Norwich University - Master of Military History

Graduate of MMH

By: russlaw2000 (Graduate) on January 12, 2008

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Review:

I was in the first class of MMH rraduates at Norwich in June 2007. Let me say Battles, leaders and the more popular history that you find on a Barnes and Noble shelf will be found at AMU not Norwich. I have attended both, and I like them both. One is an apple and the other a hand grenade. Different schools with different missions.

The first class had its issues I can tell you. The program was not fully "baked" when it was rolled out. But within a few modules we saw improvement.


There are top notch instructors, outstanding instructors at Norwich, and there are a few frauds and bozos who like to hear the sound of their voice. If we had one complaint it would be that Norwich hires too many uniformed military officers at the field grade level that have all the personality of a cardboard box and cannot and never will interact well with students. They are an arrogant lot in and out of a class. When you are at the MA level, with civilian students, my-way or the highway and "I don't need to explain myself" doesn't really work. Eventually they get found out..But the great ones sure made up for the bozos. Dennis Showalter and John Votaw are legendary MH professors and authors. What state university could have offered me two giants like that? They helped me become a better writer and researcher...most of all the program itself helped me to think critically of MH matters I had never considered.

But..big BUT here..the BEST part of Norwich was at the end of the program, when I went to the campus for the residency. It was something special, I must tell you.

Nothing fancy.., by now my tution has helped build the new dining facility, but the opportunity to meet my classmates from all over the world was unforgettable. We debated, discussed, presented our Capstone papers and had not just a great time, a meaningful time.

I know we drove Dr. Jim Ehrman crazy. We were new the program was new...lots of changes here and there.. But at Residency, he sat with us and took in our criticism..met it head on..apologized for what didn't work, explained what should and thanked us for our patience and hard work.
That is what a Department Chair should do. We applauded him for the work he does to make everything work.

The computer platform is very user friendly...and you actually get into some great interaction. My AMU experience, I am receiving a Post-Grad certificate in Land Warfare from them, was very different. Absolutely no discussion board interaction...and that's where the action is at Norwich..

Would I recommend Norwich? All I can say is I believe I received the finest MH education that money could buy.

I am proud to call Norwich my alma mater...(well one of them anyway...)

Russ Stayanoff MMH Class of'07