Athabasca University Reviews

High quality, interactive Executive MBA from Athabasca University

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on December 20, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I am halfway through Athabasca University's Executive MBA program and extremely pleased with the high quality, interactive experience. Excellent professors, great support and lots of group interaction make this a high quality Executive MBA program, in line with other tier 1 North American Executive MBA programs. I just completed a week long session in Calgary, doing the in-residence part of an elective and the experience exceeded all my expectations. Now some words of caution. AU's MBA is neither easy nor quick, so set your expectations and prepare for slogging before applying for this program. There is no hiding behind a desk, like in a traditional classroom in a brick and mortar university. Readings and group activities are required almost daily and time commitments vary between 20 hrs/week and 40 hrs/week depending on the course and previous academic experience with the subject. Grading is pretty tough and AU will make you work hard for your GPA, however you will get a lot of satisfaction from the experience. The group activities are quite intense and in some ways superior to the traditional classroom experience. If you are good at time management skills and enjoy learning, you will certainly enjoy this MBA program. Overall, I am very pleased with Athabasca University's Executive MBA program and highly recommend it to busy managers and executives who cannot afford to travel or leave a job to do an MBA.

Distance Education is tricky, AU does it well.

Bachelor of Management
Reviewer: rick.951 (Degree In Progress) on November 17, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Judging by the poorly written negative reviews, some people are resentful of being held to university standards in their coursework. I have had a reasonably good experience through approx. 20 courses taken with AU. 

As others have stated, tutor quality and marking are hit-or-miss, like any other educational institution. Marking times are generally good and feedback is almost always provided. 

Use of technology is lacking, online lectures are few and far between (even though they help immensely).
 
I have had issues with the school's administration, specifically with my loan officer, who has made errors on my loan applications that delayed my payments. She is, however, very accommodating with regard to extensions and changing upcoming courses.

The main thing that I find is missing is the social aspect of interacting with the prof/other students. For anyone who is established in a career/has attended university/is connected, taking courses through AU is a fine option. For anyone thinking of gaining an entire degree from scratch without a career base or connections to build off of, the lack of a social aspect may hamper your education.

It IS worth the time and money, should you want to complete your degree!

bachelor of anthropology-4 yr
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on November 17, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I have been doing the bachelor degree since last year and currently in year 2 of the bachelor program. My opinion of 
this university is none other than the two words to mention: 
"is good"... I registered to a total of 8 courses last school year and so far I only had one bad (prof/tutor). I am in year 2, so far I am doing great despite of my doubts of the university when I began taking courses here a year ago now.
I must admit that studying from a what I was used to (brick and mortar university setting) to now this was quite a challenging experience. I have decided to take the challenge due to my family situation that requires me to travel from one province to another a number of times in a year and does not always coincide with the traditional brick and mortar universities schedule that requires you to be physically in classrooms 8 months out of 12 months. I was doubtful at first. But, I WAS impressed with the quality of the textbooks they (the university) sent me. I must admit that some of the texts were better than the ones that I have used in the past. The fact that I could transfer some courses that were transferable also helped shortened out my length of study here... So, in short, I AM CONTENT FOR NOW with Athabasca Uni... After all, I AM here to achieved and impressed the profs to get myself excellent grades, NOT here for "the best dress contest."

AU - An Overall Good Experience

4-year Psychology degree
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on October 20, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

AU offers high calibre courses.  The institution is fully accredited in Canada and the U.S.A.  I've taken many courses over the years and have very few complaints.  You have to organize yourself and initiate good working relationships with AU support staff i.e. tutors and admin. personnel.

AU is a good option for the working individual.

Very dissapointing!

Athabasca University
Reviewer: jeffh21 (Degree In Progress) on October 14, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

This was a terrible experience! Support from the instructor was very low. In marking assignments she would give a mediocre mark and offer almost no feedback explaining why she took marks off - leaving me to feel she put no effort into papers I worked very hard on. It feels like a money-grab: mid term and final exams are an extra $40 each, and you have to call the invigilator yourself to set it up. Need an exam extension? $100. Rewrite? $100. Course extension? $165. The admin. department is also very unhelpful. I canceled future classes with Athabasca and, naturally, had to pay a withdrawal fee....but I did so gladly.  There was much more that was wrong, so I was very disappointed with this 'school'.

