American Military University Reviews

M.A. Criminal Justice

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on June 27, 2008

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Very pleased with my decision to attend AMU. Exceptional bargain.

Excellent School

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on June 23, 2008

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I am a military officer who elected to complete my Masters with AMU because of the flexibility of the program.  It best fits my schedule, and my concentration in strategy makes sense for my career.  I attended Boston University for my bachelors degree, gained admission to Brandeis University for grad school (but did not attend) and completed one graduate course at Saint Mary’s University of San Antonio.  AMU better fit my needs for graduate school, offering the courses I needed when I could take them, and maintaining an electronic campus I could access from anywhere.  

The work is almost all research and writing, and the professors definitely challenge students.  The caliber of my classmates is almost universally excellent, and I learned as much from interactions on class discussion boards as I have from assigned readings and my own research.  

The three best aspects of AMU as a distance learning experience are the faculty, its accreditation status and its affordability:

Faculty:     I have studied under ten different professors at American Military University.  Eight held PhDs:  Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, and the University of Alabama for those who studied in the United States, University of Manitoba, York University, and the University of New Brunswick for the Canadians; and Bosphorus University.  The two who were not PhDs held masters degrees from the Naval Post Graduate School and Duke respectively.  Three were published authors of academic books, while all have engaged in preparing published articles and studies.  Professionally, seven served as officers in the American, Canadian and Turkish armed forces; including service in combat.  Five have taught at the University level in a variety of “brick and mortar” institutions including UW-Bothell, USMA, and USAFA.  In contrast to my undergraduate experience, of which I can recall no significant interaction with professors, I have had significant contact with, and support from, all of my AMU professors.

Accreditation:  Accredited through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association, the same accrediting body for schools such as Ohio State.    This means it is a legitimate school, despite being relatively unknown.  AMU is no diploma mill.

Affordabilty:  $275 a credit hour for graduate students is the best price for an accredited school of which I am aware.  With tuition assistance and inter-library loan, I paid less than $800 out of pocket for my entire degree.

Bottom line:  There is no “better” school available for the distance learner than AMU in my opinion.  There are many “better name” schools with distance learning programs out there today, but they cost a lot more, and I doubt the extra cost means anything in terms of a better education.  I highly recommend AMU.

AMU: An Excellent Choice

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on June 8, 2008

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For a military member in a time of instability due to deployments, TDYs, and more work with fewer resources, AMU is an excellent alternative to traditional schools. Where I am stationed, there are plenty of local opportunities; however, none were as accommodating as AMU.

The issues I have with local schools are the travel time to the campus, the fixed/inflexible schedules, and those of the faculties who are not very empathetic to your situation.

The positives of AMU are it is regionally accredited, TA covers the class AND books, career related programs (mine is Space Studies), flexibility to manage your time, and most of the facility are/were in the military and very understanding. In addition, AMU is now part of the Air Force's, Air University-Associates to Baccalaureate Cooperative Program adding to the school's creditability.

AMU and distance learning are great alternatives to the in-residence universities, because these allow for personal management of your most valuable resource, time. If you possess self-discipline, time-management skills, and personal accountability, AMU is an excellent choice.

Much harder than I expected.

By: marty_aldridge (Graduate) on May 25, 2008

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Before enrolling at AMU, I had attended several (four to be exact) brick and mortar Universities, and to be perfectly honest I was very skeptical of the quality of education that could be delivered over the internet. To my surprise, the standard at AMU was much higher than what I had experienced previously with institutions of "higher" learning. Anyone who is looking to enroll at AMU needs to be fully prepared for this, and needs to be ready to read and write in abundance.

Great

By: tireman4444 (Graduate) on May 22, 2008

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Great program. I love it. I have enjoyed my time there.

First choice for online University

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on May 18, 2008

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I just completed the BS in IT Management at AMU. I would recommend this University and degree to anyone that is looking into adult learning options. I took several classes online at University of Phoenix before transferring to AMU. AMU is far, far better than UOP. First it costs half as much to go to AMU, based on each 3 credit class AMU was $750 and UOP was $1500 and increasing. AMU also does not have team based assignments. You might have to review a posting by someone else but that is it, there are no 10 page papers that you have to coordinate with someone else like you do at UOP. I thought the AMU evaluation of transfer credits was very fair. At most Universities it seems like they do anything they can to exclude your credits for whatever reason, but at AMU I felt like they tried to do the opposite and include my previous work wherever they could.

