Walden University : Psychology Reviews
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on November 10, 2011
(email verified)
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PhD in Org Psych
Current PhD Student
If you are considering enrolling at Walden, please read all the reviews. They are helpful, and for the most part very accurate.
Walden's strengths- the I/O programs and content. Some of the faculty are excellent. My chair is superb. He is not easy, he is demanding, but he is top notch. Choose committee members that have positions at Walden other than just being an adjunct as there tends to be turnover.
Walden's weaknesses are their administrators. They refuse to assign advanced graduate students academic advisors, they do not return e-mails or phone calls, they will not give you their name when you call, and they even sigh on the phone. This is unacceptable given the cost of tuition. I applied for scholarship money and it is been like pulling teeth to get even the smallest amount of assistance. They would not verify information for the organization, and each department tells you it is another department's responsibility.
I am glad I am close to being done, but I am sorry that I have spent so much money. I live in an area of the country that has a lot of colleges, but few doctoral programs. When I coach undergrad students, I have stopped having them consider Walden as a choice.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on October 26, 2011
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Bad Experience - Dissertation Nightmare and More
My experience at Walden has been anything but wonderful. I would have left Walden for another university, but by the time I realized I had made a big mistake it was too late. It was too late because the laws in my state regarding accreditation and licensure changed. If Walden had been up front and honest about the changes in the licensure I would not have enrolled there. While it is not their job to keep me abreast of the laws, it would have been nice if they had shared information which they were privy to way before I and other student like me could have known. Once confronted on the matter, they started telling other students about the licensure changes. I should mention, because Walden is not APA accredited, my state would no longer accept the doctorate degree as eligible for full licensure status. I am aware of five students who begin to tell student in their classes about the changes so that anyone who had not already invested too much time would be able to enroll in a program that would lead to licensure. We were completely mortified at the fact that Walden knew, admitted it (I still have the email of conversation between administration and myself), and did not tell enrolling students.
In all honesty, I believe the education at Walden is comparable to any brick and mortar university. There are also some excellent instructors. However, the turnover rate was high. It seemed many of the instructors that were good ended up leaving. Overall, my experience with instructors has been good. It is not the good experiences that make me want to pull my hair out, it is all of the bad experiences at Walden.
If finding out that I would need to take way too many classes per quarter to get done in time to meet the licensure requirements of my state weren't enough, the administration at Walden and the dissertation process was enough to drive me crazy. The only comfort I have in that comment is that I heard the same thing from several other students without soliciting negative feedback.
Administration seems to have varying different answers to questions; it simply depends on which person talked to on what day. My advice, always, always, always get it in writing. It is amazing how forgetful administration is there. Apparently, their ability to keep notes on the computer does not work very well.
As for my dissertation, well I have been working on it for over two years now. One might think presume I am a bit slow for it to take so long. However, the truth of the matter is that I believe Walden wants as much of my money as possible before I graduate. I went an entire quarter without a methodologist. I had one, a very good one; he resigned from Walden after a year being on my committee. He agreed to continue to help. Walden would not allow it! Walden also had not one single faculty member who was willing to be on the committee. The interim department head eventually found someone, someone who up to that point had not responded to one of my emails requesting her to be on my committee. It took the interim department head about eight weeks before he finally had the time to find someone. I guess it did not matter to him the laws changed in my state and I had a limited amount of time to complete my dissertation.
It also does not matter to my Chair that my time is limited. She has asked me at several different times where we left off in the process. What? She also asks me what the IRB said needed to be changed. I am confused. Did she read the email the IRB sent her? Did she read the comments I posted in the document I sent her (which was what the IRB said). I have been waiting since July 1st for IRB approval. The IRB is a pain, but the real hold up is my committee at this point.
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Cavitrii
(Graduate) on September 3, 2010
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Loved Walden
I graduated with an MS in General Psychology in December 2007. Overall, my experience at Walden was rigorous. Courses were in-depth and challenging and expectations were exceptionally high. Some students interpret this as "rude" or "unsupportive"; however, it is meant to raise the students' academic performance. Profs were accessible via email and offered contact via phone. Most of my profs provided useful feedback on coursework in a timely fashion. Walden offered a survey at the end of each course to allow students to rate their course experience.
