American Military University

If you have experience excellent experience in the Intelligence Community already, look for a better and more challenging school. AMU has not provided me with any significant or challenging contributions with which to enhance my knowledge base. All classes are taught with dated material. If you are a hard worker and respect robust course reading and academic challenge, go some place else.

This college appears to have gone through a customer service revamping in the past 18 months. For students attempting to enter a program with any transfer credits, the registrar office will show line-by-line which classes will transfer for what. Once you enter the program, nearly none of the original classes will transfer. The transfer department says 2-3 weeks on their website for transfer credits to be awarded. After 6 weeks the credits were still not awarded. After 6 months the credits were not awarded. No one picks up the phone or answers emails back. Even with the security verification sent with every email, customer service contractors around the country will send back an automated email saying they require verification; which was in the first email, showing they don't even read it. It's just kicked to the next person. Although half my credits would transfer and were verified, the TCE office refused any transfer credits after I emailed them once per week for 5 months. None of the syllabus attachments were opened, none of the transcripts were opened. The rating of this "college" is going down quickly. They don't care about military members. They care about our GI Bill or veteran's benefits keeping their lights on. I do not recommend this college to anyone who wants a quality education or responsive department when help is needed

One of the really great things about AMU is that there is support for any of your concerns, whether it be financial aid, questions about courses or any other matter. I have actually called with a question and spoken to a dean. The instructors are well educated and well versed in the workforce. Intelligence Studies is a very precise field in that you must be able to prove through credible, scholarly sources why you think what you think. You will be trained in critical thinking. You will get to know the students through forum interaction... and they have valuable first hand real-world experience. The stories are great! I love this school.

The Intelligence and Homeland Security programs at AMU are awesome! The environment is one of leaders in the field, and the opportunities as a result of being in the program have exceeded my expectations by a mile. I couldn't be happier. I couldn't recommend them higher, and I am already in the field. AMU is outstanding. Also, something that I found really different from other education environments, the professors work very hard to find opportunities for the students and by my second course, I was already published. Amazing opportunity, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of it.

The teachers don't teach, grades are dependent on formatting not thought or content, forum posts are often copied and pasted by students with full credit and even replied to by the teachers with copy and paste showing they don't read the posts. The app is worthless (you can't post in the forums, you can't access most lesson information, etc, and the whole setup is confusing). The website with a computer is total crap for trying to write a post for the class forums (you can't edit what you type well as the cursor jumps all over the place and doesn't pay attention to what you're trying to do). Every single time signed up for classes, I had to go through a whole huge mess of contacting the financial aid office to deal with redoing my financial aid paperwork, and most of the time I couldn't even get answers. Also when paying for classes each time, the student has to do all the math and everything that the financial aid office is supposed to do just to figure out how to fill out the stupid form online which has too many different ways to do it and they want it different each semester, and the student has to figure out how much they're supposed to pay rather than being told. If the student is off by even a single dollar, they can forget about getting into class and it takes more than a week to get any sort of answers from anyone about anything. I was forced to take a month off of classes because they changed paperwork for my financial aid and yet wouldn't give me the link to it or send it to me. It took me about a month just to get that taken care of. When I started here, Homeland Security recognized this school as having a good Intelligence program and a good Cyber Security program. While I've been taking classes, that was reversed. Homeland no longer recognizes AMU as anything. In the introductory webinars you can take, they claim you can get all sorts of assistance of all sorts of types, and a mentor, and all kinds of things. They lie. You can't get anything. You're lucky to get an answer to a question about an assignment from a teacher before the class is over. This school is a waste of time, effort and money, and has really killed any interest I had in getting a degree. It's nothing but lies resulting in a very expensive piece of paper that no one recognizes as a degree. If I sound bitter, it's because I started out really looking forward to getting a degree that would get me into my dream job of intelligence work. This school has not only killed my dream, and wasted my time and money, but it also destroyed any confidence I had thanks to all the problems, non-teaching (even downright straight up insults from some of the so-called teachers), high stress and lies. I am currently shopping for another school because I need to be able to get a job, but I no longer have any real desire to pursue anything anymore thanks to all the BS, trouble, stress and lies from AMU.