Alumni back for more

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on May 2, 2008

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I have graduated from AMU with my BA.  I am currently over half-way done with my Masters.  This was the best value in schools I have ever found.  It is both regionally and nationally accredited.  They have priced their undergraduate credits to match what the military covers in tuition assistance.  There is an undergraduate book grant that everyone is automatically accepted into.  This makes getting a Bachelors practically free for active duty members.  My BA only cost $75 for a transfer credit evaluation and $75 for graduation.  The professors are mostly helpful and the staff is courteous.  Proctored exams were easier to do when I was in the service because the education office would do it.  Now that I am out, it is a little more difficult.

Great School

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on April 24, 2008

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I am currently on my 4th class with AMU and have nothing but positive things to say about the institution.  Contrary to some recent reviews, the TA system has been quick and flawless for me.  I can only attribute others problems to "operator error".  As long as you have what you need when you need it they take care of you.  The staff and professors are knowledgeable and onpoint.  I have always receieved my books on time.  Like I said, nothing bad to say at all.

AMU is Great!

By: bradleypowers1972 (In Progress) on April 24, 2008

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Have been taking classes with AMU for 2 years and have had an excellent experiance.  Any issues have been resolved quickly.  I am suprised that a few have had problems.  The classes and profs have been great and the reginal accred. puts the issues of a real/not real degree to rest.
For a working adult, this is a great university!

For The Love Of God GO ELSEWHERE!!!

By: turduckenlover (In Progress) on April 22, 2008

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I have had nothing but problems with AMU since before I even got into this fine"university" (SNICKER SNICKER!)I was bumped from a Dec. start to a Jan. start to a MARCH start due to dealing with the combined ineptitude of the tech system and the petty bureaucrat functionaries whose customer service training was obviously from Bulgaria !(Cold,wrong answers,and often rude!)The readings were not current at all(many from BEFORE 9/11!!)and the books were definitely NOT written for a graduate-level course!Professors  did not return e-mails or give any insight as to what  they expect in papers and discussion board postings,thus making the learning process nearly impossible.Luckily,I am only two courses in and will NOT be returning after these are done.DO NOT GO HERE!!

AMU Financial Aid NIghtmare!!

By: txgal717 (In Progress) on April 8, 2008

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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!!

Great!

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on April 4, 2008

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I began as a student, but now I am an employee as well.  At first I was skeptical about taking courses online, especially at a military oriented school (I majored in Spanish for my BA at Virginia Tech) but I really wanted to gain more education in different fields since a BA doesn't go as far anymore.  I was and still am very impressed.  So happy in fact, I now work for APUS and I now see that it's great to learn from and work for.  Awesome school in every way.

Highly Recommended

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on February 27, 2008

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If you work in the Transportation & Logistics field, this program is an awesome way to increase your knowledge and expand your horizons.  I was impressed with the experience and knowledge of the professors, as well as how closely this field of study related to my position in the Transportation field working for the Federal Government.

Great value

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on February 11, 2008

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I enrolled in this program for personal growth and professional development. As you might expect "National Security Studies" is not a common degree program at many colleges so I took a chance and enrolled for this completely online program. Having earned my BA Degree at a Brick & Mortar institution, AMU was my first online experience and I was unsure what to expect. Since being in the program I have been very pleased with everything. The online classroom is very easy to use and the instructors and support staff are very responsive to my questions and concerns. The instructors' syllabi are very detailed and their expectations are clear. I especially liked the cost for graduate tuition which is very affordable compared to other institutions. Most affordable program I could find.

If you enroll at AMU be prepared to READ & WRITE A LOT. I have already completed several graduate level courses at a B&M and comparitively the amount of reading and writing at AMU is huge. Now in my opinion this writing was not really busy work. Rather it was a result of much research and critical thinking which was compiled into many assignments. As expected we are expected to synthesize current events with the information being studied. Many of these assignments are posted on discussion boards for other students to read and comment on. Hence you are also reviewing your peer's work and engaged in discussion.

