Nova Southeastern University

Daniel June 27, 2007 at 2:50 p.m.

Anyone have any information on this school? I am contemplating entering into their PhD program in Computer Science.

Fred August 20, 2007 at 5:22 a.m.

Im not a CS major but I know a few and they all ended up leaving after anywhere from 1 semester to a year.The review was not positive and I have to agree with the first reply , they take your money but stall your development. Im a bio major and I have had it with them. They spend most of the money on anything non academic esp the rec center.Not all the professors are bad but the worst ones seem to be in the most important courses...which is really a hinderance. Im leaving next semester.

Frank September 11, 2007 at 7:08 p.m.

Hey Richard....

Was this experiance in the PhD program for computer science?

I was looking at the PhD CS program there (it is the only accredited PhD CS program I can find) and also noticed that many of the professors graduate from there which is never good.

You mentioned that the class component was OK. Was the quality of the classes good?

I know you abandoned the program because of the dissertation but I just wanted to add that traditional schools do the same things to you in terms of graduation. I know a few people abandoning PhD work because of the lack of funding / support from the school and its faculty.

Did you tranfer schools or just quit.

Good luck

student October 10, 2007 at 10:49 a.m.

im in a masters program at nsu and i must agree..the staff is not helpful and biased in their grading..if you have the option of attending a different school, id take it. from what i hear from others in various graduate programs, they are facing the same barriers...good luck

Frank October 22, 2007 at 3:34 p.m.

Current Grad Student:

Thanks for your insight....

I am considering your program and am hoping for some unbiased information. I did notice that the newly appointed faculty members are from "big name" schools which is good. Having said that, there is nothing wrong with faculty from your home school as well. The key in my opinion is a nice mix so that a student can draw ideas from faculty members with diverse backgrounds in terms of training, teaching methods etc.

I have a few questions that maybe you can comment on.

1) Do the faculty members have research teams affiliated with the university or is their research done independently (or with other institutions)? If so, do the students get involved with this work?

2) In the PhD CS program, what are the occupations of the students in the program?

3) Do you consider the standard of students at the university reasonable for doctoral level work (ie is it compromised of "smart students" who chose to work instead of traditional grad school vs. people that just couldn't get into other schools)?

4) What is the difference between the "project" courses and the regular ones?

5) Where does the student body come from? What percentage of them are international students?

I appreciate your comments thus far.

F.

Frank October 24, 2007 at 10:18 p.m.

Thanks for your input current grad...it has been most useful....

I assume when you say teaching, you mean at the university level.

By question 1, I was just trying to figure out how much the faculty puts in research, which in turn determines how much work you can participate in.

I spoke with an admissions officer which I found to be very honest and open about the degree's standing in academia (Don't bother using it to teach at MIT, U.I, Stanford, etc). However he did tell me that a PhD grad is ultimately evaluated on their publications (quantity/quality) as oppose to the school they went to.
If the projects they talk about rigorous enough, they can possibly be peer-reviewed and published.

Do the professors/advisors tell you what prospects lie ahead for graduates of the program?( i.e. if you can't teach at a top tier school, what can you do?)

Cheers,
F.

Frank October 25, 2007 at 2:46 p.m.

Thanks for the link..

Here is the 2007 version.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/feature...

Nova is ranked lower in this one but these rankings don't really reflect the academic quality of the institution (they use social mobility, service to the community) so it wouldn't factor into my decision.

One thing that was surprising was the amount of research grants the school receives. Nova gets $1 million per year which is small given the size of the school. The next smallest school in Florida got $9 million. Just for perspective, UofF got $179 million. I wonder how the professors fund their research. I guess the tuition fees must cover whatever they do. I also noticed that the Nova degree emphasizes course/project work as oppose to other schools. Other institutions I have looked at require only 12-18 hours in course work with the rest of the time being spent on research work, a comprehensive exam and the dissertation.

Either way, as you mention, at least some research is done. This is certainly preferable to the for-profit UofP model.

Like you, I am on the fence. I am looking at some B&M school but have to find out if they will provide the flexibility I require to keep working. With a family and mortgage, the funding that local schools provide will not keep me above water, yet most do not allow doctoral students to study part-time.

