Northcentral University : PhD in Business Administration Reviews

Northcentral University logo

Mustbeatreasure (Graduate) on February 15, 2012

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Great program but not for everyone First of all, it is well documented that on-line learning is not for everyone. To be successful, you have to realize you are responsible for your education. There is no classroom where you gather with others. Most people need the classroom environment in order to learn. It is on your shoulders to learn. The programs is very good. It can be very difficult. If you are not a self-learner, do not take on-line classes. If you have no drive, do not take on-line classes. Those who blame the program do not have the ability to learn this way. It is not a bad thing. There are many ways to learn. You must evaluate how you learn. This is serious. Your success or failure is on you, not the institution. They provide the resources.

Jzapapas (In Progress) on January 19, 2012 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
PhD in Accounting worth the time and $'s I'm just finishing my 10th course at NCU toward my PhD in Accounting. Like most have said, you get what you put into your education, and this is true at NCU, where the requirements are well laid out and demanding, which requires time management and discipline. I've had only one instructor that I felt I could not work with, and NCU agreed with the circumstances and re-assigned me to another mentor who was awesome. If you have the discipline to work on your own, the support structure is there. Great program, and would recommentd.

Randyloc (In Progress) on October 17, 2011 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
SCAM SCHOOL Rip Off School! I should have been suspected a concern when they accepted “all of my hours” which is something “they don’t usually do” as the admissions individual excitedly told me! I have a 4.0 average and for some strange reason I cannot pass the comps! Now, one would wonder why an individual could make straight “A’s” and then get nailed for “APA formatting, poor sentence structure, and other issues. When I asked the question as to why professors would pass me and give me A’s in classes and then fail me, the only response was “this happens all the time.” I questioned the ability of professors to grade if all my course work demonstrated A work and then to be failed! Stay AWAY!

Kiersty66 (In Progress) on September 2, 2011 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU PHD business administration Major issues with this university in regard to mentor/learner support at this school for the RSH/DISS sequence. I have been in the program for 7 years. I have straight A's and the topic, concept, proposal are all approved as ok. Now after 6 years in the RSH/Diss sequence the school has been threatening to throw me out and has limited my submissions to the OAR. I am in the last course and the OAR has rejected my manuscript stating there are severe flaws in the study. After having the paper evaluated independently by several statisticians have verified the study cannot be salvaged. Hence I have to start over. How can a school approve three documents over 6 years then say nope you have to start over and give us more money!!!? I have had the statisticians look at the other documents and they have come to the conclusion that the dissertation has been in decline since the concept paper. I have had 6 mentors, and at least 5 different committee members over the past 6 years. In addition, I have received canned feedback throughout the process. Students need to rally together for a class action suit. This unethical behavior must stop at this profit university. I have no phd now. The only good thing about this experience is at least I have no school loans. However, I know most students do. This school will lose it's accreditation. This may seen vague but if you have had the experience then you will know what I am referencing. Anyone interested in putting things together...email me...kiersty66@gmail.com But do not ask me to divulge information you can share that with the attorney. :)

(In Progress) on September 1, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Don't waste your time or your money I only took two classes at NCU. I have been at this for many years. I have never had a terrible experience with any of the universities that I have attended. I have attended three total. One for me A.S. One for my B.S. and one for my M.S. I am not one to quit or give up on anything. One of my 'mentors' (as they call it) kept contradicting herself on APA standards. When grading assignments, she would attempt to correct grammatical errors. In the comments sections of the assignments, she made numerous grammatical errors herself. When trying to file a grievance against her, I was accused of a code of conduct violation, which was absolutely untrue. The e-mail that was supposed to have the violation in it miraculously disappeared. At the other universities, I have never had a code of conduct violation. I also never had any academic problems either, I graduated from all three with honors. I have never had an experience like at NCU and I would not recommend it to anyone.

