American Military University

Holly June 29, 2007 at 4:27 a.m.

AMU is great. Their VA advisors really help get your TA started and they are quick and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this school for a good distance education.

Keisha July 10, 2007 at 1:58 p.m.

Hey Jason,

AMU's web site has a few student career profiles linked from the home page. I know this isn't first-hand, but at least you can get a sense of the type of jobs AMU students are taking on.

http://www.amu.apus.edu/career-profiles/...

Adam July 23, 2007 at 11:59 a.m.

ben,

keep the politics to yourself, they serve no place here. I'm sure there are " I hate my country" websites that you can go frolic in.

To any body else reading this, especially military, this is the absolute best place to maximize your military education benefits.

Joe August 20, 2007 at 1:23 a.m.

Anybody take the psych degree? I'm looking into starting at AMU. Are they credit friendly towards police in regards to giving credit for attending the police academy?

Dave September 1, 2007 at 4:16 a.m.

Like JG I am a retired Navy CWO. I know what that means, 1/2 of 1% of all enlisted are commissioned as CWOs. I am likewise in the Strategic Intelligence masters program. I have been to courses at NDU, JMIC, AFSC, JFKSWCS, USAF SW School, etc. I earned a BA in Intelligence Studies from AMU. The difference is astounding. This is not a continuation of undergrad studies with a little more work: this is the highest level of Socratic academics I have ever experienced. Rewarding. You learn and it counts.

Ray September 4, 2007 at 8:32 a.m.

Luke,

First and foremost, the term ANY may be a stretch in your assumptions. There are many colleges and universities in the state of Florida, both private and public. Regarding, AMU, I feel you may have not done enough research before posting this question. I was in the Master of Strategic Intelligence program and subsequently, used the degree, and credits to continue my studies in the Ph.D in international relations program. Before that, I graduated from UF so I familiar with many of the state unversities and what not.

Just remember that AMU is REGIONALLY ACCREDITTED and that it is treated in the same manner as FSU, UF, UCF. In any case, the best way to answer this question is to actually contact the school you might be interested in transfering into because obviously, what type of degree program your in at AMU may or may not effect the credit transfer (i.e. getting your AA at AMU and attempting to transfering into a 4 year program). Either way, good luck in your search and AMU rocks!

Tim Grizzle September 12, 2007 at 9:54 p.m.

Um...They claim to be regionally accredited, but they do NOT appear on the comprehensive listing of the quoted accrediation body (http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.o...). Nor does AMU or American Military Institute show up on the US Department of Education's listing of accredited colleges.

Caveat Emptor my friends!

Semper Fi...

Tim Grizzle September 14, 2007 at 10:59 p.m.

I stand corrected. I didn't delve deep enough into AMU's FAQs to find that their credentials are derived from another parent institution (which is not as common as you might lead readers to believe).

In my search to complete my own degree, and as a safeguard against diploma mills, I have learned to be cautious of the "too good to be true" online degrees. So I always check for the college on the Dept of Ed's website http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.a.... Having not found them during my initial checks, I immediately became suspicious.

Hopefully this discussion (and my retraction) will serve to keep potential students (AMU or otherwise) well-advised.

PS - thanks Ray for keeping me on my toes & honest.

Tim

Joshua "Yankee Samurai" September 24, 2007 at 3:07 a.m.

Greetings AMU students and prospective students! I'm presently debating on whether to enroll with AMU or not. I am a Defense Language Institute graduate and am presently looking for a solid program to transfer my credits over to and finish my degree through. I am interested in pursuing a career in intelligence working for either the government or a DOD contractor perhaps. What do you all think about AMU's programs? Would you recommend that I pursue an intelligence degree or one in international relations? Also, I hear a lot of positive feedback which is heartening, but I don't hear much by way of opportunities/careers found/started post-graduation. Testimonies, anyone? Thank you kindly for your feedback, in advance!!

Nathan October 3, 2007 at 10:17 p.m.

Can you get a commission in the Navy with a degree from AMU. I talked to a recruiter, and she said no. But then I talked to a Navy College Officer Rep., and she said that she did not know, and she would get back to me. Please help....

John October 6, 2007 at 6:06 p.m.

I have just finished my degree with AMU. Like most of the comments here, I really have nothing negative to say. The courses were great and the instructors really knew their stuff. Lots of relevant experience.
I recieved my BA in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Counterterrorism. I am currently looking into reserve officer programs and getting hired on by NCIS or another federal agency.
I am also thinking about starting their masters in strategic intelligence. I would like to do an online program with a brick and mortar school, but have not found a similar program anywhere else as of yet. If anyone knows of one, any info would be welcome.

John October 10, 2007 at 5:25 p.m.

Kim,

The school is Regionally and Nationally accredited. I just finished there and enjoyed it and found it challenging.

Yes, it is online and due to the fact that many online schools are for profit, it does put a blemish on the system as a whole especially with the bad reputation many of these schools such as UoP and Kaplan have brought upon themselves through used car salesman tactics and financial aid problems.