It looks like a may see you in Fort Lauderdale next year sometime.

Good luck,
F.

Current Grad student2 October 26, 2007 at 10:01 p.m.

Like you mentioned, I would take those rankings with a grain of salt, but atleast you see that Nova is not a sham school.

If you choose to attend there, you will see that it is a real B&M campus, that seems to be expanding rapidly. (I think the Miami Dolphins train there.)

The school has a nice library, student Union etc.....

Food for thought.

Professor (corrected spelling errors) October 28, 2007 at 10:08 p.m.

I have a Ph.D. from NOVA Southeastern in Computing Technology in Education. My B.S. in Music and M.T. in Computer Science were from a traditional regional state university.

I obtained the Ph.D. while teaching computer science and information systems at the same regional university. I was not in a position to move and quit employment to do doctoral work via the traditional route. This was my only choice for obtaining a Ph.D.

I have no regrets taking the path I chose. I was able to write an $800,000 NSF grant using my NOVA credentials. I also have been published and review for credible journals/proceedings.

There is definitely prejudice from many who go the traditional Ph.D. route. It is amazing. It has been my experience that the very people who are educated and should be the most informed, do the least amount of research on distance programs when making evaluations. I call this ignorance.

It is also a fact that most traditional universities in the U.S. offer online classes and many offer online degrees. However, there are still administrators at these same institutions that look down upon a Ph.D. obtained in this fashion. This is very hypocritical.

Here are a few interesting facts about NOVA...

- Regionally accredited
- Library (on campus, app. $15,000,000 to build, another $7,000,000 single donation)
- Medical, Dental, Law School (on campus)
- Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences (certifications by NSA, largest IEEE student chapter in Florida, hosted IEEE regional conference in 2005)
- 2005 President of the APA (NOVA faculty)
- Miami Dolphins (training facility on NOVA campus)
- The Huizenga Business School is a candidate for AACSB accreditation (this should happen soon)
- Pioneers of online education (offering the first graduate online degrees in the mid 80's)

Any person who seriously does their homework on NOVA will know that this is not a diploma mill or substandard education.

As with any traditional or non-traditional program, a Ph.D. is minimal entrance. It is what a person does with it afterward that makes the difference.

Re A: November 26, 2007 at 6:21 p.m.

- The courses in the IS field are difficult, but I'd say that CS is harder.
- Professors are usually very good, but Id do your own research
- See the website. I THINK 16 is the max # of credit hours?
- The number of study hours varies. Id say 4 hours outside for each credit hour.
- Assignments are usually large, thought out research projects
- A's are difficult to achieve, but doable. The coursework does not require you to be a genius (although it wouldn't hurt) but it is really more about time. If you are willing to work hard, then you will do well.

Re A: November 28, 2007 at 6:37 p.m.

I am currently a student at Nova.

If you can put in 30 hrs a week, I would think that a 3.25 shouldn't be very hard to get and the 2 courses + 1 project should be doable. It is a lot of work, but if you have the time and the drive and the patience it is doable.

Re A: November 29, 2007 at 4:28 p.m.

I am currently a student in the CISD program. From what I hear, CS is the most difficult of the doctorate programs and IS and CIS are much easier. For example, a CIS or IS student can take CS courses for credit, but CS cannot take CIS or IS for credit.

So take it for what its worth.

A: December 4, 2007 at 12:44 p.m.

Are you looking for IS? Does it have to be a PhD or just a doctorate?

A: December 4, 2007 at 9:14 p.m.

I did ALOT of research in a PhD vs Dsc. Many say that are totally equal. However, some say that one is more highly respected than the other. It is very hard to tell. My brother has a PhD from an Ivy league school, and he doesn't feel there is any substantial difference between the two. It really depends on who you ask.

I was looking at a degree in IS, and two schools that I found are:

Robert Morris -> Very limited residency
Dakota St. -> No residency, very cheap

Hope this helps somewhat.

Thanks December 5, 2007 at 7:14 p.m.

Thanks for the info

According to your experience with Nova University, Do you recommend this university?

Thanks December 10, 2007 at 7:24 p.m.