Honest Review: I just finished my Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence Studies. I have traveled a great deal and went to 3 different brick and mortar schools (1x local community college, 1x major public university, and 1x major private university) before settling down with AMU. I was skeptical of an online education but it was necessary based upon my travels. Now I can honestly say that I DO NOT regret choosing AMU one bit. I do understand not everyone has had a good experience but my experience was overwhelmingly positive during class as well as discussing AMU with hiring managers. Key points: 1) Tuition: Let’s be honest, tuition is great at AMU. It is even better when you consider how military friendly they are. It was very easy to use military tuition assistance benefits (tuition assistance, MGIB, post 9-11 Bill, etc.). Not once in 2 years did I have even a single complication with my benefits. Everything was always paid for on time and I kept attending classes uninterrupted. There is a peace of mind that comes from knowing things go smoothly. 2) Brick and Mortar vs Online: This debate is never going to end. If you got a degree from a brick and mortar school you tend to justify your experience by downplaying online schools. If you go to an online school, you tend to feel the need to justify your experience by being a big defender of online schools. I have experienced both and there are definite pros and cons for each. I needed online education due to my constant traveling. I work in the Defense arena so AMU had courses that aligned with my career. It was a natural fit. I learned a lot but much of that was up to me. I read more and wrote many more papers than I ever did at my brick and mortar schools. Yes, some of it was busy work but writing that many papers made me a much better paper writer. One thing I noticed was that online schools assume you are learning while writing papers. Brick and mortars schools assumed I was learning simply by being in class. Neither is true in all cases. 3) Instructors: I had many more good professors than bad professors. Some instructors did not teach and let the students do everything. I had that same experience at brick and mortar schools. It is not unique to online schools. In the few instances where I had some “issues” pop up that hindered my ability to complete coursework, I contacted the instructors ahead of time and worked things out with no problems. The instructors, for the most part, gave relevant feedback on assignments that helped me on the next assignments. I had 3 separate instructors that I contacted just to ask for some career advice and schooling advice. All three went beyond what I was expecting to give me some good resources. I did have instructors I did not really care for but I just did my work and moved on. 4) Structured but Flexible: I think what I liked the most was how each classroom has the same overall structure (forums due mid-week, assignments due at the end of each week, mid-terms, and then a final paper at the end of each class.) I knew when things were due but had a great deal of flexibility for when I could accomplish the work. That was necessary for my traveling agenda. Yes, some classes differed just a bit, but overall the structure was consistent. 5) Getting a Job: Between military service and then post military government work, I have had many opportunities to interview for jobs. When I transitioned out of the military I searched for both private and public sector jobs. I was able to see how each industry viewed online schools and AMU specifically. By and large, the government and defense industry viewed AMU highly and appreciated the online experience as well as some of the more defense related areas of study. Businesses in the private industry asked many questions about my schooling and specific classes at AMU. One hiring manager for a finance company did flat out say that while their company did not disqualify me for going to AMU (online), they did narrow the candidates down to 3 and did eliminate me because I was the only one that was going to an online school. Issues like that are real so I would encourage everyone considering AMU to first consider where they want to work and what their career goals truly are. I had no problems because I still work in the Defense industry where they value AMU and online schools. I have even had my current management team recommend I go to AMU for a Master’s degree.

I attended AMU for five years, completing a Bachelor's and a Master's degree through their programs. As a reservist, they treated me exceptionally well and furthered my education in a number of fields relating to International Affairs, diplomacy, conflict resolution, foreign intelligence services, terrorism, economics, counterintelligence, geography, and analysis. I would offer that if your intent is to work in government service (federal, state, or local) then AMU is an excellent choice. I have never been looked down on by my superiors or peers in the military for my time at AMU, and am well ahead of my age group in education because I spent the time to get my education now, rather than later. If your intent is to simply complete a degree, then I cannot offer any insight to its value against that of another university, but I will say that AMU runs continuous enrollment and class schedules that can fit around any work schedule. I was able to complete classes while on active service with no issues. The most important thing to me is the quality of the instructors and instruction, and in this regard I can confidently say that you will not find as diverse and well-rounded group of professors in the national security field, with the exception of the Service Academies. I had professors who were military, others who were government service, some who were spooks, some who were police, some who were federal agents, and others who were civilians. Nearly every single one had relevant, recent, and valuable experience and/or education in their field.

I completed my BA in Intelligence Studies at AMU. I typically don’t write reviews but after reading some of the less positive reviews, I felt inclined to post my own. AMU is an amazing online university. Overall, my experience while attending AMU was excellent. I felt that every professor that I had was professional, helpful, and understanding. I was deployed twice while attending AMU and my professor’s completely understood my situation and worked with me to figure out a plan. About six months ago, my younger sister, who is in the Air Force, asked me about AMU and I gave her my opinion. And now she is taking courses at AMU and she loves it so far. AMU truly strives to provide an education to our military.

I graduated with an AA in Counter Terrroism and a BA in Intelligence studies and am glad I attended AMU when I did. The teachers I had were great, a few misses, but I rescheduled those quickly. But, The last 1-2 years more and more of the material is scanned and delivered electronically. This is just not good enough! I am currently attending a top UK university and AMU has a lot to learn! I am not sure that AMU will be a top notch institution much longer, but they do have some top notch professors. Dr Steven Greer and Professor Paul Medhurst are just mazing. Professor Amanda Bowers also. Take classes from them if you have a chance.

AMU provides the flexibility I need. The courses allow you to complete your work at any time during the week. This allows me to flex my study schedule around flexible duty hours. Group participation is required, but you don't need to log-in at fixed time. The instructors have always been understanding when I have other requirements (duty responsibilities or family emergencies) have arisen and I needed more time. As long as you give them advanced notice, they are willing to work with you. All of the materials are on-line, which means you can enroll in classes at the last minute and still have immediate access to all the coursework. Some of the instructors get a bit slack with the lessons & syllabus. I have seen several classes in which one or more of the lessons includes the instructor left the generic statements ('use this space to explain the process to the students' or something similar).

AMU is exquisite. Never have I had such professors that challenge me to go beyond what I think I can do and are always there to make sure I can make new standards. The professors and advising staff are always quick to reply to messages. I am very impressed with the speed professors grade and return papers, as well as the feedback that allows me to adjust my academic skills to improve on the next assignment. On the technical side the Sakai classrooms work wonderfully. They are even easy to use on mobile devices. Since my attendance over three years the classrooms have only been down twice of that I am aware, and when conducting the scheduled maintenance they created a backdoor to a scaled down class suite so that students can still continue to access their resources and submit papers. All around a great university.

