Northcentral University : Ed.D. Reviews

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Frustrated and Angry in the Midst of NCU Chaos

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on January 18, 2012

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NCU has been on a downward spiral for the past several years. Doing the basic coursework for the Ed.D. the school was satisfactory at best.  The dissertation sequence, however, has been a nightmare. I already have three graduate degrees from excellent institutions, so it's not like school is new to me!  Over the past year I have had four different committee chairs!  Their expectations have evidently not been aligned with the requirements of the Office of Academic Research.  Twice my committee has approved my proposal and it was twice rejected by the OAR.  Although no one told me or any of my committee chairs (there had been three up to that point) the school no longer allows researchers to use phenomenology as a research method!  The same OAR had approved the methodology when it approved my Concept Paper.  Apparently, communication of such policy changes never made it to my various committee chairs.

So, I am now on Chair #4 and have resubmitted the DP for a third time, this time with an approved research method.

It seems to me that the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. Leadership is in a constant state of flux.  I have lost count of the deans and other leaders who have come and gone.  In the three years that I have been in the program I have had, I believe, 6 or 7 different academic advisers. 

The structure of the doctoral program itself is anything but user-friendly.  The learner is not permitted to have any direct contact with his or her committee members!  All communication must go through the committee chair. That might be fine if the committee chairs didn't keep changing!

This school gives scholarship in the 21st century a very bad name.  They now have a lot of my money, so I keep plugging away wondering when the next change in policy, or the next change in committee chairs, or the next new dean is going to come along.

As a professional educational administrator myself, I do wonder how NCU survives!

Good Experience

By: cocovanschoick (In Progress) on November 3, 2011

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I'm now in my 6th class at NCU. I wrote a good review when I was in my 3rd class. I'm happy to say my experience remains positive.I have had professional experience with financial aid, my mentors and my other students. I hope it lasts. The Doctorate degree is really a research and writing degree. Most of the work is independent and the student must be a self-starter.NCU has a good format for visual learners like me. I spend hours studying and researching everyday. If you are not discplined this is not the school for you. My only complaint that the classes were 12 weeks and now they have changed to 8 week options, so I like it even better. The 8 week classes do have due dates unlike the 12 week. I liked not having due dates, but I wanted to get done quicker.

The only hope for rural people

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on August 8, 2011

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NCU is a great school that fulfilled my expectations. I feel the education I received was just as thorough as any other b and m school. It was particularly useful to me because I live in a rural area, far away from any university.

Gave it three of four attempts...

By: usn1520 (In Progress) on July 12, 2011

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I have attended NCU off and on for the past 4 years.  The materials required for the classes are on par with Brick and Mortar offerings.  For the most part, the adjunct faculty (mentors) that I worked with at NCU were top notch.  The value, support, and overall institutional quality is where I would continually get snagged.  There is what NCU could be and then there is what it is.  I applaud a for-profit model and Higher Ed Institutions could do so well if they would just get the focus right.  Profitability through administration of a high quality program that leverages technology available in this century.  CONS: No student email account, a student portal and course management system that looks like it was designed in the mid-90's, poor administrative support (particularly in financial aid/accounting), cookie cutter syllabi with no creativity based on subject content, zero teaching from the mentor (read the book, write the paper, repeat).  PROS: Superb reference library and reference management tools. Regionally accredited at a fair tuition price.

So Far, So Good

By: catcuddles16 (In Progress) on April 13, 2011

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I started to NCU a few months ago. I'm in the Ed.D program for Instructional Leadership. I was very lucky to get a good mentor for these first two classes. All of my assignments have been turned back to me within a few days.I have had no trouble with financial Aid since I started. I did have trouble with Financial Aid as I was registering, but that may have been partly to transferring schools. I really appreciate the freedom of turning in assignments on suggested dates versus deadline dates with points off if late. I came from a few online schools where we had weekly posts and team assignments. We also were deducted points if the assignment was not in by midnight on the due date. If you start to feel alone in class there is the "New Kids On the Block" to vent and chat. That is the big difference between here at NCU. There are no mandatory weekly posts and interactions among students in my classes.

