International Relations Reviews

Update stay away ....to GREAT

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on August 28, 2009

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Update on stay away. APU/AMU took care of the problem. Just spoke to the wrong person. Since then APU/AMU has been great. Financial aid, services, and everything spot on! I was very hesitant, but am glad I checked back!

STAY AWAY

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on July 11, 2009

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Great, up until you pay the TCE Fee. You are then locked in a system that is unflexible. The advisors will tell you what you want to hear, even if it's not the "Official APU policy." When you call to seek a solution (after you pay the TCE fee) you will get voicemail. So you then send an email to a nameless advisor supervisor. You will ultimately receive a "Gee sorry, I'll talk to the advisor that gave you the wrong information." This will by email of course. The closing portion will say, " this is the policy found on page 265, that MUST be followed" ........So sorry our agent gave you the wrong information, but this is the policy. Stay away unless you read the small print, before you speak with an advisor. Good luck.

Recent Graduate

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on May 8, 2009

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I recently completed my degree requirements for a BA in International Relations, and thought I'd write a little about my experiences at AMU and the program itself.  

In terms of support, I have no complaints.  During my three years at AMU, I never had any difficulty communicating with my student adviser or program director. Additionally, I was able to utilize my TA, MGIB, and Financial Aid without any problems.  Naturally there's a process I had to go through to get my funding 'online'. However, I was able to accomplish everything I needed through email and phone -  calls and questions were returned promptly, and the entire process was painless.

Tuition. At 250 per credit hour, it's cheaper than most 'for-profit' educational institutions, but keep in mind that 750 a class adds up - even with the help of TA & MGIB.  If you follow APUS President W. Boston's blog, you'll know that the current tuition rates are likely to remain unchanged.  

Professors at AMU:  Some are good, some are great, some I didn't like at all.  Over the course of three years I found most professors to be engaging and demanding. Creativity, discussion and feedback are major components you'll come across in your academic plan. Overall, most online classes are writing intensive, and typical coarse loads included major research projects (15+ papers), 7-8 pg papers & LOTS of reading.  Lower level classes typically demand multiple 4-5 pg papers, multiple question & essay exams.

Now, did a few instructors run on 'autopilot'? Sure, I've come across two or three. Although, I should note that the university system is constantly providing opportunity for students to submit online assessment surveys & feedback - in fact one is available for each course you complete.  If someone is dissatisfied with a course, they should annotate that dissatisfaction on a survey, or write the program director/school dean. Too easy.

Overall, I found my time at AMU to be rewarding and challenging. Although still relatively unknown in the civilian sector, APUS has become highly regarded within the military and federal government - A fact which underlines the value of AMU's School of Security and Global Studies.

Exceptional school / great experience

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on October 6, 2008

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I have just completed my degree at AMU and wanted to write a review on some of the outstanding support and instruction I received.  In my 3 year experience my course materials never arrived late, my professors proved to be engaging and insightful, and I learned A LOT.  

As with most online universities, there was much reading and research to be done at AMU, however I found all the course materials to be relevant to my program.  

It's no secret that this school is geared toward the government / public safety sector in the job market, thus the value of my education received here stands out above the rest.  I would recommend AMU to any potential online student, as my degree has helped me get into GWU.

Great Online School

By: cda0598 (In Progress) on October 1, 2008

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I found the American Military University while I was looking for online degrees for International Relations. And, I was completely shocked when I actually found a school where I could obtain this degree 100% online. Even foreign language classes are done online, they use Rosetta Stone. A person will not become fluent but will have a good handle on the language.
The only down side is, as another poster complained about, the required "Intro to learning" course. I had taken similiar courses at two other places, but the one at AMU is by far the best one out the bunch. It is not the funnest or most interesting class but it does give a new student a solid base.
The course work is a reasonable amount and also challenging. But, if you have the will, you can do it. I have a full time job, two children, and a husband, and was able to take 3 courses at the same time and made A's and B's.
The best advice is:If there is a will, there is a way.
Don't expect it to be easy, but do expect a wonderful experience.

Great program, great school

By: robert.hones (In Progress) on September 29, 2008

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My experience at AMU has exceeded my expectations by far.  Coming from CCSU, I was new to the online learning environment, and as a consequence I carried some unease at the start of my academic program.  However the staff and faculty at AMU have turned me into a believer.  I am receiving a top notch education here, and will have my B.A. completed by this December.  AMU has given me a lot of options - from internships to grad schools.  

I would recommend this school to anyone looking to pursue their academic goals online.

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