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Walden University

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    Ranking: #59
    For-Profit: Yes
    Country: USA
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    Accreditation: Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of The North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org; 312-263-0456

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Walden University Reviews:

Great experience

Doctorate of Business Administration - July 7, 2020
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I graduated with my DBA-Marketing and had a great experience. It took me a little longer than expected, but overall enjoyed my experience. I had a great Chair and Committee reviewing my Doc Study. The revisions they require were sometimes frustrating, but it’s just part of the process to make sure my study was top notch. Follow the DBA rubric closely and use the resources Walden offers.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

You will succeed at Walden ONLY if you are willing to work hard for the degree

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - June 3, 2019
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I had completed my Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University. The course work required at Walden is quite substantial, but you can learn a lot from the course material, academic research, professor feedback, and class discussions. I am uncertain about the motive behind the criticism written by some students against Walden, but I presumed that they were expecting an easy degree and became frustrated when they needed to work for it. Walden requires hard work. Anyone who thinks that Walden would be an easy route to obtain a degree is misguided. During my study at Walden, my professors were very supportive and the academic office was also very responsive; however, I still had to work my butt off in order to graduate. As a result of my Walden degree, I have been able to work as a senior executive both in the government and the private sector. Because of the credibility that my Walden degree offers, I have also been able to teach at a highly respected brick and mortar university. In conclusion, if you are looking for an easy degree, go elsewhere. If you are self-motivated, will not engage in procrastination, and willing to work hard and succeed, then the flexibility of the Walden online program is a perfect option for you. Good luck to you!

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63 of 68 people found the following review helpful

I got a great education and had a job before I graudated

Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling - May 30, 2019
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I've read a lot of negative reviews about Walden, but I have to say that wasn't my experience at all. I'd also like to start by saying my B.S. degree is in Physics, so clearly I'm no stranger to rigorous, difficult, and challenging school experiences. This is a career switch for me, and I expected it to be easy, especially compared to my physics degree. Imagine my surprise to find out it was quite challenging! My classes required a lot of work- typically, for my two classes per quarter (this is how much work I had for both classes combined): I'd have two discussion posts (like a 1-2 page paper, with references), responses to 4 classmates (also with references), two application papers (3-5 pages, with references), 17 articles and 5 chapters to read. It was a lot of work. And my research and methodology class (the format changed after I took it, so this would be the older format) was easily as hard as my Optics class had been in physics, lol. My professors provided good and helpful feedback, and truly cared about whether we were able to apply the material. I finished the degree in 29 months; I did an extra class for two quarters to put me a quarter ahead. I did not take any breaks. I did have a challenge finding a site to do my internship, because most places didn't have the volume of couples/ families I needed to see. It took awhile but I found one about 40 minutes from my house- it was a sacrifice, but sometimes that's what's required. A lot of colleagues complained that the school wasn't doing enough to help them find placements; I see both sides of that argument. On the one hand, they could develop relationships with agencies in all 50 states so that there are places students can go, but that's highly subjective, because it depends on each student's concentration. On the other hand, it's a bit like "how bad do you want it?"... because it's my responsibility to put forth the effort to find the placement that fits best for me. I considered it the equivalent of me searching for a job. Overall, I am very pleased with the education I received at Walden, and this has been reflected by my site supervisors as well, who found me to be well-educated and prepared to see clients and run groups. Because the faculty are practicing counselors, their expertise and experience were invaluable, and helped make for a richer experience. I took the NCE before I graduated because my program is CACREP accredited; I passed on the first try- and I owe a lot to the rigor with which I was trained through my classes to this success. I was offered a job before I even graduated! I had no problem with financial aid, registration, residency (now called ore-practicum), or any of the nuts and bolts of the school. I'd highly recommend Walden to anyone looking for an online experience who is willing to work hard (hard!), be accountable, and remain diligent.

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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful

BEWARE

PhD, Counseling & Supervision - May 4, 2019
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BEWARE!! THIS UNIVERSITY WILL PROLONG YOUR DEGREE FOR YEARS, PUT YOU IN SERIOUS STUDENT LOAN DEBT AND NEVER COME THROUGH IN THE END TO GRADUATE. HOW THIS UNIVERSITY HAS MANAGED TO STAY IN BUSINESS IS BEYOND ME. WITH THOSE SENATORS WHO ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LAURETTE AND CAPITALIZING ON SERIOUSLY RIPPING STUDENTS OFF FOR MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE KEEPING THIS UNIVERSITY AFLOAT. TAKE IT FROM ME, DO NOT BE A SUCKER AND FALL FOR ALL OF WALDEN'S PROMISES OF SUCCESS. ALL YOU WILL GET IS WASTED YEARS, AND ASTRONOMICAL DEBT THAT WILL TAKE YOU NO WHERE. HOPEFULLY SOMEONE GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT IS LOOKING OUT FOR THE PEOPLE, WILL FINALLY GET THE MESSAGE, AND CLOSE THIS MONEY MACHINE DOWN, SOONER OR LATER IT WILL HAPPEN, HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER BEFORE THERE ARE MORE VICTIMS!!

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36 of 45 people found the following review helpful

RN to BSN tempo program

Walden University - December 3, 2018
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I have read mixed reviews for several weeks before I finally decided to put in the work at Walden to decide for myself simply because I like the idea of finishing my degree at my own discretion, taking as little or as much time as I need. The tuition seemed favorable as well, although I did find several institutions that were the same price or a couple hundred dollars more or less. It is my first day of "class", and login information has not yet been given to me. I did reach out to the university last week and over the weekend. I was sent an email that stated your Walden email address is: " " (thats right, BLANK). Today when I called, my adviser was unavailable and the other adviser I spoke with was unable to help me. When I asked if there was tech support available, I was told "no, not yet". Since you pay for 3 month periods, I asked if the number of days I was unable to log in would be "credited" to me to extend the number of days I technically paid for so I wouldn't be ripped off. The answer was, "Thats a great question, but im not exactly sure". I took off work today and tomorrow to really dedicate myself and get familiar with online learning and the student portal, just to find out that I am unable to access my classes, for a reason noone can seem to help me with. I am getting the feeling that this is a scam. The adviser I spoke with to get started in all of this was professional and nice- everyone else, not so much. The mentor i'm supposed to construct my learning plan with and be able to use a resource is not even available to conference with me for 30 minutes until Thursday (today is Monday). I have no resources here, meaning nobody is able to answer any of my questions or available to help me get started. I'm afraid that if I wait and continue on, I will run into the same roadblocks when i have actual questions about the curriculum. If I were you, I would stick with a traditional style learning at a respected university. It sounds good in theory to be able to finish your degree quickly at an affordable cost, but as many other reviews have stated and as I am already experiencing on my "first day" of the semester, it seems too good to be true. I honestly wouldn't waste your time. Definitely call around and do your research, you can get the feeling even over the phone that the quality of education you will receive will serve you better pursuing higher quality elsewhere. For the record, this program is not approved for financial aid via fafsa, so be prepared to pay upfront.

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47 of 53 people found the following review helpful

Acceptable.

MSN in Nursing - September 8, 2018
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At Walden, you truly get out of it what you put into it. This is true in all courses but especially so in Walden because the material each week is generally nothing but a list of readings from books you are assigned and some supplementary papers that you have to find and read. Don't expect recorded or webcasted lectures, you're going to be reading textbooks and papers. This is probably my biggest disappointment regarding the program, I wish we got more out of the money we are paying. You are paying a bunch of money to read books and papers that are easily accessible and to write a significant amount about topics. And to then have a professor give you a passing grade if you do the work in a timely fashion. There's not much challenge, it's just a matter of grinding out a significant amount of writing. On top of that, the topics each week are somewhat disjointed so it feels like you're bouncing all over the place. Professor interaction is minimal. They'll answer questions and sometimes respond to discussion threads. I don't feel like the professors actually teach anything, they're more like administrators. Each week you have to post a discussion and two responses. These contribute very little value to the courses as the posts are often just source spam. The discussion typically requires three sources and the responses require two. This requirement for sources makes for very awkward responses as most students just write something that cites two sources. There is not much organic, natural discussion that happens in the courses. I feel like Walden is trying hard to overcome its poor reputation by pushing sources so hard. The quality and content of your writing doesn't matter, as long as you make an effort to discuss relevant topics and include sources in proper APA format you will get an A. Finding preceptors can be a challenge as a lot of organizations will NOT accept students from Walden. If you don't live in a major metro area or don't live in an area where medical workers are in high demand I suspect it might be very challenging to find preceptors. You are on your own when it comes to finding preceptors, Walden will not assist you. I was fortunate enough to have contacts to utilize for most of my preceptors. Overall, I'm happy with the program because it was a cheaper, easier way to get a MSN. It checked my checkbox to become a NP, which is what I wanted. If I actually needed to learn the course material I'd be extremely angry about the poor quality of delivery and content. If you're looking to check off that MSN requirement to become a NP, Walden should be considered. If you want more out of a program, I'd look elsewhere.

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99 of 110 people found the following review helpful

Walden University- Current FNP student

MSN in Nursing - August 22, 2018
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I am a current MSN FNP student at Walden and I absolutely love this school. I would agree with some that some of the professsorsnare very slow to grade, which can be frustrating, but I have only had a couple that were slow. Walden has many resources available to assist students with succeeding and frequently have webinars that provide additional support as well. I currently have a 4.0 and I have worked hard for my grades, spending anywhere from 15 - 20 hours a week on my schoolwork. Walden is a very fast paced and if you don’t put in the time and effort, you’ not going to learn the material. I am a member of Facebook groups and it never ceases to amaze me at how many students ask on the forum about procedures or assignments, which is proof that they apparently are not reading the information, whether it be on the weekly information or from the catalog. As a graduate student, iif you don’t have enough interest in your own personal growth to read the material, don’t blame the school or the professor for you’re own failures. I think it is an excellent school and I feel like I am being prepared for my future, but I am working for it. Walden is the 2nd online program that I have attended and it is by far the most supportive school.

