The University of Maryland University College

Date: Oct 31 2004
Major: Psychology (This Major's Salary over time)
Here is some good advice to anyone considering attending:

If you are planning to major in the social sciences and pursue a career based on that major, meaning that you may require graduate school, consider other schools. There are many other schools that incorporate a "great books" education that you can attend. At UMUC you will probably never buy or be asked to crack the spine of a "great book". The UMUC books are over-priced lower-level, condensed textbooks for fast and easy courses rather than primary sources, and the online courses offer worse. UMUC courses are not designed to teach you to think analytically. UMUC does not offer a good education in the social sciences field, rather UMUC courses offer a very narrow understanding of the field. You will be expected to memorize for a generous passing grade. You should not expect to learn critical thinking skills through UMUC courses.

The school does not foster the growth of the mind, but keeps a tight, almost Orwellian control on the military contract that is the financial basis of the school's existence and the jobs of the school staff (Orwell's 1984 and other books were my own purchase, certainly not required as part of any course). It's about the military contract not higher education. If you want to be indoctrinated with official pro-school propaganda, and pro-UMUC testimonials, and do not wish to actually learn how to improve analytical skills in the field, UMUC is the place. UMUC simply manufactures self-serving testimonials, and provides few cutting edge educational experiences (other than perhaps providing the peripatetic adjunct professor). UMUC is under contract with the Department of Defense and US Army in Europe. Or put another way, you, the taxpayer, pay for what UMUC loosely calls a higher education program.