Good program but not much help from tutors

Master of Science - Information Systems
Reviewer: lau2468 (Degree In Progress) on September 9, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

AU is classified as a research university. Computer Science and Information System department holds three or four Canadian Tier 1 or 2 research chairs. I take this program to upgrade my credential, and get a chance to do something really significant(the final integration project or thesis).

I was granted exemption for all IS foundation courses, and I am half way into my Master of Science degree. The courses are rigorous and demanding, but there is not much help from the tutors. Mostly learn everything by myself by completing the numerous research paper assignments. Each course had at least 3 to 4 research assignment and may be plus a final examination. Some other students in my class really struggled with their research papers, but for me, I can now write a good quality IS research paper without any problem. This is very similar to my B.C.I.T. bachelor of technology degree where I was given projects after projects in computer programming and system design. After some course from B.C.I.T., I have no trouble completing any programming and system design projects.

AU is really not for everyone. If you cannot learn by yourself, then you are wasting money with these kind of programs. If you think Athabasca U's on-line programs are an easy way to get a degree, then you are wasting your money.

There tuition fee is reasonable, $1400 (2011) for a 3 credit master level course, including text book (if any). They also charge for course extension and other fees, but these are normal for any college/university.

There tutors/professors are all PhDs and some academic coordinators(who also teach) have Master degree. Some do provide really feedback to my assignments but some just send me a mark.

Will I recommend this program to others? Yes, if you are smart and have good self discipline.

Athabasca: Not worth it

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on September 9, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Athabasca sucks, you pay for them to give you a textbook, and you're expected to learn everything on your own with no tips on what to focus on. No posted lectures, no help at all. I would recommed this crappy school to no one.

jumping through hoops if you have the money

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on August 30, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Overall the university is high quality, because the tutor (who marks everything) is available by email (or phone) whenever needed, has a phd in field and is successful in professional career with subject (my tutor for english undergrad. is a published author). Also good feedback is given on essays, so you know what marker expects. Any calls I have made to university have been answered and I was satisfied at the end of the call, furthermore I was never transferred to other people.

Unfortunately, I won't be taking another Atha. course because of the 'hoops' I feel I have to jump through and the exorbitant amount of money being charged for the course. I have an undergraduate degree, a graduate degree and continually upgrade my qualifications through online and on campus courses for the past 8 years. This is my first distance learning course, and found that the amount of work expected - with additional fees for EVERYTHING (despite being the most expensive tutition I have ever paid even than international univer.)is more than has been expected of me in all my experiences. I much prefer online courses to this... I managed to find an inviligator at my local library for FREE but up until i stumbled onto it, i was going to have no choice but to pay 85$per exam -and travel to another city! (You can register someone new to invili. but it takes 60 days to go through the process.)While I submitted my essays by email-it is not necessarily the norm. My exams are all handwritten and have to be mailed away. I think part of the problem of price for this course is that they send you all the books required(i had a boxful dropped off in my driveway by the road and found them when i went out one morning!) but I already had many of what they sent. There should be a choice to get the books my self if it will save me 500$....

I took this course because of the flexible time given and the option to buy and extention if needed. I have four kids, am a working professional and found the flexibility extreemly attractive. However, I could have been patient for 6 months taken an online version with another great university and saved myself a lot of money, course work and physical work meeting deadlines and finding inviligators! It really has been more money than it is worth, and the pluses of this university can be met elsewhere.

Excellent Experience

Commerce
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on August 24, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Wow.  I found many of the comments here surprising.  I have been a student here since 2007 and have always received excellent service from Athabasca.  They gave me 2 years worth of transfer credit in from my Accounting Diploma from SAIT and have allowed me to complete some of my courses at the University of Calgary.   All of the courses I have taken at Athabasca have been challenging and I have never been charged an extra fees.  I pay my course fees, complete my assignments within the six months they allow for me to complete the course and write my exams before my course end date.  I've heard that there are extra charges if you extend your course or write your exam after your course end date but it seems fair that they would charge for providing extra services.  I am almost done now, only 2 courses left and I have been promoted twice since I start working on this degree.  All in all a very valuable and rewarding experience.

RN to BSN program

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on August 20, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Alot of learning required - and varied - I feel as though I am well-prepared, but the quality of the websites, resources and communication with school administration is poor: slow, lack-lustre, and iffy outcomes.