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68 of 73 people found the following review helpful

MSN FNP Walden University

MSN in Nursing - June 1, 2018
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I will be completing the Walden MSN-FNP program in 5 months and would like to offer an honest opinion on this school. First off, as far as flexibility- this school is on point! I was able to continue working full-time during the first few quarters (with plenty of late nights/early mornings) but had to drop to part-time once clinicals began. The school does not decrease coursework while you are in clinical rotations, it may even be more in my opinion. However, I am overall pleased with the didactic portion of each course I have taken thus far. I underestimated this program initially from the scattered online reviews, but I am glad I chose this university. You do interactive things like filming online assessments and participating in discussion posts with your peers. I have worked my tail off and have been studying like I should be at a grad level and some people do not. This is why I think people have bad things to say. With all of this being said I have already had interviews and have already been called back for 2nd interviews with shadowing opportunities. For the cons of the program.... Finding preceptors are horrible and stressful! I have been successful being placed, however, I did have a run in with the field office due to potential delays that they tried to throw my way. I will be honest, I was not very happy with the whole situation, as they said there were not enough instructors for the online course. EVEN THOUGH I HAD A PRECEPTOR!!!! How is this possible? I am not sure, but was able to speak directly with the director of the entire program and was shortly approved thereafter. My advice get your ducks together from day 1! I did this, with the exception of my current practicum and have had no issue. The only other negative thing I would comment on is a simple one... The ped's book is awful, but this has been the only complaint so far regarding materials. Best of luck!

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45 of 46 people found the following review helpful

Great school for rural learning

MSN in Nursing - September 15, 2017
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I graduated from Walden’s FNP program with a 4.0 (in 2017) and just had recently passed my board exam (AANP) with no issues at all. I’ve had eclectic learning experiences that incorporated university classes taken in different countries and the USA. I have attended both brick and mortar and online schools and have several degrees. My experience with Walden University’s FNP program was positive. The program is rigorous and intense, but with proficient study habits and time management skills a self-directed student can do well. I live in a rural isolated area in Colorado and a brick and mortar school was not an option for me. There are three practicing NP’s in my town who all have graduated from Walden’s FNP program. All have been successful with their education, clinical rotations and in their current careers. None of us had issues finding preceptors for our clinical rotations, and most of us had used the same preceptors! My preceptors were thrilled to take me, a Walden “local student” because I knew the idiosyncrasies of my patients and was able to relate and connect to them. Because I had to find my own preceptors for my clinical rotations I was given the gift/opportunity tailor my experience. I was able to do my clinical rotations with highly respected providers who practice in the realm of holistic/alternative and regular medicine. If you want the opportunity to tailor your clinical education to suit your ideal future practice Walden University offers this! Choose Walden, you won’t regret it!

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42 of 43 people found the following review helpful

Not for undisciplined. Intellectuals will excel & appreciate flexibility

MSN in Nursing - August 25, 2017
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You will see great fluctuations in Walden reviews because, honestly, it's hard work. Not everyone can keep up and it's easier to blame the school for your shortcomings. If you're a traditional student and accustomed to being spoon fed in brick and mortar lectures or if you are a nurse practitioner student and are not able to network and use your own professional demeanor to acquire clinical sites, you're going to struggle. Not everybody gets a trophy. But if you are disciplined and can read and comprehend extensively and write critically using very strict APA format and scholarly resources, Walden is incredibly organized and well established in online learning. I have been impressed and my other two degrees are from top tier universities. I am in the MSN NP program, my last year. There are some super smart people in the program with me and there have been many before us graduating with a high NP board pass rates first time out. Not all the people that started the program with me are still with us. It is rigorous and you will wash out if you can't hang and do the work. The wash outs are the ones writing a lot of these negative reviews because Walden didn't hand hold them enough. News flash - the world won't hold your hand or go find jobs for you either. I've gotten three NP job offers while establishing my clinical sites. It's all in how you sell yourself. Walden expects you to be self sufficient and teaches you how to do it. In fact there are numerous seminars, workshops, and resources to do just that. Way more than I got in a brick and mortar school. But you have to self motivate. And do the work. It's just like the real world. I have a 4.0 GPA working full time and attending full time (have 2 other honors degrees) and have found eight clinical preceptors on my own. It's completely doable but you need to own the challenge and the process. It is not a cake walk. I am graduating with some extremely intelligent people but most of all, they are work ethic lions.

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61 of 70 people found the following review helpful

Rigorous but Rewarding

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - August 24, 2017
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I am very pleased with Walden University. I got a graduate degree in Higher Education (2016) and the program was very organized and structured with knowledgeable professors. The professors are of good quality and very helpful. I have been working for a college 15 years and used the degree to advance my career. If I do have a concern, it is that Walden's program are very rigorous compared to other institutions. I have taken courses at Harvard and the University of Texas where I got my undergrad and I must say that Walden is more strenuous, in some courses, unnecessarily strenuous. Other than that, I give Walden an A+ especially. Just be prepared to work hard on the doctorate level.

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24 of 27 people found the following review helpful

Awful Nightmare - DO NOT ATTEND THIS SCHOOL

Masters of Public Health - August 3, 2017
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Upon first entering Walden, I thought from reviews on Facebook that it would be a great school - NOT! Not only are the professors inconsistent with assignments and interpretation of APA, but when you disagree with a professor, you are then subject to having a poor grade. And the Program Director is not any better! No matter what, there not looking out for the student, they are looking out for themselves! And like other reviewers have pointed out, the people that are suppose to help, don't or can't! I wish I had read these reviews prior to beginning at this school. I regret the day that I accepted the offer. But I will not continue to make this mistake and I would advise anyone and everyone DON'T attend this school, it is a nightmare. You may get a true professional professor, and you may not, and you should play Russian rue-let with your education. It is not worth it! RUN, stay away! You will be the better for it!

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34 of 50 people found the following review helpful

Rigorous, challenging, and not a place for procrastinators.

Ph.D. in Management - July 23, 2017
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I'm in the final review of my dissertation and will graduate by the end of the current quarter. I have been enrolled in Walden's PhD-Management program for 5 years. I completed the coursework with a 4.0 GPA. The coursework is rigorous with a lot of writing in every course. Deadlines are pretty non-negotiable as the courses move fairly quickly. My wife experienced a health crisis shortly after I finished my coursework and I lost a few quarters of productivity in my dissertation work. That lost time, however, was my choice and not reflective of any person, procedure, or policy at Walden University. Having now successfully completed the program, I can attest that, just like B&M schools, there are good and back instructors at Walden. I initially had a dissertation mentor/chair who couldn't have cared less about my research or supporting it. I quickly ditched her (a fairly easy, straight-forward process), sought out another chair who was one of my best course instructors, and got on with my program. From Prospectus approval to final Dissertation oral defense took me 18 months. Yes, Walden allows reviewers 14 days to return work, but my Chair and Committee Member, without exception, returned draft with workable, constructive comments, within 2-3 calendar days. My URR and Form & Style reviewers both took around 9-10 days, but at those levels of review outside of the Committee domain, there is a confluence of a number of Chairs submitting work to that one person or office for review, so "personal" attention is going to take a backseat to the volume of work happening at that review-level, as would be the case in a B&M school. The communication between me and my Chair was almost daily via both the required discussion forum, and in direct, private email. He nearly always replied same-day, unless I sent a late night email. Communications between my Chair and my Committee Member (my stats guru) were professional and supportive. On the rare occasion I needed input from my Committee Member during the development of my dissertation (twice), my Chair allowed us to communicate directly with cc to him, and accepted the opinion and direction given by my Committee Member. During both the oral defense of my Proposal and of my final Dissertation, my Chair and Committee complimented one another in terms of the review, insight, and suggestions they provided to me, and their respective input made my Dissertation better. I never felt at a loss for support or assistance when I needed it. In general, my experience at Walden has been rigorous, challenging, and enjoyable. I had mostly great instructors in my coursework, found a very knowledgeable, supportive Committee Chair and Committee Member, and have completed a quality quantitative study in my Dissertation. My only caveats for those considering Walden are: If you are a procrastinator don't enroll at Walden University. You'll be eaten alive. I've seen it happen to others. If you are a person who looks to blame all your woes and pitfalls on someone or something else instead of taking responsibility for what you did or didn't do, don't enroll in Walden University. I have had some of the best instructors in my academic career at Walden. Nearly all are accomplished researchers and practitioners and they don't seem to have much patience or sympathy for those less serious who are just looking for a social program to join. You're expected to produce and to do it within the time prescribed. If you don't like being told that what you're doing isn't acceptable or on par with a doctoral-level program, don't enroll at Walden University. If you don't like, are not familiar with, on do not want to learn the APA Publication Manual, don't enroll at Walden University. Everyone from your course instructors to your dissertation Committee members eats, sleeps, and breathes APA. You will, too. If you are an ESL student, make sure you have the English language skills and resources you need to sharpen your academic writing and discussions to a doctoral-level of discourse or you will struggle. If you're not sure why you're pursuing a Ph.D., don't enroll at Walden University. You'll spend a lot of money (probably someone else's), have a hard time keeping up, not be very happy and, ultimately, probably not finish your degree. Bottom line: There are a lot of online programs that will sell you a diploma. Walden is not one of them. And from what I have seen over the past year they are moving forward with more aggressive policies, procedures, and direct student support, to make sure their students do the work, do it well, and complete their programs within a reasonable period of time. Walden isn't perfect (yet), but it is serious, challenging, demanding, and expensive. If you can't handle that, don't enroll at Walden University.

