in the institution, but it is hard to believe an instructor can tell the color of your skin from a post on a forum.
I am also not saying the university should not do a better job of telling people the program is tough. I believe they need to do what they can (WITHOUT lowering academic standards) to get more people through the program. But, please remember that every student happily signed up for this program in the beginning. That is why it is very important that you do your research before jumping in. I weighed my options for a year before I decided on this institution.
I am not trying to offend anyone; rather, I am trying to make this a reality check for those who want to blame the institution. I was an honor student in my Master's Class because I worked hard. I find I have been more challenged than ever. The instructors and staff have always been helpful to me.
Finally, don't expect an answer right away. In our society we are conditioned to get what we want instantly. You may have to work at it. Communication is vital in distance learning. E-mails and phone calls work well in tandem. Take responsibility to get your message out and make sure it is received clearly. Be polite, but be persistent. Bottom line: You'll get out what you put in. Worked hard, communicate, communicate, comminicate...And graduate!
My experience with Walden has gone from fair to poor. Phone calls and emails are not returned that are sent to Financial Aid. Each passing semester/quarter has progressively become worse then the one before. After requesting a return call from the Financial Aid Director and not receiving one, I contacted my state's Commission on Higher Education through the Attorney General office to request their assistance. Now, 4 weeks into the term and after notifying the Commission, who notified the President's office of my problem, I receive an angry call from a financial aid counselor and also an email from an obbudsman to call a financial aid person. I can not tell another person what to do in this life. But, I know I won't be suggesting this college to any family or friends.
After reading some of the reviews on this site, I had to add my own perspective. I have been a student at Walden for a little more than 5 years. I'm currently completing my doctoral dissertation, which has been a rigorous and demanding process, as was the coursework I completed along the way. My professors, including my current committee members, are engaged, supportive, helpful, and are focused on my success. In comparison to my undergraduate and master's programs, which I completed at traditional universities, my current program has been by far the most demanding and challenging, which should be the case at the doctoral level. In response to some of the comments regarding racism at Walden, that's not something I've personally witnessed. I've attended a number of academic residencies, and the student body is racially diverse, as was composition of the faculty. My original department chair was an African American woman, and I'm estimating that about 20% of the faculty at the residencies I attended were non-white, and included many women as well. Overall, I don't think there's anything wrong at Walden University. I would say, though, that there is a lot of bias out there about distance learning generally. So, if you're thinking about attending Walden, know that brick and mortar institutions tend to turn their noses up at graduates from private, for profit institutions like Walden. That doesn't make Walden a bad school, it's more of a perception problem than anything else. I think this will likely change as online instruction becomes more accepted overall. But, right now, it's an issue. I would say take a good look at Walden and compare it to all of the other options you have. Ask lots of questions, do your due diligence, and I think you'll find that Walden is a good option for undergraduate or graduate learning.
I enrolled thinking this would be a great alternative to a traditional PhD. You know the drill; make your own schedule, set your own hours. That was appealing to someone working about 60 hours a week. I picked the program because it aligned well with my goals. The admissions process was simple. The cost was kind of high, but like I said, I was impressed with the flexibility. I completed one class and it was more challenging than I expected. I learned quite a bit and felt like I had gotten my money's worth. The instructor was approachable, responded to email quickly and was offering insights within discussions and on papers. Well that all changed with my second course. The instructor was incredibly condescending. She was very critical of my writing - which is fine, I expect that at this level - but she would constantly change expectations and her feedback didn't jive with the other instructor in the course I'd already completed. I felt like she was changing the rules and being overly critical. But the kicker was this - I scored a low B on a paper and I asked if I could rewrite it to correct the mistakes she had listed. She agreed. She agreed that she would review it and change the grade based on the resubmission. So I rewrote the paper and wrote another at the same time and submitted both on the same day. I added the comment "here's the rewrite for paper x, thank you for allowing me this opportunity". Four days later she emailed me and said "I never said you could submit a rewrite for a higher grade". So I forwarded the original email where she agreed and she responded "that's not what I meant". It went on like this for a couple of weeks and my grades were suffering. I even got the sense that she was grading capriciously at one point and I raised it to the dean of the school. Nothing happened. The instructor denied any wrong doing and the dean sided with her in the end. So I withdrew. I'm happy I did. I found out later that others had similar experiences with that instructor. It was a shame really because the first course went so well.
I find that Walden University's academic requirements are as rigorous as other traditional universities. Having obtained my BA and Master degrees from traditional universities, I find that the course work at Walden University to be more demanding. This is largely due to the online format, where it is impossible to hide in the back of the classroom, while everyone in the class, to include your professor, can see whether you have contributed to class discussions through the online postings. Walden University also has hired some very competent and experienced professors, who hold impressive credentials, with some from Ivy League schools. It is unfortunate to hear that a few students are complaining about not getting their degrees/certificates. Walden University, like any other reputable university, expects its students to complete their course work and earn their grades. Just like other universities, you will always find disgruntled students who did not work hard enough to earn a decent grade, and resorted to bashing the university in order to make themselves feel less responsible for their own failure and shortcomings. If you enroll in Walden University, be advised that you will need to work hard to earn a decent grade and the degree. If you failed, you have no one else to blame but yourself. Good luck on your endeavors at Walden University!
I am in one huge financial nightmare with Walden, and wanted to give candid advice to others about their EdD programs. My husband and I are on only my income, one car, so I thought that Walden would provide an easier way to deal with my transportation issues, as well as my schedule. My classes (2 years of them) were great, and challenging, although expensive for someone who has maxed out student loans. The course work for the Ed.D. included professors who were knowledgeable and provided honest feedback. I had to work very, very hard, but I have maintained a 4.0.
Now, the *awful* study process...my committee chair waits 6-8+ weeks to get back to me, and each member of my committee has steered me in a different direction, meaning that I am now a full year (and $14,000) BEHIND! Attend graduation? HOW? I have no more money, nor do I have a clue as to when I'll be done. It seems like they stall on purpose--the longer it takes, the longer they are paid. I asked the methods specialist for help, and he said that I was going behind my committee chair's back--I just want direct help and answers so that I can finish! I wish I could transfer. The classes were great, but the study process is ridiculous, unclear, and there is a huge lack of communication among the various members. I attended a regular University for my Bachelor's and Master's programs, an now I am regretting investing so much time/money into WU.