The books and materials are BAD photocopies of pages you need to speed read! Book photocopies also include pictures of thumbs, fingernails, hair, and watches. You have the option of downloading a small limited number of pages every day if your book is part of the online library, but again, you can only download a few pages at a time, and you have to reassemble the book yourself later. You can check out an e-version of the book that will become inaccessible after a week, and that's only if someone else hasn't already checked the book out - can you imagine counting on that because you need to get the reading done and the book be e-checked out already, leaving you without a book? The teachers might have vast experience in their fields, but you rarely get any of it, as they don't respond in the forums, and if they do, it's only during the first week introductions, or to one or two students each week in the forums. Some teachers claim that they'll react faster than the 2 day allotted timeframe for emails, but they don't. I've sent email after email and never once got a response worth noting that was faster than 2 days, and have more than 10 go completely unanswered, and 4 to 5 day responses are normal, and by that time, the week is over and your question's answer becomes a moot point. AMU's "catalogue" claims that complaints that you have can be anonymous if you choose, but that's not true. I told someone of a problem because I didn't knwo where to go, and she directed me to the right person, who then notified the teacher's advocate (attorney) and the teacher, fingered me as the complainant, and then sent me an email telling me that he's contact those people and would like to do a group telephone call. This means he didn't even make an effort at hiding my identity based on my complaints. AMU is a joke! Don't do it, unless you want to just pass pass pass pass pass. And whatever you do, don't complain, because they'll just try to bury you while they crush your GPA. My GPA before this class was 3.89 and I've got senior credits. Currently, because of the non-anonymous contact, and the teacher telling me, and I quote, "you've found fault in the class and the teacher" while replying to an email question, although he failed to answer that question, my grade's highest could be a "B", but that's probably not going to happen because he's still harassing me and dropping my grade even further. My requests to have the meeting conducted completely by email has gone ignored, so, we can ascertain from that, that that conference call was to actually be an ambush where I would have had no one on the call that was going to be on my side. It was going to be three against one.

AMU provided me a quality education relevant to my career field. The professional are working members of the Intelligence Community and have several years of experience in their chosen specialties. They make you "think outside the box" and nearly all are accessible "after-hours". I finished my Bachelor's degree in August 2013 and have started my Master's program and can tell you from experience: AMU is THE school to go to for working adults.

When I first enrolled in AMU I was a bit skeptical, to say the least. The longer I have attended, and the further I have progressed, however, has changed my outlook drastically. At first it didn't feel legitimate, but as each class gradually grew more demanding, and the subject matter became more difficult, I realized I was indeed learning and accomplishing something. While I have another year and a half before I complete my degree path, and I'm only on my second Intelligence Studies class, I am highly optimistic of the knowledge I stand to gain. I intend to continue on at AMU for my master's degree as well. While the school isn't perfect, I would enroll all over again. I have recommended AMU to several of my peers in the military, and I highly recommend it to you if you are looking for an online, flexible, and challenging university and degree path.

This school exceeds the traditional brick and mortar schools by far. The format is designed so that you either keep up being productive or you don't, there aren't a bunch of slackers or the same people participating, everyone gets a shot. I wish the classes were longer as each class does incorporate so much material and at the Masters level I want to really have a command over the material but overall this is a great place. The teachers give so much feedback and the weekly forums force you to have more productive interactions than any other educational experience I've ever had. Previously I've attended public and private brick and mortar institutions and AMU really has shown both how it should be done. Excellent program!

This was one of the most valuable educational experiences of my life. I completed two master degree programs concurrently and the AMU program,by far, stands heads and shoulders above its rivals. The faculty are top rate and are always available, encouraging and do their utmost to assist students in succeeding their programs. I find is distressing to read any disparaging and suspect remarks by certain disgruntled individuals. Carry your own weigh and do the required work and you will have a pleasant and successful educational experience. There is no such thing as a free lunch and the work required to complete a degree with either AMU or APUS will entail serious commitment in both time and effort. I cannot speak highly enough for the staff, faculty and administrators at this prestigious institution. Although I was happy to have completed my degree requirements, I felt sad that I was leaving my "family." Your educational experience with AMU is much more than gaining a simple sheepskin, it is an inward journey of discovery and sharing with like minded scholars and the establishment of lifelong ties. I hope to return and teach with AMU one day after completing my doctoral studies. JPW

Deciding to attend AMU was the best decision I have ever made. Applying was easy. The course structure was great. The professors were all very professional, knowledgeable and fair. Just like any other college, you will have the professors that you like and then ones that seem to rub you the wrong way. That's just how it goes. Overall, the courses were great, the work load was perfect, and the pace was good. I work full time and have a wife and 2 kids. Attending AMU made getting degree a lot easier had I had to go to a traditional college.

I graduated with my Bachelor's in Intelligence Analysis this year (2013) - Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to study at AMU. By studying at AMU, students are given the chances to study under professors with years of experience who are directly involved in the field. The university offers students the flexibility to complete higher educational programs, while also managing personal daily life situations. I fully support AMU and believe it is one of the best universities for students to complete their higher education.