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42 of 45 people found the following review helpful

MSN-FNP Graduate

MSN in Nursing - June 7, 2017
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I graduated from Walden earning my MSN for FNP in November of 2016. I took my certification in December of 2016 and passed on the first try. I now work in my dream job making a very competitive salary as a nurse practitioner. I had clinical rotations with FNP students from all the schools in my area as well as other online schools, we had the same books, and many of the same topics week to week. All the students in my clinical rotations with me had to find their own preceptors, whether they were online students or brick and mortar students. Not one of my clinical instructors cared where I was going to school. They just cared that I worked hard to understand the specialty, and they cared that I cared about what I was doing and about learning. I am not a 4.0 student. I did this with 5 kids and a full time job. Walden more than prepared me for my practice. It is competitive to get in. It is not inexpensive. It is definitely not easy (that last year of clinical rotations is a doozy!)! However, if you are willing to put in the work, you will get there!

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37 of 39 people found the following review helpful

RUN

DNP - March 19, 2017
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In the past I have always been a high achieving student. In my past I possess many accolades and accomplishments. Walden University SON has much to be desired. Even in the face of obvious instructor behavior that is demeaning and embarrassing to students - they will defend their instructors. They have a 20% off for grammar and apa policy that will give your instructors the leeway to take your B and turn it into an instant F if they tend to not like to be confronted. They will not be required to articulate what they are taking the points off for. They will just say "grammar and APA" 20% off and fail your major projects. You will then be forced to take the class over (more money in their pockets) and be placed on "academic warning". You will be assigned a "tutor" and treated like you are stupid. Even if your weighted grade is a C they will make it an F. It will screw up your financial aid, your track record as a scholar - and the school will back it up. I have never been treated so demeaning in a professional environment in my entire career. I was humiliated on open board with all of the consequences mine for daring to stand up and say it's not right. In a doctoral program at this level Walden will treat you like you are in diapers. Save yourself money, time and trouble.... RUN.... there are too many online programs that cost much less and will be fair in their policies. If you ask for help you will be pointed toward technology - the instructors will not make it easy to speak with them. My personal information was disclosed on open forum as well. Really... this school will screw up your life with no conscience.

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24 of 30 people found the following review helpful

Think again

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - December 19, 2016
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I enrolled in the EdD program in 2011, and was told that it would take 12-15 semesters to complete. For the most part, I enjoyed the actual coursework, but no program is perfect for everyone. When it came to the dissertation/project study phase, everything changed. My committee chair would tell me at the end of each semester that my work needed 3 or 4 tweaks, but then, after I paid for the next semester, the 4 tweaks became 4 pages of rewrite. After more than 6 semesters of this nonsense, I had to give up, as I was already $75K in the hole. When I expressed my frustration to the school, I was essentially told I was exaggerating in order to get out of paying. This school is the epitome of why private colleges have bad reputations. You can only graduate if you can afford it. I strongly recommend you think again before you enroll in a doctoral program through this joke of a university. After reading other commentary, it seems that most doctoral students had the same issues.

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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

Misleading cost

Education - December 8, 2016
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Very disappointed in Walden University. They led me to believe that tuition would cost $10,000 total. Well...I am going into the third quarter and have paid more than that amount already. The spring quarter is costing me over $5,000. I am working full-time and paying out-of-pocket. It would have been nice for them to be honest and not mislead me into believing something that's not true. On top of that, the instructors are constantly changing the assignment requirements last minute. You can see all of the 8 weeks assignments and discussion boards ahead of time, so why do they wait to change them as you're currently working, or have finished, the assignment? Ridiculous. I have so many friends that will be getting their Masters and I will not refer them to Walden.

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20 of 25 people found the following review helpful

Put in the work MSN-AGPCNP

MSN in Nursing - October 27, 2016
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I will be finished with my master's in 3 months. I have put a lot of work into this program as it is online and a graduate degree. Anyone not prepared to do the work will not succeed. Because you lack a professor lecturing, it does take more work on the student's part. You get out what you put in. All the help is there with Walden so don't get frustrated. Many complain about having to find preceptors. Guess what? All schools require this. You have to go out and market yourself to get them, and it is a pain. I have seen other students within my program and others that are skating by and they will not pass their boards and do not represent their school well. If you do the work, you'll pass your boards and do well.

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30 of 30 people found the following review helpful

please don't become a victim

Education - October 13, 2016
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I enrolled in Walden's PhD program in 2008. It was supposedly a specialized technical program created specifically for me as the college does not have an Information Technology (IT) department. The problem was Walden didn't have qualified staff. There was no one on the faculty with a computer or IT degree. I never received ANY study material. Four professors called me a total of a dozen times admitting they were not qualified to teach a doctoral program in my selected subject. It was a nightmare scenario. I finally was dismissed as a result of contacting their governing agency and complaining. The school agreed not to bill me if I dropped my complaint. I was so relieved to get away from them I did what they asked. 5 years later I graduated from a respectable PhD program and found out that Walden had billed me through the Stafford loan program. They refuse to admit their failure and sent a $3200 bill to a collection agency once I contacted the Minnesota Attorney General's office. These are by far the worst people on the planet. If you would like to hear specifics you can reach me at kammlergroup@gmail.com. Whatever you end up doing please don't fall for the bogus postings claiming the school is trustworthy. They are a den of thieves.

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35 of 39 people found the following review helpful

Stay Away from Walden

Ph.D. in Management - August 30, 2016
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Stay away from Walden if you're looking to complete a Ph.D. without going broke. I began my program in 2008, thinking I would be able to complete my studies in five years. It is now 2016 and I'm still not finished because of the exceptionally long time it takes to get any writing reviewed. Any time I turn in an assignment, instructors have 14 days to review. While working with my dissertation committee, this means that each person has two weeks to review my work and return it. They do not do this concurrently, but consecutively. I've wasted numerous quarters (12-weeks) simply waiting for work to come back to me. I almost always complete my revisions within a few days, but each committee member then has two additional weeks to review. I have no choice but the finish this (I'm finally within two quarters of completing my dissertation), but I would strongly advise students to find another school. In addition to the wait times, I've also had my entire dissertation committee changed since I started it in 2012. I don't know why the first committee member quit. The second committee member to quit was my Dissertation Chair. She decided to retire in the middle of a quarter without telling anyone. Took me almost six weeks (1/2 of a quarter) to find a replacement. Then the new Chair had to have time to review my work. This summer, my methodologist quit due to health reasons. I've spend the last two weeks trying to find another methodologist who specializes in quantitative data analysis. During my phone conference with him, he stated that he doesn't agree with the methodology I'm using, so now I'm going to have to change that. It seems to just go on and on. None of my committee members seem to talk to each other, and they certainly don't agree with each other on how I'm conducting my study. I'm very frustrated and will never recommend Walden to anyone.

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44 of 46 people found the following review helpful

FNP Program

MSN in Nursing - August 23, 2016
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I started in this program as the second class (December 2012), and took my time through nearly three years as a part time student. With these years I watched the program changed and evolve. Walden as on online program allowed me to work while going to school and was one of the few options that I found worked for me with both financially and flexibility. This program is rigorous. I worked hard in my classes, putting in at least 35-40 hours of reading/studying and online coursework, in addition to countless hours researching after practicum hours. This is not a school that will hold your hand. I found the lack of help with finding preceptors disconcerting, although I have found that this is now the norm for many schools, including ivy league as I have several friends also in programs. The problem is that Walden does not pay a stipend for preceptors, which is helpful in areas that are saturated in NP/PA students. I felt prepared to take my boards and passed on my first attempt and was hired into a NP position within the first 6 months of my job search. I also went to school with several other women whom this was also the case for them. However, online schooling requires a strong work ethic and the ability to work alone and figure out things on your own. I learned the most in practicum sites and secured excellent sites. The help from my advisor and staff was minimal and sometimes required multiple phone calls to multiple departments. I found my professors engaging and helpful with the exception of one, and found pharmacology professor especially invigorating/passionate. I believe that I received an education through Walden that prepared me well for this career and would recommend it with the caution that this program requires self discipline and tenacity as well as self advocacy. I cant stress this enough: I would not attempt this program without already lining up preceptors, without practicum sites and quality preceptors this would be an expensive waste of time and resources. Expect to find those without assistance. This is also not a program for new nurses. A broad knowledge of nursing fundamentals is expected. I do feel that I received an education that was on par with other institutions in my area, and better than my private brick and mortar college BSN program.

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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful

I love Walden!

PhD Education: LII - March 23, 2016
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I love Walden, and I do not understand all of the negative reviews. I have a bachelor's and Master's from a brick-and-mortar university, and Walden is definitely meeting my expectations for an online PhD. I won't lie: this school is very difficult. Their expectations and standards are very high for their students, but for good reason. I have published several times since starting this doctorate, which is exactly what I set out to do. If you are expecting to "coast" through school, and if you expect it to be easy, think again. Online degrees are what you make of them. I love every person I have worked with here: the instructors are fantastic. Some of them are more difficult than others, but once again, for good reason. The advisors are always helpful, and the library is excellent! I have finished all my PhD coursework in 3 years and am currently working on chapters 2 and 3 of my dissertation. The process is going very well. I have a wonderful committee, and they are very dedicated to helping me progress. Additionally, every time I have interviewed for teaching and administration jobs, the employers are always impressed by my education and credentials. I highly recommend this school in all aspects, especially for the education programs.

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34 of 41 people found the following review helpful

Worth It

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - March 7, 2016
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I am finishing up my PhD this quarter and it has taken me five years to complete it, when I thought it would only take three. Face it, online learning is difficult but it's not impossible. You get out of it what you put into it. Yes, I was often highly frustrated, particularly in the dissertation process. I even had to employ a consultant for help with my statistical analysis, That said, now more than ever Walden provides all types of resources to help students out. Those resources were not available to me when I first started the program. Yes, there are delays in the process but you know that going into it. The faculty have deadlines to turn your work around and if they don't meet them then report it. The PhD is hard work but I have learned ALOT and am a much better writer and critical thinker now. I don't care what co-workers or employers think of the Walden degree. Walden is an accredited university and at the end of the day, I'll be a PhD. To be clear, no one paid me to endorse Walden and I'm not faculty (as someone suggested in another review).