The difference between this school and those owned by Apollo group is that this school is not publically traded on the stock market. It is privatly owned by investors. Its main purpose was to provide education for military who are deployed overseas. This is why I attended it due to traveling along with the fact that they offered military based courses (counterterrorism, explosive ordinance disposal, etc) that you cant find elsewhere.

If your main objective is a "regular degree" such as business, IT, etc, I would look into a school that has an established brick and mortar base such as Old Dominion, East Carolina etc. These are good schools who gained their reputation before the internet.

Two main things...

1. Stay away from the Apollo owned schools (UoP, Cappela, Kaplan) and other for profits.

2. Make sure they are regionally and nationally accredited.

If you would like military based courses from a good school with accreditation, then yes, I would suggest AMU. As I said before, I enjoyed it and learned a lot.

Good luck

Ian October 14, 2007 at 3:42 p.m.

I must say that I have never visited a message board with so many positive responses. With that being said, however, I am still uncertain if AMU will provide me with the opportunity to meet my particular, and somewhat unique, job-related goals. In May of 2007, I graduated with an AA in English from a local community college in South Florida, with a "High Honors" distinction. I have been accepted to FAU and FSU, the only two I applied to; however, FSU only offers a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies online; FAU offers none. What in the world is that, you say? A Liberal Arts or General Studies degree. And why is this important? Because, I am a police detective who aspires to join the FBI, as cliche as it may seem. And simply put (yes, I began this sentence with a conjunction) I am certain the FBI will be looking for degrees which set applicants apart. Penn State offers an online degree in Law & Society, Psych, and Criminal Justice. Why should I attend a school like AMU when I can go there? If anyone can convince me otherwise, they get a cookie.

Harold October 15, 2007 at 4:29 p.m.

Any comments on their MBA curriculum?

Hank October 20, 2007 at 9:59 p.m.

Has anyone been able to teach at a brick and mortar school with an AMU degree?

Hank October 22, 2007 at 4:15 a.m.

Kathy you are right you did not understand my question. I did not ask if they can. I asked has anyone done it?

Josh October 23, 2007 at 6:32 p.m.

Has anyone been a part of the master's program in Sports Management? I am not in the military, but a full time elementary school teacher looking for an online sports management degree. I have checked out a few options, and AMU is by far the cheapest (which is a big factor, but at the same time I want to be sure it is a quality degree). The other place I am looking is the United States Sports Academy (USSA). They offer the same type of degree, but charge $425 per credit hour. Any information would be helpful!

Ian October 23, 2007 at 9:16 p.m.

By the way Sam, it looks like you get the cookie.

Dan October 25, 2007 at 9:21 p.m.

I am a new graduate student at APU, sister school to AMU, though I think the only difference is the name. So far I have been very impressed with the classes and the professors. There is also a lot of interaction with your fellow students by way of discussion boards. Be sure you know what you're getting yourself into though because there is a lot of reading and writing to be done. My public policy class requires 6-10 pages a week of writing! The class does help one refine critical thinking skills and is very relevant to current public policy issues. I highly recommend AMU/APU but be prepared to put in a lot of effort.

Carl October 27, 2007 at 5:32 p.m.

Ian,
Take a look at this:
"To become an FBI Special Agent...You must possess a four-year degree from a college or university accredited by one of the regional or national institutional associations recognized by the United States Secretary of Education..."
http://www.fbijobs.gov/111.asp
Check with the FBI, but from this it appears that AMU would qualify - make sure you meet the age and other requirements.

Adam October 29, 2007 at 11:54 a.m.

For Ben,

If by UMUC you mean University of Maryland University College, I can assure you that UMUC is in no way affiliated with APUS. UMUC is affiliated with the University of Maryland, and the Maryland University System.

Thom October 31, 2007 at 1:26 p.m.

If anyone reads the news a recent release states "The U.S. Air Force has selected American Military University as one of the first schools in its Air University Associate-to-Baccalaureate Cooperative Program (AU-ABC). The AU-ABC program partners with civilian universities to offer four-year degree programs to enlisted personnel that have earned associate degrees from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)"

Adam November 6, 2007 at 5:46 p.m.

Didi,

I will put it this way, my AMU degree has done nothing but good for me. Education is what you make of it, I thought that my AMU classes were just as difficult then my classes at the U of Maryland. I doubt your parents are experts in online learning. I chock it up to a generation gap that will take time to overcome ( kind of like the older generation who refuse to get a debit card, and will use checks till the day they die in the checkout line.)

Veronica November 19, 2007 at 6:58 p.m.

Can anyone comment on AMUs MBA program? I start next month and would love to hear feedback. Thanks.

Jim November 28, 2007 at 4:43 a.m.

