Columbia Southern University

Jamie December 12, 2006 at 6:53 a.m.

Columbia Southern University is an excellent school offering a variety of different undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs. They've partnered with many traditional schools and government agencies.

CSU is the first nationally accredited school to offer the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA).

I earned my BSBA and MBA through CSU. The course work was rigors and challenging, but also practical and useful in the real world. I would highly recommend any of CSU's academic programs.

Ahmed February 20, 2007 at 11:04 a.m.

I am currently a student in the CSU for the MBA program. i finished one course among the 12 cources required for the degree. University staff are supportive, and my proffessor is highly qualified academically and proffissionally. proffessor instantly attend to any inquiry in 24 hours normally. it requires great load of writting and preparing essays and research paper assignements. However they also use scholary papers, article critiques, scholary activity, discusion board exams and other assignement types for other cources. its also an affordable program. all materials are up to date and the text book's authors are well know and even some text books are being teached in other reputable full enrollment universities. the cources are providing advanced udnerstanding for the most importan business areas. However with all this good points about CSU and being acredited by different recognizable parties, i think the university need to put much information, reviews and statistics about graduate students who already had thier degrees from CSU concerning transfering credits to other reputable schools, salries and benfits after graduation, and if a well know reputable university will consider a CSU master dergee graduate to be accepted for a future Doctoral program. i think more organized details and listings concerning these points will give the CSU the full image that it deserve.

Jerry April 3, 2007 at 6:54 a.m.

I too am active duty military and have completed half of my MBA-International Management program. The school is perfect for my life as it fits into my schedule and offers me the flexibility and control to complete my MBA. This school is fully accredited by the DETC and as mentioned is DANTES and VA approved. All schools that receive military funding go through a rigourous screening to ensure that military money is being well spent. I have found the classes challenging and as further note, the same textbooks and materials used in many of my courses are identical to others at more well-known schools like Stanford and Wharton. My support from professors has been adequate and the essays and writing assignments are rewarding.

Mac June 14, 2007 at 7:47 a.m.

I'm active duty military, and I just enrolled into CSU. It doesn't matter if CSU is only Nationally accredited. I have friends that work in Human Resource and Management. They tell me that most employers don't even know the difference between National and Regional accreditation, or could care less as long as the degree is accredited. My friends also tell me that when they look at a college degree on an application, it only lets them know that the applicant is trainable, and they have enough discipline to set a goal and complete it.

Chris Dometri June 23, 2007 at 6:01 p.m.

I attended one class at Columbia Southern University and then decided to transfer to a regionally accredited university. My one class did transfer. I ended up transferring to American Military University which is regionally accredited and 100% online.
I believe it is just a matter of time before CSU becomes regionally accredited, so for the people that are taking classes there don't worry, keep going to school there since it is probably the best nationally accredited school out there. The Department of Education does recognize nationally accredited schools, so there is no problem with getting a job in the federal government or at most other employers as well. The only difference is if people want someone from Harvard, Yale, or some other Ivy League school, but the price of education from those schools is outrageous and they only focus on people with money anyway.

Jessy June 25, 2007 at 3:15 p.m.

Before going any university you should always investigate. You should go to www.chea.org, which is recognize by the Department of Education as an accreditation agency, this org. recognizes the accreditation agencies. On their site you can look up both regional and national accreditation agencies. You should know should what you are talking about before you start talk.

Jay July 2, 2007 at 11:24 a.m.

I received a BS in Computer Sciences / Information Systems from Columbia Southern University and am in the last term of my MBA in Project Management with them. I have had a pleasant experience attending this university and have no criticism about it at all.

Before attending CSU, I consulted with my employer about their accreditation and whether or not my firm would assist financially and accept a degree from them. They replied that CSU is completely acceptable and accredited to their satisfaction. I then compared their courses and curriculum against a couple other distance education schools and one traditional school.

I concluded they were all comparable but CSU provided the better value. Between VA benefits and financial assistance from my employer, I did not pay one cent out of my pocket for what will soon be two degrees. Actually, because CSU was founded and designed to be a distance education school, I feel their course structure and staff superior to a traditional school that recently started offering online classes.

I also think the regional versus national accreditation situation is slowly changing as well. Everyone knows that transferring credits game is about money in the long run, and more “regional” schools are accepting “national” credits because they don’t want to lose a student (customer).The accreditation and transferring credit situation in the education arena are convoluted “smoke and mirror” games. Besides, maintaining healthy profit margin can sway arrogance!

If a school is recognized by American Council on Education (ACE), the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) along with the US Department of Education (USDE) then it is of no real concern. I advise not getting too caught up in the “accreditation” dilemma if a school’s accreditation is recognized by all of the above.
See: http://www.chea.org/pdf/CHEA_USDE_AllAcc...

I live in Europe and have also inquired with a few German and British firms who replied that they and their governments recognize DETC accreditation and any schools under them is completely acceptable. There were absolutely no concerns or questions about CSU as a school, its quality of education or accreditation. Actually, one manager considered attending CSU when he converted the exchange rate to the USD.

The greatest difference between a “brick and mortar” and “distance education” is that distance education requires a little more self discipline, motivation and time management. I have attended “traditional” classes and like on-line learning better, because of the lack of distractions that transpire in a class environment. Summarized, CSU is a fine school with a great staff and a good value providing a quality education.

rudy July 11, 2007 at 3:14 a.m.