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28 of 34 people found the following review helpful

Inconsistent, impersonal, and liars

MSN in Nursing - February 22, 2016
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I attended this school from June 2013 and just graduated with a master's in nursing in November of last year. The program classes and instructors were not an issue for me. Enrollment was easy, books were sent without issues....I will say that I think the class material could have been more challenging. It's like they want everyone to pass so they can keep your money coming. My problem is with administration, specifically, financial aid. I don't think the financial aid office, bursar's office or any of the support departments talk to each other. They are also rude, especially in financial aid. Financial aid representatives will give you varying answers depending on who is answering your question. There is no consistency, no professionalism, especially when your financial aid runs out. They are argumentative and write emails in red font. Awful. Rude. You don't get much for your $550/credit hour here folks. Also, finding clinical sites is a joke and this was something I was most certainly lied to about as I was told the school will help you find preceptors. They don't. They do provide you with a generic list of "approved sites" in your area - the problem is, most of these sites have never even heard of Walden University and many in my area will not accept students from Walden. When you finally find a preceptor, it takes forever for the field site office to approve anything and again, if you have any issues and questions, you may get different answers to your questions depending on who is answering. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't waste my time or money here. Seems everyone knew Walden was a joke except me and by the time I found out, it was too late. My final advice regarding Walden University is simple: GO ELSEWHERE!!!!!

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37 of 48 people found the following review helpful

Great teachers and advisors, too expensive and unfair

EdD Teacher Leadership - January 28, 2016
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It is difficult to explain my ratings because some things were excellent and some very poor. It took me 7 years to complete an EdD and I took two leaves of absence. Things started out wonderfully, I enjoyed the teachers and classes, the idea that you work on your study all along and I liked the cohort sharing. As I got into the final phase I had three deaths in the family, moved and began a new job. I was given five different mentors when you should have only one and once I had to request a change because she made several costly errors. Since I moved I had to change my topic as it was supposed to be a local problem but I was not informed of this until later since my advisor did not catch that. I had plans to use my old school for the study but that was not acceptable. I should have fought for it but I did not think to do so at the time. Finally I was assigned a perfectly wonderful advisor who got me through everything. It was all quite traumatic for me and it got so I hated doing the work. Once I began the writing part of the study I took the same course over and over until I finished paying the full tuition for each time. Other graduate schools only charge half tuition since your contact with the advisor is less frequent, also the tuition was raised almost every term and in the last years they added some additional fee as well. The cost was killing me but by then I was trapped as I had invested so much already and needed to finish. When I began the tuition was about $3000 a semester but by the time I finished it was close to $5000. I know that walden has expenses too but most of the mentors are adjuncts, some latitude should have been given for that final writing course and tutti ion could have been grandfathered in so that I would not have had to pay the full tuition since I was not prepared for such rate increases. They offer writing retreats and annual workshops and while I went to one and it was great I could not afford the terribly high cost of another even though at one point I was told that you did not have to pay for the second one. The library resources are wonderful as is the continued access and I know that these research access fees are expensive for the university. I suppose overall the experience left a bad taste in my mouth and I often wished I had gone elsewhere. My overall impression is that the company is out to make money on the backs of their hardworking teachers and mentors as well as their students. All of my teachers were wonderful except for a few in the final stage and one in particular but the final advisor was terrific.

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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

No Referral for Walden University

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - January 25, 2016
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After devoting years on a Ed.D Degree program and countless student loans, I had to settle for something less. The ongoing guidance wasn't there. We were basically going thru the motions and completing semesters. When the {financial aid} was running out, then I was informed that my study was {not} going to pass!! Where was the critique before that point? Due to the fact that work was being submitted. I felt if you did a bad teacher review it would harm my grade, so I didn't do a bad teacher review. I'm totally not recommending this school. It was not worth the financial investment. I was told that actually less than 10% graduate with Doctorates awarded by the school.

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29 of 34 people found the following review helpful

Scholar Beware !!!

Education - December 28, 2015
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Walden in NOT an excellent school. They could be but they are not. The programs are not well structured and very rarely if at all provide experiential learning opportunities. When I think about the wealth of knowledge that I walked away with when I earned my master’s and undergrad degree, I am very disappointed with my Walden experience. I can only think of two courses that have provided me with knowledge that is useful or applicable. I am four courses shy of completing an EdS degree with Walden which makes my previous statement sad. I am now at the crossroads of deciding is it even worth it to go back and finish this degree or is it better to transfer somewhere else and basically start over(few or no transfer credits and incurring more debt). Do not be misled and believe that all of the poor reviews are written by students that are undisciplined. That is so far from the truth. While I cannot speak for all degree programs offered at this university, I can say that the Education program needs improvement. What is true is that the courses and the online modules are so unorganized that the information presented can be very difficult to follow and understand. I’ve taken on line courses at other institutions and there was no guessing about what needed to be done. Everything was clear and well laid out. When I logged on, I clearly knew and understood the expectations of the course. I cannot say the same about my experience at Walden. Yes, there were weekly discussions that required students to respond to at least two of their classmates. Sounds easy enough right? Oftentimes, there was a lack of continuity between the topic, the reading materials, and the actual assignments. Some modules had two discussions and sometimes there were two assignments. Oftentimes, the discussions and assignments within the modules did not connect. There was also a lack of scaffolding from module to module and from course to course. While there were some interesting reading assignments provided, how those reading assignments connected to what we were learning about never materialized. I can say that I have only had two professors that were truly available to answer my questions and clarify any misconceptions that I had. Being able to connect with and talk with the professor is a necessity in an on line learning environment. The other professors appeared to know very little about the concepts they were teaching. They often provided answers that were so vague that it appeared that they would respond to simply respond or had no idea how to respond. It appears that most of the advanced degree programs are catered towards working individuals. Individuals who are already working in their fields, seeking to advance their knowledge and/ or advance their careers. My issue with Walden did not stem from not having enough time to log on and work around my job schedule or being unorganized. My issue did stem from finding hours to decipher what needed to be done before spending more time to actually complete the assignment. I also had an issue with trying to understand how or if the material connected with the concepts presented. No one should have to waste their time doing this. When I log on, I’m logging on to learn and not clean up someone else’s mistake. I’m paying to be educated. I want a quality education. Please choose another institution. I wish I had researched the reviews before I invested this much time and money.

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33 of 36 people found the following review helpful

PhD in Organizational Psychology

PhD in Organizational Psychology - December 21, 2015
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My undergraduate and graduate work were both completed with traditional universities. Walden compared favorably across the board and my personal learning experience was outstanding. The truth is, in higher education, the value achieved will be directly proportionate to the effort you invest. I found the Walden learning experience was to be exceptional because students came from around the world. Exposure to worldwide students was invaluable in both the classroom and in person residencies. Originally, I chose Walden because some of the foremost leadership researchers on the planet also attended Walden. I look to follow in their footsteps and Walden was instrumental in both my personal growth and career advancement so my goals are becoming a reality. If you have dreams to make a social impact, this could be a great place for you.

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17 of 22 people found the following review helpful

Walden never professional

Ph.D. in Management - November 18, 2015
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Please do not make my mistake, I should be proud to graduate with Ph.D in management and logically should be complementing Walden since it was my selection and my choice. Although I do not like to admit making a mistake.. selecting Walden university was one I will always regret. Working for an international organization (United Nations) while having Ph.D degree is a plus, but, Walden was not recognized as one of the good universities and it had a very bad reputation in my surrounding. During my studies, the university recommended a number of courses and when I was registered they started adding more and more courses. They were looking for the money and financial.. and there were no real advisors...

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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful

WALDEN UNIVERSITY IS AN EXCELLENT ONLINE SCHOOL

M Sc Ed: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - November 18, 2015
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Walden is an excellent online school that has a well structured program for experiential learners who want to broaden their knowledge.If you are a devoted and self-disciplined learner this is one of the best institutions to apply to and pursue your education degree.Additionally, the textbooks and online articles were excellent learning materials. I have learned a lot from Walden. However, the only problem that I had with Walden is the fact that they have too many repeated assignments, and one can get frustrated and lost if one does not know how to build upon the existing knowledge meaning by that if one does not how to reference any previous materials to avoid plagiarism. What does that to a student? In fact, this lets one believe that half of the program is repetition, and one pays 100% of his or her money for half of the enrolled and earned degree. Walden University Curriculum Designer and Instructional Planner needs to reevaluate the MS program and wipe out the repeated assignments. If they can do this change, the MS program in education at Walden will be one of the best ever educational programs to subscribe to. I got a very good experience with Walden apart those repeated assignments, and though I am living Walden University now, but I still could refer other students to Walden University because it is one of the best ever online universities in the U.S. and across the globe. I thank Walden for the education that I have received from its university and I promise to be a social change agent in the world to fulfill Walden's mission. Thanks Walden!

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13 of 18 people found the following review helpful

Still under review

MSN in Nursing - October 31, 2015
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I can't give a full review because I stated the program this August. I'm not doing as well as I expected because I didn't take it as seriously as my advisor told me. I am getting better now that I'm learning the ropes but it is definitely not a program to take lightly which is probably why the retention rate is low. Maybe they do accept a lot of students other universities won't but if those students graduate then they deserve the degree. You see, I'm one that couldn't get in to some other universities because I wasn't born with a silver spoon. I had to work my way through nursing school and had a family. I buried a child and went through a divorce during the time as well but that doesn't make me less educated or experienced even though my gpa is a 2.5. They give people like me a chance. As far as the amount of clinical hours, they don't offer as many as Duke offers but then again they don't charge $90,000 either when the minimum for licensure is only 500 hours. Most universities only offer 500 but walden requires 576. Do more research before just reading reviews and forming opinions from them. The states not listed are states that clinical a haven't been applied to and doesn't mean you can't get a license there. I'm from Louisiana and I spoke with bon who stated they look at each individual case not the schools. They only guarantee their state universities. Research people. Walden is a good school and my advisor is calling me ever other week to check on me.

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20 of 24 people found the following review helpful

BuyerBewareofWalden!!