Coursework at Walden is self-directed. You MUST actively participate in the on-line forum in order to gleen anything from the course. The 30 page research papers due at the end of each course are no joke; profs will hold students to APA (or MLA) criteria as well as academic honesty (plagiarism).
I had one course that required I fly to MN for a week. I found that experience to be very professional. The lecturers were relevant and willing to assist in my learning. Fellow students were serious about their education and were hard working. I did not find the in-person experience to be "a joke" as some reviewers have stated.
Reviewers have indicated that Walden allows the "bottom of the barrel" who are desperate into their degree programs; I found the opposite. I had to speak with an advisor at length, provide a résumé as well as a detailed essay about why I wanted to be in the program, provide my GRE scores AND then interview with the Board of Regents of the university. Also, I knew of several students who were asked to leave the program because of poor work quality. I also knew of one student who had submitted her thesis and was denied her degree because of academic dishonesty.
The only low area was that the thesis process was confusing and disorganized. I had difficulty reaching my Chair; however, when we were able to communicate, her expertise was valuable! But, my thesis turned out to be the best work I had ever done at 125 pages, which included an innovative research project. Everyone I have ever shown my thesis to has been impressed with its subject and content.
I NEVER experienced any Walden staff to be discourteous or simply trying to "get more money" out of me. I never experienced Walden changing my degree program on a whim and holding me to the new standards. As a matter of fact, the thesis process for my degree was changed while I was well into writing my thesis, but I was informed that the changes would not affect me.
It My degree has allowed me upward mobility in the Human Services sector, and I highly recommend that if you are an over-achiever, who is unafraid of high standards and aggressive learning and are a self-motivated self-starter, then Walden is the place to get your higher education.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on August 27, 2010
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Thesis and Dissertation students BEWARE
If you are considering taking a master's or doctoral program that requires a thesis or dissertation......you might want to think again. I experienced all of the following:
• Committee members, Academic Reviewers, IRB reviewers, and URR personnel have clearly been schooled in the "stall as long as you can so we can get more money" department. You receive very little guidance and there is always something else to hold up progress.
• Walden will stall your completing the program to get more money from you,
• ANY ASSISTANCE WAS SUPERFICIAL AND WHEN YOU GET TO THE DISSERTATION NO ONE WILL HELP YOU AND THE CHAIRS ARE UNAVAILABLE.
• Some instructors are good, some are terrible - most do not contribute anything but grading. Financial Aid and Academic Advising departments are NOTHING like they are described by the school: Do not expect them to pay attention, know the facts you need, or call you back. Do not rely on information given to you, even about your own records, without speaking with at least three different people from the same department.
• Professors do not help their students pursue their degrees. They often give very limited or vague information that provides no help to the students. They constantly change their policies. There is no consistency in the courses. If it was done correctly, students would be able to finish without any or little difficulty.
• Other instructors never post to the discussion board and provide no feedback on your papers. Whenever there is a policy change they do not keep former students on the plan they came in on but they make you change to the new plan (i.e., more money for laureate corporation). Students are a source of income to the school and nothing else.
• The instructors and faculty have been known to be unethical and rude if you point out their mistakes. Their tone can be unprofessional as they urge you to stop complaining and get back to the process. However, you will come to many stops because what is satisfactory for one member of your committee may have to be changed to satisfy another. You are caught in a cycle and won't finish until they say so despite the quality of your work.
• Instructors are lying to students and are not meeting the 7-10 business day requirement for returning papers with comments, which prolongs students' abilities to move forward and ultimately complete the program. There is no instruction provided.