A great experience

Master of Science - Information Systems
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on August 18, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I am into my second year of the MScIS program and so far my experience with the institution has been nothing but positive. The MScIS program is well structured and the instructor team is experienced and extremely competent in their field. In fact, each instructor I've had so far was an accomplished researcher as well. Add to that the fact that AthabascaU is a public, non-profit institution, and you have another of my reasons for putting my trust in Athabasca rather than the many other privately-owned online degrees providers I have reviewed.

I have read many of the negative reviews and rants about the institution, so I suppose I should feel fortunate to have had such a great experience. But let's face it: this is distance education, and succeeding in this program requires self-discipline, self-motivation and self-learning skills. You just can't expect to have the instructor guide you every step of the way. And yes, a textbook by mail is what you get most of the time. No live/recorded lectures. But at least, AthabascaU has a decent learning management systems (Moodle) that provides guidance and allows the "class" to interact through discussion forums and messaging. And yes, course fees are somewhat higher than regular classes, but this is a very small price to pay for the convenience and flexibility the program affords.

I am now embarking onto the final journey of the program on the thesis route, and I have been fully integrated into one of Athabasca's research groups. The group is geographically dispersed, but with the use of technologies such as Skype and Adobe Connect physical distance simply does not come into play! Quite a clean departure from preconceived notions of distance learning!

In light of the above, I will not hesitate to recommend Athabasca to my colleagues. Again, this is not for the faint of heart, I actually found the program to be more demanding than traditional in-class curricula. But the payoffs have been substantial so far for me!

History major

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on August 12, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

After high school I attended Siast. The first program I took from them was basically the teachers reading from the textbook and repeating everything three or four times. The courses and exams where extermatly easy. I was so disappointed that I had to go to school Mon-Fri 9 to 4 to be treated like a child. After I finished my program I was unsatified with the job it allowed me to get so I thought I would give it another try at Siast with a different course that posed to be more challaging. It was exactlly the same as the first one I had taken. I was so angery that I wasted my time again to go to class and do everything in the classroom that I could do at home.

I decided that I wasn't happy going to class to learn the same things I could learn the same stuff in half the time sitting in my Pjs. Athabasca university is the best time I've ever done. I can go though the material and complete the assignment as quickly as I want and I can still work full time.

If you need to go to class and have everything explained to you distance learning is not for you. If you want to complete courses fast and are an independent studier then try athabasca university. Keep in mind distance learning isn't for everyone and requires you to structure and plan your own studying.

Perfect for mature working students

Bachelor of Management
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on August 2, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I am a mature working student in a management position.  Athabasca University was a great experience.

Prior to AU, I attended BCIT and completed my business diploma.  Also, I have attended other university to earn credits.  Overall, my experience at AU has been outstanding.  The course material are at the same level as other universities and colleges in BC.  The instructors were responsive and supportive.  The technology used to access the courses was effective.  Distance education has its strengths and limitations.  I believe AU offers the best value to balance these issues.  

As a working students with a demanding job, evening lectures from UBC, SFU or BCIT were not realistic due to my frequent business trips. The course material were practical for my position.  The degree enhances my credentials on my resume.  I recommend AU to mature working students seeking to complete their degree.  The Bachelor of Management program was challenging and requires discipline to complete.

Disappointing

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 25, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

As a graduate of two Universities with two undergraduate honours degrees I am truly disappointed to experience the lack of attention paid to a quality of learning at Athabasca. The student guides contain obsolete information and are still being published and distributed. As a public school teacher, I feel that it is sad to see this University publish information that I wouldn't even feel is adequate for my own students. In addition, while the printed policy is that 5 business days is the turnaround time for assignments, I found myself chasing after my tutor who never responded even to the reciept of my assignments. When I asked a question regarding the corrections made to ensure that I would improve my practice, I was told that "We do not do corrections." In other words, Athabasca University is not an institute that is based on teaching and learning. At this point, I feel that I could not recommend Athabasca to anyone who is genuinely looking for a meaningful learning experience and have notified my colleagues that require the same coursework.

MBA

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 20, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I have been in the MBA program for almost one year and I am very satisfied with the quality of education. I have experienced no issues with the staff either. Professors, books, technology and students are all great. What comes with quality is hard work to earn grades; so nobody should have any illusions about that. This is a world class MBA program as good as any other reputed US state college or Canadian public university.