Anonymous (In Progress) on July 30, 2011 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Progresive Review #1 of Many - Recently Started I started a PhD in International Business Administration back in the beginning of May '11. I have been at this post education thing for the better side of a decade now, and find NCU to be just like any other school; you get out what you put into it. Having attended both B&M and online schools in the past years, I'm an advocate of online learning actually being more productive (to the right learner… I’ve graduated with honors in all degree programs attended) than B&M schools. I’m not going to bash anyone leaving a bad review on here… as they obviously had a bad experience in some manner, but I can offer you my findings for my own experience as I have witnessed them. Online learning requires a learner with a great deal of initiative... Without this, you can coast through a course and get nothing for your $1500+ tuition bill. However, learners who take advantage of the independent learning models tend to walk away with a more comprehensive education than those who are spoon fed a "tunnel vision curriculum". While NCU bears a close resemblance to a correspondence school (According to a few reviews here), it's got key differences that make it quite different than those types of schools. I've had learners who offer quite a bit of constructive insight when grading my materials. However, I've also had instructors who look at the paper, leave two comments, and give me a 98%. This is the same at NCU as it is at any other university. Professors are a lot like grade school kids... a few winners... a whooooole lot of losers. This is where that educational initiative comes in. I've had a horrid professor that might as well have slept at her desk while grading, and I still gained a massive amount of knowledge about managerial statistics. Why? Because I studied by backside off using the text, companion website, web, etc... I took the effort to learn what I wanted to, and succeeded quite well enough to believe that I could in turn teach the course myself if asked. As far as the administration is concerned, I've had minimal issues with them, they stay out of my way, and I stay out of theirs. I've had more administrative issues with my wife attending the local community college than I've had with NCU remotely. I have had some bumps in the road, but it wasn't anything an email to the proper department didn’t fix. Also, the academic advisor I have seems to do fairly well with addressing my issues. Response times from him and all other NCU staff, including professors, is a bit slower than I like, but I'm used to an office environment where waiting no more than 12 hours for a comprehensive resolution is the norm. Response times from the university average about 48 hours... make of it what you will. Tuition is what it is… I’ve seen much higher rates at much worse institutions. I feel for the effort I am putting into my PhD, and the amount of knowledge and guidance to that knowledge I get out of it, I’m getting a good value. At $2,200 per course, it’s what I expect from a post graduate program. The school could use a better financial aid portal for me to browse on my own, but any information I ask for from FA comes to me in a timely and complete manner. The University’s true asset seems to be its resource databases. If the school has made a single smart decision, I’d base it in their purchasing access to index databases of research materials from organizations such as NexisLexis. I’ve gained about 70% of my knowledge through reading resources available in their dissertation and scholarly article databases. These are the true sources of a comprehensive education at any level. Extra effort excerpted to research areas that affect your day job, personal interest, and real world situations is the mark of an APPLIED education… The best kind of education in my opinion, is one that you can instantly relate to your professional career. Likely, my biggest complaint about the University is its website layout. It looks like this thing was created using GeoCities back in the 90s. For what I pay in tuition, you’d think these guys could afford a java developer or two. However, if aesthetics is my biggest concern so far, I’m happy. It will be interesting to see where things end up as I approach my dissertation process… I’ve heard murderous things about the process here at NCU… then again I hear murderous things about the dissertation process at any promising school. I’m far from calling NCU top of their field, but if the process makes me look further into my research and make an effort to better present my data, it’s serving its purpose. A final comment here… NCU is starting their 8 compressed course offerings on September 8th for all education levels and programs. I have one more round of courses before I can migrate to the 8 week model and hopefully finish my research degree much sooner. I’ll be posting subsequent reviews as I progress through my degree so that other prospective learners can get an honest and detailed insight into what they are in for. Moral of the story so far: If you’re not prepared to shoot for a 4.0 GPA… you don’t belong in a PhD program. Get ready to put on your big boy/girl pants and crank out 50 – 100 pages of research MINIMUM per course; don’t be surprised if you easily double that when making a solid effort... My first round of classes produced almost 250 pages of research… all of which can be reused when doing my dissertation research. If you aren’t willing to make a solid effort to teach yourself things outside of just what the syllabus suggests… You obviously don’t have a mind thirsty for abundant amounts of knowledge, and you’re making a poor decision to become a profession researcher anyway.

Anonymous (In Progress) on June 15, 2011 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU is what you make it to be I am currently in my 6th course at NCU and I've had ups and downs with the school. HOWEVER, I've been attending college for many years and I have had similar ups and downs at all schools that I attended. Some professors you like, some you don't. It is frustrating when I want a question answered and it takes forever to get feedback. But, I love that I control how much I want to learn about a subject. If I want to read ten articles on a topic, I can, if not, I am not required to do so. Through my Master's program at a local college, I often had to sit through lectures where it seemed like the professor could care less about being there. Just because you're in a building, does not mean you're actually learning something. Going to school online was not my ideal choice, in fact I started at a local college for my PhD. At the end of my first year I was told that curriculum changed and I had to wait to get my degree, or drive two hours each way to a different campus for the next three years. Again I say, all schools have their issues. I hope that my dissertation process goes smoothly but from my understanding NO dissertation process ever does. NCU, like all educational institutions, requires hard work on your part. You have to be on top of your financial aid, your documentation, and your schoolwork. It's just part of being an adult learner. I'm enjoying the information I get to analyze for this degree and thankful that I don't have to spend 30 hours a week in a classroom, quit my job, and go deeper into debt to do it.