I am not even going to comment on the national or regional accreditation ongoing debate. It will be a waist of time as the issue itself does not make any sense nowadays.
As we all, in our modern times, are constantly facing new challenges, while striving to find practical solutions, so does the academic world. More and more mature and working people are enrolling in online distance learning programs and more and more "brick and mortar" or "regional" Universities are offering them as the demand increases.
The market is changing, no doubt about it,therefore the question should be:
"who is the leader?".
Could it be an Institution that just started yesterday or the one that has always been doing it? Now please go back and check the differences between DETC accredited and Regional accredited and you may find your answer right there.
With regard to CSU, not only I am a proud graduate, but I can say for sure that this is a school that demands as much as it gives. And it does give a lot.
Rigorous and updated programs, substantial and professional support, friendly environment and a lot of homework to be completed.
There are no classes at CSU where students can sit and chit chat before the lesson starts.
Each student is on his/her own, armed mostly with strong motivation and self discipline, but not alone.
Help is just a phone call or an email away if needed.
I spent four long years with CSU before earning my Degree and while I sweated all along I do not regret one day.

Paul July 11, 2007 at 7:55 p.m.

I just completed the MS in Occupational Safety and Health. It is a great program and very doable, although not a piece of cake. The professors are very student friendly and there anytime you need them. I am a Baby-Boomer and not part of the computer generation, but I found this a very rewarding process. Check out CSU if you want a good quality online program!

Jamie July 16, 2007 at 3:10 p.m.

DETC accreditation is just as valid as any regional accreditation, and the Secretary of Education has officially recognized DETC since 1959 and by the Council for Higher Education and its predecssors since 1975.

The DETC meets precisely the same standards as do the regionals. They have vastly more experience and tougher, more stingent standards for distance learning than any other agency in the United States, as such, distance learning is their speciality.

As for transfer of credits, this has become an "old dog" when it comes to evaluating the value of an accredited degree program. The sine qua non of an institutions quality is not its credit transfer, hence your reference to DETC being a "lower level accreditation" due to "credit transfer problems." The real issue at hand has nothing to do with academic quality and more to do with anti-competitive business practices of the receiving institution.

CHEA has the HETA transfer agreement, whereas institutions who are members, do not discriminate and will consider credits from nationally accredited schools. Thus far, the list of schools has grown to more than 300 and continues to grow each day.

DETC recently did a survey (2006) and found that graduates that attempted to transfer credits and degrees, 70% were successful. You also have to consider that many graduates have no desire to transfer, so its a null and void issue.

If you want to obtain certain licensing you have to make sure you attend the right school for such credentials.

My personal view is if a university does not want to accept my credits for transfer, I'll go somewhere where they will. I wouldn't want to be associated with a school that is so narrow minded and ignorant to accreditation.

I've had no issues in transfer credit transparency. Last year I transferred my BS and MBA (Columbia Southern University) to a Cal State university for a second master's degree. In addition, I have many options available to pursue a doctorate at international, regional and nationally accredited schools.

Stacks July 18, 2007 at 9:54 a.m.

Columbia Southern is a great school, but why won't they pursue the Regional Accrditation?

Jamie July 19, 2007 at 3:17 p.m.

Well, here's another quote from DETC. There has been over 140 million graduates serving the nation since 1926. They accredit 100 institutions in seven countries with an enrollement of over 3 million.

The alumni base for DETC schools is quite large and continues to grow exponentially. The success stories far out weight any perceived issues.

They say you can't secure a teaching position with a DETC degree. I've proven that theory wrong, where I am teaching at nationally and regionally accredited schools. They said you can't transfer to regionally accredited schools. This theory is incorrect as well. I may not be able to transfer to every university in the world, but realistically there are many regional schools that will not accpet many regional credits.

There are "opinions" out there that DETC accreditation is viewed as inferior, but on what basis? Academic quality and rigor? No. Student statisfaction? No. Student outcomes? No.

DETC schools serve a large group of adult learners who want to earn an accredited distance learning degree. I selected a DETC school because I wanted to learn from an institution that specializes in distance learning. If I were to sit in the classroom setting, which I have for many years, I would attend a regionally accredited school. But, don't sit there and tell everyone that a DETC degree is somehow degraded to that of regional schools.

You keep saying that DETC schools will "cause you problems down the line." But, you fail to produce well documented facts to your argument. These are broad statements with no substance.

Some Links July 25, 2007 at 1:39 p.m.

SACS Guidelines on Accreditation require a regionally accredited degree. Post a link to a major school employing a DETC grad and I'll give you one point.

Here is just a smattering of Google Finds on DETC accreditation.

http://distancelearn.about.com/od/accred...

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly about DETC. “I am happy to say that of the DETC graduates who try to transfer their credits, about 70% are successful today”

“Individuals whose qualifying degree is from a non-regionally accredited institution in the United States (U.S.) will be considered on case-by-case basis” – UTEP

http://admin.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid...

“It is expected that the institution will employ faculty members whose highest earned degree presented as the credential qualifying the faculty member to teach at the institution is from a regionally accredited institution” ODU –

http://www.odu.edu/ao/facultyhandbook/in...

Eastern Kentucky warns “You should also know that many educational institutions holding regional accreditation do not recognize credits or degrees earned at institutions that are nationally accredited. This is very important information if you plan on transferring from one college or university to another part way through a degree program, or if you plan to pursue additional degrees at different colleges or universities.”

http://safetymanagement.eku.edu/safety-d...

CPA Licensing requires a regionally accredited degree. This is just one state, but I believe you are able to become a CPA in 2 states with a DETC degree.

http://www.cscpa.org/Content/Students/Pl...