Master of Nursing

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 19, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

 I have been in the pursuit of my MN degree for 2 years . I am beyond pleased ; faculty and employees are great and respond promply to my queries . I would recommend this program to any busy nurse out there who would like to continue their education , but cannot b/c of the constraints of balance of work and  Home .
 This is not a walk in the park either , you must be organized , dedicated and stay ontop of your work .

Decided to give it a try at 38. Lol big mistake.

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on June 14, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Pro:
Good books.
Good tutors.
Good instructors.

Cons:
Terrible management.
Terrible structure.
Terrible attitude from management staff. I really didn't believe it when my fellow colleague warned me about this particular aspect of the uni. But no, it's there, it's true, and it's laughable and embarrassing for a school which holds 'prestige' and 'rank' (L.o.l.).
Terrible support.
Terrible technology.
Terrible Efficiency; let me explain: they rather courier an examination from wherever they are from, than to send an invig a passworded PDF or something.
Terrible "high-ups". They aren't highly skilled to be brutally honest. Just high out of their minds.

Got my course, got out. Will be paying $100 more to go to weekend colleges. 

PS. It's true what people say, their examination office is the one bad apple that infects every fruit of the tree.

Bachelor of Commerce

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on June 5, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

After reading some of the rants of former AU Students, I started to wonder if they were disappointed because AU is not as easy as they thought it would be. Kids... If you are used to mommy and daddy doing your laundry then distance education is not for you. It takes a lot of motivation, focus and hardwork.

Yes, there are some profs who are useless or harsh markers but that is like any other uni.

This is my 6th year with AU. 4 more courses and I am done!

Master of Science - Information Systems

Master of Science - Information Systems
Reviewer: fradie (Graduate) on May 17, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

The MSc IS program helps people with an IT/CS background to upgrade their knowledge and become familiar with the current IT and Internet technology. Doing this course online requires from the students to use Internet technology throughout the program. The course curriculums are mostly very useful for software and IT practitioners. I finished the MSc IS program and benefit a lot from this program in my work as a software developer and system archtitect. People not capable of finishing this program provide often a negative feddback, but people who successfully finished the MSc IS program tell a different story. I highly recommend the Athabasca University MSc IS program, distance education is the future and the importance of IT is still growing.

Athabasca University

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on May 13, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I would urge anyone to consider finding a real school somewhere else. The lay-out of the course is extremely poor. Study Guide as well as the assignment book had errors, quite confusing and less helpfull than they supposed to be. The tutor was quite nice, but very forgetful and incompetent at times, had to remind her a couple of times about the same thing. Didn't find her helpful at all, she would only give me general answers to all of my questions. Student guide referred to pages that were absent. I would not recommend this university to anyone!

Great tutors. Unhumane policies.

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on April 26, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Athabasca University has amazing tutors, texts, and books. Their lab materials are great too.
Here is the issue; they are EXTREMELY backwards when it comes to technology.

Myself and 3 other friends can vouch for this. Athabasca will use every opportunity to squeeze money out of you. They will charge unreasonable fees for simple requests.

Their manager for this is the most unprofessional person you will speak to. I was at my test center waiting to pay my test fee and write, and he brought a student to tears because she couldn't afford to pay a late fee for something that was Athabasca's mistake. He then hung up on her.

Other friends have complained about similar events.

Their administration is extremely unprofessional when put beside their tutors. It's a shame because their tutors are fantastic.

Non-Directional and a Horrible Experience

Computing and Info Systems
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 19, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I do not recommend this program to a beginner programmer who is interested in learning programming, it is quite implausible. I am a graduate from George Brown with a diploma in electrical and mechanical engineering and thought I would step it up to a degree in the BSc CIS [PD] program at Athabasca. I was granted 60 block, however, I only finished two courses and now currently attending a 'REAL' university with 'REAL' teachers and a 'REAL' curriculum.
Footnote - I asked a professor from York University if the 'COMP' curriculum I was taking was that of a normal IT program at York, He said it was at least 3 course in one! and YES, I needed that professor from York who was my 'REAL' tutor at an extra cost because of the lack of support I receiving.