Anonymous (In Progress) on May 24, 2011 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Is this legal? How is it possible to receive an "A" in all of the dissertation courses (where your concept paper is completed-and praised by Mentors) yet receive a "resubmit" when the same concept paper is submitted to the dissertation committee? It is common knowledge on NCU's Yahoo group and their own forum that many students are forced to retake classes, thereby paying more money and delaying the degree, for no apparent reason- and this is always at the very final stage, right when you don't want to quit because of the investment already made. NCU's answer to students about this is that they do not have to explain their position. I do not know why there is no regulation or investigation into this practice that seems to have started within the past year based upon the many complaints from other students. NCU accreditation requires them to act within certain guidelines that are not being followed. It is almost impossible to get a PhD without paying double the fee and time originally quoted. Some students have had their dissertation committee changed up to 10 times. I would suggest that any applicant ask for graduation completion rates and course retake rates before signing up at NCU. I have no issue with their tuition, only the fact that they are withholding degrees to milk more tuition payments beyond what the program requires. Of course, the answer is that not all students are PhD material- yet an investigation should be completed to see how many of those students received A's in all of their dissertation courses which according to NCU's own course description(s) would demonstrate that they are in fact PhD material.

Stewarterina (In Progress) on May 4, 2011 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
So Far So Good So far, I'm working on my 5th course with the PhD Program in Business Administration. I have no complaints so far. I love being able to work on my next assignment as soon as I'm done with the first. As well, I like the fact that the professors communicate with ou. You are given a timeline that is not mandated to follow; just as long as you complete all assignments before the due date. The academic advisors make sure you are comfortable with your schedule and they accomodate you.

Anonymous (Graduate) on April 16, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Successful Candidate I succeeded in the program and successfully defended my Dissertation. My requirements for a PhD program were a) regional accreditation, b) ability to publish, and c) online or part time. I found NCU to have good quality course work and text books. The Dissertation was challenging and I am happy with the work. Overall, the program was well designed, with each course fitting nicely with the next. Reviewers for the Dissertation were tough, but meant well. In the end, I completed a regionally accredited PhD and am very happy with the program. I would recommend NCU, but note that it does require a lot of hard work.

Swarnock227 (In Progress) on March 3, 2011 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
A McDonaldized program I completed my first course at NCU with a B+ but was disappointed when after signing into the next class (STATs) I was not able to get materials befor the class began. They only allow 28 days between classes and you dont even know what materials you need until a week before class. Because the required SPSS program was sold out everywhere and it was Christmas, I still did not have materials two weeks into the class. I withdrew and was told that I only had pay 40%. Financial aid had already paid for the course. The 60% difference was not paid to me or returned to my lender. When I notified the provost, I was told there was no reason for me to receive a refund, and although I can log on to the website, my access to my financial statement has been blocked. I have withdrawn from this university in favor of another university. I belive this university is a degree mill. Students of this university do not have a face or a name. This university is only interested in the money. They have rules that impede your success inorder to keep your money. I have completed a year in another university and have experienced far less stress. Yes, a PhD should be challenging and even demanding at times, but not impossible. I found the mentors and staff to be arrogant and unhelpful.

Anonymous (In Progress) on February 16, 2011

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Do Not Attend NCU. NCU is not worth the money, especially now that the school has almost doubled the cost of tuition. All the school is concerned about is making money. The school continues to make the PhD program more difficult, now a research professor has been added to the hurdle. There continues to be allot of wasted down time which costs the student more money. Do not waste your money or time at NCU.

Anonymous (In Progress) on January 3, 2011 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Can not recommed NCU at this time Like other Ph.D students on this forum, everything was fine until recently. Between confusion caused by the changes in the programs and the tuition hike, I can't recommend NCU. In the past I would have, but my current mentor is the worst I have encountered. The syllabus was updated, but apparently the mentor was unaware of this?!I am waiting to hear what the mentor and my advisor has to say. No one is on the same page so to speak. And the comments on my papers are just references to the APA style book. And a lot of 'unclear about what learner means' my other mentors were MUCH better. But I am too far along to quit now, so even if this course damages my nearly perfect GPA I will suck it up and drive on since I only have one more research course to go before beginning the actual dissertation process.