Health Services Health Care Administrtation - September 26, 2015
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Avoid Walden for Ph.D. programs. If you have other options you should not be at Walden. They have little regard for students after they have drained them of all their student loans. There is no format for completing the dissertation in a reasonable time frame. They could care less if you graduate or not. They have your money and you have plenty of debt, many loss professional years and... more debt.

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32 of 35 people found the following review helpful

Exceptional Ph.D Program and Faculty

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - July 29, 2015
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This is an outstanding school with a wide range of curriculum, and most importantly in my case, very well educated faculty. My experience is that both in the coursework and the residencies, the faculty are interested in seeing the student succeed, willing and able to communicate both by email and telephone, and have excellent academic qualifications from some the finest, most reputable "brick and mortar" public and private institutions in the country. This is not your typical so called "for profit". It is very professionally run, with first class advisors, an excellent and very expansive library to include peer-reviewed publications, and specialists for every phase of the instruction and learning process. I am proud to have received my Ph.D. from this institution and have received feedback from several schools regarding teaching/ research opportunities. I suggest that students work hard to do the research and writing and don't be hesitant in seeking advice, assistance and feedback from the faculty. It is essential to take the initiative in communicating. I personally received more feedback from faculty from Walden than attending any of my "brick and mortar" schools, at times sitting in a room or auditorium with 100 plus students listening to a lecture. Also making the postings to the instructor and fellow students of relative small class size keeps you involved in discussions regarding the coursework. You definitely earn your degree. I frequently asked myself, why do such excellent faculty, with great credentials teach at this institution? My answer is that they too are proud to have their name and reputation associated with Walden University (Walden Pond of Henry David Thoreau fame), and the Laureate Universities International organization. I would not let the words "for profit" deter you from investigating this school. It is unique, well run, and in my estimation, very competitive with many highly rated public and private, also very expensive institutions in the country, many of whom have for many years begun offering on-line advanced degrees as well. Good luck!

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16 of 25 people found the following review helpful

Walden is the worst school and should be shut down

PhD Public Health - July 11, 2015
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There is no consistency among the professors which is intentional as it keeps you from finishing your degree. There is no guidance and you are left to figure everything out on your own. From the library staff, tutors, academic advisers, no body cares or gives you what you need to succeed because the goal is for you to get so in debt that you have no choice but to stay until you have no source of paying. They hide the fact that their Public Health program is not accredited which means that you cant get a federal job once you complete their PhD program. Walden is only concerned about getting your money and should be shut down.

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42 of 52 people found the following review helpful

Loving it,,, so far

M Sc Ed: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - July 7, 2015
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I m one course away from graduating and everything is going smoothly. The eportfolio prooved to be harder and longer than I expected but still doable. I had nothing but great support, the program is well developed and the work load is heavy and challenging. I dont know what others are complaining about!

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15 of 21 people found the following review helpful

AVOID DISSERTATION/THESIS CLASSES

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - July 2, 2015
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The MS and EdD (Doctor of Education)curriculum are very challenging and worthwhile. The teaching is minimal, and instructors will not help you when you ask them directly for help. I actually laughed at some of the creative and inane, non-answers I got from teachers at Walden. The message "you are on your own" comes through loud and clear, and seems at odds with the idea of social justice, but I digress. I was appalled to observe that Walden apparently admits people who are barely literate, and nails them with after they have completed a couple of classes. The process of approving a completed research study (dissertation) included a 1 1/2 year delay while my dissertation went through committees, was "misplaced", you name it. The doctorate took 5 years total. I was warned by former students about the antics of the dissertation committees; in particular, that they will hijack your dissertation to insert their pet theory and drag their feet when you got to IRB. These students recommended that I just go along with any changes the committee members make, as they will force me to anyway. Good advice. Right off the bat I was informed by the member of my committee suggesting I use his technique for statistics that he "would not feel comfortable moving forward" unless I did what he asked (i.e., I would have to go try to find another committee member). Later, he asked me to put his name with mine as an author of my study (nope). A colleague in my cohort believed Walden's statements that his research would be a collaborative effort, and they made his life miserable until he switched out of the program to get a certificate (at the price of a doctorate). Importantly, no one is mentioning the unbelievable stress caused to an entire family by paying through the nose for over a year while waiting on the whims of God knows who to approve your work.

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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful

Quality of service delivery

Psychology - June 19, 2015
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Within the next few weeks, I will not be a student at Walden University. As an institution of advance learning their administrative business practices are inefficient and unprofessional. I have always thought that once an educational institution's main focus is on increasing profit margins and less so on the welfare of its students, and the quality of its pedagogy then there is bound to be a conflict of interest. The university's "unethical" practice to recruit as many students with a failure to explain the financial aid process in details prior to and even during enrollment is deceptive. This is particularly so for international students whose country of origin financials aid's practices and rules differ from that of the United States. Upon self-discovery of the latter, rather than the university trying to help me in a professional manner, I was made to feel ignorant and the blame was cast solely on me for not having the initial detailed information from the university. This is despite my many attempts to obtain the same. Each time I attempted, I am transferred to another department of which people are either unaware of what I am relating or I am told my information lacks credibility. Then there are the insensitive, rude undertone emails and telephone conversations that reflect the "after the fact" limited information. If I was that ignorant, would I have become a student of higher learning in the first replace as suggested by the reactions of the university's staff? At one point I was not given an academic advisor because the university was not aware that they had not given me one following the departure of the previous academic advisor. Who incidentally had lacked advising and professionalism skills, small wonder she departed from the university. As if to punish me for some unknown crime, fate caused me to self-appoint a new an equally ineffective academic advisor. What behooves me is that these people have master's and doctoral degrees, many from Walden university. Yet they lack basic common sense as well as advanced thinking skills that ought to be reflective of their educational attainment and maturity. Did I also mentioned that when a person telephones the university, you are advised and reminded that calls are monitored for "quality [guarantee]purposes, " a script that is embedded in the psychic of the university's staff and that is all there is to that action. Also, the university request that you complete these survey so that "we can improve the delivery of our services," really,? That is so ironic! An educational institution cannot be teaching its students how to act professionally responsible while its administrative and academic support staff are being inefficient, incompetent, and unprofessional. This spells, hypocrisy and deception, therefore I do not want to be connected with an institution that engages in not only such practices but also bias and discrimination. I believe that good reputation is still important so PLEASE, PLEASE reconsider carefully before choosing Walden University, I had to learn the hard way after receiving initial warnings. Please do not make the same mistake as I did.

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24 of 28 people found the following review helpful

Please go this school! I Love this school and guess what I am a student

Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - May 20, 2015
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Walden University is the best online college someone can ever attend. Students you must apply yourself in order to learn and stop thinking college work suppose to be easy. In addition, this school deliver students books on time before classes starts and yes I am a student, who very satisfied with Walden University. How can someone complain? students have one or two discussion post per week, just depends on what you or me attend. 2. discussion post and a paper is due at the end of the week, oh! a 2,3 or 4 page paper due every other week. Week 11 a 13 or 15 page paper is due on week 7. I really can't understand why students complaining when the school is easy! I believe students just don't want to do there work and want the teacher to their hand. Sorry this is not the school for you. This was pretty quick for me to write but anyway P.S NO test or quizzes at this school.. YES YES! for me and you, so give it a try.

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11 of 27 people found the following review helpful

DON'T GO TO THIS SCHOOL!

Human Services - May 4, 2015
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This "school" is a joke. If you have any writing capabilities at all, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. If you want to actually get what you pay for, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. If you expect accountability of "professors" from school administration (I use the term loosely, because many of them got their doctoral degrees from equally poor online schools. Anyone can get a Doctorate these days, apparently), GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. One would expect at the graduate level of education, a student's ability to write in above-standard English, using scholarly (peer reviewed) sources, and demonstrating an attention to detail not found at the undergraduate level. And I suppose that expectation is held of students in higher-quality institutions; however, such is not the case at Walden. The administration does not provide oversight of their professors. If an instructor deducts points from a discussion post, there is no real feedback on how to improve--the only feedback received is failure against the rubric. If an instructor deducts points from an assignment, there is no correction within the submitted paper--again, only how you measured against the rubric, in terms of numbers. When I first started at this "school," the profs actually made comments within the papers, so students were able to garner specific feedback and improve on writing errors. Now, students make the same mistakes throughout their time at Walden, looking like morons "who is getting they masters degree." <---- that is a REAL example of the type of writing I've seen in discussion posts. ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY FOR THIS??? If you quit in the middle, which is something I'd looked into, not all of the credits transfer to other schools. Also, NONE of the credits transfer to collegiate universities (e.g., Colorado State, UPenn, Boston College); you can only transfer to other online-only schools that are accredited the same way that Walden is. Not all accreditation is equal, mind you-- online schools are in their own realm of accreditation, which is why credits won't transfer to traditional, reputable schools (whether brick and mortar or online). In six weeks, I will have a degree that really amounts to an expensive means of putting letters behind my name. Some of the classes were challenging, most were tedious. The texts are outdated (yes, they use TEXTS at the graduate level), as are the learning resources for the classes. For example, while Walden strongly recommends using current literature (within 5 years), the material they have you read for a class is at least 6 years old, or older (one class used articles from the 1980s). If you complain to administration about any of the issues that I've mentioned, you will get passed around from department to department, with no one taking ownership. For those of you who are slackers and just want an easy means to a "degree" (again, I use the term loosely), this is the school for you. In most classes, you will receive an A no matter how little you work. You will not be challenged to perform better, as the "professors" do the bare minimum to look like they are participating, and no higher rank oversees their neglect. Beware, though-- you may actually get a prof who cares about the influence that he/she has upon students, and holds them to a higher standard. Also, you may have to demonstrate your knowledge in the workplace. Your easy A will be of no use to you at that point, and your failing grammar skills will make moot the letters behind your name. Seriously, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. If I had taken the time to read reviews prior to enrolling, I would have attended a different school.