I am finishing up my degree in International Relations with AMU and am looking at the MSSI they offer. I'm wondering if anyone knows how well it compares to the one DoD offers? Additionally if it would behoove me to get the MSSI at a brick and mortar school or with AMU.

Adam November 28, 2007 at 8:33 p.m.

Bio Continued

Military Service:

Dr. Lockwood entered active service as a 1LT from the Individual Ready Reserve in September 1980. He was stationed first at Fort Huachuca, serving as a researcher in Combat Developments and as a Soviet Threat instructor. He transferred to Germany in 1984, and was S-2 of 10th ADA Brigade (HAWK/PATRIOT) for 18 months before transferring to ODCSINT USAREUR and serving in various staff positions until his assignment to DIA in June 1990. Following promotion to MAJ in September 1990, he became All-Source Collection Manager for Regional Branch, DCC-2, DIA, and served in that capacity until his selection as a 1992-93 Fellow in the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) Exceptional Intelligence Analyst Program. His research project was to study the perceptions of the four nuclear republics of the CIS concerning nuclear weapons, for which purpose he was assigned to the Joint Military Intelligence College (JMIC). Following the completion of his DCI project in April 1993, Dr. Lockwood transferred to the USAR, where he served for four years as a professor on the Reserve Faculty of the JMIC to teach the PGIP to Reserve Officers. He served until September 1997, when he transferred to the 3412th MI Detachment (Strategic). Dr. Lockwood was promoted to LTC in the USAR in 1998, and currently is the Course Director for Intelligence and National Military Strategy at the Joint Military Intelligence College’s PGIP- Reserve Program, in addition to a new elective course on Intelligence Issues in Russia and Eurasia. Dr. Lockwood was recently promoted to Colonel in the USAR on 31 March 2004, and is entering on active duty to serve as a liaison to the Department of Homeland Security Intelligence Directorate from the DIA's Joint Task Force Counterterrorism Center.

SAM November 30, 2007 at 3:15 a.m.

That's correct, Tank! The EC's are very helpful and really do make you feel important. The EC's are very accessible and I usually contact my EC in the southwest region on a regular basis, he even took my call at 2AM! Now that's service!

Adam December 4, 2007 at 12:34 p.m.

Does anyone wish the guy posting as Jesus to shut up? He acts as though he knows anything even remotely close to education for emergency services or the military. So unless you can bring something other then your usual babble then move on to the UOP, Capella, or Warren national threads and spread it there.

Ron December 6, 2007 at 4:03 p.m.

Joe, I contacted the Ohio State University to find out if a bachelor's degree from AMU was transferable to one of their graduate degree programs; and, the answer was YES. In your case, I'm sure the same holds true. As you may know, getting into a graduate degree program at one of the B&M schools is mostly about GPA and passing state entrance Exams. Otherwise, my best advice is to conact the school of your choice and simply ask them.

Rob December 7, 2007 at 9 p.m.

Yes, I was accepted and just completed a Doctorate in Psychology from the University of Utah. I has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from AMU. I am currently practicing as a Clinical Psychologist in Utah.

Karl December 11, 2007 at 4:46 p.m.

I am finishing a degree at AMU. I have contacted five graduate programs I was interested in attending. And for the record (also, to address the typing clowns who come here to waste bandwidth with their sad attempts at manipulation,) I have had both Harvard and MIT invite me to come up, and talk to them about attending their programs, in person.

Rob December 15, 2007 at 1:10 a.m.

Bottom line: AMU is regionally accredited and is a great way to get a degree under your belt. I am almost through with the MA in Criminal Justice and have found it to be satisfying in every regard.

Arch December 19, 2007 at 10:07 p.m.

Best online school in the biz hands down. Apollo group schools are what they are and many of the other online schools who cannot seem to get regional accreditation use Apollo group schools as examples as to why regional accreditation isn't all that and to justify their national accreditation or lack of accreditation. Bottom line, none of those schools compare to AMU and the APUS!

Bo December 20, 2007 at 12:25 a.m.

I was accepted into UofKentucky master's program with my AMU B.A. degree.

Bill December 21, 2007 at 1:48 a.m.

I am currently enrolled in the MA Homeland Security Program at AMU. This program is fantastic and an AMU degree definitely holds a lot of weight in the real world. AMU was recommended to me by not one, not two, but by many current White House Advisors, Chief of Staffs, etc... I have already been offered future participation in and with many congressional committees once I complete my MA. Believe what you want, but mostly believe in yourself and this University.

Disappointed December 21, 2007 at 5:59 p.m.

I took a class at AMU and it was challenging. The problem is I had around 45-50 credits from my community college, and have 20 plus years law enforcement experience with police/corrections academies. When I received my transfer credit eval. AMU only took around 20 something credit's, and gave me no credit for my law enforcement academies. When I asked why they advised my credit's didn't match up to the psychology degree.

However, there were plenty of law enforcement elective courses I could have gotten credit for that AMU decided not to give me. I liked the school. Unfortuantely, I'm not going to give away credit's I earned so I'll look for another school.