MAIS

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 9, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I have studied in a number of places in undergraduate, graduate, business and health-related diploma/certificate courses.   AU's Master of Arts Integrated Studies has exceeded my expectations in several ways.   the curricula are well designed in terms of scaffolding learning; the professors (even the one I didn't much like) have been brilliant and responsive - really concerned about my needs, as opposed to touting themselves; my peers have been excited about what they are learning, well read and engaged in the forums.   It's been a great deal of work and I am now about half-way through, but some of the best learning of my life.   the program is flexible and designed to respond to an individual's goals.   it's certainly not for people who are half-committed, although I have a friend who seems to work much less hard than i do :)    I could not be happier with my experience.   My only quibble would be that the student awards (bursaries and scholarships) are very much targeted to Alberta residents.

A solid and positive experience

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 5, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I've been "Attending" AU for a couple of years now.  From the very beginning, the experience was exactly what I was looking for (self-paced, 100% individualized-study, access to quality tutors/teachers as req'd).

While this isn't a news flash, it's still worth repeating....AU is only a good choice if you're actually capable of managing your time/effort.  Every course comes with a sample timetable, however there is no hand-holding.  It takes a real effort (even for the most structured people) to effectively develop and execute a learning plan.

That all said, the rewards are incredible.  The flexibility AU offers is amazing, and I'm regularly impressed by the quality of graduates I've met.  The Certs, Diplomas and Degrees are recognized everywhere, and are well thought of for admission into Graduate studies.

Athabasca - A blight on the landscape

Computing and Info Systems
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 2, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Athabasca University is a travesty. Its adminsitration is hidebound, sclerotic and beholden to unions (firmly) intellectually lodged in 1970. Its academic staff have little or no interest in the students. I have completed many courses there but have now transferred to a far superior online school - Excelsior College. I will graduate from Excelsior with one degree in August 2011 and another in June of 2012. I would urge anyone looking at Athabasca to consider finding a real school somewhere else. Athabasca credits are cheap for a reason - don't be afraid to pay for something better somewhere else. EXCELSIOR!

A.U. Review

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on March 29, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I am in my fourth year. I highly recommend A.U.

First thing I would like to comment on i s some of the negative comments. 
I do not want these negative comments misleading some people. 
You have to remember that when a person fails they NEED to blame someone/anyone. Because it is never their fail, ya right. This is why you may see negative comments.

I have to say if you have the drive and time to succeed at AU, you can Get on your assignment right away and stay in contact with your tutor. 

Nothing comes without working hard, before applying remember one thing, that its University.

University Certificate Human Resources & Labour Relations

Athabasca University
Reviewer: ray.spencer74 (Graduate) on March 25, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

The AU courses require self discipline and effort to commit about ten hours a week for each course.  The courses have about the same material and difficulty level of any other university in Canada. The only problem I experienced was that some tutors would not communicate by any other method than email. Sometimes a bit of advice on how to complete an assignment or project on the phone is easier to comprehend than an email message. Overall though I was pretty well impressed with AU.

Athabasca University's Master of Arts - Integrated Studies

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on March 15, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I just finished the Master of Arts – Integrated Studies (MAIS) through Athabasca University (AU) and I felt compelled to post a review here because this program in particular is truly outstanding. Everything, both the instructors and the courses, far exceeded my expectations for a master’s-level degree program. 

Even administrative parts of the program, like asking questions of the MAIS or Centre for Integrated Studies Offices and getting information, or submitting certain documents or what have you, was always a hassle-free experience--they are all super helpful and professional. I never had a problem with contacting anyone for help in relation to submitting study plans and accessing the usual services necessary to moving forward in a degree program.
 
I think someone else made a great and very accurate comment in other reviews for Athabasca University when they said that AU is for mature students who are willing to work hard, and it is NOT for those who want an easy ride. You have to be highly disciplined and self-motivated to take AU courses, even the paced group-study courses where a certain amount of the grade is devoted to discussion and participation/interaction among students on the online Moodle boards. I worked full time while I pursued my degree and so I had to be highly organized and spend a lot of my free time reading, researching and writing—-that is the reality of this program. There are no shortcuts with this program, and there is certainly no hand-holding.

