American Military University : Political Science Reviews
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Patglair
(In Progress) on July 4, 2011
(email verified)
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A good school for the money
I am two-thirds of the way finished with a Master's in Political Science from AMU and I am satisfied. I work in a remote geographic location and I have a wife, two kids, a government career, and two mortgages, so going back to school wasn't an option. I enjoy the online medium and the freedom it affords. I feel that I have learned a wonderful amount so far, all of which I can apply to my life and work.
There are times when I wonder if going to an established brick-and-mortar school would have been a better road to take for a Master's. AMU does not offer mentorship from professors, lectures, or the chance to teach undergraduates, which I've always thought must be a valuable learning experience. Nor is there much prestige tied to the name, as with other schools.
But this school is evolving, and online learning is surely the medium of the future. This degree does provide ample opportunity to read, write, and to a lesser extent debate, and to explore ideas and interests, all of which turns the student on to many new concepts and sharpens his or her analytical and writing skills. I also know plenty of people with Master's degrees from mainstream schools who have either done nothing with them or seemingly profited very little from them, all the while amassing a hefty debt.
These classes are more challenging than my brick-and-mortar undergraduate alma mater in that timelines are compressed, workloads are greater, and standards are higher. I attended a small law school 10 years ago for one year only and the law classes required much more reading and included much more difficult tests. This degree falls somewhere in between.
I am not taking this degree to impress an employer specifically and if that is your goal you might want to go elsewhere. I am taking this degree to challenge and enrich myself. What job does Political Science lead to anyway? But this is an accredited Master's degree and I can combine it with my other skills, employment history, references, etc. to help achieve another promotion at some future time.
My point is that this degree will probably not magically unlock any doors for you, but neither will almost any other Master's degree. Most employers are looking at you as an entire package and your degree is only a part of that. Don't enter this degree thinking you're going to teach at Harvard some day. I'm not sure a Master's at AMU would even be accepted by most non-online Phd programs. But if you go into it with the attitude that this program is one more opportunity to challenge yourself, apply yourself, and learn something useful, you will not be disappointed.
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Alkalinecreative
(In Progress) on August 28, 2009
(email verified)
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The point is.. I AM LEARNING
I am finishing my 5th class with AMU. I jumped on this site looking to see what others have said about the school, and I have to say I don't think it's fair to rank down an institution with all "1"s if you had problems funding your first and only class, if you had a problem with registration ect. EVERY college has bureaucratic B.S. you have to go through when you are getting up and going. I had the same problems. I had to drop classes, cancel TA, get my dates pushed back into a new FY. That meant less money for me to complete my degree, messing up my timetable. But I can't say "DONT GO TO THIS SCHOOL" like I have seen some people say on here, because that would not be fair. That is just the way it goes with many organizations. Now, as for the teachers, yes, it would be nice to get a little more attention and personal feedback on assignments, especially considering how much time I have spent on certain papers. But they always respond to questions, they always make corrections that need to be made (and that are constructive) and they have been reasonably flexible with my professional obligations. The point is, I AM LEARNING. I am learning a lot, actually. My readings and class material are challenging, but not impossible. If you put the work into it, just like anything, you can maintain a 4.0 average. Sure, some classes are easier to get "A"s in than others. But that is the truth for any school, isn't it? I have one I am in right now that is DAMN hard, the professor grades his essays real tough and weights them heavy in the grade. A student has to be on the ball. My point is if you are looking up reviews to choose a school to go to, don't listen to the "bah humbug" reviews in the thread. Take a class, one class (not the "Foundations of Learning", that is a B.S. mandatory class. An example of easy "A"), and see for yourself. Good luck.
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Tjcaucutt
(In Progress) on May 7, 2009
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A great choice
I'm sorry some of you had poor AMU experiences, but mine has been just fine. Yes, teachers will sometimes run the course on autopilot, but education is always about self-motivation anyway. AMU gives you good resources--books, lecture notes, a great online library--but leaves it up to you to learn something.
I write a ton for this program--more so, in fact, than my wife who attended a brick-and-mortar, accredited, private college. In fact, most mid-terms and finals are some sort of writing assignment.
For some, the grad program is beneficial; however, I want to become a professional in my field, and am postponing my Masters until I EAS. A "normal" college will give me more research opportunities, internships and contact with professors. If I had no alternative, a graduate degree from AMU rivals any other online graduate program.
Bottom line: Any school is what you make it. Both B&M schools and online schools have students who merely "show up to class," emitting no effort. A degree from AMU, combined with maturity, poise and a military background is sure to impress many employers.
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