The disseertation experience has been horrendous! My committee is uninformed and uncaring, and I am the lowest priority. I am basically working on it alone, since my committee chair has no Special Ed. experience, and my entire study is based on Special Ed. My methodologist completely steered me in the wrong direction, and my chair provides no support, and the IRR professor won't just email me directly--and they won't all just have a conference call or discuss everything together, which would actually get me further through the process. Also there is no one for me to speak to about my concerns, and talking to the IRR professor directly--gasp--got me into "trouble" with the committee chair. I'm an honest person, so I'm sorry if I ruffled your feathers, but I am paying for help and guidance, not this. And, academic advising is a joke! I am going to finish because I have spent so much money, but please think before investing in this school. If there was any way I could transfer these credits to another school, I would do so in a second! I am PRAYING to just get through the IRR process, and then to receive IRB approval. I am SO frustrated--really, think twice before enrolling.
As a graduate student who was receiving financial aid, I saw Walden University as a viable alternative in the beginning. As I progressed, I noticed myself more economically marginalized and everyone in any community that I resided, seemed to know when and how I was receiving a refund. The school officials are adept in ghetto jealousy, that is to say, jealousy over the student's administration of Federal Student loan funds . Finally, I submitted a 25 page research report which I was falsely accused of plagiarism. I was not given what I paid for with regards to instructor supervision of the research report or student advisement with regards to the problem. The case is now in the Dept. of Education, OCR unit. I may have no other option than to file an injunction for relief in Federal Civil Rights court. The school has a ghetto mentality where as they do not wish for the students to materially progress, they are simply in the business of taking Federal funds and limiting their number of diplomates. Interview the deans and check with the local BBB before enrolling in this university. Lawsuits are a headache!
Research Topic(s): How to motivate and empower high school students with habits that will
I don't know how this university can be talking about social change when it's probably the most racist university in the country. What kind of social change are they talking about? I have been at Walden for two years; but I have never seen any social change in their practices. I would like to see some transparency in the hiring of the professors and the administrators, who are 99.99% caucasians. How is that social change?
“If you are looking for a learning anything, Walden U is not the place. This school is a joke! Avoid it at all price!!!
I bet you Walden has employees doing nothing but monitor this forum and posting positive reviews. Unfortuantely, I am just finding out this school is a scam. Do your research before you join because you could end up wasting thousands of dollars and getting nowhere.
I graduated from WU 2009 with a Master's in Public Administration. The University faculty, staff and students were smart, challenging, helpful and invoked creative thought in their participation in classes, groups and discussions. This institution preached and social change, programs focused on developing me to adopt this philosophy and worked extra hard to develop the knowledge, skills and values to contribute and apply this to the work environment. I am proud to be a Walden Grad and Alumni. Can't seem to find name as an alum at the University. Value of education on a level with Ivy league schools, oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!
Walden is the worst school I've ever attended. I have 4 degrees and have studied all over the country. They bait you in with the free admission but you never graduate. The faculty seem very unhappy and condescend towards students constantly. It's almost as though these Ph.D's have forgotten about the struggles that they endured while trying to complete a terminal degree. Walden is not accredited in most states although they claim to be. Now i'm in clinical psychology debt but I don't have clinical psychology certification. Also, they don not find internships for their students. There public relations are diplorable. What a horrible mistake I made. They ignore my complaints and e-mails; even the president does this. However, me and many students are planning to file litigation against this institution. No higher learning is going on here really!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm in my second year working towards an EdD. in Teacher Leadership. My courses have been challenging, the faculty incredibly helpful, the support services (library, tech) excellent. I am learning so much that is relevant to my profession as teacher. I cannot recommend Walden University highly enough!
I was reading the series of reviews that were mixed with positive and negative experiences. Note that a degree mill is business (or scam) where you can literally purchase a degree, so it baseless to say that Walden is a degree mill. I have completed both reputable schools and have seen really no difference in quality. Quality is usually contingent upon the professors teaching, and may of Walden?s professors come from reputable schools as I have personally had classes with them. Many of the traditional schools have partially online programs where Walden is totally virtual. So this gives an opportunity for those with families or those with work barriers to complete school. Employers these days look for those who could do the job verses what school you attend. Nevertheless, any University can produce a ?flake?. The only really obstacle for Walden graduates is getting around the baseless judgment in part of others who have done little to no research on the University. Keep in mind Walden has both regional and national accreditations. Please research before making any judgments.
Research Topic(s): Impact of email on political leveraging
I am just finding out about my Ed. D. program; it is a huge mess. I have been writing my proposal for almost three semesters. I had two mentors and they both had no idea about the process because the administration keeps changing the process arbitrarily. I also agree with the post here about racism in the administration because if you look around you will see nothing but white men and white women. Obviously, they want our money and they work hard to get African American students in their programs but that's all they care about. Don't believe anything they tell you; it's all a scam. I feel cheated by this scam and I want my money back.
I started at this so-called "university" and promptly dropped out. It has to be nothing more than a degree mill. I'm only sorry I wasted my time with such terrible faculty and staff. They are a marketing machine and churn students in and out, and very few stay and graduate. Judge a school on the alumni and look at where they have gone in life, their reviews of the school and whether they would recommend it. In my case, I would NEVER recommend Walden U. Save yourself a lot of heartache and grief, not to mention money, and find a REAL university. This one is a fraud.
The professors, the administrators, and the staff of this school are about 99% white. Don't believe anything they tell you about social change and the higher purpose. These people are after your money alone and they have no interest in social change whatsoever. They talk about social change but they practice nothing to make it happen; actually, I would say, they are probably the most racist school there is in this country. Thank God, I attended my last residency in Atlanta; it showed me the truth about Walden, not only about their racism but also about the total chaos. I thought I was the only one who was confused about the dissertation process but I am finding out everyone is because they keep changing it and mentors themselves have no idea. I talked to 4 mentors and everyone was sending me in a different direction. You got to see this place to believe it!!!
I am a 3rd grade teacher and a graduate student more than 1/2 way through the WU program. I really love this University. I find it works well with someone who works full time and possibly has a family. The work load is not overbearing, but enough to make the learner take in information, think, and process it back out for understanding and application in the classroom. I love the fact that students do NOT have to write a thesis. I can handle 2-3 page papers every week. If getting your PhD is the same, I definitely want to go back and finish!
Research Topic(s): None-Portfolio of work instead
Walden University has about 20k students, with a dropout rate of 90%.