Anonymous (In Progress) on December 23, 2010

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Should not be an accredited program The advisors lie. I have been signed up for classes and charged for classes I never signed up for then charged for payment. I have discussed matters with my advisors who tell me the matter will be takne care of only to do the same thing again. When I asked for an extension, because of illness, it was granted. However, when I went to complete the class it was not allowed telling me that I had never contacted them. These are only a few of the problems that I have had with Northcentral. This University should not be accredited.

Anonymous (In Progress) on November 29, 2010 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Stay away 1st the good: The teachers are great. They provide feedback quickly. The comments are constructive and help the student to learn. Now the opportunity for improvement: They are making a great many changes that are not working out best for the students. Once you pass into the dissertation phase, things get bad. Administration has never considered the students as customers. They will never return emails or voicemails. Not sure why. The two week review promise in the syllabus will actually take several more weeks. Meanwhile your tuition bills arrive right on time. Remember, this is a for profit college, and trust me, they will do everything to acquire every penny they can out of you, except treat you like a customer. Contacting the academic advisor is a large waste of time. Not sure what these folks do, but it is nothing to help the student. During the D process you will be on your own. The rules will change without notification. You will be taught little or nothing. You will be expected to find out everything on your own. When you ask for help you will be met with silence.

Anonymous (In Progress) on November 26, 2010

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU Must admit the recent changes at the school have left me disappointed. The program goals seem to be in a state of flux making it difficult for students to satisfy the program requirements. The requirements for the Ph.D. seem to change often making it difficult to understand what is going on. My chair is equally confused. The school offers little to no support. There is no teaching or any other guidance. Sort of like a correspondence school. They have never heard of the term customer service. Emails go unanswered and voice mails go unreturned. I understand the school is having accreditation issues. But the changes made in 2010 may satisfy the accreditation committee but will most likely result in alienated students.

Anonymous (In Progress) on August 26, 2010 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
PhD in Business Administration Before enrolling in NCU's PHD in Business Administration, I did thorough reseach on accredited online schools, considering Colorado State University, Walden, Capella, SNHU, IndianaTECH, and many other well respected institutions. I found out that NCU offered best ROI, with tuition much lower that its competition. During my PhD core classes, I found the assignments to be rather challenging, but rewarding. My concept paper was revised several times by my Dissertation Chair, before being sent for university review. The mentor wanted to make sure that my concept paper will be approved if not in the first try, with some minor modifications on the second try. Needless to say, my concept paper was approved first time around. Additionally, I found out that comprehensive exam is just as challenging as any traditional PhD program out there. I am currently finishing my Dissertation at NCU, and if everything goes well, I will graduate in few months. Overall, I am very satisfied with NCU’s programs, delivery methods, and available resources. One-on-One mentoring is the greatest feature that this university offers. Too bad they do not have degrees in other areas or my interests, otherwise I would be taking several more Master degrees from NCU.

Anonymous (In Progress) on July 9, 2010 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU is a good deal I am a third year PhD student in Applied Computer Science at NCU and I am pleased with their program. After a college career of 6 previous degrees, the majority of them earned at traditional B&M schools (and all regionally accredited), NCU was a breath of fresh air due to the fact that it offered a PhD online.Most of the mentors I have had were very knowledgable about their subjects. I find it interesting that the individuals who are posting negative reviews don't seem to have even a basic grasp of grammar and sentence structure, yet the individuals who are posted positive reviews seem to be very succinct. I think the negative reviewers were hoping for an easy degree and are disappointed that NCU has high standards that they can’t live up to. For someone like me with a full time research career, having this flexible schedule in a work study format is a blessing. I could never earn enough as a traditional PhD student to support a family. The main issue to focus on in regards a school’s reputation is regional accreditation, and NCU is regionally accredited. Even if they are under review, they have been approved, and from what I understand it is difficult to lose regional accreditation once a school has it. None of this means I think NCU is perfect. It has experienced growing pains and does not always do things efficiently. However, no school I have attended ever has or will, and that includes a traditional Ivy-league level institution. This is just human nature. For what I am paying to complete my dissertation plus the regional accreditation, NCU is definitely worth the time. However, for prospective students, don’t think this will be an easy ride. I have had to work harder than any other degree, but in the end it will be worth it.