I also understand that, based on some comments that I read from my other classmates during the course of the program, it is not all that uncommon for people to drop out of the courses at Athabasca because they tend to be much more challenging than expected. I did an English honours program at a highly regarded university in Canada, and now I work in a social sciences/health-related research/writing area, and I can say that my educational experiences with the MA-IS program were far and away superior to pretty well most educational offerings that I have had, whether my B.A. program courses or professional workshops or conferences. The quality of the education is on par with most of the best universities in Canada, but I would argue that it is better based on my own experience. 

Although I am not familiar with their undergraduate courses, I know that Athabasca’s Master of Nursing and MBA programs are also very highly regarded. Even though AU prides itself on being an open university and is progressive in its curriculum and in terms of reducing barriers to pursuing post-secondary education, I would caution that if you are considering the MA-IS program you need to have a strong undergraduate background, i.e. strong in writing and research skills, with relatively good grades. If you sailed through your Bachelor’s degree with low marks, you won’t get very far and will find the MA-IS extremely challenging and disappointing. The MA-IS program is a LOT of work, and there are high expectations of what sort of work the students will produce.

Overall, I highly recommend the MA-IS program and Athabasca University generally. It is a high-quality institution with great instructors and administration. Of course, there will always be some issues and small hassles with distance learning—-this is unavoidable. But if you’re disciplined, relatively intelligent, and are willing to work, then you will get the most out of any course that you take with them.

Bcomm - Great school

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 25, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I laugh at some of the reviews that people write here. Most of the bad reviews are from students who are currently attending university and did poorly on their course so they think that taking an online course from an university such as Athabasca is the easy route. News flash kids. The courses offered at Athabasca are real courses. In fact, this is distance learning, and therefore, its more challenging than your tradtional courses. Again, don't register to Athabasca if you're looking for a quick way to obtain credits cause you'll be disappointed.

As for my experience, I'm enrolled in the Bcomm program and I have no complaints. Sure, you might have one or two profs that you don't get along with, but hey, you'll get the same experience at traditional unversity. As for the profs themselves, all of them that I've worked with are qualified, some have MBAs or PHDs. The school has pretty high standards on who they hire. Don't  believe me, check their career section. 

Distance and online learning is the future folks. No one has the time anymore to attend school especially when everyone is trying to upgrade their skills while working on their careers. 

This format of studying is the solution to many of us who are constantly trying to improve themselves. And for that, I thank Athabasca.

POOR GRADING, POOR TUTORS POOR ADMINISTRATION

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Mark21 (Graduate) on February 23, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

The administartion is after money. I had a tutor who gave me wrong marks for a wrong exam. No chance to complain because they just "subdue" you. Thye have some of the worst tutors except 4 i had who were fantastic. Thye refused to transfer my Computer credits from another province because they wanted me to pay money to their stupid institution. One English course had errors in books. Student guide referred to pages that were absent. They put unnecessary prerequisites for degrees just for money. If you are going there just to get a transcript of attendance its okay but not to get a degree b,se you will not find any help nor backing when you complain. One old tutor called Brophy even complained when one student addressed him by his last name and so he decided to penalize him with low marks. Dont go there if you have other choices b,se you may not even graduate. Me i was lucky b,se i had prior advanced degrees. Watch out against this institution.

Calculus 2 is the first and last course I will take at Athabasca

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 15, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I am 3rd year engineering student and needed Calculus II when I was transferring between universities. I ended up taking it with Athabascsa and wow what a struggle it was.

For this course, you are given an book full of notes/examples, a textbook with questions and a solution manual. 

The only good thing I can say about this experience was I got the grade and credits I needed. Thats about it.

Now onto the bad:

Firstly, the tutor. What a joke. I only spoke with him a handful of times over the phone during the course. Each time I asked a question, he simply wrote the solution (EXACTLY the same as the solution manual) and faxed the answer to me. In my opinion, unacceptable. 

Secondly, the schools organization. I had a very tight dates and a specific deadline to have this course done (my new school needed the grade). The school sent one of my exams to a different province and lost one of my exams in the mail (over the week during the summer when the school is closed) which resulted in myself phoning all over to track it down. Luckily, I managed to find it (not where it was supposed to be). 

I have heard so many good things about the business programs at this school, which is why I thought this would be a good option for Calculus 2. I was wrong. I have also talked to other students about my awful experience and deferred them away.

Lastly, this course is ridiculously hard. If your math skills are weak, I wouldn't recommend this course, especially with the tutors they have. By far the hardest university course of my educational career.