One thing I like about AMU is the common bond I feel between the students. AMU has cornered a niche market with military, government, and public safety personnel as its biggest clientele. This becomes obvious when students introduce themselves during the initial week of the courses. These are people I enjoy learning with because they are in my shoes. I would bet if you attend most other online schools you would have a very wide variety of people who you may not relate to. These might include soccer moms or people in the private sector who can't offer much insight. In the end it is the niche market which creates the networking opportunities. I have already met people at my own agency that are enrolled in AMU and our mutual coursework and common career goals create great dialogue.

The worst thing about AMU and probably any "legitimate" online school is that self-discipline is absolutely required to complete the courses. Undisciplined students will fall behind and will not suceed at AMU. AMU is for self-starters.

With all of this said I recommend AMU for people if they are interested in topics related to the NARROW fields of military, government, and public safety. These are its real strengths and main stay. Of course this would also include History (especially military history where AMU has really sharpened its teeth) and management (defense management and logistics). If you want to study arts, sciences, humanities, etc., then find another school because AMU does not specialize in these areas.

AMU is simply excellent

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on December 19, 2007

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From my understanding, AMU is also about to start the process for a Ph.d program and is also working on several secondary business type accredidations such as AACSB, CPEH, etc. This school is truely second to none when it come to distance learning and is well respected in government, military, law enforcement, and other communities. Every traditional college institution I've spoken with in regards to AMU is either highly impressed or have never heard of the it. Once the ones who had never heard of it research it, they are very impressed afterwards. Keep up the good work and hurry with the Ph.d program!

Education Coordinators

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on November 29, 2007

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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!

Solid School

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on November 28, 2007

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Their faculty in military history is truly unique and outstanding.  Nowhere else can you go for Civil War or European Military History and find courses and faculty like this one - and it's online.  They need a Ph.D. in Security Studies to top it off.

Awesome

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on November 8, 2007

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What an awesome school!  I have spent many years in the military...along with many schools, both online and in residence, and AMU is defitely at the very top of my list.  The courses give the right balance of giving you a great education and realizing you have other priorities.  One of the greatest things about AMU is the support staff.  They have been extremely supportive.  I live in FL and there is a representative that meets with online students down here and has returned my email questions within minutes, even when it was late at night.  I would HIGHLY recommend this university to anyone!

Good School

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on November 1, 2007

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I just finished my MS in IT Management and I have to say that overall the school really shows how to get it done in regards to distance leaning. I have taken classes from multiple Brick and Mortar schools, and they could not compare to AMU. Another review had an issue with a professor but you will find that anywhere. 

Tuition is low, especially since all books are included at the undergrad level, technology is top notch, and customer service  blows everyone else away.

Faculty problem

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on October 31, 2007

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First the positives. 
I would say that the online class was easy to navigate. Overall the system AMU uses is good. 

Now the negative. The faculty is very unresponsive.
I already had 90 credit hours (3.8 GPA) towered my BA degree when I signed up with AMU. My first class at AMU was a mandatory “intro to learning” kind of thing. I made the mistake of mentioning that I really did not feel this type of class was all that useful for a 32 year old student like myself, a 19 year old maybe - but if I don’t know how to learn at 32, then I will never know. The professor then proceeded to give me low grades on all the work I turned in after that. My academic advisor was helpful enough to push me off on another faculty member, who simply said that the professor was right and I was wrong. Now I have a D- in a class I never wanted to take and I will have to pay back tuition assistance for the class. I can’t see by looking at the syllabus and adding my grades how I got a D- (even with the professor’s bias). Several times during the course the Professor would not accept work in one of the formats that the syllabus said was acceptable. Some of the online assignments had directions that the teacher seemed to be unaware of.