Anonymous (In Progress) on April 30, 2010 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU is in TURMOIL!! This was a great school until the last year, but now is not the time to enroll in NCU. They only have a three year accreditation, which means that there are some problems to be addressed. Having said this, NCU is flailing about to rectify some of the issues, but this has created turmoil and angst at the Research Phase of the process. Policies change at the whim of the President, and which are not always publicized. Student programs are not honored.... Students are moved from program to program without recourse. The last research course was shortened without changing the syllabus, and students are made to repeat this shortened course, and are given an "F" until the requirements have been met. Staff support is abysmal, there is no proper business courtesy from "Academic" Advisors (AA), who do not acknowledge correspondence sent, and who need to be prompted for replies to concerns. AAs are changed frequently, so along with faculty firings and resignations, the academic climate is in turmoil.

Niccole23 (In Progress) on February 27, 2010 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
I can not recommend NCU I am currently registered. I like the idea (theory and concept) of NCU. I have summarized my experience over the past couple of semesters. I hope you find this review beneficial. Institution & Support: The admissions department is great! They were and continue to be upfront, well-informed, and courteous. They come across as sincere and genuinely concerned. The rest of NCU Administration is simply poor. Staff members routinely fail to return calls and emails. If you need information on degree requirements, accounts, etc., please understand that you will have to deal with NCUs voicemail hell. On the rare occasions when I did receive a call back, I was given incorrect and/or inconclusive information. Materials & Books: I have a serious problem with some of the books doctoral students are forced to buy. In one courses, NCU used books that were not academically appropriate on any level (undergrad or grad). I purchased 3 books for the course (cost $300). The books were missing scholarly references. For example, the books defined management terms without references attached. Every book that is used on a college/univ campus (traditional or non-traditional) has references. I take my education serious and weak learning materials/books are a big problem for me. Teachers: Thus far, I have not had a problem with my instructors. NCU will change your instructor in the middle of a course. However, the new instructors have been accommodating and I appreciate that. At this time, I can not recommend NCU. I would like to see staff mature and grow in their professional positions. Specifically, learning and understanding how to provide basic customer service (ie answer questions and return calls). Academically, I would like to see appropriate books selected for all courses! If anyone is is having serious problems (breach, failure to release info, billing errors), please follow the grievance procedures. Document all interaction carefully and follow-up via email. If you find a "legitimate" issue is not being handled and you have exhausted NCUs grievance procedures, submit a complaint with the Arizona Department of Education - Private Postsecondary.

Dklann1 (In Progress) on December 6, 2009

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Not For Everyone It's a good construct however, changes to programs while students are in progress of completing their degrees are not well orchestrated nor well communicated with students. Not much guidance is provided to students on how to successfully get through their programs. Students need to exercise/tolerate changes.

Anonymous (In Progress) on October 31, 2009 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Ut sementem feceris, ita metes . I am now in my third course in this program. My experience has been positive. The coursework has been rigorous, and the mentors, so far, have been knowledgeable, timely in providing feedback, and supportive.

Anonymous (In Progress) on July 21, 2009 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Worst college I've ever attended I was in my last course at NCU (before starting the dissertation sequence) when I received a bad instructor. I was informed by one of the Academic Advisors that most students complain about this instructor, and that her feedback, comments/expectations were rather far-fetched and irrelevant to the course. Anyhow, I submitted my first paper, only to receive one point above an F, with comments/feedback that made absolutely no sense. The instructor did not read the instructions for the assignment (so she had no idea what it was even about) and obviously did not use the book because the feedback/questions she asked were contradicted by the assignment and the questions in the book. I contacted my academic advisor about this problem, and after getting the run around, was surprised when the school informed me that this was my problem, my fault, and I needed to deal with it. I submitted a second assignment and, received the same far-fetched feedback and low grade from the instructor. I attempted to schedule a phone appointment with the instructor, but she declined. I e-mailed her several times trying to understand what exactly it was that she was looking for and why she wasn't going by the instructions outlined for the assignment and the questions listed in the book...but I kept receiving an evasive response. I contacted just about every administrator in the school, and finally received an e-mail from only one, and that was the dean of the business department. Once again, I was informed that this was my problem, my fault, and that the instructor was a wonderful asset to NCU. I have two MA degrees (from different schools) with a 3.9 and a 4.0 GPA average and NCU in effect tried to infer that I was some bumpkin who should have been honored to attend such a prestigious school. At this point, I realized that things were only going to get worse, and the last thing I wanted was to shell out more money only to be abandoned half-way through the dissertation process. At this point, I realized that the college was trying to rip students off by making them pay for the same class more than one time in order to make more money, hence, the purpose of hiring teachers who are out to give students a hard time and a bad grade. NCU does not have the best reputation, and a degree from that school isn't considerably valuable, and after talking to several college administrators, was informed that with a PhD from NCU, I was not going to get the job I was looking for. I have two Masters degrees from two other colleges and have had a good experience and both of those colleges, but this PhD program at NCU is awful. Going to NCU is like digging through the garbage can trying to find a piece of crumpled trash that looks like a degree. To me, an NCU degree isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Anonymous (In Progress) on June 4, 2009