John July 26, 2007 at 8:20 a.m.

I am completing my MBA degree at Columbia Southern University and I could not be happier. I have 4 courses to go until I graduate.

The cost is low $250/credit hour, the books are included as long as you pass the course. It IS accredited!!

They also accepted credit for classes I completed from other MBA programs I had started and stopped. When I was considering going back to a "Brick-and-Mortar" school(Cleveland State or Toledo), those schools wanted me to re-take courses that I had already completed just a few years ago.

I find the coursework challenging. It is self paced so you need to have time management skills.

There are so many companies that pay for employee's tuition to attend here, I find it hard to believe that anyone has a problem withe the degree.

So ignore the naysayers and give C.S.U. a try.

John

Jamie July 28, 2007 at 9:17 a.m.

Hi Jim,

Federal Law Enforcement agencies do accept degrees from CSU due to them being nationally accredited by DETC, which is a recognized accreditor throught the US Department of Education and CHEA.

I was originally going to apply to the FBI prior to going into local law enforcement. Their entry requirements are possession of an accredited bachelor's degree from a recognized accreditor. I called my local FBI field office in San Francisco and they gave me the thumbs up for the CSU degree. There was no reason not to.

In addition, CSU has formed an academic partnership with the Federal Protective Services under the US Department of Homeland Security.

Jamie August 1, 2007 at 4:34 p.m.

I wanted to announce that due to my BS and MBA from Columbia Southern University, and my professional background in law enforcement I've been selected as an adjunct professor at the local community college in my area of residence.

For those nay sayers that say you cannot secure a teaching position with a DETC degree, I am living proof that these so called "limitations" are few and far between.

The only limitations of earning a degree through an institution that is DETC accredited is the limitations that YOU chose to believe.

Thank you CSU for making all my dreams and aspirations become reality.

Jamie August 7, 2007 at 9:05 p.m.

Hi Ben,

CSU has partnered with the following schools:

Alabama Fire College
Eastern Iowa Community College District
South Central College
Trinidad State Junior College
Capella University
Kaplan University
Masters International School of Divinity
Northcentral University
The University of North Alabama
The University of West Alabama
The University of West Florida

In addition, there are many other universities and schools that accept transfers of CSU graduates.

Acceptance of transfer credit will be determined on a course-by-course basis using criteria such as credit amount, course title or grade received at the following universities.

American Public University System
Bellevue University
Calvin College
Cardinal Stritch University
Defense Acquisition University
Jones International University
Lake Area Technical Institute
Langston University
University of Phoenix
Regent University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Tennessee Temple University
Touro University
Upper Iowa University
Vincennes University
Walden University
Webster University
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Western Governors University

Higher Education Transfer Alliance (HETA)
If the above Universities do not offer a program that meets your needs, another great resource is the HETA list. Below is a paragraph from the Council on Higher Education Accreditation website about the HETA list.
The Higher Education Transfer Alliance (HETA) is a voluntary group of accredited institutions that are concerned with the importance of student mobility, enhancing success in transfer of credit, and affirming the responsibility and prerogative of individual institutions with respect to acceptance of transfer credits. HETA is a Web-based directory of colleges and universities that is open to all institutions that are accredited by an organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the United States Department of Education (USDE). Membership in HETA is entirely voluntary. HETA is not intended to and will not constrain institutional freedom or prerogatives with respect to acceptance of transfer credit.

Jamie August 8, 2007 at 3:50 a.m.

It may not be posted on Capella's website, but I do know for a fact that they accept NA credits and transfers.

Ben August 8, 2007 at 1:04 p.m.

Jamie,

Thanks for your help. One more question if you don't mind. What do you know about the American Public University (American Military University)? Does it have a good rep?

You know what I find amusing is on some other site students were being put down for getting online degrees. Even if the online school was RA. The traditionl students were saying that degree is worth nothing. So NA schools get put down by RA online schools. Then RA online schools get put down by students attending traditional schools.

Anyway thanks for your help. I've been a cop for 20 yrs, have a wife and 2 kids and just want to get my degree without having to make things complicated. I'm retiring in a couple of years and want a degree to open doors to get into something else.

Ben August 9, 2007 at 1:20 a.m.

Jamie, thanks again for sharing your insight.

Jamie August 15, 2007 at 4:58 p.m.

The courses at CSU are rigors, challenging and demanding. You do not want anything less when working towards an academic degree.

You can expect your courses to have multiple unit exams, short essay assignments, discussion boards, research papers, presentations, web lectures, live chats, interactive software and audio and visual examples.

You'll be assigned a course professor that is available by e-mail and/or phone. The professors are very responsive and helpful.

Expect to go through the entire text book. You'll work hard, but in the end you will have earned your academic degree and have a whole new knowledge base. All this coming in an affordable, accredited and flexible learning format.

If you want to talk with a specific graduate about their experience you can contact one of the CSU Ambassadors from the CSU Alumni website.

Jamie August 18, 2007 at 7:01 a.m.

Presentations can include putting together powerpoints and I've also heard that the public speaking classes require you to video yourself with an audience. Your presentations would be reviewed and graded by the course professor.

The discussion board assignments are posted by the course professor to answer and you have to respond to other students comments as well.

CSU is self-paced, which means you have ten weeks to complete the class. You are given a course outline on where you should be each week, so that you don't get behind. You can submit the assignments within the ten week period, but it is HIGHLY recommended that you follow the course outline.