Ray December 21, 2007 at 11:43 p.m.

A word to the wise. Those of you who may be considering transferring from another online school or B&M school that offer online degrees- beware. I transferred from UMUC to AMU a year ago and the quality of education is worlds apart. AMU is by far more demanding. I have taken eight class with AMU so far and nearly all of my down time is spent writing, researching, interacting through the discussion board with fellow classmates, or completing assignments for my classes. Unlike the B&M online programs, AMU has truly mastered the distance learning environment. I also attended the University of Kansas for almost two years prior to entering the military and I can honestly say that it was not as demanding as the eight classes I've taken thus far at AMU. So if you are considering transferring to this school, get ready to honker down on your studies. Make sure you bring with you good writing skills, research skills, and a whole lot of discipline. It's no joke- and I love it that way.

Anthony December 22, 2007 at 4:55 a.m.

Disappointed,

I read my post again and it does sound like I'm suggesting that your credits from CC and law enforcement acadamies/certifications are not worthy of transfer credit at AMU. I humbly apologize for that. That was not my intent. I sincerely hope everything work out for you. I just wished that AMU could find a way to keep classy individuals like you. I think it shows so much class for an individual to not get what they want from a school and still speak highly of it. Good luck.

Adam December 22, 2007 at 12:05 p.m.

To Disappointed,

I had a similar issues in transfer for credits. Like you I had Fire department education and a similar problem that you have. You can appeal the decision to an appeal board. You will have to prove that they were evaluated by the ACE.I won my appeal, and I had the same issue at the University of Maryland as well, so I think its common that alot of schools do not understand specialized courses.

And to the dude posting as moses, I have worked for several fortune 500 companies, and they all equally sucked. Your just another employee ID#, who only wants to bill to a contract. Get over yourself, especially since alot of the people who go to AMU, are the ones deciding your award fee. Retard

John December 22, 2007 at 11:19 p.m.

To Disapointed,

I too had credits from the police academy that AMU would not honor. Although I was disapointed, I chose to go because I could not find terrorism classes anywhere else. I finally graduated in Sept. and am very pleased. Best of luck wherever you chose to go. A week after sending my resume to a Dept in NC from San Diego, I was called by the HR dept and asked to test for them as soon as I get into town.

BTW, when I went to the FBI exam, there were only twelve of us there. The agent said that headquarters had changed the requirements and that we would be the last group allowed to take the exam without second language skills. He said that he handpicked us to grandfather into the old standards due to specific items in our resume's. I can only imagine having law enforcement combined with my counterterrorism concentration from AMU is what got me in the door.

So far my degree from AMU has opened a lot of doors.

Nick December 23, 2007 at 1:48 a.m.

To: Moses
'Moses', why wouldn't you say the company you hire for instead of sensationalizing your with fluff words? You say you would never hire an AMU graduate again because of 3 grads that you had from the school didn't meet your expectations? There are thousands of people that study at AMU. Do you normally stereotype a group of people by only 3 members? What does REAL SCHOOL/REAL EDUCATION mean to you? The American Public University System is fully accredited just like your so called REAL SCHOOLS. You give no real substance to your arguement. You just try to discredit without reason.

To: everyone else on here who actually has common sense.

I'm graduating with a Bachelors in Business Administration from AMU in May '08. I love the courses and i love the school. I spent 9 years in the Army Reserve and AMU was very understanding of my obligations due to my two tours for OEF. I had gotten several extensions due to my mob's and the professors bent over backwards for me. They really showed that they cared as much about my education as i do.
I know a few good schools like ITT Tech that have credits that do not transfer anywhere. It's unfortunate sometimes, but it happends. Another example is when my brother transferred from the University of WI Milwaukee to Arizona State. Some of his credits weren't accepted.
There are many good aspects about AMU, but i feel the best one is that the professors are from all over the country and have an incredible amount of experience and knowledge. And to satisfy 'moses', they also teach at what he calls REAL SCHOOLS. You can read thier bio's at the AMU website. Hey moses, some of them are from IVY LEAGUE REAL SCHOOLS.

Moses December 23, 2007 at 7:53 a.m.

In response to the dude posting as "Adam", did you mean to say "many", when you posted "alot". Whose the retard now? Typical AMU grad..lol....What an embarassment.

Wow December 24, 2007 at 3:23 a.m.

Damn Moses, you got OWNED :O

Wow December 24, 2007 at 4:58 a.m.

MIT? 7 figures? "Whose got owned" WTF? Paperweight? Come on Man, quit while you're ahead ;-)

Adam December 24, 2007 at 2:51 p.m.

First you are a recruiter for Fortune 500 companies, now you an MIT grad who is a millionaire. Whatever dude

Wow December 24, 2007 at 9:17 p.m.