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Hard Work and Exceptional Thinking I am currently nearing completion of my PhD coursework and am thrilled with the program. It is VERY intense and a student will learn a great deal. If you are not independently motivated and looking for simple recall of information instead of synthesis, you will most likely have a tough time. There is no hand-holding, they assume you are beyond that stage of education. However, I have never had a problem getting a question answered if I needed help. I expect that the dissertation process will be a big challenge, but it is supposed to be. I will have no doubt that I have earned this degree when it is complete. I highly recommend it!

Anonymous (Graduate) on May 3, 2009 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
I graduated from NCU with a Phd and... let us not exaggerate. This is not a traditional DL program as the vast majority of courses do not have or do not utilize a discussion board. The program resembles the old correspondence courses. Essentially I was on my own during the process. I would get remarks to change this or that but never on how to implement these changes. I was expected to research on the solutions. Definitely I was on my own. The greatest obstacle is the idiotic process of two PhD committees. In traditional schools you report to your dissertation committee. In NCU once you get the green light from your dissertation committee, the paper or proposal or dissertation goes to the Review Committee that usually slaughters the first "approved" review. Often they disagree among themselves. Why? Because they are ignorant. And because they are ignorant, they torture the candidate. No sour grapes here. I did get my PhD. But I left the place with a bad taste in my mouth. I wish NCU would realize that having two committees that disagree strongly on their assessments is bad advertisement. Horrible marketing. You have one set of professors say to another “You do not know how to detect mistakes.” If anyone reads this, FIX the problem now.

Anonymous (In Progress) on April 30, 2009 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Not many other good options out there I've started my 7th course in the Phd in BA with a Technology Management focus. I have two Masters (MBA and MS) from B&M. I can honestly say that I prefer NCU's format of self study, over sitting in a classroom. For one, working full time and a family, I don't have time to sit in a classroom. I'm grateful to complete my coursework during the time I have available which may be starting at 10:30 PM on a Friday. The school overall is good. The work is definitely not easy. Some instructors are better than others, as with any school. I have taken exception with two with respect to inconsistent grading and lack of feedback. The administration is responsive and overall satisfactory. For me, the school works because I want the Phd title and I want to teach adjunct now and FT at a community college later on. If your aspirations and situation are similar to mine, then NCU might be good for you. Good luck!

Anonymous (In Progress) on April 18, 2009 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
PhD in Business I only enrolled in one course in the PhD program and never heard from an instructor. It was very difficult getting the administration to follow up with me. The technology did not work and I complained that the school used deception in their promotion. They would not refund my money or show any concerned for my issues. They intentionally did not respond to me. At the time I considered NCU a fly by night operation and ran as fast as possible away from this organization and wrote this experience and as a loss. There are many issues that I will not draw out here. Overall, I can see that there are more favorable ratings on this site for NCU then unfavorable ones. It is obvious that some students do believe that they are getting value for their money and at least for them, this is the best program. However, candidate searching for a doctorate program should go beyond just student satisfaction ratings of a school. That is only one indicator. What do you what to do with your degree? If full time teaching beyond the community college level is your main goal, then you should seriously consider another program and meet with deans and faculty members from some of the schools you would most likely teach for to discuss your career options. Do not overlook this. You can avoid an economic and career disaster. Here are some simple tips for selecting a PhD in business program. If you are looking for a PhD and plan to teach business in academia, you should contact the types of schools that you would like to teach at. They will tell you which programs they will accept. Most business schools will only employ candidates for tenure positions from an AACSB programs and or schools that have a high-level full time research faculty, not part time adjunct faculty. So be very careful before you invest your time in a PhD in business program. NCU may be able to point to a few successful candidates that have successful publication records but these students or graduates may have been successful before the program or in spite of the program. So you may want to see which schools has a greater number of full time research faculty, their publication record and turnover of faculty experience. Accreditation should be only a minimum standard. You should also interview students who dropped out and or where not successful in the program to get a more balanced perspective then just the school. Not all PhD in business programs are viewed the same just because they have an accreditation seal. There will be a problem for candidates who have completed the program before any credible changes take place. For many who just want to teach on the side, a community college or use the PhD credential at your job, this may be the place for you. Hopefully, the new equity partners will clean up many of the serious problems cited on the Web. Perhaps a merger or name change is in order. Then maybe you may not to have to worry about listing