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25 of 34 people found the following review helpful

WALDEN IS THE WORST UNIVERSITY EVER

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - April 21, 2015
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THIS IS THE WORST UNIVERSITY EVER. I WASTED 5 YEARS ON DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND GOT ALL THE WAY TO THE END JUST TO SAY THERE WAS AN ERROR. MY DISSERTATION AND INTERVIEWS WAS COMPLETE AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A WORD MISSPELLED IN PART 1. REALLY DUDE - I HAVEN'T TOUCHED PART 1 IN OVER A YEAR AND NOW I RAN OUT OF MONEY. THIS UNIVERSITY HOLDS YOU JUST TO KEEP YOUR MONEY WHAT A JOKE AND A BAD EXPERIENCE

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35 of 42 people found the following review helpful

Group Work Is horrible

Health Services Health Care Administrtation - March 30, 2015
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I am currently in the PhD Health Services program with a focus in HCA. I thankfully had a transfer credit for an organizational development and leadership course due to the group work involved. Apparently Walden has A LOT of group oriented courses where you must depend on others to complete an assignment. I have asked too many times for syllabi on electives to avoid these courses and have been met with "Group work enhances your education and ability to work with others, blah blah blah." They refuse to give me this information, WHY!? It is my education and if I choose not to take a group work course, that is up to me. I have simply hit walls. It seems that many on top do not care..and that is frustrating when you are putting your heart, soul and money into an your work. I am currently looking over other institutions to see if my credits would transfer. Apparently Capella does not have group coursework.

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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

Not enough clinical hours

MSN in Nursing - March 28, 2015
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I am not a Walden student, I am a Nurse Practitioner currently precepting a Walden student who is in her final clinical rotation and near graduation. I am extremely concerned about the relatively few clinical hours required of the students. Based on a general review of clinical hours required to graduate from a number of schools, including Duke University, where I received my MSN, Walden had the lowest requirements. And, sadly, it shows. My student is intelligent and motivated, and I expect that she will pass nursing boards on her first attempt, but she will have more difficulty in her first year of practice than she would have, if Walden required more clinical precepted hours. There simply is no substitute for this time. She will have only 288 total clinical hours in a family practice setting, and an additional 288 hours divided between pediatrics and women's health (ob/gyn). This is, very simply, not enough hands-on, precepted, clinical time.

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28 of 39 people found the following review helpful

Good if all other options are not available

Mental Health Counseling - March 3, 2015
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I completed my degree and I can relate with many of the good and bad reviews. I feel like I earned a real degree but that it was over priced. I live in the middle of Wyoming and have few options. There were some classes that were challenging and some that were not, I think that happens most places, same as my experience at the U of U. I feel knowledgeable and am a licensed therapist now. If there are cheaper options by all means go for it, but this has worked for me in my circumstances.

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30 of 33 people found the following review helpful

Thank you, Walden University!

Mental Health Counseling - February 20, 2015
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Walden University is an excellent choice for the any student who is willing to be disciplined to study and take her or his academic pursuits seriously. Professors at Walden are willing to guide, support, and mentor you. Walden faculty and administration will not hold your hand or coddle you. If you are not willing to study with integrity and apply yourself to every assignment, discussion post, and peer interaction, you should not apply to Walden University. The degree will be equal to the quality of time you are willing to invest in your education. Some of my classmates at Walden have been frustrating to interact because they appeared to be putting little effort into the class. I trust the grades received highlight the effort. During my time at Walden University, I have been challenged, supported, and enlightened. Unfortunately, the financial aid and billing departments are weak and are difficult to deal with. Academically, I am very pleased with the education that I am receiving at Walden University. I recommend Walden University.

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17 of 25 people found the following review helpful

Avoid - I was falsely accused based on their error!

MSN in Nursing - February 9, 2015
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I attended Walden University (WU) from 2013 unitl January 2015 when I withdrew from the class, nursing program, and university. I was in the MSN-FNP program. I have 15 years nursing experience with extensive bedside and management experience.I possess excellent writing and people skills and use rhetoric to make valid, clear points. I was 2 classes away from graduation and had rerouted by life and career in order to complete my MSN degree. I received permission from my instructor to use some parts of a previously submitted assignment in a current assignment for her class. On New Year's Day I received an email falsely accusing me of "academic dishonesty" and "self-plagiarism". They told me I had to do some remedial on-line modules and explain my actions. I completed the modules to discover blantant contradictions in their studnet code of conduct and the modules as well as information on the univeristy's writing center site regarding both topics I have been wrongly accused of. Why would I get permisison to cheat? How do you plagiarize yourself? Why did you grant me permission to do something you were going to punish me for doing? About 2 weeks of back and forth emails, attempted telephone conferences to bully me into seeing it their way, and threats of failure and I withdrew rather than look at by diploma and regret conceding my values. I have $40,000 in debt without any degree and a balance on my account to prevent me from event investigating transferrability of credits. This is the most glaring problem I had with WU; I had other issues with trying to contact academic advising, the MSN application departments, and a practicum field advisor. DO NOT ATTENT THIS UNIVERISTY, if you can even give it that name!!! Attend your local university at night or through online classes. At least with a traditional brick and mortar school, there is a person at a building in an office you can look at face to face when you have a problem.

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41 of 57 people found the following review helpful

No Problems- Walden MSN-FNP

MSN in Nursing - February 1, 2015
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I enrolled in the Fall of 2012 for the MSN-FNP program. I was hesitant at first because it was a new program, but many schools are just now or have recently started 100% online programs, such as Georgetown. If you have 80-90K to go to Georgetown then by all means go for it. Yes, it is a internationally known school but the cost is just too high. The program at Walden is very rigorous, so be prepared to spend a great deal of time in your coursework. I spent on average 20-30 hours per week writing papers, reading, and studying and that was before I started my clinical rotations. I did find my own preceptors(course 1-NP, course 2-NP, course 3-MD, course 4-DO) which was a hassle, but definitely doable. When I began my rotations, which I doubled up on, I spent 40 hours per week at my rotation and then most every night and weekend tackling the actual coursework. It was brutal, but I completed the program with honors, Sigma Theta Tau international. I have taken the live in-person Barkley review course and I am currently studying for the AANP certification. I will be taking this in a few weeks. I have already submitted my licensure paperwork for my state and all they are waiting for is my certification in order to issue my license. I have had offers for employment in both acute and primary care. I do not regret completing my degree at Walden. I am currently enrolled in a brick and mortar DNP program and there was no issue with my MSN from Walden. I feel like most people who write reviews are those people who have had a negative experience, but I really feel like it is necessary to portray the positive experience I had. Good luck to all.

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34 of 40 people found the following review helpful

Unsure and starting to reconsider my decision

Human Services - January 20, 2015
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I'm not going to write a bias or judgmental opinion because I haven't been there long enough to do so, however I am going to write about my experience thus far and I'm anonymous because I am currently a student and fear repercussions for my review. Here goes... Having transferred from my local community college, I expected most of my credit to transfer because I took mostly general education to get it out of the way. This was not the case, as only 5 credits transferred. I was also an online student at my community college so I have knowledge of the blackboard software Walden uses. I find the required "readings and notes" do not always coincide with the subject of study, but yet you are expected to implement these in all your writings whether discussions or papers. I take pride in my writing, I tested out of lower English and Writing courses and this shows in my writing. For my very first paper, I wrote a college level short essay as required, however I did not receive full points because apparently this is not a college level education, but instead grade school. Instead of incorporating the question into your writing, you must start your paragraph with the question; this is more like 5th grade writing. Also, there is no formal writing structure or format required; their only concern is citing your resources. At this point, I am on the fence whether or not to continue with Walden or transfer to another online college. The field I am studying, seems to be hard to find in an online university and unfortunately I am disabled and cannot sit in a traditional classroom all day. I have researched a multitude of colleges and also read hundreds of reviews, even researched online colleges and their accreditations via the institute of higher learning website, this has not been an easy task. This is my education and it's of the utmost importance I attend a school that I will gain the knowledge and experience needed to succeed in my career choice. At this point, the only thing I'm getting from Walden is a headache and empty pockets!

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17 of 22 people found the following review helpful

DBA Rubric Changes Cause Negative Effect

Doctorate of Business Administration - December 19, 2014
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New Rubrics Cause Delay of Degree Walden DBA Student Beware of Changing Rubrics! Walden University DBA methodologists release a new rubric every two years with new more strict criteria that keeps the student enrolled past expected graduation. Students are NOT GRANDFATHERED for the previous rubric. This is a breach of trust between the university and the student. For instance, my prospectus was approved in 2011. When my chair decided to step down, I had to submit a prospectus to gain a new chair in 2014. I used the same approved prospectus from 2011, and the methodologist deemed the prospectus unsuitable. He suggested that I make changes to the prospectus or start over. This information was three years and $60,000 too late. If you applied the new 2014 rubric to those DBA students who published their dissertation prior to 2014, most would fail. Does this mean that their dissertations are no longer scholarly? Should their doctor degrees be revoked? Of course not, because they are grandfathered. Walden University is supposed to make a positive social change. However, the decision makers are guilty of causing a social problem. The social problem is causing minority students to accumulate debt that may take a decade or more to pay because of poor policies. Once a student starts a program, the program in place should be considered a contract between the student and the university. When the program changes, the contract changes. If the student has to take additional classes because of the changes, a breach of contract occurs. Not only is there a delay of graduation, second and third effects occur. The student can experience anxiety, depression, loss of sleep, and loss of appetite. This experience can influence job performance. Family members can also experience the setback such as time away from the student. Years can be wasted. Because Walden University is an accredited for-profit college that has been around for year, taking action can be intimidating. What can action lead to? First, Walden may change their policy to grandfather students on graduation criteria. Second, a lawsuit may hurt Walden financially. Third, the Department of Education may launch an investigation that threatens Walden's accreditation. Fourth, negative social media may deter potential and current students from attending Walden University. One of the policy changes that could help students to know more about the doctoral chairs. Would you like to know the success rate of graduating students that your chair is responsible for? If you found out that your chair has never graduated anyone, wouldn't you want someone who was more proven. I suspect that there are many doctors who want students to go through unnecessary pain, because the professor had pain when going through his or her doctoral process. This perception would help explain why only 1% of the U.S. population has a doctorate. To make a positive social change, Walden University DBA program needs to change its policy on changing its program and grandfathering students. If Walden University decision makers are not willing to make a positive change for students, then students need to take action against Walden University for positive change.

