Walden University

Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: Social Work (This Major's Salary over time)
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.