John,

Your comment have me ROFLMAO. I'm sorry Moses. I too see you as a 40 something overweight single man with no children and never been married kind of guy who is between U.S. Postal jobs and taking advantage of his VA education benefits (earned during his three year Army enlistment in the mid 80s) by wasting his benefits on UofP classes :(

Adam December 25, 2007 at 12:08 a.m.

Marie,

I would be hesitant to base the quality of a school. purely based on the amount of credits transferred. Although I was pleased with my transfer evaluation.

Randall December 26, 2007 at 3:48 a.m.

I am interested in starting AMU's BBA degree and would like to here from someone who has recieved this degree and what kind of job success they have had. Please meail me at earthmover_84@yahoo.com

Solomon December 26, 2007 at 3:31 p.m.

Posted Deleted by Moderator

Mike December 27, 2007 at 12:12 a.m.

Randall, here's something I posted on one of my best friend's school's (CSU) page- its in response to a guy claiming that online universities are for people who can't make it "in" a regular university. Moses/Solomon, please read and enjoy:

You may want to change your statement to "online universities are for the people who can't make it "to" a regular university". I am in the military and left high school with a 3.3 GPA, a 1340 (I think) on the SATs, a 28 on the ACTs, and a couple of academic and music scholarships. Instead of going straight to college out of high school, I decide to serve my country in the US Army. I served six years before I was about to get out and go back in the private sector when 9/11 kicked off I decided to continue my service in the US Army to do my part in fighting this global war on terrorism.
I am currently a student at a fantastic, highly respected (although rather challenging- even for a smartie like me) school (American Military University)and I actually logged on to onlinedegreereviews to write a review about my school and just happen to see the school one of my best Army buddies attend (CSU) and decided to click on the link to see what students were saying about CSU. Well, my friend is pretty satisfied with CSU. By the way, my friend is in the same boat that I'm in. He could have probably gotten into any college he wanted after high school but elected to serve in the armed forces instead. You will find that this is the case with a lot of military personnel. Although I can't speak for those who are not full-time servicemembers.
Also, who cares II, keep in mind, as long as we (servicemembers) attend accredited schools, one thing we have going for us is that we are earning on-the-job real-world experience in the most prestigious and respected institution in the world while validating our experiences with a degree. The difference is, we walk in the door of future employers with a wealth of experience and a piece of paper. Even here in the US Army you can recieve a commission to become a US Army officer as long as the degree is from a regionally accredited school no matter the delivery method. Just like so many other employers, the Army could care less where the paper comes from because the Army is going to send you to its schools for formal "Army" schools/training anyway- just like other organizations are going to do.

Solomon December 27, 2007 at 7:17 a.m.

Post Deleted by Moderator

Anthony December 28, 2007 at 2:07 a.m.

continued from above

Which brings me to my last point, why are you here spewing your hate if the previous sentence is true? And please, don’t give me this crap about you’re trying to save a bunch of strangers from some kind of future disappointment. Sure, there have been those who've made mistakes in choosing bad schools or bad programs. These guys will also make the argument that they don't knock DL if it's from a traditional brick and mortar institution. I guess in that case they can at least say, "Well, I got beat out by some guy from the University of Brick and Mortar and not the University of Click and Pointer. Young men, stay off this page spewing your insecurities or at least send us some kind of in depth research paper you’ve completed (with your Ivy League education) convincing us to get out of these institutions while the going is good. You guys sure have a lot of time on your hands to be earning "7 figures". But if you insist on being here, I'm always open for a good debate; especially from an Ivy Leaguer. Just don't take any of the well written dialogue you all are reading on this site (from these "online learners") and turn it in as mid-term papers and claim it as your own.

Anthony December 29, 2007 at 9:08 p.m.

To ham,

Um, WHAT? TOEFL just may be needed in this case. Sorry.

Anthony December 30, 2007 at 9:03 p.m.

ham,

I apologize if I offended you. I just couldn't understand what the world you were trying to say in your first post. I really have no advice for you. All I know is they accepted ALL my transfer credits when I first applied. All of my friends (about 14) who attends or have attended AMU were very satisfied with their transfer credit evaluations. Now, I must admit that all of them are active duty military. APUS was created for military and federal, state, and local public servant types. In other words, they have a great deal of experience evaluting transcripts from people in those fields. Now, transferring credits college to college shouldn't be too difficult or much of an issue. I hope someone else can answer your questions.

Brad January 1, 2008 at 6:18 a.m.

I have had a great experiance with AMU. I am still working on my degree but so far it has been great. I had one Prof that was kind of difficult, but all the others have been fantastic.
The fact that it is regionally accredited makes all the issues of "real" "not real" dead. It is accredited and that is what matters.
BTW, I spoke with 2 members of a professional organization that I belong to (SOLE), they are both in charge of hiring at a national company and asked them about on-line degrees and if it carried less weight than a off-line degree. Both agreed that there has been a huge shift in the last 5 years and that if the degree is accredited, it carries the same weight. I am suprised that some had problems getting transfer credit, AMU took all of my Air Force credits no problem.
Good luck to all no matter where you chose to go to school.