Distance Education is always a crapshoot...

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 4, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

The bottom line is this: Athabasca is for mature hardworking students who want to (and have the ability to)learn the material, get the transcript/credits, and get out. Some even do better in this type of course than a traditional program. It's not for students who need hand holding to get through a course. You definitely need to be motivated and a textbook learner. If you cannot learn on your own from a textbook and need everything explained to you, AU is NOT for you. You have to be bright enough to figure things out on your own. You can't be surprised that you have to figure out how to best make use of your text book, or that your assignments didn't cover the material on your exams. In distance learning, this is how they cover all the material. Your assignments cover most info NOT on the exams. Otherwise the exam is just a longer assignment repeat. 

On the other hand, if you are reasonably bright, a hard worker, can read a text book, and can follow instructions, you have a very good chance at doing well if you try. Now that doesn't mean that you won't encounter problems, or that the school doens't have issues (all distance programs can be hell at times), but you have a good chance of learning what you want and getting the official piece of paper with marks saying you did just that. Some people can't handle distance courses, and others can't handle the frustrations and politics dealing with such schools. But if you need to, and you can grit your teeth, you can get what you want out of it and move on. The good thing about AU is that while distance courses are expensive (as standard for most distance programs), the courses are reputable and transferable to pretty much any school in Canada.

What a joke

Computing and Info Systems
Reviewer: jr (Degree In Progress) on December 22, 2010

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Avoid at all costs. The materials are erroneous, the assignments dont relate to exams at all. The tutor quality varies greatly. Some of the tutors do not respond to emails/phone calls at all, the marking is widely inconsistent, everyone does things their own way.

Money printing press

Computing and Info Systems
Reviewer: hawks_eye (Degree In Progress) on August 25, 2010

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I took both COMP501 and COMP503, two masters-level courses. Here are my experiences: 

There are no lectures. You're basically mailed a textbook and expected to read it and complete whatever work exists on your own. 
The discussion forums were useful in COMP501 where a mark was assigned for participation, but completely useless in COMP503. 
The professor in COMP503 provided one-line responses to my emails containing detailed questions. This is unacceptable when the professors provide no other contact with the students. 
The courses cost more than traditional in-class courses, yet there's close to no support whatsoever. If you need a piece of paper, maybe this program is worthwhile. But if you just want to learn the material, I'd suggest looking at the textbook list and doing it on your own.

Transfer Math course Taken

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on June 30, 2010

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I would not recommend this university to anyone! I just needed to take a math course here to complete my undergrad at Brock university and it was such a rip off. I basically paid athabasca to read out of a math textbook and write exams and assignments with little to no support. My tutors hours were from 10pm to 11pm Tuesday nights! My tutor left the university towards the end of the course date and I had to go through the whole process of getting to know your tutor during the busiest time of the course. You have to pay for exams, student Id and I figured I spent about $400 extra dollars for the worst university course I have ever taken. Exams take over 3 weeks to get back to you!

Health Administration

Athabasca University
Reviewer: amera_yb (Degree In Progress) on May 9, 2010

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I'm enrolled in Bachelor of Health Administration with AU. MY experience so far is good and convenient considering being a  mother of 3 children. I was wondering if anybody out there worked with this degree. I feel discouraged with the cuts and the reforms in the health system, I would appreciate some kind of feedback (positive or negative) regarding the potential of landing a decent job with this degree, and what kind of job should I be prepared for once I finish. Thanx.

Master of Science - Information Systems

Master of Science - Information Systems
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on March 11, 2010

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

A good quality program covering Information Technology,  Computer Science, Business and Education.

Unprofessional school

Computing and Info Systems
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on December 12, 2009

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I have found the course instructors to be overly resistant to updating course material. 

For example, I was doing an assignment and there was a blatant error in the instructions. It was in either COMP 272 or COMP 268, I can't remember which. Fine... someone made an error in the assignment, that's okay, we're all human. I went to the course's student forum to see what others had done about the error, only to find that students had been complaining about the error FOR YEARS. YEARS! All someone had to do was to make a little change to the content of a webpage. Instead every student in that time had to stumble over the same error. To me this is negligence.  That's not the only time I experienced something like that either. 

I feel like they set up this course years ago and now they are just sitting back, letting the money roll in, and getting students in an out with as little work as possible.