Thank you very much you made it easy for me

How many course and project do you recommend to enroll each term?

Once agina thank you so much

Dr. B December 13, 2007 at 9:06 p.m.

Nursing-Education Journal Gives Thumbs Up to Online Doctorates

An article in the latest issue of Nursing Education Perspectives paints a promising picture of online doctoral programs in nursing.

The authors of “Twenty-First Century Doctoral Education: Online With a Focus on Nursing Education” used a matrix of learning benchmarks established by the Higher Learning Commission and the Institute for Higher Education Policy to evaluate the online doctoral program at the University of Northern Colorado.

They found that Ph.D. students in the online program felt their studies were rigorous and academically challenging, had ample opportunity to collaborate with other students on research and form meaningful mentor relationships with faculty members through frequent e-mail and chat-room contact, and were inspired to incorporate new learning concepts into their workplaces.

Online doctoral-degree programs, which broaden access to high-quality Ph.D. programs and allow nursing instructors to pursue further study alongside full- or part-time employment, may be instrumental in stemming the shortage of Ph.D.-prepared nurse educators, the authors suggest. —Paula Wasley

chronicle.com/news/article/3629/nursing-education-journal-gives-thumbs-up-to-online-doctorates

nln.allenpress.com/pdfserv/i1536-5026-028-06-0332.pdf ORIGINAL ARTICLE FROM JOURNAL

NSU is a Great School December 18, 2007 at 12:42 a.m.

NSU is an outstanding university from what I know. Great students do well, and marginal students who need too much hand holding fail. The professors are helpful, and the coursework, dissertation and comp exams are challenging. I did my work and got my degree from NSU. It is paying off big time especially because I learned, and can apply it. I work in industry and also adjunct for many colleges making the big bucks! NSU Business School is an entrepreneurship college, which challenges you to rise up and walk!!! Do something with your life, and make money, while enjoying what you do.

Students who don't have a teachable spirit cannot do well at NSU. NSU is now a candidate for AACSB accredition, and I am proud of the University. Most of their professors are not NSU graduates, but from MIT, Harvard and other reputable universities. NSU accepts dissertation committee members from any University, and encourages publication from its students. NSU's Phd/DBA program is not an online program. You will need to travel to FL or other states to take courses.

Check out their website and read it for yourself: www.nova.edu

Re: Prospective grad student January 2, 2008 at 2:17 p.m.

A VERY good school for IT related areas is RIT. Check out their distance learning programs.

Student February 14, 2008 at 6:34 p.m.

Nova charges you and then steals your money. Avoid nova.edu and get better education somewhere else. Nova steals money!

current student February 19, 2008 at 4:12 p.m.

I am a current graduate student here. Avoid the school at all costs. Their professors don't really care, and their advisors don't do any advising. You are on your own.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS

Amanda March 3, 2008 at 1:55 a.m.

are there any current students in the [graduate] business program? I graduated from University of WI-Madison and was told bc of my GPA I would not be required to take the GMAT, which seemed unusual to me. I have been surfing the last few weeks trying to determine if going to Nova would be a good move. Any suggestions?

interested in M Ed. April 3, 2008 at 3:59 p.m.

I too would be interested in any comments about the Education dept - master's level.

Nova MS Alumni April 20, 2008 at 1:19 p.m.

I graduated from Nova in 2007 with an MS in Education (reading). The courses were rigorous, as one would expect. I have friends who were earning the same degree at other local universities (such as Barry) and there was absolutely no comparison in programs; Nova offered the more rigorous reading education program. As far as the professors go, all but one professor that I had were helpful, extremely knowledgeable, and interested in my success. I did not have a single problem in the time it took me to earn the degree! I would recommend their School of Education to any teacher...

Tia May 14, 2008 at 3:53 a.m.

I finished my MBA in a satellite group with almost 30 people...let's just say Nova couldn't give a flip about anything except the money...that's what it is all about. I could write a book about the total and complete lack of concern for their students in regard to just looking at this like its a business and we are customers. Something as simple as getting an adviser to return a phone call or an email - it shouldn't be that tough, pretty basic I should think.