About 80% of the teachers are ok, the other 20% are insane and should not be teaching. If you have an issue with an insane teacher, just know that the administration is not going to listen to you at all, and sticks 100% by their money maker.
About 80% of the teachers are ok, the other 20% are insane and should not be teaching. If you have an issue with an insane teacher, just know that the administration is not going to listen to you at all, and sticks 100% by their money maker.
You get what you put into the course work, which is fun and educational for about the first 5 classes. Then you are taking the same classes over and over again, writing two or three papers instead of just one. The Walden program will milk about 6 more classes out of you compared to brick and mortar schools, until you can start to work on your PhD dissertation. They are just being greedy.
The future reputation of Walden is bleak, because they let everyone in and do not publish papers (18 in the last 20 years). Also, brick and mortar schools are starting to offer better programs.
All in all, I wish I never signed up for Walden University. Waste of time and money!
Walden University is a decent online university to attend. As a student from Harvard, I enrolled into their program because of time and travel required for my job which prevents me from attending live classes. I found Walden to require a lot of reading and writing. The school is vastly improved during my years there. As with anything, you get out of it what you put into it. If you do not do the reading, then you cheat yourself, not the instructor or the students. I have found Walden to pay particular attention to writing and developing ideas on paper. I was very happy with the results the university provided.
I am in my second year at Walden working to obtain an EdD in Teacher Leadership. So far, I'm very impressed with the program. I attended brick and mortar schools for my undergraduate and graduate degrees, and Walden is comparable in regards to rigor and accessibility of staff. In fact, I would say academically it is even more challenging. In an online course, you have to do every assignment and participate continuously with other students in your class, or else you will not be successful. And, the highest compliment I can pay the school is to say that I'm learning so much, and it is very applicable to my job. An additional advantage is the opportunity to learn from classmates and professors from all over the country and even the world. A person has to be self disciplined to do an online program, but if this describes you, I highly recommend Walden University.
“I have been pursuing my EdD for a year. It certainly is a rigorous program and I would recommend it.
Research Topic(s): I'm not that far!
I was a bit reluctant to enroll in an online program. Being my first experience, I'm very happy that I decided to pick Walden as my choice to complete my Master's in Public Health. I not only gained a lot of information, but also made lots of friends and advanced my understanding both as a researcher and public health practitioner. I also got an opportunity to utilize what I had learned through working for some great organizations( Yale University and various non-profit organizations). If you are looking for a convenient way to get your master's then I would definitely recommend the MPH program at Walden University!!!
I have had several friends get their Master's Degree in the educational field. They told me they were worthless, except to get a raise. I found that my education at Walden a very positive one. I learned lessons, ideas, methods, and ways of thinking that were directly and immediately applicable in my classroom. My way of teaching has changed due to my Master's Degree. You get out what you put in, and I got a lot out of my time at Walden. I would recommend it for an educational graduate degree.
The Graduate Nursing program at WU offers current and useful inforamtion- of course if you actually read and participate in the posts and application projects seriously. So far, each semester I have been able to apply new knowledge in the work setting. The speakers in the provided DVD's are well known authors and nurse leaders with up to date knowledge to pass on.
The books used in the program are all current and many of them copywritten in the current year-so hot off the presses so to speak.
This has not been an easy ride, but I feel that so far the effort has been worth it. An on-line program was the best option for me due to my night shift life style. If you are thinking about an on-line course, remember you need to be motivated.
Contrary to what many believe, there is nothing easy about obtaining an online Ph.D. degree from Walden University. I have worked very hard for the past 5 years and made numerous personal sacrifices to further my education. Online learning is much more difficult that a face-to-face environment for many reasons. One has to be extremely motivated, organized and driven to complete the courses. It is time-consuming yet you do not have to drive anywhere and you can complete your assignments when it is most convenient for you. I have encountered some disgruntled students but I just wonder how dedicated and motivated they actually were and if they were simply disappointed because they were expected to work instead of simply sitting back and receiving a passing grade. I am very proud of the education I have received at Walden University and highly recommend the program to others every chance I get.
I applied to Walden University because there are only a few online schools that allow you to earn your PhD entirely online. There are residencies that you must attend but they are scheduled throughout the year so you are free to attend the one that fits your schedule. Overall, I think the program is quite impressive for an online program. You complete a series of KAMs which help you to complete your dissertation at the end of your program. However, I just don't think I was a good fit for the program. First, I could not get with the concept of the KAM. The KAM process is not very structured. It is a series of essays you must write based on the research you do for that particular KAM. The concept of the KAM is wonderful but I needed more face to face guidance. Secondly, the professors appeared to be non-responsive but I guess they have other priorities as most are only part-timers. Thirdly, in the first quarter they make you pay for a research forum in which you do not participate. The reason I was told was because it keeps the students full time and allows them full time status for financial aid purposes. That leads me to my final reason for leaving..MONEY!!!! There were so many times I heard about students having maxed out all of their money which in most times were financial loans. Then getting to the dissertation process and having to pay to wait on reviews, edits, etc by faculty. Unfortunately, time is money. Not to mention you also have to pay for the residencies you attend, lodging during the residency, and food to eat during that residency.
My advice to you is to make sure that an online degree is what you want and/or need to succeed because they are expensive. You pay for everything. I don't necessarily think that you are paying for a degree but I think that you are paying for the convenience of obtaining the degree. I would suggest you do your research, also look at traditional schools that offer online courses....they may not be as convenient..but they may be cost effective...because unfortunately online degrees don't carry as much weight in the workforce as degrees from traditional universities...that may change as time goes on but in this day and age...with the economy in the shape that it's in...I wouldn't take any chances...Good Luck in your decision!
I am a PhD student in the AMDS program at Walden University. I think Walden is a great school. I have received two advanced degrees at different schools (one state university the other private university both non-profit) and I think Walden's standards are equal to the other universities I have attended. However, Walden also suffers from the same weaknesses you will find in other institutions of higher learning. I simply believe your education is only as valuable as you make it (it is what you put into it).
I will say, some of the peer reviewed research that has come out of Walden is some of the best I've seen and I am in the research industry and review peer reviewed research often.Best Wishes
Research Topic(s): Earnings Smoothing thru the use of Accounting Accruals and Derivative
After reading several reviews about Walden University, I decided to join this university in September 2008. I was very skeptical about it, not because I think on line education is bad, but because this kind of for profit universities have the fame to be diploma mills. The only way to find out is to take classes at it and find out by myself.