• If you have struggled they are not like most normal universities that care or are concerned about retention... they just kick you to the curb even though you have spent a lot of time and a LOT of money and have done well in the actual courses.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on July 21, 2009
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So Far, So Good
I am a PhD. student in my second class at Walden and I have been to Milestone 1. So far, I like Walden. I find it challenging, and the instructors have been good. Like anything else , you have to be motivated and a good self-starter. There is lots of reading and writing. I find it annoying when people tell me that it's not a good school. Well...EXCUSE ME ! It is NOT a diploma mill. I work on school work almost everyday for several hours. It is expensive, I won't argue that. It isn't Harvard or Yale, but I'm not a young person going to college either. For older, working students, online is the only way to go.If not for online schools, many people would not be afforded a higher education. I have found the Walden staff to be very good, They always call back. The writing center is helpful too. I can honestly say that I met some very intelligent and educated people at the Residency(Milestone 1 ). There were people from all over the world amd in various fields. I would recommend Walden at this point. According to the information; Walden has some excellent instructors, but just like any other university(online or not), there will be some bad ones. The books are expensive too, so I buy mine on Ebay if possible. Once again, it comes down to being a good self advocate. You make your education, not the university !
I would say if you're in your early twenties, go to a regular university for the social contact as well as the education. But if you're like me, middle aged , and you want a higher education, Walden is a good place.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on January 26, 2009
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a new opinion
Contrary to popular belief, not everyone who says positive things about Walden works for the company, or receives a benefit for saying something positive. I am writing this of my own volition.
After reading the reviews on this site I felt compelled to share my opinions. I would first like to say that I am not “bottom of the barrel”. I hold my BA and my MA from traditional universities, both with a cumulative GPA well over 3.7 and received many offers from traditional PhD programs. I chose Walden for the flexibility.
It boggles my mind that those who seem to have the harshest comments also have posts that are riddled with spelling, grammar, and typing errors. I cannot help but feel you had a difficult time because your work lacked the focus and skill required of a graduate student. You may have presumed that because this was an online program that it would be easy. This was proven to not be the case, so it makes sense to place the blame on the school for not bending and allowing subpar work to be submitted.
I am working on my PhD in clinical psychology and have found the courses thought provoking and challenging. I admit I have had one professor that left a lot to be desired, but when I brought this to the attention of the program heads, they promptly handled the situation. They did not however just go on a witch hunt. Documentation of the situation needed to be offered, and after supplying this documentation they worked very quickly to rectify the problem. My professors have been great, and have pushed me to further explore ideas beyond the course presentation and requirements.
I have met quite a few graduates of this program in the workforce all practicing in the field of psychology and all holding licensure. The school is not considered a diploma mill by those who actually have the ability to make such a decision. I have found in my experience that those individuals who feel the school is not worth their organization, generally also have no clue what the school is actually about when you probe the issue further.
The residencies’ were great experiences, if you participated. The school was not chasing you around to make sure you were participating. There were many opportunities for learning, exploration and discussion with not only your peers, but the professors as well. This however required initiative.
I would urge anyone looking at the school to ensure that your state will offer you licensure if your field requires it. I know in psychology many states require APA accreditation. This however does not mean a lot. To put it into perspective, NUY recently voluntarily dropped their APA accreditation. I can say for myself that if a state will deny a talented psychologist over something so ridiculous, I am happy I do not reside there.
If you are serious about learning, have the skills necessary to explore and research without being hand held, and have a desire to go further I would urge you to look into this fine school.
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Anonymous
(Graduate) on December 2, 2008
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A great experience
I have just completed my doctoral degree in health psychology and couldn't be more pleased with my experience. A lot of the complaints of my fellow reviewers also are expressed by people attending B&M schools. I know, as my husband recently completed his master's at a B&M school and sometimes it was a real nightmare to register, pay bills, apply for financial aid, get calls back on questions, etc.
We compared level of effort required for our respective Master's degrees and he really viewed my coursework as far more intensive and demanding. As noted by others here, writing skills are vital if you are to succeed at Walden. I have no doubt some people will look down on my degree, but so do people look down on community college and state college degrees, depending on their own educational experiences. Yet, I do sincerely believe I have received a quality education, well worth the pending student loans!