Sadly, some of the profs just gave people grades that had no business passing, which in turn reflects the character of some of these "students" that merely got by - that was really pathetic and even more sad being at the MBA level. Once into this nightmare its impossible to get any of the credits to transfer to another college so it was difficult to just look at the hours and hours of hard work to just go toward nothing in terms of obtaining a MBA at another institution - I know, I tried as did others. I would advise anyone and everyone to go elsewhere.

What's really amazing is that these people are so totally and completely resistant to change. They couldn't care less...they actually think they are doing a good job when in reality they did and do screw up everything from tuition payments to posting your grade two months later than "policy" due to technical difficulties. What!!?? By the time you finish this MBA Program you are so sick and tired and worn out from attempting to deal with them for 18 months that you just want it over. They ask your opinion as if they really cared, which makes it even more pathetic...just go somewhere else and save yourself a whole lot of frustration.

Its difficult enough to have to sit in a room with a bunch of pompous egotistical professionals (that term is used loosely believe me)and then have to deal with some of Nova's professors that acted totally out of line. Doing their evaluations of their professors is a waste of time as they will not take a single complaint or poor rating seriously. Instead they have an excuse for anything and everything only to continue on with their lack of concern and unprofessionalism toward their students and how they run this institution.

Alfredo May 23, 2008 at 1:20 a.m.

I am in the Education Doctoral program at NOVA and the work is challenging..the interaction with professors and students is also good. In education, having an EDD will go a long way toward school principal and superintendent positions, so it works for me. Now, to teach at the university level? I wouldn't recommend it. Overall I am pleased with the program as I am in the dissertation phase now. A lot of the administrative problems you read on this blog can also be found in many other B&M schools..its part of being a large school.

tet June 9, 2008 at 5:04 p.m.

test

Cowan July 8, 2008 at 9:17 p.m.

Does anybody have any input on the DHSc program from Nova?

CC August 6, 2008 at 3:51 p.m.

A very good article for grad students. Recommend. www.cs.unc.edu/~azuma/hitch4.html

CC August 8, 2008 at 12:57 p.m.

Yes, my employers partially paid for my degree. I did not calculate the total cost because for me, beside the actual school cost, it should include air tickets and hotel stay. I guess the total should end up as 40-45K. I think it is not bad!

CC August 8, 2008 at 9:12 p.m.

Here we go:

1) Could you comment on the course work portion of the program? What programming languages are beneficial for this program (i.e. is there a lot of java, C etc)?

There are two type of classes you have to take: 3-cr and 4-cr classes. 4-cr classes are projects. In my opinion project classes are more interesting because they involve some research. Yes, almost all classes require programming or knowledge of programming languages. Java is the primary language, but some professors are ok with C/C++. Some even use Lisp.

2) How is the communications in the classroom? Is all the interaction asynchronous or is some synchronous?

Each class has access to a special Web site (WebCT) where you enter your class virtual room. Everything is there. But it does not mean you have no real access to a professor. You can call him, email him, or even visit face-to-face like I did a few times.

3)You mentioned you took roughly 6 years to complete the program. Is this rate of completion common or were you talking a lighter load each semester.

I would say a light one. I took all classes during 3 years. Plus 3 years for dissertation. If you are fast you can take 2 3-cr and 2 4-cr classes per semester. This is a lot of load, but you will be able to finish all classes in 2 years. Keep in mind that the classes are not easy, but they are doable. The goal here is not to finish all of them as fast as possible, but to finish on time with 3.2 GPA. I knew many students who took a lot of classes and got low GPS. The school put them on probation. They had to take less classes next semester to recover GPS.

TooCool August 22, 2008 at 8:27 p.m.

Anyone care to comment on the Ed.D in Organizational Leadership at NSU? I'm considering them but I am a little concerned about the cost involved. Any info from current students within the human services or education specialities is most welcome. Thanks.

CC August 27, 2008 at 4:23 p.m.