I wanted to pursue my PhD in management, in particular engineering management. On line was a good fit for me because it doesn’t require the complete one year residency as brick and mortar universities generally require, and allows some more flexibility. It was not going to be new experience for me, since I already took several of my master classes on line from a conventional state university. Walden seemed to have what I was looking for and it was listed as one of the approved universities by my employer, so I was going to be able to apply for educational assistance.
Well, here is my story: If you can, stay away from Walden. Take this advice from someone that has taken on line classes from a brick and mortar university and knows what bad and good both service and education are. Walden is a business, thy will try to get as much money fro you as possible, regardless of what you do academically. They will task you with homework, lots and lots, whose value is more than doubtful. If you submit it on time, you got points. The feedback you get from the instructor is useless, and they force you to participate in nonsense discussions with no value whatsoever. Unless you really what to learn something from this, this is just a waste of time. Their ideas of KAM are good, but again you are on your own to learn something.
For those of you that think that customer service is bad, you are right. Customer service is terrible. They treat you very well when they are trying to hook you up. After that, forget about it. But, this is not much different from my experience in my state university.
Now for the worst part: It is expensive. They tell you that a quarter is $ 4,1700.00, but what they do not tell you is that depending in what time of the year you register, there will be bridge course until the new quarter begins. They register in this type a course during the first quarter, but they tell you not to do anything on it until the 12 week. Then at this time, they automatically register for this class again for an additional $ 1,500.00! When I complained about it, I was told that this is the way the university works, so I told them that unless the charge was removed from my account, I would not register again. I am still waiting for an answer. The most fantastic thing was that I did not submit any work or participated in any discussions for this class and still got a satisfactory as final grade!
In top of this, you have to pay for residencies (6 of them with a cost of $800.00 to $ 1200.00) and books, even a simple $ 10.00 DVD ( Pleas let me know how your textbooks were included, mine were not)
Bottom line: This school has to be considered as a last resort. I am out of it and registering for a local, in state and well-known university. It is a business, and they will treat you like that. And believe me, I can distinguish between meaningful work and ajust work.
I have about two months to go before completing my Walden's Masters program - Educational Strategies, Curriculum, and Assessment. This fully accredited distance learning university has been extremely beneficial, and I would (and do) recommend it to any of my friends, family,or colleagues. Each of the 10 8-week courses are formatted to introduce interesting, thought-provoking theories and strategies regarding successful teaching and learning. Then, importantly, we are given the opportunity to put the theory into practice in our classrooms. I am an Intermediate Special Education, supporting students with mild to moderate disabilities, and I know that I have learned strategies that will improve my students' learning and, in fact, help them become self-directed learners.
Research Topic(s): portfolio - no thesis
I enjoy the program I am in. I am not sure what it will mean when I finish but I am one that thinks it is what you make it. I have found the caliber of some of my colleagues are really not prepared for Ph.D. work. I have found some of my professors are simply looking for people to turn in something and they will do well... though I do not know where I stand in comparison to others in my classes. I think over all it is a good school. I did NOT really enjoy my residency but believe that is because my facilitator was too busy telling us how wonderful he was. I am looking forward to finishing my degree.
I've recently completed my first residency with Walden. I have to say that it was one of the most rewarding, insightful, and positive experiences of my life. The faculty are kind, supportive, and truly interested in seeing that each student receives the attention that he or she requires. I highly recommend it. I'm focused on earning my PhD. I know that I am succeeding as a student at Walden University.
I have just completed 2 1/2 yrs at Walden in the MS in Nursing program. It is a strange program in that one class it can be very rigorous and in the next class very easy. I would say 75% of the instructors are engaged and truly interested in advancing the practice of nursing. The other 25% seemingly could care less. Many of the instructors are hung up on the title "Doctor" and there is much academic snobbery!
The MS in Nursing is accredited by the CCNE which was important to me as this accrediting body is known nationally for accrediting graduate nursing programs and frankly, in my opinion legitimizes the degree. The CCNE accreditation does remove some of the stigma attached to a "online degree". Without this accreditation I would not have enrolled in Walden's program.
The courses are set up with one or two main posts each week with responses required to at least 3 other postings. There is a hefty amount of reading required each week and DVD lectures from some of the most recognized names in nursing. Additionally, there is usually an application (research paper) due every week. All submitted work must use APA style and each post and research papers must have appropriate references to support your stance (no original thoughts allowed!) I typically have spent between 12-18 hours per week, reading, responding to other students and writing papers.
I chose an online degree program because of my current position requires frequent travel and so obviously that does not allow for a traditional brick and mortar setting. The online setting requires discipline to complete all work on time.
I would have to say that this program will give you back what you put into it. I have utilized the education I have received so far to implement change in my work setting.
Hope this helps!
The standards at Walden University are not measurable or visible and I regret making the decision to enroll here. The Administration, policies and graduate procedures are lacking in compassion, inovation, student respect and teamwork. The graduation process is very long and drawn out and I have had to invest much more in tuition fees and time than what was expected.I would not recommend this university to anyone.
I am a wife and working mother of two children. My workplace supports my continued education. I have finished several classes and all of them have contained valuable information that I have applied directly to my work. Walden is suppling me with an education that I can use on a daily basis. As a result it is taking my career to the next level. Someone else mentioned it is really what you do with what you learn. I am going into the world and establishing myself as an educated professional. It is what I do in life with the gifts I have, not what I say that is the most important.
It know one person said having Walden on their resume seemed to be an issue. Yet, what I have learned at Walden was the ability to network through generosity. With this skill getting jobs is about the relationships that have been built over time and not blindly sending out resumes. Education is important and should be available to anyone looking for it. People are searching for different ways to accomplish similar things. Personally, with my time restraints Walden is a perfect fit for me. My kids to bed at 8:30, I can study at night and everyone is successful.
Great school. Working hard will get you good grades. Regionally accredited and employers accept the degree. Excellent choice for a PhD.
Im having a great time at Walden. Walden is not a diploma mill, you can tell that person isn't a Walden student, just an angry ex-student or ex-employee.Ask any Walden student and they will tell you that you have to work to get your degree, you will learn, and your degree has value in your field. They won't hold your hand in class, you have to do the work
“The school's financial aid department is the most incompetent department I have ever seen anywhere.
I will have to start off by saying that I have been to both traditional and on-line schools. I can honestly say that at this point the only reason that I have not left this school is because I have already wasted so much of my money and time. Please do not be fooled by the nice admissions sales person you will talk to. Trust me. The helpfulness stops there. Here is this school in bullet points.