21st century Top Rated

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on October 14, 2007

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I am a student at American Military University and I've attended other private and public institutions. I can tell you from first hand experience that AMU holds its own as the finest online university in the country. Among all top-five major traditional universities who have realized this is the 21st century, and as a technology age, are offering distance learning including Harvard University but AMU stands alone in this field because AMU teaches military and government personnel, and has prepared people for careers in the military, CIA and NSA. It may still be an insider thing but that is how well this school holds up in smart circles! The teaching is top rate by instructors with top grade top level credentials many from Ivy League schools. The value is still amazing. AMU started primarily for military/government training and what it now sees is a vast number of smart non-military students who have chosen to attend AMU over other traditional programs.

Great School

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on October 6, 2007

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 I have just completed my degree with AMU. I have no complaints. I decided to attend AMU due to their terrorism courses which really wern't offered by another school. Although I was hesitant becuase I started while they were still trying to achieve RA status, I quickly realized that it was good quality. 
 I liked the fact that they accepted all of my junior college credits as well as my SMART transcripts. I knocked out a full year just from the military. THe quality of the instructors and the free books really made this school stand out. One of my terrorism courses was taught by a retired Detla Force Master SGT who had experience. It wasn't all theory, it was relevant, current practices in the field. Great information!
I am currently trying to get hired on with a couple different Federal Law Enforcement Agencies. If I get hired or not, I will try to remeber to post here again with the results because I am as curious as the rest as to weather or not this degree will be looked at legitimate regardless of the RA.

Civil War History

By: scoontz (Graduate) on August 20, 2007

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I was very please with my AMU experience. Very hard work, but well worth it. Professors were uniformly excellent and demanded your best. I am looking at taking additional CEU courses, as I am very pleased with the variety of courses - many of which are not found anywhere else.

Excellent

By: jasonfosterr (In Progress) on July 18, 2007

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I have had the same instructors as the previous poster, and I must say that they are excellent.  A long with the dept. chair and other instructors.  I have attended other online universities, private colleges, community colleges, and even Ohio State and have found AMU the most difficult and most rewarding of all 6 colleges I have attended.  I have learned more at AMU in their respective classes than any other University.

AMU IS EXCELLENT

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on July 18, 2007

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I did my research for a year. AMU is without question the finest online institution, frankly I was planning to attend the Harvard Extension but they do not offer 100% distance learning therefore I decided to distance learn via American Military University. I did an Audit class at the Graduate level at AMU and it was the finest experience I had in a college setting (AMU was my first online college.) The instruction was superior, far beyond what I ever experienced via a 'regular' college. AMU is highly recommended across the board and holds both regional and national accreditations, and trains the military. AMU is the ticket if you want to avoid children and lengthy slow pace learning. It is simply a terrific institution. If you are planning to go to Graduate school and must complete your Bachelors, AMU is the ticket.

Homeland Security

By: andrew442 (Graduate) on March 5, 2007

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Great program with outstanding instructors. Instructors have real-world experience (for example I had the Fire Chief of Tampa-St Petersburg, the head of the UN Anti-Terrorism branch, etc, as instructors) comapred to individuals just teaching from the "book". As an active duty military member I appreciated the flexible schedule, and the willingness of the staff to accomodate military duties and deployments. Additionally, my military tution assistance covered the entire cost of my degree, books are included in tuition.  Only out of pocket expense was internet access and a PC.  Great program, great books, and great staff.  Worth looking into.

I'm happy with AMU

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on February 20, 2007

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I have to say AMU is a solid school. I have done hours of research on distance learning and think AMU is the best. If you have a GI-BILL or use active duty TA your school is free. Books are included and they even buy most of them back from you when your done. The customer support such as financial aide office, and academic advisor's are solid people.

AMU

By: tedwade1 (In Progress) on September 15, 2006

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American Military University is a excellent school.  The monthly semesters with either 8 week or 16 week courses gives great flexibility.  I have completed 15 credits in graduate level Security Management and Homeland Security Courses.  In the Security and Homeland Security courses, a significant percentage of students are serving in the military but many are not.  Most of those who are not in the military are in security management, law enforcement, or emergency services careers.   
The professors have a lot of practical experience to ehnance their academic credentials.  All of the professors I have had for class worked in their fields while completing their degrees.  That gives a good perspective on what most online learners are going through.  Almost everyone in the classes has had a full-time career while attending classes.  Many were even completing courses while deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.  
The courses are very writing intensive which I suppose is typical for online courses.


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