Most of the correspondence I had with the instructors was through e-mail, and I found that the instructors are ruder than they would perhaps be in person.

I pay good money, about $700 per course, and I expect more than that. This school is unprofessional.

Bachelor of Commerce

Athabasca University
Reviewer: e-bay_nick (Degree In Progress) on November 15, 2009

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I am satisfied with the service I am getting with AU. I must agree some of the instructors were a little "off" but those were the subjective courses I have taken - Psych, Commercial, etc. All in all, the instructors and AU staff were very helpful.

It is interesting to know that most students measure their education by how prestigious the university is. That may have some merit but in the end it is YOU who can make a difference, not the university. 

Completing a degree, certificate, masters or what have you does not guarantee a good career but it does give us the ticket to get our foot in the door. 

Brick and mortar universities are the traditional way of getting an education but will still be the ways of the future?

Best educational decision of my life... so far

MBA
Reviewer: stunnstunn (Graduate) on November 9, 2009

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I completed my MBA at Athabasca University and graduated in 2005. I enjoyed the entire experiance. There is ample opportunity to interact with other students online. Indeed I met and worked with students from all over the world. I found most students to be independant minded, interested people who are willing to work hard.

There was some variability among Coaches, but on the whole I found them to be very knowledgable and helpful. They will not hold your hand and you have to put the efort in to learn; but this is a Masters levels degree, so being able to work under your own intitative should be expected should be expected.

I now have a n entire armory of knowledge I can draw on for my professional career. Thanks AU!

Is AU a good Choice?

Athabasca University
Reviewer: tobadogs2 (Degree In Progress) on October 19, 2009

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I have noticed some people who have had less than good experiences with AU, post online. I would like to tell you of my experiences.

I am in the Anthropology Program and have been for 7years part time (almost done, whoopee!!) Over my time at AU I generally have been estatic with everything. The school policies are clearly posted online, and the tutors have strict turn around times as stated on the internet.

That is not to say I too have not had problems. For one English Course I had a tutor who never returned essays- and then later did after much begging, she also rarely returned emails. Complaints to the tutor services and her Professor were taken care of immediately and professionally. (although I really burned a bridge with her!)

At other times when I had difficulty with a project or marking, I was given the opportunity to rewrite or challenge the mark. (Even at places like UofT you often are restricted from rewrites) I can say that the tutors for Anthropology have been fantastic. Two of them have even won AUSU Student favourites awards! I loved my Geography Tutor, She was so enthusiastic! 

It is a great University but it is not for everyone. It takes good discipline to complete courses by yourself. 

As well you should read and know your rights, so if you are getting poor service you know what to do. 

I believe the quality of education is comparable to other Canadian Universities.I took several 4th year Anth courses at UofT at the same time, and I received very similar marks.

 I cannot speak for all programs but the Anthropology Program has been great.  I hope this helps.

MAIS leadership specialization

MA Integrated Studies (MAIS)
Reviewer: successcounselling (Degree In Progress) on July 17, 2009

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Almost done my degree now, I find the courses in the Leadership spec track very challenging and relevant, and the professors are supportive and knowledgeable. The admin people always answer my emails within a day, and are quite helpful.

Intellectually stimulating program

MA Integrated Studies (MAIS)
Reviewer: marievanilla2 (Degree In Progress) on July 11, 2009

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Athabasca U's MAIS program is ideal for working adults who want the intellectual challenges and rewards of an advanced liberal arts program, but with minimal disruptions to their family life and professional career.

MBA

Athabasca University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 7, 2009

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

An online university that pays scant attention to what their academics do or, especially aren't doing to assist online learning - even though their promotional material and course syllabus specifically describe them.

A good generalist IT degree

Master of Science - Information Systems
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on June 11, 2008

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

Could use more sophisticated online learning tools...but in general a good quality program for the IT professional

Computing and Info Systems

Computing and Info Systems
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on June 8, 2007

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:

Review:

I just graduated from the Computing and Info systems bachelors degree and it was a very very challenging program. Overall I give this University 4.5 stars out of 5. This is a real university that is dedicated to online programs. I was challenged with the material and the course selection was great. I was encouraged to use the latest software in the assignments and certain courses like the semantic web including such concepts as RDF, XML etc were cutting edge. Overall a great value for the time and money.


You can help by Writing a review