1)Get ready for busy work that has nothing to do with your class subject. You will be doing it and doing it often.
2)Get used to not having an advisor. When you call them they are not helpful and will harm you more than they should. You can try to e-mail them but good luck at getting a response.
3)You professors are allowed to ignore you. Don't contact the administration about it. They don't care because they already have your tuition money.
4)Never forget this is a corporation and nobody there has to assist you with anything.
5)Most of the students at this school are miserable. When you are reading these reviews, be cautious that Walden faculty and staff can post on these sites too and yes some of them are students.If you want to get the most out of your education and be respected by the community that will someday hire you, choose another school besides Walden.
I am pleased with my selection of Walden. I am an MBA/PhD student. The coursework was relevant to my personal business goals. In most group assignments that activities mirrored what would happen in a real life situation. My opinion may be biased toward situations that lend themselves to self employment. Looking for a job is not part of my future success plan. Generating revenues as a business owner is my goal. Walden helped to prepare me for my goal.
Walden University offers an excellent opportunity for individuals who are achievement oriented. Walden's PhD programs are supportive and nurturing. My profession requires me to travel extensively and I have family obligations, which make it very difficult for me to go to a brick and mortar school. Without Walden, I would not have a PhD. I applaud Walden for inventing an academic format that meets the needs of working adults seeking to upgrade their academic credentials. Walden is clearly designed for hardworking highly motivated professionals who are accomplishment oriented. If you are that type of individual, then go to Walden and you will not be sorry. Walden's reputation will only get better due to the high quality of its graduates, professors, technology, and administration.
With the support you receive from Walden, it becomes quite evident that the only reason for failure or mediocrity is due to the work ethic and ability of the individual student. Walden is a special place for exceptional students. The educational model takes a moment to get used to but once you've mastered the various communication modes and structures, you can soar if you're a serious student. The school's reputation will grow as Walden graduates make their marks in the world.
The school is wonderful. I have no complaints. It uses the latest technology and learning approaches to education. You will not be disappointed if you are willing to work hard. If you are planning to go into the PhD prgram, prepare to publish or perish if you intend to have a successful career.
My background: BA in Psych from UCSB 95, MPA from USC 01, 10+ years of social service, 7+ years in government contracted work and I want to work to develop public policy or do policy analysis.
I am now a parent of a toddler and am also a f/t employee of a cultural exchange program, so I travel internationally and need flexibility in a graduate program. I was looking for ways to develop my skills in public policy analysis and academic research, and I am not as interested in completing a PhD as I was in getting more "school" out of my prior schooling. My earlier degrees were from better known schools and were very easy. This one is online and is also easy, for me, but takes more juggling to accomplish. The level of reading is average, straightforward and educational. The writing requirements have brought me back up to an elevated level that I have missed, as I do not write for academics anymore in my professional sphere.
I find it suspicious that a lot of the reviewers criticizing the education and the psychology academic programs cannot seem to spell. That might explain a lot of the problems they are having with the program itself! I noticed that many other low scorers somehow missed the warning that their degree may *not* be useful in the state they are living in. I agree that can make you pretty frustrated, but that's why you are supposed to check out the information about your school of choice before applying.
Anyway, if you want to do a lot of writing, read a lot of peer reviewed journals and develop strengths in a specific project from your area of interest, this is a good school to do it with. If you want prestige from a degree, go to a well recognized school like USC or a UC and get it done before you have a kid. If you've already done that for your lower degrees and did well and crave more, then Walden's a nice fit. It's less expensive than a school like USC, is more attentive than the grant driven professors at UC, and it's the wave of the future in education and online/distance learning. People who say it's a diploma mill probably got very little out of their Bachelor's or Master's degrees. I always say it's what you put into something that makes what you get out of it worth the effort. What you make of yourself is up to you! There are incredible people at Walden, and when you get the chance to have online chats with people from around the world and the country who are doing the same assignments, and feeling the same frustrations as yourself, it makes you realize just how globally enervating the education is at Walden.
My Masters in Education has hurt my career more than it has helped. Employers see it and immediately associate it with mediocrity or, even worse, a degree mill. It does not matter that I worked to get it, and that Walden is accredited, all they see is the name and they turn up their noses.You will have to live with your Masters for the rest of your life. So get your degree from a better school.
The school is quite wonderful. The one on one experience with your assigned faculty advisor is priceless in and of itself. The program was most rewarding because of the caliber of instructors and students. My interactions were extremely positve. If you are a working professional, the synergy of attending Walden coupled with your professional day to day experience is an extermely powerful learning experience. I grew as an intellectual and scholar due to my Walden experience.
My masters from Walden is worthless. No one will even consider me and thinks that this school is a diploma mill. It's hard to argue when they advertise through spam mail and had their start in a hotel in Miami. I wasted two years of my life, and tens of thousands of dollars, for a degree that people laugh at.
I graduated last year with a PhD in Public Health from Walden University and have since realized that it was a complete waste of my time and money. Sure the knowledge that I gained was wonderful, but I cannot get anyone to accept my degree as a reputable degree. I have since fallen back on my MBA for employment. Walden’s name in the marketplace is not good nor does Walden provide any help in connections or job placement. This is extremely rare for a graduate school and shows that they really don't care where you land on your feet after you get your degree.
The professors at Walden are usually professional and competent. Walden does an excellent job at recruiting seasoned professors from other schools to work part time at Walden. They can do so because the classes are canned. No matter who you have, the class is the same. Individual instruction or attention is not an option no matter how much trouble you may have or promise you may show.
The administrative staff at Walden is abysmal. Their turnover is high, politeness is rare, and the departments refuse to talk to one another. Most of the complaints that I heard while going through school was of the distance of the administrative staff. I don’t think that anyone expects an all online school to be exactly like a traditional campus, but it really doesn’t need to be so unfriendly and inept. Take it from this graduate: find another school because this one will not help your career.
My experience in the Master's Program for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment was terrific. I can't stand being a student. I'm tired after teaching all day and ended up falling asleep in my classes. This was a great alternative. I was able to use my lesson plans in class, and we still use the theoretical components in our faculty meetings for best practices. The speakers on the DVDs have published books that we also use for staff development in best practices. The work I did not find to be difficult. If you are self-disciplined, then I would absolutely reccommend this program for you!