Still a GREAT Value for the Education

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on February 6, 2011

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Northcentral University has provided me with an excellent education. I received my Master's degree in the traditional setting of a "Big 10" school. With only my Dissertation manuscript to complete, I have found my education at NCU to be on par with, if not above, my previous educational experiences. Education is always about what the student puts into their learning. 

Although Northcentral University increased its tuition at the beginning of 2011, its rates are extremely competitive, and probably still cheaper, than almost any other online university. Furthermore, NCU doesn't require any kind of residency. When considering the total cost of an education, students must consider the added costs of travel and residency, not only tuition. With that, NCU remains a more affordable choice. Others have complained about how much tuition has risen in the past five years. However, NCU's tuition was extraordinarily low and has just now risen to be close to others.

Positive Experience

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on January 3, 2011

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It appears that people who write negative reviews of NCU have had financial and/or academic difficulty with the school. Prospective students should be aware that no doctoral program is, or is suppose to be, easy. The dissertation phase is especially trying, and that is why there are so many ABDs in the academic world. NCU provided me with an excellent and challenging educational experience. Each class was useful, and the dissertation process made me think & grow. DO NOT expect to sign up for classes and simply write some "stuff", or assume what you think is acceptable in research will pass the reviewers. NCU is striving to improve itself academically, and that is a good thing. People do drop out. Expect to work, expect red tape, and make a commitment. You will be rewarded.

Solid Work Program

By: theroypaul (In Progress) on August 23, 2010

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I have had good support from faculty in working towards by ED.D. they answer questions in a timely manner, they provide solid input to my writings and constructive criticisms that will benefit me in completing my work.  I do have one problem, that is when ordering materials from there book store they on many occassions are out of stock, print or outdated and will not be available.  Makes it hard to work on some of the projects. It would be beneficial if they would evaluate the books and update the programs book references.

Better than in-classroom

By: kathybrock630 (In Progress) on May 10, 2010

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NCU will not provide credentials for teaching, and does not claim to. What they have, however, is a fantastic EdD program that is hard to match anywhere in the country. Additionally, the degree areas are far more precise (less generalized) than your average university. The quality of the classes is extremely high, and more important, consistent from one class to the next. Every mentor I have had has been extremely supportive and helpful, but NCU makes it clear that the work of learning belongs to the learner. If you want to coast, find a different school.

Run, Run, Run Away

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on April 24, 2010

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You've got to be kidding.  Be careful to understand what you want to do with your degree.  NCU does not provide the needed credentials, support, or infrastructure to help you succeed.

EdD in Organizational Leadership

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on June 15, 2009

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So far, I am taking my third class and I can't complain. Mentors are great and my education advisor is the best. Lets see how it goes, but so far I recommend this University. It looks like they had problems in the past, but since they were bought my the new company everything is 100 times better. The best price per credit out there,, Capella 53G's, Jones University 48G's and Walden 50G's. NCU go to NCU.EDU and find out, way less.... and if you are in the military $250.00 per credit for a Doctorate degree, just tell me who else have that price? Only NCU

Northcentral University

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on February 5, 2009

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I have completed my Ed.D and got a lot out of the experience at NCU. I have an MBA and am a CPA. I was ABD at Lehigh University after my dissertation chair took ill and retired. The relationship between his replacement and me did not work out. On the other hand Dr. Aaron Givan was my chair at NCU and I found he represents exactly what is needed in a dissertation chair. He kept me going when I was frustrated with others at NCU and he gudied me the whole way. I highly recommend Dr. Givan and the NCU experience.

so far, so good

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on November 17, 2008

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I have completed four classes towards an Ed.D. 

So far the mentors have been either good or great. 
The material is good, it is hard to keep fresh with Technology/Education texts.
The overall value is very good.

You must be self motivated. I also have many years in my field so I am interested in more "research" style learning than requiring hand holding while learning the basics of a subject. NCU works for me.

Positive Experience

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on April 15, 2008

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I have been very pleased with my experience at NCU. I am a busy higher ed administrator in a rural area and the structure of the classes at NCU meet my needs. All of my mentors have been helpful and return e-mails quickly. I can honestly say that I have learned more from this educational experience than any of the others at traditional brick and mortar schools.

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