Key point: Avoid an Intelligence Studies degree unless you are already a rising star in the intelligence field and expect to hold an IC management position some day. If you're not already an IC member then your best chance to get in to the IC is with a more traditional degree like political science, international relations, or regional studies (with foreign language experience). Alternately, focus on developing technical skills like law, medicine, or engineering. I'll start off by saying that AMU does provide a good quality of education but Intelligence Studies is not the best route to the IC for most students. I posted the following summary to a City-Data thread a few days ago: "It's taken me a while but I finally understand why I still have mixed feelings about AMU's Intelligence Studies programs. After a BA and most of an MA in Intelligence Studies think I've finally got it. One problem is that the Intelligence Studies courses, like any civilian intelligence program, are taught without the benefit of classified materials. So you're necessarily left with shallow reading materials for a few of the classes. And this also means a general inability to simulate real world training for students. Additionally, almost everything you'll study focuses on intelligence failures because, broadly speaking, "success is the best kept secret of US intelligence". You'll have a difficult time understanding IC successes relative to failures. The second problem with the Intelligence Studies program is that intelligence studies is an cross disciplinary field covering virtually every field of academic interest. This results in an inability to really cover anything other than administrative issues within the the IC in any significant depth. The analyst's job is more akin to that of a librarian than anything else. More than anything the analyst needs to learn how to conduct in depth research and find existing information in large data sets. Secondly, he needs to be able to write clearly to make sure his points are not misconstrued. Lastly, he needs to be able to creatively "connect the dots" of disparate information into a coherent picture. This results in a grading structure that is essentially one long test of IQ and search engine querying skill. While it's not a bad education, it doesn't fit most of our concepts of what academia should be assessing us on. Simply stated, the program is hard to teach with unclassified materials. The program is also made difficult to teach by the broadness of intelligence operations. The broadness of intelligence operations means that being a generalist, in other words, knowing everything or at least convincingly pretending to is a highly desirable trait. Knowing everything or feigning knowledge with creative interpretations of ambiguous facts is rewarded with high academic grades in the Intelligence Studies program. Real world analysis probably isn't much different than this given that one must always be weary of enemy deception efforts and the various perceptual and cognitive distortions that alter the "facts". What you get at AMU in the Intelligence Studies program is still an education but because of the structure of the program sometimes it still doesn't feel like a legitimate one."

Dollar per hour, simply incomparable to brick & mortar institutions. Few if any universities offer such unique programs like: Intelligence Studies and even fewer have teachers working in the field they teach! Sakai has improved the ease of access to the virtual classroom. As an ambassador I recommend AMU to my neighbors and Airmen, weighing the costs and security of their children during the college years shouldn't be a risk. Virtual classes are not only more technically inclusive, but allow students immeasurable safety and the support of familiar settings thus decreasing distracting stimuli whilst learning. Leonard Smith

I recently decided to go back to school to pursue a degree in the intelligence field, and after weighing several different options I settled on AMU. I will admit that at first I was a bit skeptical of taking online only classes, but after completing my first semester I am completely satisfied with my decision. The instructors that I have had so far all have a high level of experience, and the courses themselves were top notch. I am truly proud to say that I am a student at AMU.

AMU is a great school. I finished my BA in Intelligence and I also started and finished my MA in Homeland Security. I had a co-worker who completed their undergrad at a very prestigious school and I convinced him to work on his graduate degree with AMU. My co-worker told me there was no difference in the quality between institutions which was very reassuring for me since my only comparison was with community colleges. Luckily my co-worker had a full scholarship for his undergrad but for the price AMU is an excellent choice. You cannot beat their schedule. They offer classes every month. There is no excuse to not further your education. I attended several community colleges before finishing with AMU. The course work was on par with other schools but mostly more encompassing and more challenging with AMU. My one complaint is the advisers. I have found this true at every school. Most advisers are not able to help much. The only way to know what classes you may or may not need for a certain program is to contact the program manager directly which is easy. I am still not sure what advisers do. They always seem to answer with things like…”I think” or “you should be ok”. Not very settling when you are trying to work your hardest at work and school. Most people can’t afford to waste time taking a class they don’t need. If you have no transfer credits or are not trying to change your major AMU’s enrollment process is very streamlined.

As a non-traditional student with kids, I was out of school for several years before I decided it was time to go back. I did a lot of research trying to find the program that was right for me. I was a little unsure of whether or not I could really learn anything from an online program, but once I got going in my classes I realized that even though I may not be sitting face-to-face with others, I absolutely have that classroom interaction and support coming from both the instructors and classmates. The materials provided are always ample for completing assignments and the topics in the Intelligence Studies program are fascinating. There is certainly a lot of reading and writing involved, but I expect nothing less of schooling online. Both the school and the program are worth the time, effort, and money it takes to succeed... and the cost really is very reasonable for the excellent education. Additionally, I appreciate that many of the instructors are esteemed professionals in their own field. I definitely feel like I am getting a quality education in the Intelligence Studies program here at AMU. I have attended for about 2 years now and have about 2 more to go--I have recommended this program to friends and family, and would do so again in the future.

You get what you give. With the way this great university is set up, a student will succeed and learn only if that student is willing to work for it. It can be easy to skate by just like a regular brick and mortar university. I have my AA degree from a brick and mortar and I can say more was required of me at AMU, but I also got more out of it. If you want an A, you have to earn it. MOST instructors are very good and can tell if you are trying to skate or if you are trying to learn. If you are trying to learn, they will help you. I'm very satisfied with AMU, I currently enrolled in the MA Intelligence Studies program with AMU.