Based on a very good friend’s recommendation I enrolled in Walden’s online (e college) master’s in education program (curriculum, design, and assessment). My friend told me that she had a great experience with the program, I valued her thoughts and opinions. She also told me it was tough, but very doable. Without really looking around too much, I dove right into program. I am set to finish my masters at Walden in 2008
My intention of this review is to give an honest and thoughtful critique of this program. Therefore, I will present both the upside and downside of Walden based on my experience and opinion, so that there are no surprises should you decide to take this route to earn your master’s degree in education.
From the onset let me point out that this is program is very different from anything out there, and might be a good fit for some, but not for everyone. The online environment presents its own issues that are very unlike what you would experience in a “brick and mortar†college. Walden promotes the idea of building an online community, but the reality is that you are “pretty much†on your own, so before you even think about going this route, you better be a somewhat self motivated person or “forget about it!â€
Below I have listed both the positive and the negatives aspects of this online program. First the positive:
1. The DVDs for each course does have a number top-notch speakers who present the information well.
2. There is not an overwhelming of material to read, and much of it is very interesting.
3. Their online situation means you do not have to waste lot of time and gas driving to school. You have the convenience of accessing your classroom at anytime
4. Most of the teachers are very fair and reasonable
5. The support staff seems to be very patient and friendly.
6. The cost is comparable to most master’s programs
Now the downside or real “skinny†on the program
1. Unlike many programs, Walden does not require a thesis project. However, before you jump for joy, and say “what’s wrong with that?†Let me tell you that you “will†do a 30 to 40 plus page collaborative action research paper. This paper must be completed in 8 weeks, and it is every bit as rigorous and demanding as a thesis paper. However, a final project is due and consists of a portfolio that you must submit at the end of your 20 months of classes that focuses on meeting 18 different outcomes. Essentially you have to match these 18 different outcomes (or standards) with different papers you have written through your tenure in the program. Sounds confusing, it is!
2. As a student enrolled in this program you are required to write at least one 3 to 4 page APA style paper (sometimes longer, but rarely shorter) once a week. Some weeks you are required to write two papers (an application and reflective paper).
3. Walden is “very strict†about the APA format. I actually experienced one professor that verbally “brow beat†the whole class because some students were not following every jot and tittle of the APA format.
4. Along with the application and reflective papers you are also required to write a discussion piece that is posted on an online forum for your classmates and professor to read (APA style with 2 to 3 references, one of those references must be from an outside source). During the week you must post three responses to other people’s posts, and complete a 4-question review on the readings and DVD program. Remember, this is once a week. Most of the time I spent an average of 20 hours or more a week trying to complete all of this work (rarely less).
5. Though Walden preaches that their curriculum is meant to be meaningful and applicable to your teaching situation, in my opinion the program is only somewhat applicable, and the course work is really overwhelming, to the point that they almost work you to death.
6. Total papers written in this program, not counting discussion posts or responses will be well over 100 (not counting the 30 to 40 page collaborative action Research project). Remember all of these papers must in APA style and contain both outside and course references. If you love to write, then this may not be an issue for you.
All that I have described to you is my opinion based on my experience enrolled at Walden. If you have no other options for earning a master’s degree, then I would not discourage you from enrolling in this program. However, if your district accepts National University (online or “brick and mortar†program), or another ten-month master’s programs, or you have a local university that is offering a “cohort†program then I would implore you to look into it, and if looks at all inviting, then go for it! However, if you have a family and do not care about seeing them very much for over 20 months, then Walden will fit the bill (get my drift).
For the record, by the time I really got the gist of this program I was in way too deep. Had I know that this program would be so demanding and inapplicable to my teaching situation I would have never enrolled in it in the first place. Sure, a master’s program should not be easy, but you have to consider both the demands of your job and family life in the equation. There is a price to pay, but is a master’s degree that is so demanding worth the price when it has the potential to cause both your job and family life to suffer? There are probably more difficult programs out there, but if your goal is to get a bump in pay, you want to watch your children grow up, and want to keep a good balance in your life, then this program is “definitely†not for you (unless you are single and don’t have any other options in your area to get a master’s degree).
Be that as it may, there is light at the end of the tunnel, I will finish in a few months and wipe the dust off my feet. But in the wake of this program are many doubts, regrets, and hours spent in front of a computer screen that I will never get back.
For the record I am still friends with the person that suggested Walden to me in the first place. However, she has apologized profusely for not giving me the whole story. She also failed to tell me that her sister was an English teacher who continually helped her with all of her papers. (OOPS! Live and learn!). Nevertheless, I am sure that there are many that would disagree with my assessment of Walden, and that is their right, just like it is my right to express my opinion. With that said, I would encourage you to do the research and make up your own mind about where you want to get your master’s degree. But please consider what I have written here, because I have given it to you straight (something you will not get from Walden). Good luck with whatever route you decide to take, but you have been warned!
I found Walden University to be a sham. The instructors are automotons( every course is the same) and some of the instructors are downright dumb. I have found that the instructors either have an ax to grind and can hide behind the internet when doing it, or grade your papers within the hour!
The administration is unapproachable. If you have a problem with an instructor, you might as well suck it up, because no one will listen to you anyway. Don't pay your bill until they threaten you, because they pull such shinnanigans, it is the only thing you can hold over their head.
Their advising team is worse. I swear, they get them from a temp. agency.Save your money, choose another school.
I have a M.S. in Ed, and am considering Walden for Special Ed endorsement. I do have a family and am concerned that the program may take away too much time from them. I alreadly sacrificed 5 years of family life. I am wondering about the rigors of the program, and i heard that there may be a special ed endorsement of only 20-25 credits, to be offered this spring, without student teaching. Please tell me about typical work expectations per week, per class - hours, length of papers, APA format demand, difficulty and format of quizzes, tests, clarity or confusion of online program, and the value of the special ed classes themselves, if you have personally taken them.
Based on a very good friend’s recommendation I enrolled in Walden’s online (e college) masters in education program (curriculum, design, and assessment). My friend told me that she had a great experience with the program, I valued her thoughts and opinions. She also told me it was tough, but very doable. Without really looking around too much, I dove right into program. I am set to finish my masters at Walden in 2008
My intention of this review is to give an honest and thoughtful critique of this program. Therefore, I will present both the upside and downside of Walden based on my experience and opinion, so that there are no surprises should you decide to take this route to earn your master’s degree.