Boe January 2, 2008 at 2:04 p.m.

On transfer credits @ AMU, I am enrolled in then Gen Studies - Mil Leadership AA program (yea, weak degree, but it helps in other areas) I have served 21 years in the Army & Air Force and attended 4 differnet leadership courses and while in the Army was Combat Arms for most of my 10 years. I received a total of 12 transfer credits (9 elective & 3 course specific) and had to fight for the last 3 (leadership). Bottom line is this, if your military transcript reads exactally like a course they teach you will receive credit for that class, most military education credit is nondescript or military focused (I have 90+ credits with CCAF and about 40 from AARTS). My opinion is they are going to make sure you earn your degree, not sell you a degree. (By the way I am also enrolled in a BA program with a big name and they gave me credit for almost all of my military education.)

Cajun January 3, 2008 at 8:10 p.m.

I stumbled upon this message board looking for information on AMU's Public Health program and if it's accredited through the CEPH. I am finishing my degree at Fort Hays State Univ in Kansas and am looking for a graduate program.

Moses/Solomon: If you are an MIT grad that makes millions and a fortune 500 recruiter, why were you on here on Christmas even trying to deter people from attending AMU? Did you really have nothing better to do on Christmas eve? I'm sure with your 7 figures you had some entertaining to do or possibly even some charity to work with all that money you have? Instead of belittling people who work, have families and are trying to advance in their careers, maybe you should work on your social skills? Instead of sitting on your internet on Christmas eve, why not visit your family? As an MIT graduate, I would think you would have better things to do with your time. But then again, MIT probably hasn't reviewed your application yet because they don't waste time on mediocre community college students who live with their parents.

egbewatt arrey lwanga January 4, 2008 at 10:34 a.m.

i wish to enroll in AMU as a student in security manage ment in 2009.i am a student in cameroon in high school probably.i wish to know information about obtaining a schorlaship after i obtain my advanced level certificate.

Andrew January 9, 2008 at 5:11 p.m.

I am interested in attending the AMU's MBA online program. Does anyone have any opinions on it?

kelcey January 12, 2008 at 1:24 a.m.

I've done alot of research looking for degree-completion programs like those offered at AMU. I'm an Air Force Veteran looking to change careers, and for me it's a perfect fit. To those leery of sending money to a degree mill, I would just say that you will find that degree mills and fly-by-night-storefront colleges won't offer you the opportunity to apply for FSA, Pell Grants, etc. because the Federal Government doesn't recognize them as real colleges.

victor January 15, 2008 at 3:28 a.m.

As of today I'm currently considering AMU and UMUC any thoughts to help me decide?

Lisa January 24, 2008 at 5:41 a.m.

Any opinions on the masters in public health program? I am aware it is not a CEPH accredited program. I'd love to hear from anyone currently a student in it or a graduate. Thanks in advance.

CS January 29, 2008 at 12:52 p.m.

I attended two brick and mortar universities before I enlisted in the Army. I intended to do four years and then use my GI Bill to finish college after I got out but ended up making the Army a career. Because I chose a field and units where I was constantly deploying, I was only able to finish one course in a traditional classroom over the first 16 years of my career. A guy in my unit told me about AMU and now I'm only a few classes away from my degree. The work has been challenging and I have learned a great deal along the way. The quality of the instructors has been almost universally excellent (I did have one instructor who was a bit of an ass but I doubt you could show me a school where that never happens). I have never had instructors with as much life experience in their fields before and it has been refreshing to get practical application in conjunction with theory. Bottom line is that AMU is allowing me to finish my BA. I have recommended and continue to recommend it to my fellow soldiers.

CS January 29, 2008 at 1:13 p.m.

"The American Military University (AMU) has signed a cooperative degree program agreement with the FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA).

Law enforcement professionals and others who have completed FBINAA's executive leadership management program can now receive up to 15 graduate credit hours toward certain master's degree programs at AMU."

This was a news release from last year. That should clear up any question about whether the FBI recognizes AMU...

David February 4, 2008 at 3:46 a.m.

I hope my comments are constructive and helpful to people considering AMU for their degree. After reading all of these postings I feel obligated to contribute.

A little about myself so you understand my personal perspective: I earned my B.A. Degree in Business from a traditional state university, which some have referred to as a brick and mortar institution (B&M). I also work for a large law enforcement agency (1000+ Officers).

I was originally enrolled in a traditional master’s program at a B&M. After commuting for over a year and 15 units (4.0 GPA) I was spent (work schedule, family, commute) and needed an alternative. Hence I enrolled into AMU and took my first online master's course for a master's in National Security Studies (End of 2007). I chose this particular degree because I thought the subject matter would be interesting while still providing a master's degree for promotional opportunities.