The AMU Masters of Arts, Intelligence Studies is a very challenging program. I am a certified accountant by training and can attest to the high quality of the university, professors, and the students. Intelligence studies at AMU is not a typical, academic focused, university program. Many students are intelligence and/or law enforcement experts who are advancing their careers through this program. Most of the professors are intelligence professionals either employed in operations or executive positions or bring a wealth of experience to the courses. The AMU program is not easy. The course curriculum is comprehensive and covers all aspects/themes of the intelligence profession. The professors are very fair and work you hard. A student enters the program as "a young recruit" and is transformed into an intelligence professional upon graduation. I would not have it any other way. I am a Canadian, with only marginal experience in the craft, and yet the military students and professors both welcome my participation and assist me through good exchange of ideas. I only have two courses to complete before I enter the Capstone phase and my thesis. My accounting organization rules require that a person attain 5,000 hours of education plus experience for the person to be qualified as a subject matter expert. AMU's program provides me with 2,500 hours of credit to this goal. The balance must be experience. On a final note, the more a student puts into this program, the more a student will learn. The intelligence studies at AMU are designed for mature adults who are self-motivated focused on career development.

AMU teachers are very knowledgeable and well seasoned in their fields. You will learn a lot. I was very happy with the Intelligence Studies program, which is applicable to the many faces of the Military, Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security fields. Most classes are facilitated in a manner that will teach you more then just your studied subject area. The cost of the programs for the quality of education you receive is one of the best things about this school. Also, AMU was accommodating to a working professional life. Just don't expect to have it easy, and do expect to think on your feet while juggling school and work at the same time. I got what I came for out of this program, and am happy with the results.

I a retired 67 year old banker and this is the second time I'm attending school to obtain a degree. This time I've choosen a major for which I have a passion. My major is Counterterrorism and I'm thoroughly enjoying the school work and learning. AMU has a terrific selection of courses and their faculty is first-rate. I plan to apply for graduate school to get my MA in Intelligence Studies - Counterterrorism.

I am so Thankful to have found AMU, I was initially a Nursing Major when I joined the military but my MOS was in Intelligence. AMU helped me tremendously make the transition to an Intelligence degree and I saved so much time and money and did not have to waste time taking classes I did not need. AMU gave me transfer credit as well as training credit and I feel like I was not far behind were I should be in school and will be graduating in less than time than even I imagined. The classroom structure and professors were are great and I feel that even with the 8wk terms I am learning a whole lot. I think AMU is a great investment in your future.

I have completed about 90 credits so far towards this degree and will graduate in March 2012 at this pace. Overall, the classes are very informative because the required reading is relevant, thorough, up-to-date, and valuable. As far as the respectability of this degree and this institution (AMU), I can tell you the hiring manager for a top defense contractor in the Midwest region stated, "You cannot go wrong with an intelligence studies degree." Once I finish, I am looking at an on the spot raise, and plan to begin my master's degree at AMU because of the quality and value of the education. With the national debt and deficit taking front and center these days, budgets are only going to constrict. It is imperative to stay competitive in the intelligence community.

I have 2 associates degrees from brick and mortar schools and I completed my BA with AMU. There were quality professors that exceeded my expectation of quality instruction/guidance and there were a few rotten apples that always come with the territory (you know who you are). The materials that is given to you is more than sufficient to help you on your path to education. No extra costs for textbooks or other study aids. The support center was always ready to help and got back with you within 24 hours. My only complaint was the new SAKAI classroom which I found slightly annoying. I thought the old way was simpler but adapt and learn. If anyone thinks this is a bogus school and has no merit, then try it. I dare you to pick a major that interests you and see if you won't be challenged. I worked hard for my honors credit. I sacrificed a lot of weekends and had plenty of late nights finishing this program. This school will not hand you anything, you have to work to get it.

I can honestly say that although AMU is not Penn State or some other widely known school such as Harvard, I did have an instructor that was a Harvard professor at some point in his teaching career. Does that make a big difference in the level of education that I have received, no. People put entirely too much emphasis on the name and not enough on the quality of the individual student. The schools name is good to an extent because there are hash and trash students attending colleges all throughout the world and just because I can't afford to attend Harvard or Dartmouth doesn't mean that I am not a sharp or capable individual. I have learned a great deal with the classes I have taken at AMU thus far. Maybe people need to simply apply themselves a bit more before they write a derogatory review. I have attended, Columbia College of Missouri, Thomas Edison State College, Portland Community College and now American Military University...I personally think they were all good schools that taught me well as I am a student that wants to learn. I think AMU is great for me and I have interacted with excellent students throughout my classes.

I took courses with University of Phoenix online and brick and mortar colleges and finally started with AMU because of the cost of education. It was scary because I had heard very little about this school. Intel Studies was challenging at times (always more challenging than course I took at other colleges) but the Professors were great and very diverse. I felt as if I got the best of all over the country. Many of the bad reviews are from people that did not put time into themselves in order to achieve with this school. They will not give you a degree, you have to work for it. On the bright side I never had an instructor that would not work with me or extend if the reason was good.

I am totally pleased and proud to be taking my degree at AMU! Sure, there are always things that can be done in a different manner, but you will also find that to be true at Harvard, Princeton, etc. I sought out AMU because it was recommended to me by people in the field I dream of being able to work in. Being a foreign student, I must tell you that AMU has an international reputation in the Intelligence and security (terrorism) field. And that reputations is very, very good! This thanks to professors as Jenny Hesterman, Steven Greer, Paul Medhurst, etc. World class teachers that make you work hard for your grade. True professionals! But, I have spent time researching my professors, before I sign up for their classes. Read their bio's, choose those that you feel have the best experiences to teach your subject. In all my classes at AMU, I have only dropped out of 2 classes due to the professors. As many others have written, AMU is not a school for those who need to have their hands held at every turn. The school demands that you work hard and if you do, they are there for you. A great school that is highly recommended!