Hm, cluster or institute? If you apply for CIS or CS there is only one option - cluster. I think only ED and IT allow institute. At least this is how it was during my time. The school may change it at any time, so the best advice would be to ask admission office. In any case, the program is oriented for people who are working and live outside of Ft.Lauderdale. For cluster, you have to be on campus 2 times per semester (3 days each, Fr, Sat, Sun) - at the beginning and middle of semester. They try to give you as much theoretical information during the first 3 days. After you leave you keep constant contact with professors and aux staff. They use WebCT for this purpose. Some exams are given online or sent via email, but some of them are given during the second face to face meeting. Sure, you can stay on-campus and visit your professor every day if you wish to do so. Same professors are teaching on-campus undergrad and grad classes as well. Some of them run research projects. So, there is always an options to come in and speak with your professor or adviser at any given time. Yes, there is one more important feature they provide. As full time student you have access to their library and all IEEE and ACM sources. This is very important when you work on your dissertation. Plus, such subsection alone is very expensive. The access expired after you graduate.

EricJ October 5, 2008 at 7:31 p.m.

Nova is a fine school. My masters and PhD certainly opened many doors for me and I would not change anything about my experience. As any part-online institution, your diploma may invite some scrutiny. Two questions came up for me - are the faculty graduates of the same school (the answer is partly yes but not all yes) and is the graduate school accredited (not the SACS accreditation but rather the more targeted AACSB or something similar) (the answer is no today).

Again, a fine school, probably the best of onlines, great experience, just the few caveats above.

Dr. Dave October 26, 2008 at 5:25 p.m.

Hey Ice Man:

Programs and curriculum change, I suggest first going to Nova's website, then contact a Nova admissions representative. If you're curious about the process, I'll be happy to answer any questions I can.

kiki November 10, 2008 at 4:09 a.m.

I'm currently a new tranfer student at NSU. I honestly wishes that someone should had stop me from applying to this school. Beside the staffs and the financial aids issues that I have to deal with and then stealing my monies claiming they made a mistakes on my students loans. Then they're favorite excuses they used is it is Nova policy. I cannot get any decent help at this school. Furthermore the students in this school are not friendly at all. Now about the tutoring lab they claims NSU have is a joked. NSU hiring new graduate students to teach now thats a double Jokes. I had to drop out of 3 classes because those who were teaching the classes was just graduates students. Who does not know the different between the ass and the head.

Joe November 23, 2008 at 5:01 a.m.

Oh yeah, Nova faculty are a joke. I was looking to get a DBA and found out most of the business faculty have their terminal degrees from, guess where... Nova. lol

CC November 26, 2008 at 3:37 p.m.

I cannot speak for DBA program and their faculty, but I can tell you that such situation does not exist (to be more correct no longer exists) in CS/CIS department. Most of the leading professors there are from outside and very well respected schools.

Joe December 3, 2008 at 2:17 p.m.

SUNY will be the first total DL ABET in 2010 if they are fortunate enough to get it. U of North Dakota offers DL ABET if you make a few 5 day trips for summer labs.

Joe December 8, 2008 at 4:45 a.m.

DL = Distance Learning

Dr. Dave December 8, 2008 at 4:17 p.m.

Hey Accreditation for CS:

I believe you're talking about two different issues. The first being accreditation, the second being reputation. I am a NSU Ed.D graduate (see my post above dated September 26, 2008 @ 3:33pm) and reside in Florida. I've visited the Ft Lauderdale campus, it's beautiful!

Your perceptions are well placed. No need in earning a degree you can't use. You'll learn at many academic institutions, adjuncting is about personal competency and who you know, more so than where you earned your degree.

I've always believed there should be a return-on-investment (ROI) for any degree. Other than pusuing a degree for cognitive interest, (and that's fine) a degree should pay for itself.

Dr. Dave December 9, 2008 at 4:39 p.m.

Hi Partstry:

No, but I understand where my NSU degree places in the academic arena. As a Florida resident, I don't plan on teaching full-time, or adjuncting at Florida State or the University of Florida.

If full-time academia is your goal, then choose your academic Ph.D granting institution carefully, and it won't include a for-profit institution. I earned an Ed.D which is an "applied" degree as opposed to a "theoretical" degree such as a Ph.D. An Ed.D is aimed at working professionals who are going to stay in the working world external to academia.

I currently have two adjunct positions at both the undergraduate and graduate level at two different institutions, and I anticipate more to come. I also do some consulting and the doctorate degree has helped in this area.