From the onset let me point out that this is program is very different from anything out there, and might not be a good fit for some, but not for everyone. The online environment presents its own issues that are very unlike what you would experience in a “brick and mortar†college. Walden promotes the idea of building an online community, but the reality is that you are “pretty much†on your own, so before you even think about going this route, you better be a somewhat self motivated person or “forget about it!â€
Below I have listed both the positive and the negatives aspects of this online program. First the positive:
1. The DVD for each course does have a number top-notch speakers who present the information well.
2. There is not an overwhelming of material to read, and much of it is very interesting.
3. Their online situation means you do not have to waste lot of time and gas driving to school. You have the convenience of accessing your classroom at anytime
4. Most of the teachers are very fair and reasonable
5. The support staff seems to be very patient and friendly.
6. The cost is comparable to most master’s programs
Now the downside or real “skinny†on the program
1. Unlike many programs, Walden does not require a thesis project. However, before you jump for joy, and say “what’s wrong with that?†let me tell you that you “will†do a 30 to 40 plus page collaborative action research paper. This paper must be completed in 8 weeks, and it is every bit as rigorous and demanding as a thesis paper. However, a final project is due and consists of a portfolio that you must submit at the end of your 20 months of classes that focuses on meeting 18 different outcomes. Essentially you have to match these 18 different outcomes (or standards) with different papers you have written through your tenure in the program. Sounds confusing, it is!
2. As a student enrolled in this program you are required to write at least one 3 to 4 page APA style paper (sometimes longer, but rarely shorter) once a week. Some weeks you are required to write two papers (an application and reflective paper).
3. Walden is “very strict†about the APA format. I actually experienced one professor that verbally “brow beat†the whole class because some students were not following every jot and tittle of the APA format.
4. Along with the application and reflective papers you are also required to write a discussion piece that is posted on an online forum for your classmates and professor to read (APA style with 2 to 3 references, one of those references must be from an outside source). During the week you must post three responses to other people’s posts, and complete a 4-question review on the readings and DVD program. Remember, this is once a week. Most of the time I spent an average of 20 hours or more a week trying to complete all of this work (rarely less).
5. Though Walden preaches that their curriculum is meant to be meaningful and applicable to your teaching situation, in my opinion the program is only somewhat applicable, and the course work is really overwhelming, to the point that they almost work you to death.
6. Total papers written in this program, not counting discussion posts or responses will be well over 100 (not counting the 30 to 40 page collaborative action Research project). Remember all of these papers must in APA style and contain both outside and course references. If you love to write, then this may not be an issue for you.
All that I have described to you is my opinion based on my experience enrolled at Walden. If you have no other options for earning a master’s degree, then I would not discourage you from enrolling in this program. However, if your district accepts National University (online or “brick and mortar†program), or another ten-month master’s programs, or you have a local university that is offering a “cohort†program then I would implore you to look into it and if looks at all inviting, then go for it! However, if you have a family and do not care about seeing them very much for over 20 months, then Walden will fit the bill (get my drift).
For the record, by the time I really got the gist of this program I was in way too deep. Had I know that this program would be so demanding and inapplicable to my teaching situation I would have never enrolled in it in the first place. Sure, a master’s program should not be easy, but you have to consider both the demands of your job and family life in the equation. There is a price to pay, but is a master’s degree that is so demanding worth the price when it has the potential to cause both your job and family life to suffer? There are probably more difficult programs out there, but if your goal is to get a bump in pay, you want to watch your children grow up, and want to keep a good balance in your life, then this program is “definitely†not for you (unless you are single and don’t have any other options in your area to get a master’s degree).
Be that as it may, there is light at the end of the tunnel, I will finish in a few months and wipe the dust off my feet. But in the wake of this program are many doubts, regrets, and hours spent in front of a computer screen that I will never get back.
For the record I am still friends with the person that suggested Walden to me in the first place. However, she has apologized profusely for not giving me the whole story. She also failed to tell me that her sister was an English teacher who continually helped her with all of her papers. (OOPS! Live and learn!). Nevertheless, I am sure that there are many that would disagree with my assessment of Walden, and that is their right, just like it is my right to express my opinion. With that said, I would encourage you to do the research and make up your own mind about where you want to get your master’s degree. But please consider what I have written here, because I have given it to you straight (something you will not get from Walden). Good luck with whatever route you decide to take, but you have been warned!
Here's the thing, if you have the option to give up your time and your life offers flexibility to go to a land based institution, then it is probably a better program. What you are missing at Walden is being around coined PhD's and doing the internship/teaching part of the program. HOWEVER, this is all changing and less people have the ability to pause three to four years of their life to do so on a stipend, therefore distance education is gaining momentum.
I would agree that Walden is profit oriented and accepts anyone, but as you go through the residencies and classes, the amount of students that actually make it through the end of the program are very few in number. You will be really frustrated in your first couple of classes, but after that your peers will have absolutely stepped up a few notches.
I have gotten a lot out of my Walden degree (just moving into Dissertation), but I'd be lying if I said there were certain "traditionally degreed" individuals at the academic institution I've been teaching at for 3 years that haven't tried to poo poo it. I wouldn't have given up my well over 6 figure salary early on in my life to go that route though as I wasn't pursuing academia back then. Basically, It comes down to what you do with it. If you go this route, choose a tough dissertation committee and publish the hell out of it when you get yourself degreed. I agree with one of the above posts in that there is much you can do to validate your doctorate for those who poo poo it with how you use and apply it.
Moral of the story, it is not an easy degree to achieve, and it is definitely inferior to land-based programs in reputation, BUT I'm going on tenure track in the fall at an AACSB institution with an ABD status from Walden.
On a related note, I have a peer that has a PhD from a FAR INFERIOR institution than Walden, but he was extremely well published, and just left our university to go to move to a state school. It just further stresses that it is less about the degree and more about your research and publications.
Couple of pieces of advice, if you choose Walden, use the self-paced structure to your advantage, you can get this done in 2 years without giving up a 6 figure salary...and be totally prepared and committed to backing up your degree with significant publications and contributions to your field.
Good luck.
Walden does not issue school email IDs to students (this web site asked for my school email ID).
I am at the end of my first year at Walden, and I am in the master's of general psychology program. Walden is not your usual university, but it has some advantages.
I am at the end of my first year at Walden, and I am in the master's of general psychology program. Walden is not your usual university, but it has some advantages.
1) I had a good undergraduate record, but I took no psychology credits, and Walden accepted me. I was on probation for two quarters because I did not have a related undergraduate degree, but I got good grades, so it was not a problem.