I chose an online college for convenience. There was nothing convenient as I was instructed to treat this college as if it were any ordinary brick & mortar school. If I wanted to attend a brick & mortar school, I would have. I initially wanted a school where I could go at my own pace while managing a career and family. AMU requires that you log in very frequently so that you can interact with other students in a discussion board type format. I'm not in school to make friends or listen to others gropes and complaints. I'm here to get a degree. I know plenty of people who attended regular universities and had little interaction with other students. Social networking should NOT be part of your grade unless of course you are attending Facebook University. Because of my military job, I am only allowed to log on maybe twice a week. When I do, I have dozens of emails from instructors telling me that I am behind and that I am not "interacting" with other students. Bottom line.....log in every day or fail. Not worth it. And by the way, I used the Pell Grant in order to attend yet the admin folks still claim I owe close to 5 grand in tuition!

AMU is okay. It's not the greatest, but you could do much worse. Admissions is very easy and almost painless, it just takes a fairly long time (like 6-8 weeks) to get your transcripts evaluated. This doesn't prevent you from starting classes, so look into taking classes for your major. A lot of hiring managers will not take your AMU degree seriously. However, the government does, and a majority of people at AMU are there to try to get government jobs. AMU does have a fairly good reputation in the DC area, though. The professors are like those at any other school in the nation, some are great, others are horrible. While the profs have amazing backgrounds, most have other jobs at the same time. This does reflect on the classes, as it feels a decent percentage of the profs are just there to grade your papers. The financial aid department is horrible. They don't respond to emails or phone messages. If you try to call them, you're on hold for three minutes before they transfer you to voicemail. Everytime I've had to deal with them it takes me 7-8 phone calls in a row to get a human. However, once you get a human they know what's going on and can help you very well. The intelligence studies program is considered one of the best in the nation, but I can't vouch for other programs. If you have questions about going to grad/law school, lots of people claim that there are graduates who go on to all sorts of schools. While I don't disbelieve these stories, I have yet to see any student come forward to say they went on to a law/non-AMU grad school. If you really want to succeed at AMU, you'll probably need to drink the Kool-Aid. The school is very fierce about defending its reputation, and many students are poised with very well-written, almost script-like comments and stories that all sound the same. At the end of the day, it's just alright. I've enjoyed a good many of my classes, and the school is very affordable. With my Pell grant, I'm only going into about 5k of loan debt, which isn't bad at all. The only thing lacking with this school and other online ones is the lack of student interaction. Message boards are not an ideal medium for making friends.

My experience with AMU started great. The staff was accommodating, and I was helped promptly. But once I transferred from the AA to BA program, things to a turn for the worst and I have left the school to seek better education elsewhere. Starting with instructors, I was not impressed for these being 300 level courses. The syllabuses given to us were outdated and were cookie cutter templates with mere words changed. There was no depth to them and I was not able to consult the syllabus and get the answers I was looking for to complete and assignment because there was no breakdown of weekly assignments. It only had a summary chart of what was to be done each week. Trying to find assignment info was like playing hide and seeks: the information was not consolidated. Some of the assignments were in the course materials folder, others were in the discussion board and some were on the instructor announcements. Unfortunately, after several emails, I found out that some of the information was outdated that my instructor had posted and he had to twice fix the announcements to truly post what we were to do. So it leads me to believe that these instructors were using cut-and-paste, cookie cutter announcements that they forgot to update as the course changed over time. There VA Office sucked! I sent my change of program to go from the AA to BA on 27 July and got a confirmation email saying they had received it, updated the VA online site and sent the hard copies to the VA from a VA Rep. Fast forward to yesterday and I learn that they hadn’t received it. After a email I forwarded, it went from “they had not received it period” to “we received it but we didn’t know why you sent it” which, in conclusion, means this $3000 in school charges will by my responsibility until the VA kicks into gear and awards my money, which could be weeks! I think this is the biggest sticking point because of the dishonesty from the VA Office. They told me something they had done and then reneged on it when crunch time approached. Overall AMU was a decent school. I just think the level of professionalism should increase as the courses get harder, not decrease, leaving the student out and dry.

If you are interested in AMU, you must remember that they do not cater to children who do not know how to manage time. I have actively continued education with AMU (on and off active duty) and always found certain constant factors: -They always maintained good communication (reply within 48 hrs) -The books were in my mail once the tuition was paid -They take the GI Bill without issue -They allow drops in courses (if within the first week) -They expect you to work for your knowledge -They dealt with every road block I constructed (professionally) If you want a quality education, you must actually read your assigned course work. If you want a quality grade, you should know how to write properly. This includes punctuation and spelling! I am honestly sick and tired of those who are so self- righteous in believing that a degree should be served to them on a silver platter. Just because you pay a university and log on to it once a week does not mean you have substance in your thought. It certainly does not mean you have EARNED a degree. Once you accept you must put some work into the classes, you just may succeed. Once again, AMU is for grown ups. You can be over 18 and still act like a child. Put the work in, use your brain, and you will be amazed at the end result! This school is highly recommended for those who can define two words: comprehension, accountability.