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Jpaulshirley
(In Progress) on July 11, 2008
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The Good, the Bad, the Ugly (oops that's me!)
Emotions run so hot both ways on this topic that I'm hard-pressed to say anything I think will matter to anyone. Is Walden rigorous? Without a doubt. Are there good faculty? I have met faculty who have my utmost respect and personal affection. Are there bad faculty? You would not believe my first professor there, except that several of us with professional experience in Addictions Counseling suspected that instructor of TUI -- "Teaching Under the Influence." It was as bad as it could possibly get. In my experience, that one rotten apple was fortunately an exception to the rule of good faculty. Are there others who are a tad temperamental, touchy, and who react emotionally, making it fairly clear there are students who can do no wrong, and others who can do no right? I'd have to say yeah, but not noticeably more so than were in my traditional B.A. or masters programs, at two different state universities.
I hate to say this, but as much good as I have to say about Walden, I recently recommended two individuals to steer clear of it. One is a male with disabilities, like me. The Disability Office took 4 months to process my application and “lost” countless emails, phone calls, and faxes in the process- some containing sensitive personal medical information. If I told the whole story, the Believers here would probably accuse me of being an Infidel and lying about it. I recently saw a different forum that described Walden in terms of "academic excellence" but "administrative incompetence." I am not so worried about the incompetence. What worries me is the denial, coverups, and bullying that take place when I try to work through the problems. An administrator, admonishing me about my "attitude?" Nope, sorry, that's outa line, that's the purview of a behavioral health consultant, if I choose to hire one. Walden administrators are supposed to handle paperwork, and any who lecture me about my "attitude" or otherwise attempt to get overly personal with me in any other way, are engaging in harassment. The problem with harassment? It's slightly illegal in 2008, and that's because it is so destructive.
That's my best effort at being objective. There is opportunity at Walden. There are also things at Walden that can damage a person. You can to walk through a minefield in hopes of getting awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor after it's all over. Just don't go there with your eyes closed assuming you'll be OK because Sergeant Audie Murphy did it.
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Carpengo
(In Progress) on June 10, 2008
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Walden is a great expensive experience
Walden is a great way to pursue an advanced degree. If you are studying to get a license you need to check first if your degree will be accepted for license in your state. Walden's Psychology degrees are accepted by more than 25 states. However, there are at least 18 states and 3 territories that will not even allow online learners to take their licensure exams. One thing that you can see of the Walden alumni and is that they are already employed as psychologists, or doing similar work. Some are working in other areas and study a PhD just to obtain more knowledge or to have another diploma on their wall. There are few students like me that would like to obtain a PhD in Psychology to be licensed and practice this profession, without previous or current employment or training in the area or similar area. I live in Texas, where state and private agencies are recruiting psychologists; even doctoral students of Psychology in their last year! And they have enough time to finish their degrees and get licensed. And their salaries and incentives are not bad at all.
Walden is my opportunity to make a difference, obtain a doctoral degree and work as a psychologists. This journey is expensive, and sometimes demoralizing. You find many obstacles(low grades, family problems, financial problems, academic progress problem, etc), but overpass them and continue to the finish line. Walden's costs of study are still low compared to a traditional campus based PhD!
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on May 2, 2008
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Deceptive Enrollment
Please be very careful when choosing this school for the clinical PhD in applied psychology if you have any hope of becoming licensed to practice. Note: Walden is NOT APA accredited.
During consultation with the enrollment counselor, I was given a list of approximately 12 states that I was told "look favorably" at Walden graduates and permit students to take licensure exams, including two which I am interested in, namely Florida and New Jersey. I was even told that NJ State Board of Psychological Examiners was “highly impressed” with the quality of Walden graduates.
First a little background information about what you can expect from the time you inquire online. You WILL receive a phone call in 24 hours. You WILL have a difficult time making direct calls back. You WILL be contacted several times a week, for at least two weeks. Once you submit your application you WILL be pressured to enroll at the next quarter.