Corine August 18, 2007 at 7:39 p.m.

If considering an Online School and you think the courses will be easy, don't register at CSU. But if you want high quality professors and a challenging but self-paced curriculum, then CSU IS the choice you should make. I earned both my Bachelor of Science (2004) and my MBA (2005) from Columbia Southern University and was extremely pleased with the course work, professors and just about anyone associated with the school that I have had the pleasure to come in contact with. While the coursework you will be involved in will be challenging (and for those of you who are employed -you will likely have some very late nights of study), you will find that your professors are accessible, provide you with wonderful guidance and will take the time to ensure that you are grasping the general concepts, etc. Oh, one last note, I work for a major software development company and my CSU degree was readily accepted. CSU's programs are reputable and you obtain a comparable education, just like (maybe better) any of the other well known brick-and-mortar college institutions!

Want to attend August 19, 2007 at 7:08 p.m.

Thanks to all for you in put. I wanted to know about this school because as we all know they can say one thing and do another. It is good to know first hand from actual students what to expect. As for the accreditation times are changing to where only one way is no more. CSU seems to be a good school at a cheap price. I am sold will start by the end of the year. For those attending please keep us updated, and I will as well.

Johann August 20, 2007 at 3:33 p.m.

CSU is a decent school, but the national accreditation is suboptimal, when there are so many regionally accredited schools out there offering the same programs.

Frank August 20, 2007 at 11:03 p.m.

Jamie,

After looking through the other posts you sound as if you are employed by CSU. Do you get a percentage of the students that sign up for CSU. You sound very defensive.

CSU is probably a great school. However, regional accreditation is the highest accreditation a school can receive.You know that!! You can make light of it all you want, but employers and other schools do look at that.

Explain to me, and anyone else reading, why CSU doesn't get regionally accredited? What's the hold up. If it makes potential students feel more secure in knowing there degree has the highest accreditation, then why not get it?

I'm not knocking CSU, again it's probably a great school. I bought a magazine the other day called Online Degrees. In one article it talks about accreditation. It specifically says, "Not all accreditations are created equal" "Don't be misled by the name, regional accreditation is the highest your school can get".

I'm not knocking national accred. but there are other schools and employers who look for RA.

Why doesn't CSU just get RA?

Frank August 21, 2007 at 12:55 a.m.

Jamie,

I hope I didn't come across as arrogant. I believe CSU is a good school. To be honest if they earned the RA I'd probably switch to CSU.

Unfortunately, the RA seems to be the gold standard. If NA is harder to earn and maintain then CSU should have no problem getting RA. I'm sure students that were on the fence about CSU would apply. The RA would be good for business because CSU would gain a large amount of new students.

Jerry August 28, 2007 at 2:12 a.m.

Help,

I was considering CSU for my MBA. I spoke with a friend of mine who said she never heard of CSU. She asked if the school was accredited. I said yes that it was nationally Accred.

She then went on a lecture about in order for a school to be taken seriously by future employeers, the college should be Regionally Accred.

She then made a point I didn't realize. She said not only is RA important, but the business degree needs to be accredited seperately by AACSB or company's won't even look at you.

Does anyone know about the AACSB (Assoc. to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accreditation for the MBA?

I'm getting discouraged first RA, and now a business degree needs the AACSB. I don't want to start a program that isn't going to be accepted by the private sector.

Yvonne August 28, 2007 at 2:42 p.m.

Beware of the "Fuzzy" accreditation of online MBA's. It's not just regional accreditation that is needed, but graduate programs in business must have the AACSB accreditation to go with it. All your public universites have the AACSB for business.

Computer giant Intel Corp. no longer pays for business courses for their employees with no AACSB. Other large corporations are following Intel's lead.

"Online Universities" are good for maybe a class or two, possibly a certificate, but to compare it to legit business schools is a complete falsehood.

It's like taking a bicycle to race a Porsche. I don't know much about CSU other than it has no RA or AACSB. That's all I need to know. It just seems like these online schools are providing a false sense of security to unknowing students.

Yvonne August 28, 2007 at 9:01 p.m.

Only select? Maybe you should look up all the public universities that have AACSB. It's probably close to a hundred.

If it's not required tell that to all the major corporations. They are refusing to pay for employee business courses unless their AACSB.

walter September 2, 2007 at 12:21 a.m.

Although not required, AACSB accredited programs can help land some high-level positions. That said, the Certified Master in Business Administration (CMBA) examinations are changing this mentally quickly. Through the years some employers were burned on MBA hires and looking for a means of assuring competency. The AACSB adopted new guidelines, but ICI takes it a bit further requiring an examination to prove competency. Furthermore, Western Governors University requires all MBA graduates to pass this examination before graduation. WGU is both nationally (DETC) and regionally accredited, and pushes the competency based concept to learning. Furthermore, colleges and universities (regionally & nationally) are adopting this concept in an attempt to validate their MBA programs. This further validates the argument: when it comes downs to it, employers are looking for competency. In other words, whether you’re nationally, regionally, AACSB accredited or a CMBA, you better know what are doing!

Here’s their website: http://www.certifiedmba.com/default.aspx...

Concerning accreditation:

Like the regional accrediting agencies, the DETC Accrediting Commission is reviewed periodically by the U.S. Department of Education to make certain that it meets the criteria for federal recognition as published in Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This recognition criteria is the same for national accrediting agencies and regional agencies. One difference between the regionals and the DETC is that the DETC specializes in accrediting distance learning institutions - those are the only institutions DETC accredits, while regionals also accredit "traditional" resident colleges and universities.