I have learnt more at AMU than any on-site campus. However reading the reviews of others on this site, it does scare me. Make sure you read between the lines of these postings. The ones marked negative have the reason why. If someone was pushed back a month due to financing, then they will post a negative. I myself was pushed back a month, however that was due to the clause that my financing request was cutting it close to the class start date. Also there was an instance where I did not receive my books on time, however I did register for the class three weeks before it started when the school recommends you do it a month at least before. It takes planning. My review: I have received great grades here as well as two (C)s. Do not for once think that you will be handed easy grades without doing the work. As for the work, it is really really really easy because all you have to do is read the material and take the test showing you have read it. Same as any on-site campus. In my history class, the instructor even posted quiz questions from the side boxes to make sure you read all the material such as additional did you know at the end of the chapter. There were also two times when I had to drop a class because it was so much work. When going to this school, take two classes at a time, or contact the instructor beforehand for a course load assessment to avoid having to drop a class. The INT Comm class has a lot of reading and books. Some classes taught here will have you reading roughly five chapters a week. On top of that, you have other classes at the same time to read the material as well. Make sure not to overdo your course load. Accreditation: I originally was sketchy about online schooling. I contacted tan INT agency and requested verification they would accept a degree from AMU. I was informed that yes they will. I also went to an Air Force recruiter to talk about enlistment. When I stated I was attending AMU they looked at me in shock and stated they have a lot of soldiers who use AMU to better their education. They were also amazed that a civilian at the time even knew about AMU. They recruiter stated that AMU is a good school and even changed their body posture and treatment to more accepting after mentioning AMU for my schooling. Instructors: When registering for a course, I do not just select an instructor. I use the faculty link to view their picture as well as credentials to determine which one I feel would make a good fit. A lot of instructors from AMU are very credible as well as veterans within the INT community. You never know if you will be taught by an FBI agent which is very comforting. Student Involvement: The school offers a mentoring program that cannot be beat. You have direct access to a professional within the field of study you are in. I found this helpful since I am in the INT field to be able to contact and talk about career paths for the government as well as what any setbacks may be. Closing: AMU so far has proven to be a great school choice for myself. It may not be for you. I would recommend the school to anyone as well as recommend anyone attempting to use the school to investigate and do your research just as you would for an on-site school. As far as it goes for competition when applying for a job, there will always be someone from a better school, however an employer does not only focus on your education. Be sure to get involved within your local community since you are not able to with an online school such as extracurricular activities. Also make note that some people graduating from Princeton and Harvard work at walmart as a cashier due to the economy. Just because you have a degree does not make you entitled to a position. Get involved in a co-op program with an agency or offer to work there as a volunteer free of pay to gain more experience hands on for your resume.

Being in the military and living overseas for the past 8 years, there was few if any paths for me to get a degree. I found AMU from an Army education counselor and started the degree a little over two years ago and I have loved it. I have done the job in which I am getting a degree for several years and I still learn new things and new ideas every day. The school is nationally and regionally accredited, the professors are incredibly experienced (the anatomy and physiology class was a former air surgeon general in Ohio), and the advisors and leadership are quick to respond and assist in questions. As I have read some people claiming that these reviews are not true, I can assure you this one is and I am incredibly glad that I found AMU and am almost done with my degree. Honestly, had I had the ability to go to some well-known institution, I would have, but I don't and I am very happy to have the degree I do now.

AMU has changed my life. As soon as I saw the program I knew it was for me. I am a civilian and have been working towards my MA in Intelligence at AMU for the past 2 years. The teachers and even students are quality and intimidating. This program, the material, the calibre of people are a challenge, hands down. You have to be 100% committed. At first I had to fight past this intimidation and now I am learning to be stronger leader. All this I learned online; incredible how this can translate over into your actual life. It gives you "ammo"! Because of AMU I am now president of a local political committee. I use the confidence and substantive material that I learned now and I will continue to use it. I cannot see how anyone undermines this program - the books and amount of reading and writing is intense. I still cannot remember everything! I have one more year left and I have faith that I will find a challenging line of work in which I can apply this degree. AMU churns out U.S. leaders, even from civilian students. Love it; proud to be a part of it. God bless AMU and USA.

I graduated from a traditional private B&M school in May 2009 with a duel BA in History and Political Science with honors. I am 23 and started AMU in October 2009. At first, I was extremely skeptical about taking online classes because I did not think the quality of education would be comparable to a B&M school. To my surprise, the course was very challenging. I took a few Master's courses from the B&M so I had something to compare the online course against. I learned a great deal from my course and will continue taking classes. For some of those who complained, almost every school has BS classes. There will more than likely be a mandatory intro class. It sucks but get over it. I had to take a piano class and religion as a requirement for my undergrad. School Policy. The Professor at AMU gave me excellent feedback on my work. A research paper for the class ended but being 18 pages-10pt font and single space. I am used to writing because of my History degree; however, this paper was definitely a challenge and graded strictly. As with all universities, you get what you put in.

I'm several courses into an AMU masters program. It's turned out to be a very informative (and tough) course of study. All in all, I wouldn't change a thing. All the courses have provided great insight into the areas of intelligence and national security.

I agree with those commenting negatively about the "Intro to Learning" course. I, too, absolutely did not need to take it, but was forced. The instructor advertises himself as an "expert" in, like, 20 different "careers", beginning with real-estate, and everything in between; he blasts his own trumpet quite loudly, and demands perfect grammar from his students, tells them to "shine" and then posts and out-dated syllabus, with mistakes throughout-spelling and grammar mistakes, no less! The instructors teaching the Intelligence courses, however, are absolutely excellent-all are senior level professionals in their field, intelligent, and responsive. Other than the intro class, other nightmare experience with one of the science courses-the instructor did not use the website/online resources that came with the textbook(a really good one), and instead had students trying to navigate their way through a nightmare website meant for professionals already working in this particular field of science! I have had no problems with financial aid, because i pester them...don't leave them alone, they get sick of me, everything's all set real fast. I, too, have been to B&M schools (2 of them), and can say that AMU is higher academically than either of the 2 I attended. I really like it at AMU, and already now (mid-BA) am hoping to do Master's there as well, and even P.h.D if they have it by then! Go, try it out, I do not believe you will be disappointed, and yes, there is TONS of work to do, but that's why you enroll in college, right?