Brentt (In Progress) on April 13, 2009 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Great phD Experience so far The staff at NCU was awesome during the enrollment and registration process. I am thoroughly enjoying the coursework, which is very rigorous. I am halfway into my first class and I am 100% happy with the program thus far. My mentor has been extremely helpful and is quite knowledgeable. I look forward to completing the rest of my phD.

Bethanymullin (Graduate) on February 21, 2009 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU is an excellent university The technology and the instructional support at NCU are excellent. I have two master's degrees from traditional brick and mortar universities, so I can accurately evaluate the quality of NCU. My experience at NCU has been outstanding. The academic rigor is equal to any other program that I've been associated with, and I'm proud of my association with NCU. It's a wonderful university.

Initia (In Progress) on April 13, 2008 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
You must be a Thinker! NCU has been a great place for me. I have plenty of education at "bricks and mortar institutions," and rate this education as the best in my life. I am completing a Business PhD after retiring from a successful 20 year career in business. One my think that I knew everything needed for the business world based on my experience. Not true. This education forces you to think! There is plenty of cross interaction with other learners and professors. Most professors are well credentialed in the business or education fields in their own rights. I currently interact with higher education administration in a political capacity, and am shocked at their comparative skills against those I have met online at NCU. This is an excellent education community that should not be overlooked or undercut. The criticism that I have heard is mainly unfounded. NCU requires you to think, if you need to be coddled go somewhere else. But, if you like to think, NCU will greatly add to your status as a scholar, professional capacities, and to your merit in the business world. I would hire any NCU business grad.

Kens.beardog (In Progress) on April 11, 2008 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU - PhD Bus Admin Currently in the research dissertation proposal phase, and have been an NCU Learner since 9/2003. I have found the growth of the University to be sure and steady. My experience is that this is a premier online distance learning University. I read that some are unhappy, but I can tell anyone that my skills have grown while I have been pursuing my PhD at this University. This is a fine University, and I heartily endorse it to anyone seeking an advanced degree, or even an undergraduate degree.

Anonymous (In Progress) on March 30, 2008 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU is OK and improving (hopefully) NCU is unique in its style. It is truly 100% online. Its main advantage is flexibility in completing courses for busy full-time working professionals. It is also one of the affordable universities. Like in all other universities, every mentor is different. Some are responsive and some are not. Some read the assignments closely, some do not, but generally course work effort is reflected in grades. They recently started to be more interactive with students and taking their inputs for improvements. I am hopeful that it will improve from its present position.

Anonymous (In Progress) on March 11, 2008

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU-Good Support Treated very well. The University cares very much for their students and their progress. Mentor offer timely responses and direction.

Anonymous (In Progress) on February 17, 2008 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU's marketing doesn't match it's delivery I was academically dismissed from Northcentral University in January. The primary cause of my failure as an NCU student was the complete lack of mentor-student interaction. Even when I responded that I was having difficulty during the first research class, the mentor never responded until he posted an unsatisfactory grade. Please read the complete story at www.ncublogs.com. All NCU students that have experienced the lack of mentorship during their classes should leave their contact information in the comments (the comments are moderated before display, I will not publish personal info). A single person such as myself cannot change NCU. Perhaps as a group, our collective voices can get the attention of NCU or the Arizona Attorney General or the FTC. NCU is not delivering on their marketing promises.

Dalertodd (In Progress) on October 14, 2007 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
NCU I have been attending NCU since 1/04 and have found the program to be very satisfying. The instructors require you to work hard and present material in a way that builds on the assignments. In my hundreds of interactions I have found the the instructors to be professional and supportive. I highly recommend this university to any student wanting to improve their education. I have used the education at Northcentral University to improve my professional standing in the community.