2) The programs at Walden are designed for people who work and need flexibility.
3) Many minority students in my classes comment that they like being anonymous in the classroom.
4) You are presented with interesting course materials, and if you study you will learn a lot about your area of study.
That's all the good things I that I can tell you at this point. Here are some not-so-good things:
1) I have not tried to transfer credits, but I expect to find it difficult. I am keeping a portfolio of my work to help me in the credit-transfer process.
2) Many teachers will give you minimal feedback. I generally do well on all my assignments, but I would still like to see feedback about minor problems that would be an issue at other schools.
3) I do not have any information about the grades that other students get, but based on the public postings of all of our homework, I would say that it is relatively easy to pass a course at Walden. I would estimate that half about1/3 of the posted homework assignments would get failing grades at a regular school. Surprisingly, about 1/3 also do very good work. Many of the students already have master's degrees in other areas and there is typically a person (or two) in each of my classes that already has a PhD in a different field (some come back to school for clinical psych after working in a related field).
That is my list of pros and cons, and here are a few notes about how the program works at Walden:
1) Each online class has about 25 students. You read your textbooks each week and then write one or two research papers per week in each class. My papers are usually 2-5 pages each, single-spaced with anywhere from 2-6 references in a typical post. You then copy your essay in text format to the bulletin board, and you have to critique at least one other essay for every one that you post. You typically need to include journal articles in every post, but you can easily get passing grades by using only the textbook (which should not be the case).
2) Walden has online databases of research journals that you can use to do your research. The databases do not compare to the completeness that you would find at a state university, so I go to a local university to get some extra information. Most students rely on the Walden databases for research. There is also a program where you can get library books from a school in Indiana, but I have never used it.
3) Many classes have quizzes, and they are a joke. The questions are usually easy considering that they are open-book, but I have had a few bad questions. The quizzes are typically 10 multiple-guess questions, and sometimes a final exam will be 20 easy questions. I am registered for three classes now and only one has an exam (the rest use homework, term papers, and group projects).
4) Most classes will have a term paper of 15--20 pages double-spaced with about 30 or so references. I have a class this quarter in which our term paper is a consolidation of the weekly assignments, but usually you have to pick a relevant topic and write a paper (which I should be doing now instead of writing this!).
5) I graduated in the top 1% of my undergraduate class at a regular state school, so it is not surprising that I am getting good grades at an online school. I am also learning a lot, in part because I am a very independent learner and I work hard. Unfortunately, I do not expect other schools exhibit high regard for my work here. As I mentioned above, I am keeping a portfolio of my work to help me when I apply for a PhD program.
6) Some people in my classes find it difficult to learn on their own--you could say that they have “different learning styles” or that they have learning disabilities. If you are in this group, this may not be the school for you unless you have no alternative.
7) I suspect that you could get a degree from this school without doing quality work, but you will need to make a serious effort to complete your term papers and manage your time. The best way to fail at Walden is to not manage your time!
8) Although I gave Walden low scores in most areas, I am happy where I am because of my unique situation. If a conventional brick-and-mortar school does not suit your needs, maybe Walden will.
Summary
Walden University is all about social change. Minorities like myself find that intriguing. Wald is a great school to work towards a Masters or PhD, which affords the student an opportunity to get an education and still have a life. I find that I can still have a life despite my school work. Walden University has been around for over 30 years and it is name is not plastered all over the internet talking about fraud. If you're seeking a good education Walden may be for you.
Walden University is all about social change. Minorities like myself find that intriguing. Wald is a great school to work towards a Masters or PhD, which affords the student an opportunity to get an education and still have a life. I find that I can still have a life despite my school work. Walden University has been around for over 30 years and it is name is not plastered all over the internet talking about fraud. If you're seeking a good education Walden may be for you.
Reflection
I chose Walden because I was coming from another school that treated me poorly. It was taking my money and I felt I wasn't getting a quality education. I found Walden and became interested in their doctoral programs. I found the school school psychology. Let me say, my experience here thus far is much easier to manage.
From the moment I walked into their doors I was treated with respect and like an adult. I was allowed to make my own decisions. Financial aid was respectful and concise. And I liked that. When I made a phone call it was returned promptly. By the time I was ready to start courses everything was set.
My courses are challenging and are not simply thesis based, but there are also test and quizzes. I am currently taking a course where not only do I have to take a quiz, post my discussion assignment, but do homework as well. So they work is definitely worth the time you put into it. Of course some students don't care while others can be consider snooty but that goes with anywhere. I enjoy my classes and the time I put into them. The course room uses Blackboard.
Final thoughts
-Walden is expensive as with most online schools. So filing for financial aid is important.
-Walden is regionally accredited and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
-Walden has their own school magazine
-Walden psychology students have their own group called the American Psychological Society (APS).
-Walden is about research and social change
Do your research and choose the school that best fits you.
Walden put the "distance" in distance learning. The lack of responsive human contact is stunning. It's not a bad program on paper, but that is where it ends.
Walden University faculty and staff has been there for me since day one. My faculty mentor and I happen to be alumni of the same undergraduate university and the quality of training and education I receive is equivalent to that of the top ten schools. Walden is accredited by the same regional organization that accredits schools such as Purdue and Notre Dame.
I had no issues getting financial aid and everyone is there to help.
I advise that you beware of Walden University all together. While there are some good professors, the organization as a whole seems to be very uniterested in teaching and much more interested in making money. They have poor record keeping financially, they earn little respect professionally, and most universities will not accept any transfer credits from Walden. While I had some good courses, I have regreted using Walden to attain my graduate degree, because it cost more money and caused more stress and disappointment than it was worth. Most professional businesses and Universities scoff at this poor excuse for an education, as well they should.
I advise that you beware of Walden University all together. While there are some very good professors (that teach online part time), the Walden organization as a whole seems to be very uniterested in teaching and much more interested in making money. They have poor record keeping financially, evidenced by monthly turnovers of Bursar staff and no continuity. They are not accredited by APA, they earn little respect professionally, and most universities will not accept any transfer credits from Walden. While I had some good courses, I have regreted using Walden to attain my graduate degree, because it cost more money and caused more stress and disappointment than it was worth. While I did learn a significant amount, and I earned an accredited graduate degree, most professional businesses and Universities scoff at this poor excuse for an education, as well they should. If I had to describe Walden in one word, I would use the word SCAM!
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