As of 2007, the DETC is also approved to grant Title IV (financial aid) and professional doctoral degrees (Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Doctor of Psychology (D.Psych), and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)). Based on above developments, regional vs. national accreditation seems to be a moot point.

Jeff September 4, 2007 at 6:48 p.m.

I just want to know if a Master of Science from Columbia Southern University in Criminal Justice is worth the time and money. I am seeking this degree for a peronal goal of mine nothing more.

Jamie September 5, 2007 at 3:42 a.m.

Jeff,

The simple answer to your question is yes, it is worth the time and money to study at CSU.

Tony,

CSU has been and continues to be a great school. The majority of the students and graduates that have responded here have given CSU an overwhelmingly positive response.

There are many schools that accept CSU credits for transfer in the State of Alabama including University of North Alabama and University of West Alabama, who have formed an academic partnership with CSU.

The issue at hand is not every school will accept credits from DETC institutions, although there are many that do. CHEA's HETA agreement has over 300+ schools that have agreed to not discriminate against DETC institutions. There is also Service Member Opportunity College (SOC), which includes over 1800+ schools who have also agreed to accept DETC and regional credits.

Listed below is a Q&A from the DETC website:

Q. If my credits do not transfer to a regionally accredited college, is my DETC credential useless?

A. No! The sine qua non of an institution’s quality is not if its credits transfer: this is a false premise. The fact that regionally accredited colleges refuse to accept credits from another school because it is not regionally accredited flies directly in the face of national policies advocated by American Council on Education (ACE), the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), et al. The real issue here has less to do with the academic quality of the sending institution, and more to do with anti-competitive business practices of the receiving institution. Competition is heating up in higher education, and there are forces at work to control the inroads being made by “upstart” operators. Congress, the Department of Education, and the Department of Justice have been looking into this anti-competitive practice by higher education, and we suspect we will see significant activity in the coming months on this matter.

Conrad September 7, 2007 at 1:42 a.m.

Reginal Accred. is important. I have interviewed for jobs and the qualifications say, "Bachelors degree required from REGIONALLY accredited schools".

Alot of jobs are not accepting applications from universities that are only Nationally Accred.

Good, bad or indifferent that's the way it is. CSU might very well be a quality school. However, in today's competetive job market I need all of the advantages I can get. National Accred. schools just don't get the same respect. Like I said this might not be fair, but it is what it is.

Jamie September 7, 2007 at 10:48 a.m.

I think your assessment of nationally accredited schools not being accepted for job qualifications is inaccurate. There are over 135 million Americans that have enrolled into DETC institutions since the 1890s. The current DETC student enrollment is estimated at over 4 million. These numbers speak for themselves.

I am confident that there are MANY employers who have no clue about recognized accreditation and only believe there are regionally accredited schools, thus that is why they say they require a degree from a "regionally" accredited school. For those few ignorant employers who do not know about accreditation what we should be doing is educating them and not just giving in to this false assessment.

The DETC and regional accreditors have to meet the EXACT same standards of quality to earn recognition through the US Department of Education and CHEA. In addition, the DETC accredits each and every course offered through their accredited institutions and are evaluated by subject matter experts. The regionals do not do this and only accredit the entire institution as a whole. DETC reaccredits schools every five years. The regionals do it every 10 years. The regionals have been put on notice by the US Department of Education for not focusing on student outcomes. The DETC was recognized once again by US DoE with no issues for the maximum amount of time (5 years).

You see, if you educate yourself and others about accreditation you'd be amazed of the quality differences between regional and DETC.

The challenge is to not give in to this false premise of DETC being a lower tiered accreditor. This is completely inaccurate and should not be tolerated.

Lynn September 8, 2007 at 3:07 a.m.

Good luck Crossed with the attempted transfer. Did you check with NorthCentral about transferring credit? They might not accept credit from CSU because of the National Accred. The ACBSP is an important accreditation in regards to business degrees. The ACBSP seperates "The" legitimate schools from the lower level schools.

I think when students are looking for a job and interviewing we don't have time to "Educate" the employeer about NA vs RA.

Could you imagine if questioned by a future employer about your college's NA? Am I supposed to go into a whole dissertation about how ignorant some employeers are about the DETC and NA. I don't think that would help me secure a position in that company.

I would venture to say all law schools would require degrees from an RA school. However, if that doesn't work out, you can always have Jamie go to the law school and debate the DETC & NA.

Lynn September 8, 2007 at 2:53 p.m.

Jamie, that was a good post. Your convincing. CSU according to all students on this forum is a great school. There is a stigma, and I think you would agree, that online schools, especially NA schools, are regarded as inferior compared to traditional RA schools.

Whether that is warranted or not doesn't change the fact that some employeers want to see traditional RA schools on an application. I didn't prepare a list, I'm not trying to stir up a major debate. I'm sure if you find the time and research it yourself you'll see alot of employeers require RA.

Like you said UOP is RA but doesn't have the AACSB, and their business degree is looked down upon because of that. Intel and other major corporations do not consider online degree's worthy. Compound that with an online school with only NA and sooner or later your going to run into problems.

I'm sure there are enough employeers out there that have no problem with online degrees that are NA. However, to be fair there are many that do not consider the online NA degree to be "Up to Par" with traditional schools that offer online degrees.

I myself am not putting down online schools or the NA. I never attended one. I have some friends who have. Some with good experiences, some not.