Part of the sales methodology of Walden is to push a person to commit to beginning studies quickly. The process from time of first consultation to when they first asked for a commitment, in my case, was two weeks. The enrollment "advisory" personnel will NOT provide any information about faculty, research interests, or allow any form of contact outside of the sales department. Also, they like to speak in terms of states ultimately "having" to accept online learning schools credentials, citing a lack of human services professionals in the future.
I wrote to two State Licensing Boards and received the following responses:
Florida Department of Health writes, "I am unaware of any instance in which the Board has looked favorably upon an applicant, outside of the above exceptions, who did not graduate from an APA-accredited program." The exceptions are listed on the website and do not pertain to Walden University.
The Executive Director of the NJ State Board writes, "to be honest, very few graduates of Walden University have obtained a license to practice psychology in the State of New Jersey." I shared with the Executive Director my intention to STAY AWAY from Walden and was given the following response, “I'm glad you have been so diligent in exploring the possibilities. Would that others had been so careful.” Although the door is not closed to Walden students, it is not exactly common, or even likely.
Don't even get me started on what I was able to uncover about the faculty turnover at Walden.
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Awilber3
(In Progress) on March 16, 2008
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Some Advice for Would-Be Learners
I have utilized online education to obtain all of my degrees and have to say that I completely disagree with the assessment of some of the naysayers who have written sardonic reviews. I have always enjoyed complimentary reviews and comments from potential employers toward my online degrees. They are accredited, so why wouldn't they be?
And while we are on the topic of accreditation, lets address a problem which seems to be running rampant through these reviews. Walden has it plastered all over their website that their Psychology programs are not accredited for licensure. So, if the state of Florida demands that you be licensed and you you expect that from your program, then transfer to a Florida-based school. They will probably take most, if not all of your credits. The classes and courses are accredited through one of the six accrediting authorities which are accepted worldwide, so guess what? They are, kind of, obliged to, in general terms. So, you may have to take an extra course or two...big deal. At least you will be licensed upon graduation, right?
Here's some unsolicited advice for the would-be online learner: self-discipline is the key. If you are a person who has great self-discipline and can subject themselves to the rigors of an online program, then great! Online learning may be just the thing for you! However, if you are a procrastinator who has trouble with deadlines, cheated your way through high school, or even college, to some extent, then guess what? You are probably going to waste your time and money.
Online learning takes a constructivist approach, whereby the learner acts as their own agent in constructing their own learning. You will get out of learning, whatever you put into it. If you apply yourself and give it your all, you will be the benefactor for it. If you give it a half-hearted effort, you'll be quickly discovered and exploited for your efforts. Not publicly, as ethical practices would encourage you to do better. But, the grades you received will be emblematic of the effort that you provide.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on November 14, 2007
(email verified)
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Accreditation at Walden
From time to time I have read various posts about concerns about Walden’s accreditation.
For Psychology students the biggest confusion centers on accreditation with The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association and accreditation with American Psychological Association (APA) or designation by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards/National Register (ASPPB/NR). These last two are requirements for licensure in some states, but not all. There is a history at Walden of the decisions around pursuing APA accreditation or not. This does not make Walden a “bad school”. Not all schools, and not all Psychology specializations within a school, will have these accreditations. Walden makes it explicitly clear in several places on their website and in the program guides what accreditations it holds and what it does not. I realize that this is easy to get confused about at the beginning of a program, but come on – this is grad school, and by now you really should be able to ask questions. It really is up to you to understand the licensing requirements for your state before you enroll anywhere. There are several practicing, licensed psychologists from Walden – again, depending on the state. Walden’s general psych program is geared either to the educational arena or research. If you want to be a counselor don’t pick this program.
I am almost finished with my doctoral program at Walden and have to say that overall it has been a good experience. Many people like myself, with full time jobs and life demands could never pursue higher education if we were limited to traveling to and from a regular institution. So many traditional universities are now offering several courses online, if not full degree programs. Being among the first to tap into technology at the accredited graduate school level, does not make Walden a diploma mill, nor make the degrees awarded useless.
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