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38 of 46 people found the following review helpful

MSN-FNP Program

MSN in Nursing - December 16, 2014
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I am an experienced, certified, cardiac registered nurse who works in a hospital. My first online experience with continuing my education with nursing school was with a local brick and mortar school that had an "online" program that was a mess, very disorganized, instructors were not experienced. I ended up taking a break for a year, and many times thinking I may never go back. I began to explore various online programs for my FNP. My grades have always been high, I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Sigma Theta Tau, and entry to FNP school is competitive. I applied everywhere, and I was accepted at several public programs with wait lists for the following year. I went to a seminar for the FNP program at Walden where I spoke to advisors and other nursing students. I applied, and I was accepted for six months out. They called me two months later and said they would like to offer me a spot that opened up. I began one quarter earlier than promised. I chose them because I wanted to get started, the cost was not as low as a public university, but it was less than many of the other online programs. I want to say that if you are not accustomed to or even prepared for taking rigorous online courses, Walden is not for you. If you do not like to write in strict APA format, you do not want to learn to write well using research, or you feel it is not for you to have to learn to discuss things in writing on a scholarly, evidenced-based level, Walden is not for you. If you are not prepared to spend 15-20 hours per week at a minimum on your classwork, do not waste your money by going to Walden. I am an A-B student, I do not have a 4.0. I have three children, two of which are school age. I work full time. It is difficult. Most of the instructors are not only experienced, they are currently working in a full time position outside of their instructional position, so they are well versed in current clinical issues. We take two 5 hour classes at a time for which we post 1 main post (350 words minimum, with references) and a minimum of 3 discussion posts (150 word minimum, with references). We write one paper every other week in each class, they are usually staggered between the two classes. Those papers are sometimes 3-5 page papers, but there is usually a large project or a longer paper due once per quarter per class towards the end. I am currently in my Advanced Pathophysiology class, and, very much like RN school, it is like taking a sip out of a fire hydrant. It is a ton of information, and it takes a lot of time to sort out. Last week we had 15 chapters of reading assigned and a 3-5 page paper with a mind map. There were two discussions so we had to post the two 350 word posts and then have 4 responses with APA format by the end of the week. My instructor has her DNP and she is an experienced, practicing nurse practitioner. Each nursing instructor I have had has either had her Doctorate or her PhD. On a side note, I live in Texas, and the Board of Nursing does accept practicums from Walden. I work with many nurses who are in graduate school and taking online courses from several different schools, and it is a given that you have to find your own preceptors. I am not shocked that people are not happy with the program, because I think that people go into these programs without realizing how disciplined you must be to earn a clinical degree online. For the lady who thought the program was "boring," all I have to say is that graduate school is not for your entertainment. For the ones who did not get their paperwork in on time, I am sorry to hear it. I think that Walden does a great job with the organization because they have been an online school for a long time. The classes have consistency across the board. The rules are the same, it is only the subjects and assignments that change for the course content. The advisors do take some time to get ahold of at times, but it is still better than most brick and mortar schools I have attended where the advisors are almost impossible to talk to. However, my instructors are readily available and believe in what they do. I cannot finish this review without talking about the people who I attend graduate school with. They are from all over the country. They have all levels of experience. They work in all kinds of specialties. The discussions we have are enlightening. We all support each other and often discuss solutions for issues in our workplace. I feel so satisfied with my experience at Walden because it is a great education for the people who take the time to really interact. Online classes are not for everyone. Graduate school is not for everyone either. It is really important to be realistic about what your strengths are, and how you learn, before you choose a place to prepare to become an Advanced Practice Nurse. For me, Walden has been a great experience so far, well worth the money, and well worth the time investment in myself.

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39 of 46 people found the following review helpful

Great Experience

Masters of Public Health - November 24, 2014
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I'm currently enrolled at Walden University in their MPH program. I am in my 9th quarter with them (a little over a year) and I have had a great experience. Enrolling into Walden was very easy with their rolling enrollment. I didn't have to take any of the standardized tests that many U.S. Graduate programs require. I have noticed a growth in myself professionally and knowledge through the courses I have taken. I love that Walden is completely online and they include your books in tuition. They have a great IT program that will help with any technical problems at any time of day. I would reccommend Walden to anyone looking for an online degree.

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16 of 19 people found the following review helpful

MPH, Waste of Time

PhD Public Health - November 12, 2014
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The MPH program is a waste of time. The school is not CEPH accredited. Since the school is not accredited cannot sit for any certification nor can you participate in any fellowships or internships. I did contact CEPH to find out what I must do to obtain accreditation. I found it I will have to repeat the first 5 courses or the core requirement from a CEPH accredited school. Employers do not view Walden's MPH program as acceptable for employment. Please prior to enrollment look at other options for online MPH programs. There are many schools that offer online programs that are CEPH accredited.

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32 of 38 people found the following review helpful

Unsure of this University so far!!!

Computer Information Systems - October 20, 2014
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My husband is enrolled in the Bachelor's for IT/IA Security and has taken a few courses so far. I am noticing it seems like he is earning an English degree and not an IT/IA degree. What is the deal with all the reading and writing papers and posting blogs and crap? This is an IT/IA degree, that is what you should be teaching; not having students write papers. Also, what is up with all the touchy-feely posts this University has their students write? They always want you to reflect about what you've learned this week... reflect about how you feel. Are you kidding me? Before he started, we read a ton of reviews how this was the University for you if you were an older student, already established in a career field and were a self motivated student. I agree one should be self motivated for these classes, but some of the coursework requirements seems to treat the students like they are just out of high school. The instructors always ask what are your career goals in each class. My husband is already in his career and has been for over 20 years, as I'm sure many of these adult leaners are... already in their careers. They are not right out of high school! HELLO!?? I am not even sure if my husband will continue his education at Walden, as they seem to treat the ADULT learner like adolescents. Let me add how the instructors really don't teach. They give you the course material, expect postings and projects in by their deadlines and that's about it. They don't actually teach, they just grade your work, but then again, that is part of a complete online education. Walden could do better with their curriculum and it would be nice if their tailored it around the ADULT learner!

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22 of 29 people found the following review helpful

Don't have emdical probems during class.

Doctorate of Business Administration - October 14, 2014
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Getting into school is relatively easy. The advisers were very friendly and helpful in completing all documentation for enrollment. I started having medical problems, serious medical problems with a brain infection and spinal cord damage and neck problems in my class. I am going through a tremendous amount of medical examinations and tests along with taking a lot of medication. Some medication I take are muscle relaxants and painkillers which make me sleep in incoherent. I tried to withdraw from the University and the University told me I could not. They informed me I would have to fail the class and I could petition for a withdrawal grade of W but as I mentioned would have to fail the class 1st. I informed them I don't remember what I'm reading or what I am submitting in paperwork due to the medication. I informed them I'm paying for the education but I don't know I'm being educated on because of the medicine. They simply said were sorry but you have to fail first. Be warned.

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17 of 24 people found the following review helpful

So far a positive experience

Education - August 22, 2014
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I've been a student at Walden for 3 years, previously a community college student. I'm receiving a Bachelor's in Early Childhood Development with a concentration in Psychology. Most of my curriculum has been on par with my community college experience. Yes, it is an expensive school, but you are paying for time. You are paying for the experience of an accelerated program that is convenient for a busy lifestyle. I feel like I have learned quite a bit. And I'm a busy mom in addition to being a student, so just think what I could learn if I weren't as distracted! I'm always envious of the younger students who are able to dedicate much more to the learning process. Many of the classes feel repetitive, but I'm guessing that's how most upper coursework feels, at any college. However, I'm on this page, reading reviews, because I'm nervous about how my degree will be perceived.

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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

So far so good!

Computer Information Systems - August 17, 2014
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I've been at Walden University online now for about a year and it has been a great experience thus far. I'm a father and husband, and full-time employee, so finding the right place online was tough. But I think Walden has everything you need. Great intuitive online platform. Tons of resources available to their students online, and at a fair price. I will only speak to my major and the curriculum and staff surrounding those courses, as I feel those are the most valuable to a working adult looking to complete their degree in a specific field. Of course you want a well-rounded education, but computer programming and database/infrastructure courses are the ones that are going to propel me from where I am at currently in my job, to the more technical and lucrative roles. The teachers are great. I've had one 'meh' experience with one instructor, but the support of the class more than made up for it. When you get to these techie courses, the University, by default, has already weeded out the students who do not belong. So having said that, my technical classes have been awesome. The online discussions are very valuable, the books and materials are great, and the resources (Java discussion groups in the online campus) are fantastic. It's very challenging, however (in a good way). Don't expect to come in and breeze through X years and get your degree. It definitely takes time and hard work here, but you'll learn a lot and enjoy the experience if you commit yourself. The admissions process was smooth; very friendly. My ongoing support of academic advising is superior to other online colleges and universities. There's even an online chat option for instant response.

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Walden University EdD unbiased review

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - August 15, 2014
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I am just about finished with my degree. It has been about 6 years of work. Most of it has helped broaden my educational skill sets. There have been some delays but overall I have consistently moved forward towards completion. I have just finished my form and style review and am in the process of constructing my power point for my final orals. I have had overall a good experience and I am hopeful that the degree will help elevate my professional status. I understand that there are others that have had some challenges and personally know of one that had to get a new chairperson. The concept of finishing in three years my not be true because many have to work a full time job while attending this university. I have another friend earning his PhD from another online university that completed it in 7 years. It really depends on the type of study you will do and what is involved in getting it approved. Online work is much more difficult than brick and mortar because of the impersonal nature and the fact that there are some delays in communication. So if you sign on don't be dissillusioned into thinking that it will be a piece of cake. It is not and the workload is comparable to a doctor's degree at any major university. I thought the residencies were just OK. I really think the residencies are for those people that need personal contact. This university is an accredited school that offers an alternative path towards higher education. GOOD LUCK in your pursuit of higher education.