The other problem that is brought up is the fact that some if not most of the online schools are "For Profit". The criticism is that they admit anyone and are required to pass everyone. This is because profit is bottom line, not education. So professors are told to pass students, regardless if they earned it, in order to keep the student paying and profits up.

Some employeers know this and that's another reason for this stigma with online schools. Take a look at Grantham. I saw on their review all the problems students were having with transferring credit. Employeers were also advising that the Grantham degree was no good.

I'm glad to hear CSU has a good rep. Like I said I have nothing against online schools. Just thought some of these facts need to be aired out.

Unfortunately, if an employeer or tradional school is ignorant about NA schools, that hurts the student. The student can argue all they want about the positive aspects of online and NA vs RA. It doesn't help if the bottom line is rejection.

I wish everyone good luck in their pursuit of a degree and employment.

Thank you Jamie for your post.

Walter September 9, 2007 at 7:42 p.m.

When it comes to distance education or education as a whole, you’re either on one side of the fence or the other. Either you’re for inclusion or exclusion. As an employer or registrar, I could exclude anyone based on anything. If you graduated from a nationally accredited school, I could say you need regional accreditation. If you graduated from a regionally accredited school, I could say it can’t be from a distance education program. If you graduated from a brick and mortar school (with a 3.9 GPA), I could say we’re looking for someone from Yale or Harvard University. You may ask who settles this dispute, the courts and that’s why more and more institutions are accepting nationally accredited schools’ credits. So what’s the determining factor? Is it the school that receives the accreditation, body that grants the accreditation or entities that oversees and approves the bodies that grant the accreditation? That’s why I view this topic as a moot point because we’re arguing about something that’s already been granted. The US DOE and CHEA have both concluded that national accreditation is equal to regional accreditation. If both entities disappeared today or tomorrow, would any accrediting body be accredited? The problem isn’t with regionally or nationally accredited bodies, it’s with individuals that don’t understanding where these bodies get their authority to grant their accreditation in the first place.

Jamie September 10, 2007 at 4:13 p.m.

I keep reading about students interested in online education but they are so concerned about the degree not indicating that it was earned "online." I really don't quite understand this. Oh wait, I actually do understand. It's the stigma of online education. So, you can say that you earned a degree through Penn State, but God For Bid don't tell them that I obtained it through online education. Shhhhh lets keep it a secret!

How silly to think like this. You should be proud of the fact that you earned your education online and not try to hide it behind a traditional school with an online presence.

This goes right back to the accreditation argument that keeps getting brought up. If I hide my online education through an RA school with a campus they'll never know. But, if I earn my degree through an accredited online only school I'll be caught for sure! What a ridiculous mentality.

If you're so worried about online education (which you shouldn't) then sit in class at a traditional school. But don't tell me that because your school is RA that your "online education" is superior to the nationally accredited schools. This is the way people are trying to minimize the criticism of online education, which is a sad state of affairs. And the crazy thing is that many RA schools support this mentality. Why? Because it will bring more students to RA schools. This is called anti-competitive business practices and you wonder why the Legislation and Congress have been stepping in to put a stop to this.

I speak loud and proud of the fact that I earned my degree through a distance learning institution. I know the qualities it takes to earn a degree through correspondence. Why are people trying to hide the fact that they earned a degree online? I think we all know the answer to that question.

Fingers Crossed.... September 10, 2007 at 11:14 p.m.

FYI....
I was able to do some research on the Law School Admissions criteria for 10 different schools in the southern region from Texas to Georgia. Such Law Schools included:
1) Barry University, Orlando, FL.
2) Florida State University College of Law
3) Georgia State University College of Law
4) Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
5 Southern University Law Center, Baton Rouge, LA.
6)University of Houston Law Center, Houston, TX.
7)University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.
8)Loyola University New Orleans School of Law, LA
9)Faulkner University Jones School of Law, Montgomery, AL.
10) Texas Southern University, Houston, TX.

It should be duly noted that none of these schools
specify or go in depth about prospective students having anything other than a Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university. There was nothing in the admissions criteria about RA or NA. In fact, Barry University made it clear that the degree MUST be from a college or university accredited and or recognized by an accrediting agency within the US. Just some food for thought..... I am sure there are more.
schools.For the naysayers... are you still not convinced? I limited my search to the Southern Region because I intend to live, work and practice in the South. Please do your research. it helps.

Fingers Still Crossed....

Walter September 12, 2007 at 3:33 a.m.

Jamie,

I can’t agree with you more! I’ve always asked myself “Do you know your worth?” Ten years later, I’ve come to grasp and appreciate this statement. I’m basically saying, if you recognized your worth, others will as well, and you won’t settle for just anything. If you’re telling me nationally accredited schools aren’t as good as their regionally accredited counterparts, you better have some logical and verifiable statements to back up your claims.

My viewpoint on individuals trying to hide their DL degrees, they themselves don’t see these degrees as on par with brick and mortar degrees. They don’t understand that it’s their employers who will rate their degree’s worth. And from the feedback DETC and other regionally accredited DL institutions are getting, DL graduates are getting very favorable reviews.

There’s nothing wrong with regionally or nationally accredited institutions and online education. The most important question, are they accredited in the first place.

Jamie September 13, 2007 at 4:05 p.m.

I'd even go so far to say that CSU is an EXCELLENT school and is most definitely worth the time, money and effort.

Aside from the other positive comments my personal experience was great! I obtained an increase in my salary, obtained adjunct professor positions at an accredited online school (Henley-Putman University) and at my local community college and gained a world of knowledge that I take with me each and every day. In addition, I have had the opportunity to publish articles, work on a start-up company along side other career opportunities that I've had to pass up.