Anonymous (In Progress) on October 3, 2007 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Educational Satisfaction I am a PhD learner (Industrial/Organizational Psychology) in the Business Administration program and I absolutely love it. I switched from Capella to NCU last year and only wished I had done it so much earlier. I would recommend NCU to anyone.

Wagontire (In Progress) on August 25, 2007 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
So far so good I enrolled in the PhD program (Business Administration with Marketing Specialization) last week and am scheduled to start in October. Although I haven't started the program as of yet, I have done quite a bit of research on other Online PhD programs and have found that NCU is the ONLY Online college that offers PhD degrees with a Marketing Emphasis. The level of support I received by my Enrollment Counselor and Academic Adviser was good...no complaints. I am currently earning my MBA at University of Phoenix (Awesome school) and NCU is letting me start on my Specialization courses first so I can transfer my MBA courses in (from UoP) next year. University of Phoenix is a great college too (I earned my BA degree from the ground campus in my area and am currently doing the Masters program online). Anyhow, I start my first PhD course with NCU in October, so I will write back again and let you know how it goes.

Hamdi_LF (In Progress) on May 26, 2007 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
Lack of Support in the program from the mentors The idea of having NCU degree seemed to be great, but the problem arise from the lack of mentors support to their learners and the academic advisors. As I started my Ph.D program, They don't tell you anything that direct you to the proper source. You are basically on your own. I have an MBA and I got 30 credits transferred. The main problem is that when you start a Ph.D, One may need a lot of support all along, but the beginning is always hard. I just wanna say that it is extremely hard to even get their support. There is no standard grading system, by which you can pinpoint your grade. It is all up to the mentor and what they decide to do with you, so if the mentor does not clarify what wants you end up losing out, especially if your name sounds foreign like mine. I got an (A)in almost all of my assignments, but the mentor sometimes read the first two lines of my assignment and tells to resubmit and you already lost 10% of your assignment grade without even knowing why and if you discuss it, they may screw up your entire grade of the class, because there is standarized grading system that all mentors can abide by. It is important to mention to you that My MBA GPA is an (A)and I still maintain an (A) in my first classes assignment. The bottomline is you need to check out different online schools like Walden, Argosy or somewhere else as long as they provide a more standardized grading system and strong support for their learners, because you a mentor to be on your side to help you achieve your academic goals and be on your side during the process.

Anonymous (In Progress) on April 18, 2007 (email verified)

Materials: Teachers:
Institution: Support:
Value: Technology:
A great choice for busy people I am doing a PhD at NCU, and am enjoying it a great deal. The program is not for everybody, but suits someone in my situation very well. Here is my story: 1. I could study anywhere. I have good bricks-and-mortar undergraduate & MBA degrees, a decent GMAT etc. 2. I have a demanding job that I really enjoy. The cost of taking a leave of absence to study full-time at a great school would not make financial sense. 3. I did extensive research, and find that the NCU curriculum in my field is the best thought-out and most aligned to my needs. I am including bricks-and-mortar schools in this analysis. I have designed curriculum for a top school, and I know good design when I see it. 4. I am not trying to pass off my PhD as anything it isn't. I don't think my PhD will change my life, or my opportunities - my personal makeup will continue to drive my success. 5. I don't want to be in a cohort - been there, done that. I love teams, but I have my hands full of them at work, and don't want to either "carry" or have to wait for other group members at school. 6. The nature of my work is that there are busy times and slow times. Being able to speed up or slow down my progress through courses is a huge benefit. 7. I am genuinely interested in my subject, and am doing this as a hobby as much as anything. I have "gotten ahead" plenty already, and am mostly looking to add a little brain food to the tail end of my career. 8. I don't need my hand held. I am prepared to learn on my own and take a risk on my assignments (nobody will be looking at my 'marks'). I don't need someone to prescribe every little step of the way or tell me "exactly what they expect" from me, beyond the general marching orders. The bottom line is that I haven't chosen NCU out of lack of better options. I am genuinely impressed with their program and their delivery style. It isn't easy by any means, and is certainly not light-weight. I would say if your story is anything like mine, and you are favorably impressed with NCU's programs - go for it! Best of luck on whatever choice you make...

You can help by Writing a review

Learn More about Northcentral University