Take a look at NSU, The Fielding Graduate Institute, or Colorado State University, each of these programs offers a distance learning option.

As a MBA in finance, I believe strongly in a return-on-investment (ROI) metric. I had my Ed.D paid off in less than a year with tuition reimbursement, adjunct teaching, and consulting. Although there's nothing wrong with pursuing an advanced degree for cognitive interest, it's an expensive hobby.

Dr. Dave December 9, 2008 at 9:12 p.m.

Hi Partstry:

I apologize for defining applied verses theoretical, I didn't know you already held a terminal degree, I meant no disrespect. Yes, you can shave off as many as thirty (30) credit hours in transfer units depending upon your previous degree and which new degree you're going to pursue.

The problem with the for-profits (and I applied to two after completing my Ed.D) is there are so focused on profit that it takes little time in identifying this fiduciary philosophy.

The for-profits will "nickle and dime" and if the opportunity to "make" you take a course that you've previously taken that doesn't look exactly like there's, then they'll do so. This is what soured me, the matriculation process, it was evident it was a money chase. I understand these institutions play a role in todays adult learning environment, but...

If you peruse the comments on this site regarding Argosy, Capella, NCU, UoP, Walden, and the "other" like for-profits, you'll read far more negative than positive comments.

I was going to pursue a Ph.D in Business to compliment my MBA and expand my adjunct teaching opportunities in the business arena. Since, I have decided to give law school a go...

Partstry December 10, 2008 at 3:27 p.m.

Dr. Dave

I didn't take offense to the theoretical versus applied comment. I checked a few places that would transfer my credits even though they are older and I was also informed by some schools that I would be able to finish in about 2-3 years because I have the thorough background for what I want to do (20 years as an engineer in R&D has it perks).

I also talked to many schools and asked if NSU was acceptable. Schools like Penn State actually said "probably not", but Stanford and other tier 1 private schools said it doesn't matter as long as you have research that aligns with ours and you have published.

Thanks for the info Dr. Dave. I'm going to apply at a couple of schools and see which one is best overall for what I want to do.

Thanks again!

-Partstry

CC December 12, 2008 at 3:59 p.m.

Oh, well! Again I hear voices of the same people who wish nothing good to Nova. I cannot speak for the rest of the university which is very big, but I can tell you about CS department and their PhD program. Somebody there mentioned that Nova is a diploma mill. Guys, when you say so please bring facts to the table. I want to see statistics. And here is the statistics I know. Look at this page "web.scis.nova.edu/dlist/webview.cfm?a=1". It contains precise list of people and dissertation titles. So, back to statistics. As of 2008 only 35 people from all 4 academic programs really graduated with PhD degree. As off 2007 only 36 graduates, and as off 2006 only 34 graduated. Do you know how many people enter CS PhD program every year? I'll tell you - hundreds (more like 400-500). I am familiar with other so called "top" schools and their statistics. I can bring names if needed. Their number of graduates are a lot higher, but no one talks about it. I guess after these facts no one has rights to call Nova CS a diploma mill. Otherwise give me facts!

frank December 21, 2008 at 5:30 a.m.

Hello CC:

I was seriously considering Nova so I could go to school and work concurrently but then found a part-time program at a B&M school that I could attend.

Some quick questions for you….

1) What are you up to now that you have graduated? Did the degree help you gain the position that you currently have?
2) Did you get to write any publications aside from your thesis? Did you attend/speak at any academic conferences? While I was considering Nova, the advisor there mentioned to me that the quantity/quality of your publications is more important than the actual school you go to.
3) Do you know why Nova does projects instead of qualifying exams? Every other program I have looked at has them. I would think that the ‘breath’ requirement for a “PhD” degree would be harder to fulfill with a limited number of projects.

At my current institution, I have been advised to leave work for at least a year to get the full PhD experience. My advisor stated that attending conferences, participating in weekly research sessions is paramount to the “PhD” experience.

What are your thoughts?

PS: this is not a Nova bashing session. I just want to know an opinion from someone that has experienced it.

Dr. Dave December 29, 2008 at 2:24 p.m.

CC:

I take it you had a negative experience at NSU?