My first course was research methods in intelligence and security studies. This course literally knocked my socks off. It was one of the hardest college courses I have ever taken. It far surpassed the graduate level research methods course I took at the B&M. My point, the work standard was not diminished in any way because of the online format. Not to scare you but people were dropping out of the course because of the work load and high expectations for a graduate student. The course was not a freebee by any means. You will work!

It must be said that AMU is 100% regionally and nationally accredited. However, this does not mean that one particular degree program has achieved the highest possible accreditation for its field of study. Since I earned a B.A. in Business at a B&M I can tell you it is extremely important to earn a Business degree and especially an MBA degree from an AACSB accredited Business School. I just read an article on the importance of this accreditation. I personally would not complete a non-accredited MBA degree. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your degree is properly accredited for its respective field. This also applies to the Master of Public Health degree which I believe was also mentioned. Regarding this issue, the AMU MBA degree is NOT AACSB accredited. Tread here at your own risk. This is not an issue for the vast majority of AMU degree programs.

For those law enforcement officers complaining about academy certificates and training seminars not being applied to their degree: I can sympathize with your concerns. However, a university degree is much different then your foundational training for police work. All those hours spent in training resulted in certificates for their respective training. You should not have an expectation to "double dip" and also get a college degree for academy training. This is typical at B&M universities so don’t be disappointed.

CONTINUED

Elle February 5, 2008 at 2:18 p.m.

Is anyone working toward a B.A. in Religion? I'm not seeing any comments on it, and I'd like to hear from a (preferably neutral) student as to how well rounded the program is. I'm currently attending a B&M, and all the classes I've taken on the subject only seem to cover the big three.

Ben February 16, 2008 at 5:53 a.m.

My question is about the Space Studies B.S. from AMU versus the Space Science B.S. from CUNY.

It seems that the classes for the AMU program are light on content, yet heavy on buzzwords. Intro to space flight, History of space, Space transportation systems, etc- these all sound interesting, but I am left feeling like I could absorb all that information from a weekend of reading.

The CUNY degree offers classes like remote sensing, magnetohydrodynamics, physical processes in astrophysics, etc.

AMU sounds like a great school for many of the gov't specialty degrees such as intel and homeland security. However, I am left wondering if the Space Studies degree would be worth it. I am interested in getting my hands dirty in air and/or space science, R&D, or fabrication- not being a middle manager at an engineering firm. Can anyone please give some personal experiences or career ROI for this particular degree?

I am in the midst of choosing a college right now; I would like to go with AMU based on their flexibility, but I don't want to feel like I'm settling for less than I want.

-b

Chris Brennan March 2, 2008 at 8:36 p.m.

AMU has a cooperative degree program with the FBI National Academy Associates. That should say enough about the quality of the school. Know accreditation, and know what the job you are looking for accepts. The FBI accepts AMU degrees.

www.apus.edu/APUS/News-and-Events/Press-...

Lee March 5, 2008 at 6:34 p.m.

I have been in the AF active duty for over 7 yrs and looking to finish my CJ degree. Having to review all of the comments above; I have made my decision to attend AMU. It has taken a week of research for me to make this decision and I would like to say thanks for all of you who have commented. Your posts has made my decision easier. I plan on commenting later myself with my experiance at AMU. Thanks again!

Jason March 12, 2008 at 11:33 a.m.

This is in response to Ben who was asking about the B.S. in Space Studies. I just finished the M.S. Program, and I have to say it was a great program, but much more of a middle ground on technical vs. management. If you are looking more into designing or R&D, I would look more towards an Engineering focused program. Don't get me wrong, it really was a great educational experience, but I am a Intelligence professional in the military with a career focus on space operations.

However, I would like to add that since completing my M.S. in space studies... I have enrolled in the Rochester Institute of Technology's online program to get more engineering background, which I have always had a desire to learn (formally).

I hope this helps!
Jason

Tony March 18, 2008 at 2:52 a.m.

I'm not quite sure if this was answered yet...But here it goes. I'm currently a college student (attending a local community college) attempt to earn my A.A. in Japanese and use the transfer credit to a state university in attempt to earn a B.A. in International Studies and Minor in Criminal Justice.

Now to the point, is it possible to use the credits I earned at my local community college and transfer the credit to AMU or am I only allowed to transfer the credits to only one university/institution?

I'm planning on double majoring but since AMU does not allow double majoring, I was thinking of doing it at two different universities. I'm planning on majoring in Intelligence Studies since AMU is the only known institution that has that major. No where I live offers it.

Lee March 20, 2008 at 2:59 a.m.

Tony: More than likely your credits will transfer to AMU so long as you had earned a grade of "C" or higher in the given coursework. Of course, this does not mean a "C-".

Elle: I took a college level math course online at a brick & mortar school and finished with a "B", respectively. However, I would never take another math course online again. There were times when I was stuck on a concept and the professor was simply not available. Not to mention that the assigned videos were less than helpful since much of the material was never on the test. Therefore, my advice is unless you are somewhat strong or at least somewhat familiar with the math course itself, don't take it online. As for the science/lab requirement, I can't help you there; all of my lab work was taken traditionally. At any rate, I hope this helps...