Since the popularity of online education creditialism has become somewhat of a problem. There use to be fewer individuals that could take the time to earn a bachelor, master and doctorate, whereas now there are so many options available with flexible accredited online programs that you'd be crazy not to work towards a degree(s). With that comes more individuals competing towards that job and/or promotion.

What differentiates yourself from the competition is your professional background and accomplishments. It's not the degree that makes the man, but what you do with it that really matters.

Many graduates from well known schools come out with their new polished degree and knowledge and ask....where is my high paying 100K a year job? The reality is they have no real professional background experience and their only real accomplishment is the degree they just earned. They have yet to prove themselves as a valuable employee or better yet, someone who has the vision and foresight to become the employer.

Now going to the adult learner, how are they making themselves more competitve? Well, online education has somewhat of a stigma which is slowly dissipating. So, they argue that because their school is RA the school is better than the NA counterparts. They say this without any true facts and/or basis. This becomes a competition issue among adult learners as they usually already bring the professional background and accomplishments with many years in the workforce.

So, what does this all amount to? Regardless of NA or RA go to a school that fits your personal and financial needs. I went to a DETC schools by conscious choice. They are the TRUE experts in distance education as that is all they accredit and have been doing for nearly a century. It's not about what accreditation the school has that determines the success of the graduates. It's what the alumni do after they've earned their degree(s). CSU has a long list of successful alumni including judges, law enforcement professionals, VP's of organizations, CEOs, business entrepreneurs, military leaders and fire/medical leaders, just to name a few.

Jamie September 13, 2007 at 9:24 p.m.

It comes down to ignorance by the employer of not understanding recognized accreditation. There maybe some employers stating "regional accreditation" required, but again they usually don't understand how the accreditors get recognized in the first place by the US Department of Education and CHEA. Heck, my father was a tenured professor with a PhD at a highly regarded university and even he didn't know or understand the accreditation process.

My employer recognizes my degree(s) from CSU because they are accredited by DETC and they have recently become an academic partner with CSU. The State I reside in (California) recognizes my degree because it is accredited by DETC. The federal government recognizes my degree because they are accredited by the DETC. I've obtained adjunct professor positions at online and traditional colleges because my degree is accredited by DETC. The military accepts DETC degrees because they are a recognized accreditor.

So, I think we get the point in that DETC is a recognized accreditor through the US Department of Education and CHEA. Those few that choose not to accept DETC degree holders are not basing their decision on any knowledge and/or truthful facts.

Walter September 16, 2007 at 11:05 a.m.

Repost: Should work now!

Maybe this will finally put regional vs. national accreditation to rest! Please go to DETC site and view letter from DOE:

http://www.detc.org/downloads/GriffithsL...

Like I stated before, the problem isn’t with regionally or nationally accredited bodies, it’s with individuals that don’t understand where these bodies get their authority to grant their accreditation in the first place. If you're questioning this, you're discrediting not only national but regional accreditation as well!

Walter September 20, 2007 at 1:58 a.m.

No problem! You may want to checkout this site also: www.businessschools.com/guidance/busines...

Like others have stated, the problem with accreditation is most people don’t understand how it works in the first place. It’s like the typewriter rule that requires two spaces after a period. Most people don’t realize most PC programs (example: Word) already adapt and take spacing into account after a period. Unless you did your research or someone informed you, most people wouldn’t even realized it’s changed over the years. Same with accreditation, most people don’t realize DETC is unique because it accredits not only the institution but every program within that institution as well. They actually send teams to the institution and conduct a thorough evaluation of its programs. Also, go to the Department of Education’s website and see who’s authorized to accredit DL programs in the first place.

You may find it very interesting: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accredit.... That's why I never understood individuals that were attacking the very agency authorized to grant DL (along with regionals) degrees in the first place!

Jamie September 25, 2007 at 9:56 p.m.

Columbia Southern University Offers Alumni a New Way to Connect

ORANGE BEACH, AL - The absence of social networking has always been one of the major arguments for online education opponents – until now. Columbia Southern University (CSU), one of the nation’s first completely online universities, recently launched the CSU Click, an exclusive new service for CSU alumni. Click is an online social networking community that allows alumni to network with more than 9,000 other CSU graduates from all over the world.

“As a graduate of Columbia Southern University, I’ve spent the last several years trying to create an active alumni association,” said Jamie Gauthier, CSU Alumni Association President. “Now the CSU Click has sparked worldwide attention from our alumni and we are beginning to see the strongest, most enthusiastic alumni association I’ve ever seen from any online university.”

With Click, CSU alumni can find other graduates with similar interests, share photos, explore job opportunities, and more. Other special features of the CSU Click include the ability to:
· Network with alumni about career and business opportunities
· Share photos and blogs in a secure environment
· Share information or seek advice by messaging networks
· Hear about events going on in different locations hosted by CSU alumni
· Start groups to find other alumni with similar interests

After alumni register with the CSU Click, it only takes them a few minutes to create a profile, upload a photo and start inviting other alumni to join their network. Since CSU launched this social networking tool in August, hundreds of graduates are already beginning to take advantage of this opportunity.

The CSU Click is offered at no charge to CSU alumni and can be accessed by visiting http://www.columbiasouthern.edu/alumni/i.... For more information, please contact Jamie Gauthier, CSU Alumni Association President, at jamie.gauthier@columbiasouthern.edu.