I completed my undergrad degree in intelligence studies in 2003. In 2007 I entered into the graduate program. At that time it was Strategic Intelligence, and has since become Intelligence Studies for grad school as well as undergrad. During my active duty years I attended Long Beach State University, and graduate level classes at many military campuses. In my opinion, AMU/APUS is as Socratic a program as exists in the world today. I would not recommend AMU to anyone who is looking for an easy way to translate their training and experience into a degree. That's not AMU, not even close. AMU's programs stack up against those of the world's leading institutions of higher learning, and that is the level of dedication and effort a prospective student needs to be prepared to take on. That's not to scare anyone away - anyone of reasonable intelligence and dedication, who commits themselves to earning an undergraduate or advanced degree will succeed as easily at AMU as they would anywhere else, and the staff is there to see you achieve your academic goals; very supportive. This is a regionally accredited institution that will someday be among the most prestigious in the world, it's only a matter of time. So if you're reading this and you have reservations because you've never heard of AMU - put your self at ease and check out the University for yourself. You will not be disappointed. I'm very proud of my education. Education transends social interaction, and in terms of purely Socratic academics, AMU is as good as it gets.

I recently completed the BA in Intelligence Studies program. I was a former military member (E-6) who completed about 5-6 classes during my nine year military career before I started taking classes at AMU. AMU was able to credit me with about 45 credits (Smart transcript and other classes). I took most of my core classes right off the bat and completed about 7-8 classes within the first year of the program. I was able to complete the program in three years with a steady workload of two classes at a time. I took breaks when I was feeling the heat but after things cooled down I was right back into it. The intelligence courses were great. There was alot of reading and writing and the classes were full of students with Intelligence Community backgrounds. Sometimes I questioned if an eight week class needs 3-4 novels and a couple other reference books, and some professors did not even fully utilize all of the "required texts" but that didn't matter because all BA student receive a book grant. I learned so much during my time with AMU and altough there were a few hicups along the way (Financial Aid, ect.) I am completely satisfied with AMU and it's instructors. They are the best! I am planning on staying with AMU for a master's degree. Their prices are very good after looking around at other schools and I really like the fact they offer both 8 week and 16 week courses.

I received my Bachelors Degree from AMU, so I thought it would be a good choice to continue on for my Masters. After speaking to others who are/were enrolled in several of their Masters programs, it would seem they put more effort in supporting the Undergrad side the house with regard to curriculum and have become overall sloppy in administrative housekeeping across the board. As an Educational Services Officer for my organization, I was a huge advocate of AMU as one of the pioneers in the books & tuition model for Undergrad. However if they don't start to shape up people will go elsewhere.

I am still working on my Masters in Strategic Intelligence but so far I have nothing but great things to say about this University. The instructors are great, and I mean that! They are very understanding with issues that come up that may require an extension or extra help. The instructors all have a ton of experience and it shows. I was a bit intimidated by the extensive backgrounds of the instructors and even some of my fellow students at first, but everyone has been very friendly and helpful. My only complaint is with some of the materials being somewhat out dated. Due to the nature of the subject being studied, much of the current data is still classified and material on the changes in policy are constantly being modified, so if you have a text that is 8-10 years old the concepts may be the same but the data is often changed. Price is better than most online Universities, and what you get is priceless, but if it wasn't so expensive I could take more classes and almost be done by now.

I've learned SO much at AMU...I returned to school for a Masters in Strategic Intelligence after a 12 year hiatus from the educational system (my undergrad degree is from a "regular" university) and I do not regret a minute! The educators are amazing. The curriculum is rigorous. Yes, the financial aid department is a pain, but even with problems there I've always been able to start my courses on time. With a full time career outside the intel field and two small kids, I've still been able to keep up a 3.8 GPA. This is not because the course work is simple, it's because I've worked my fanny off. If you're looking for an easy degree, keep looking, but if you want to actually learn, try AMU :)

The past year was tough - I started my grad program and two months later, was put in the hospital. I applied for an extension for my classes, and then started them back up six months later. Shortly after starting the classes, my husband was ill and I had to get an extension on another class. Through all of the ups and downs, APUS worked with me. There were a couple of times I got frustrated with just how much paperwork was needed - but the school is fully accredited and they are a business. They have the tools in place to work with students in all types of situations and the ability to work my way through the difficulties of the past year and still not jeopardize my chances at a grad degree has been amazing. The brick and mortar school I attended, would have had me paying for each dropped/extended class, and retaking them, paying for them again. Not with APUS. Definitely a case of using the system and tools set in place, and having advisors and appeals folks that bent over backwards to make sure I could keep working on my goals.

I don't know how to rate any portion of the academics b/c I haven't been able to enter a class since I enrolled in January!! The financial aid process is a complete NIGHTMARE and all I have heard is excuse after excuse about why my financial aid package has not been submitted!! I was bumped back from a March start date to April and now it looks like I will have to be bumped back AGAIN to May b/c they still can't seem to get their stuff together!! Thanks a LOT AMU!!

If you need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact the Education Coordinators for AMU, you can find your regional representative on the AMU website. They are SUPER helpful and you can contact them via email or personal phone number!