USN O-6 (ret) March 21, 2008 at 7:39 a.m.

I wish I had gone to Norwich as I always loved miltiary history. I decided to go into education instead but oh well. Norwhich has a great rep in academia, especially at miltary academies!

Lee March 27, 2008 at 9 p.m.

CTA1, Just curious...Have you talked with any of the advisors at AMU? Perhaps they can help you with that information or at least steer you in the right direction.

Lee April 1, 2008 at 2:35 p.m.

Webb,
I contacted one of the administrators at AMU, and here is the answer to your question.

"I think the best way to list it would be the third option: American Public University System (AMU). AMU is a virtual campus of the American Public University System, essentially a satellite campus in the same way that UMUC is a satellite campus of the University of Maryland System."

Heather April 16, 2008 at 6:52 p.m.

Hi! I was considering getting a certificate in Intelligence Analysis from Michigan State University--one of the professors patronizes the company I work for and after discussing my desire for a career change, he mentioned it. After learning that the classes were 1000 per credit hour I decided to look elsewhere.

It then occurred to me that maybe a bachelor's degree would be better--or a master's degree? I have a bachelor's degree from the University of Buffalo--cultural anthropology.
So, questions.. I am in my thirties already and have no experience in criminal justice, but have been thinking that is what I wanted to do ever since I volunteered for the police department. I don't have any specific goals, just would like to work in intelligence, security, law enforcement, etc..

Should I get a bachelor's or a certificate? What jobs are available with the certificate? With transfer credits, a bachelor's degree shouldn't take long.

Any feedback appreciated.

anonymous April 17, 2008 at 8:47 p.m.

I began as a student at AMU and I now work here (and I still take classes). I now have the student perspective as well as more technical knowledge of how APUS's policies work, and feedback on various degree programs and classes (positive and negative). I was thinking about answering some of the questions I see here, but there are so many and I don't know whose still need answering. If anyone wants my thoughts on anything, my e-mail address is yarashel@gmail.com (...no I'm not giving out my APUS address!!) And also, this won't be APUS sponsored- technically-approved info so don't get any crazy ideas. Just thought maybe I could help since I'm on both sides.

Malcolm April 20, 2008 at 5:47 p.m.

Heather,

Like you I have a BA in Anthropology (from the University of Alaska, Anchorage), but since I am not interested in working in law enforcement I am not qualified to comment on studies in that area. I am working on an MPA from AMU and I think that your background in Anthropology would also provide a good foundation for studies in Public Administration or Emergency and Disaster Management. I am learning that most of the theoretical work done in EDM has been done by sociologists and geographers, but anthropologists have also been able to carve out a niche in the field.

Overall, I recommend getting a Masters in the field of your choice rather than another Bachelors, it will carry more weight when seeking employment. Good luck in your future endeavors!

Stephen April 29, 2008 at 7:11 p.m.

I'm currently obtaining my BA in Emergency Mgmt w/a concentration in Public Health (I'm granfathered, the concentration is no longer offered) at AMU. So far I've taken 6 classes and have found them all enjoyable. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the book grant for undergraduates. Pass the class and you don't pay a dime on the book. I don't think I'd be in school without that perk.

My question however is in the same vein as cajun and Lisa concerning the Masters in Public Health. How important is it for job seekers in Public Health to have the CEPH accredidation attached to their degree? And when you consider that the likely career jump will probably be with the Fed, is that scrutinized as hard?

Thanks!

Tobin May 2, 2008 at 12:09 a.m.

Hey, this school looks great, and I am very excited about beginning classes. I do, however, have a few questions about what avenues I could persue following my graduation from the intel-studies BA program. My situation is a litte out of the ordinary so let me explain it. I want to eventually end up in the corporate competitive intelligence field. I have been told by many people who are currently lavishing in that field that a background in MI or another federal intelligence agency is a huge plus when sending over a resume. I took the aptitude test for the army and scored high enough to be guarenteed an in with MI afetr basic training. However, when I was younger I was wrongfully accused and convicted of a serious felony, served the time, and have not been granted a turn over via appeal. I was told by a recruiter this would mean I could not obtain a security clearance (although i do have a low level 5-C, as I work on a federal contract)and thus could not do MI. does any one have further information regarding this? If not I want to know how an institution such as the Israeli Mossad would look upon an intelligence degree from AMU. Any feed back would be extremely helpful.

Rob May 10, 2008 at 10:10 p.m.

Does anyone have advice for a PhD in Military History Program in the Virginia area? Doe anyone anticipate a PhD coming down the pike from AMU?

Jonathan M May 14, 2008 at 1:28 p.m.

I want to join the Navy and take BUDS but I also want my rank to be better than Recruit when I go in will AMU help me. Also if any one here is apart of NSW. Please give me more advice on training tips.