Jeff September 27, 2007 at 3:12 p.m.

Kris,
That was very well put. I, myself, on the other hand, just want to earn a Masters degree for my own self satisfaction nothing more.

Jeff September 28, 2007 at 12:23 p.m.

Welcome aboard Walter, Glad to have you!!!!!!

Jamie September 30, 2007 at 1:24 p.m.

CSU has an excellent reputation not only academically but has also partnered with several traditional schools as well, so that students who chose to transfer can do so with no problems. The problem is "moot" as many students chose not to transfer and that they can finish their educational needs at a DETC school. If they decide not to they have plenty of options available. The sine qua non of an institution’s quality is not if its credits transfer; this is a false premise.

Transfering Credits to CSU from other schools:

Alabama Fire College
Eastern Iowa Community College District
South Central College
Trinidad State Junior College
Capella University
Kaplan University
Masters International School of Divinity
Northcentral University
The University of North Alabama
The University of West Alabama
The University of West Florida
Cal State - Dominguez Hills
American Public University System
Bellevue University
Calvin College
Cardinal Stritch University
Defense Acquisition University
Jones International University
Lake Area Technical Institute
Langston University
University of Phoenix
Regent University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Tennessee Temple University
Touro University
Upper Iowa University
Vincennes University
Walden University
Webster University
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Western Governors University

If the above Universities do not offer a program that meets your needs, another great resource is the HETA list. Below is a paragraph from the Council on Higher Education Accreditation website about the HETA list.

The Higher Education Transfer Alliance (HETA) is a voluntary group of accredited institutions that are concerned with the importance of student mobility, enhancing success in transfer of credit, and affirming the responsibility and prerogative of individual institutions with respect to acceptance of transfer credits. HETA is a Web-based directory of colleges and universities that is open to all institutions that are accredited by an organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the United States Department of Education (USDE). Membership in HETA is entirely voluntary. HETA is not intended to and will not constrain institutional freedom or prerogatives with respect to acceptance of transfer credit.

Walter October 1, 2007 at 1:59 a.m.

More:

Hilbert College (Hamburg, NY)
Keystone College (La Plume, PA)
Lackawanna College (Scranton, PA)
Lincoln University (Lincoln University, PA)
Marywood University (Scranton, PA)
Medaille College (Buffalo, NY)
Mohawk Valley Community College (Utica, NY)
Mount Saint Mary College (Newburgh, NY)
Neumann College (Aston, PA)
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College (Johnstown, PA)
Saint Peter's College (Jersey City, NJ)
Salem Community College (Carneys Point, NJ)
Seton Hill University (Greensburg, PA)
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (Slippery Rock , PA)
Sullivan County Community College (Loch Sheldrake, NY)
Thiel College (Greenville, PA)
Trocaire College (Buffalo, NY)
Universidad Adventista de las Antillas (Mayaguez, PR)
University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, VI)
West Chester University (West Chester, PA)
American Indian College of the Assemblies of God (Phoenix, AZ)
Appalachian Bible College (Bradley, WV)
Argosy University (Chicago, IL)
Arkansas Tech University (Russellville, AR)
Ashland University (Ashland, OH)
Bay Mills Community College (Brimley, MI)
Bellevue University (Bellevue, NE)
Bellin College of Nursing (Green Bay, WI)
Capella University (Minneapolis, MN)
College of Lake County (Grayslake, IL)
College of Saint Benedict (Saint Joseph, MN)
College of Saint Benedict / Saint Johns University (Collegeville, MN)
College of the Southwest (Hobbs, NM)
Cornerstone University (Grand Rapids, MI)

Walter October 1, 2007 at 3:27 a.m.

Your correct concerning each institution has the right to accept or deny credit transfer. RA to RA institutions have also denied each others credits (years 5yrs old, not applicable etc). Also, some RA DL credits have been denied transfer from my understanding. Sorry, I'm not a CSU grad either, but I'm differently a DETC supporter! Why wouldn't I support Associate to Doctoral Degrees, title IV authority and sound DL (since 1926) education? Hey, tell DOE and CHEA that DETC accredited institutions weren't equal! Fortunate for some and unfortunately for others, they're the ones doing the recognizing and employers are doing the hiring. Every RA grad can’t get into Harvard or Yale, so why would every DL grad (or RA) be able to get into every RA College? Degrees are to meet the individual’s needs not my approval. Case in point, some AACSB (top tier business school) accredited schools won’t accept you without a BS in Business, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s an NA or RA degree! Others say it must be regionally accredited, and others regionally and AACSB accredited. If it meets your needs, go for it!!!!

Walter October 1, 2007 at 11:34 p.m.

DETC has changed over the years and vocational studies although important aren't the only thing they offer now. Furthermore, last time I checked RA institutions also offer vocational or trade courses. Let's face it, DETC and RA DL degrees are here to stay. Go to CMBA's website and you'll see Western Governors University (DETC & RA accredited) all over their approved (requirement for MBA graduation at WGU) CMBA certification list. The test is over 6 hours long and has been compared to the CPA. This shows side by side comparisons with brick and mortar schools like Harvard, Penn State and the likes. DL works!!! National University, Cornell, and Villanova are just a few well known top tier schools now offering DL education. I'm finishing up my MBA Thesis through Cal National University and proud of it!!!! My wife received hers through Philadelphia University AACSB accredited (brick and mortar) and our courses were so identical, that we were arguing over books. (LOL)

Recent overview of DETC: The Distance Education and Training Council (