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12 of 16 people found the following review helpful

Immoral and Unprofessional

Education - July 20, 2014
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Avoid this school at all costs. After five classes, I called it quits. Four classes of no interaction with instructors and perfect scores on every assignment which led my to believe nothing was being graded as long as they were getting paid. I expected a level of academic integrity and would rather had feedback based upon my work not just being handed out grades. The fifth class that ended my tenure there was finally instructor involvement but very highly unprofessional involvement and then I started to notice that I might actually have been the only real student in the class because everyone else had to same writing style on the discussion board, every post was formatted the exact same way. It made me believe I was interacting with phony students or just names to fill up the class. I tried to drop this class and was told I must complete 60% of the class or my financial aid would be returned leaving a balance so I completed 75% of the class and then tried to drop the class and they refused so I stopped participating the rest of the way and withdrew from the University on the last day of the term. But, two weeks later, I now have a 1400 balance on my account for money that they claim they returned to the lender and are trying to collect on it. But when I contacted the lender, they said no money was returned so they are trying to scam 1400 extra dollars out of me.Stay away from the university at all costs

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32 of 37 people found the following review helpful

2014 AND STILL NO CHAIR ADVISOR OR COMMITTEE.

PhD Public Health - June 21, 2014
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OKAY, TWO YEARS HAVE GONE BY. IT IS NOW 2014!!! AND STILL NO CHAIR ADVISOR OR COMMITTEE. THE INSTRUCTORS ARE NOT AT FAULT. THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS ARE. EMPLOYERS ARE FROWNING ON WALDEN'S MASTERS DIPLOMAS?? THE SO-CALLED PH.D PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM SHOULD BE CALLED THE APA PROGRAM. A REAL WASTE OF $$$

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32 of 36 people found the following review helpful

Great University

MBA - June 16, 2014
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I graduated from ASU with Honors and chose Walden over ASU's MBA program. ASU lacks innovation, commitment to their students, knowledge checks, and forward progress. At ASU students are numbers in a large pool of academic brick and mortar learning methods that have not made forward progress. At Walden, I have learned so much more than I ever could have hoped for thus far (a year into my MBA work) and am ever more pleased with each passing course. The literature is straight from Harvard Business Journals, and today's CEO's. ASU is so in love with themselves that they have forgotten to love their students; Walden pays close attention to the delivery of your course materials, timeliness of responses, instructor feedback, and all areas of communication. I spend 30 hours a week easily on my MBA readings alone. I suppose I could skim some material (similar to ASU) and it would go unnoticed; however, I would feel cheated. I am engaged with the material provided and look forward to my readings, discussion postings, and course assignments. Walden's ability to keep me engaged is certainly no accidental pathway; they are an "excellent" University! Thank You Walden, Rachel Kova

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16 of 23 people found the following review helpful

MSN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT!

MSN in Nursing - June 3, 2014
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i am enrolled in the MSN Leadership and management program! I was a bit skeptical about Walden when I first started. Some people have had bad experiences, but online schooling is what you make of it. Also, you know about your practicum from day 1 so you should start looking for preceptors in your area as soon as school starts so when it is time for your practicum you are not stuck and have to transfer to another school. THEY DO NOT HOLD YOUR HAND!!! The teachers have been amazing, the course work has been great! Some of the course work has been challenging. My academic adviser is wonderful. You can get help from the writing center, library, academic adviser, and your teacher! They also have a program where you can submit your papers before turning them in and it will tell you what you need to correct to make it the right APA format and your grammar errors. I can not say enough good things about Walden! When you first start, not a lot of things are explained so you have to dig in and ask the questions that you need answered! Like I said, they will not hold your hand. My experience has been Awesome and I can not wait to graduate. I would recommend this program to everyone. You MUST be able to manage your time and outside activities. You can spend anywhere from 10-20 hours a week on school work due to the required readings and assignments. It's not a walk in the park but it can be done if you really want to succeed. DEFINITELY COME TO WALDEN IF YOU WANT A CHALLENGING, YET REWARDING PROGRAM!!!

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20 of 25 people found the following review helpful

Skip Walden

MSN in Nursing - June 3, 2014
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I attended Walden for 3 years, with a 4.0 GPA. All coursework is done but I cannot graduate with my MSN-FNP because Walden cannot find any placements for internships where I live. I have called over 140 different places and NOBODY takes Walden students. Only way is if your employer will take you - otherwise you are done after 3 years, $50K. If you transfer, you have to start over with a new college. This is a scam and the worst decision that I ever made.

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43 of 51 people found the following review helpful

Agree With All Negative Reviews

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - May 23, 2014
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Agree with All Negative Reviews (AVOID TO EVERY EXTENT) Walden University doesn't value their students to no degree. There is absolutely no support system for students. Many of these instructions give whatever grade they see fit. It’s useless far as filing grade appeal. Basically, it works against the student. Faculty is all part of this behavior. Mind, you my grade weight percentage was at 95.00 percent, and then email the instructor asking to give me few hours to complete the assignment, her reply was sure thing. The instructor stated it would be a small penalty. Like you won’t believe, thereafter, I receive a zero grade, which drop my weight percentage down to lower 80% range, attempted to email her along with her original email explaining why you would tell me a small penalty, then do the unthinkable. This instructor reply was sent back to me in bold italic with a sarcastic tone. I also, attach a copy to the Associate Dean, School of Psychology department and waited 3 months for a reply, my grade was never change. Encounter 2 majors’ issues with this institutions and neither concern was not address accordingly. The financial Aid department is unprofessional and has no telephone etiquette. The reviewer was right, can’t hardly ever reach anyone in that department. However, now in my last course, the discussions post are due on 4th day which is Thursdays, no later than midnight eastern standard time; the written assignments are due on the Sunday by midnight. The grades suppose to be posted no later than Monday and Tuesday within that week. This instructor is posting grades at the very end of the second week. According, to Walden’s guidelines all grades are posted that follow Monday, no later than Tuesday. What is going on here? When I approach the instructor in reference to grading scale, reply was grades are not posted until the end of the second week. I attach the grade posting guidelines, to provide differently. I never receive a follow-up reply regarding matter. This only goes to show, these instructor’s do exactly what they want with no regards for anyone but themselves. A few of my associate’s were interested in the Public Policy and Administration program. I clearly explain don’t waste your time; you will experience nothing but nightmares for the most part. I told each and everyone them to look elsewhere. There are a range of problems and wrong doing that is going-on at Walden University.

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26 of 33 people found the following review helpful

ANOTHER YEAR GONE BY-- STILLNO CHAIR PERSON!

PhD Public Health - May 18, 2014
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Received a Master's degree--fine! Completed all required courses for the Ph.D. in Public Health program--fine!!! AND THEN I HIT THE BRICK WALL; NO CHAIR PERSON OR COMMITTEE AVAILABLE. Since 2012 to the current, NO CHAIR ADVISOR!!! ??? This is unbelievable and embarrassing.

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24 of 30 people found the following review helpful

A good selection if you like online education

Doctorate of Business Administration - April 29, 2014
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I have taken 3 classes from Walden so far in the DBA program. The program is difficult and not something to take lightly. Taking one class at a time is definitely a must. I have seen professors with lots of experience both in the online campus and in the two residencies I have attended. I cannot speak on how the program was before but it is worth a look if you are trying to find a school with an online doctorate program. I had a total of 6 classes transferred in four from my MBA and two from another doctoral program (Columbia Southern University). I left CSU because there was little rigor in most of the classes and I would have felt like my Doctorate meant nothing after it was completed. The total opposite has been proven true with Walden. It is expensive but when you add transfer credits that many other schools will not give you it is not too bad about $36-38K (depending on how long it takes you to complete your Doctoral Study. My job is paying for mine so I am not hurt by the high cost as others maybe. Books are included in the price of tuition a plus for me.

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10 of 15 people found the following review helpful

Do not attend this school for FNP

MSN in Nursing - April 19, 2014
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Previous comments about Walden University and their support is true. I never felt supported and had to ask numerous times to get questions answered. They told me they would assist with clinical placements and they did not. I am currently 3/4 done with the program and am now going to have to transfer to another program and repeat classes because I could not find a clinical placement. And the Walden staff could care less! Thousands of dollars spent on this degree and now I will have to transfer and spend more money to complete it. The instructors were marginal at best. Do not waste your money on this school!

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25 of 35 people found the following review helpful

Many good classes, one terrible class.

MBA - March 21, 2014
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I really enjoyed most of my experiences and had some great instructors. But, I had a few issues with delayed books/cds. And a financial class that was made tougher by the the European text but questions from U.S. terminology and poor support from the instructor. Also, I had all A's until my last instructor. Dr. Heller was a harsh grader and was poorly skilled at communicating how to improve at anything. We had a text that was all about empowering people and I felt like he made a clear divide: he was not to be questioned. It would not change anything nor would it lead to enlightenment.

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13 of 19 people found the following review helpful

Great School

MSN in Nursing - March 7, 2014
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I recently graduated from Walden's FNP program. 10 days after I finished school I took the AANP certification examination, without taking a review course. I only studying about 3 weeks for the exam, a few hours per day, and passed it easily. Walden is not for everyone, they will not hold your hand in this program, but they will teach you everything you need to know to be successful You can make your experience at Walden as good as you choose it to be. I had a great experience, and learned an immense amount. I am now working at a rural health clinic Monday through Friday, with a fantastic salary. I am well respected by my colleagues, who have never once been concerned about my education. I have even been told that I seem very well prepared for the job. Walden is a great school!

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37 of 43 people found the following review helpful

greast until the dissertation arrives

Doctorate of Business Administration - February 11, 2014
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I learned at lot at walden and met students from all over the world at the residencies. Sadly, once I started the dissertation process, I was ignored and on my own, no help from anyone. Very neglected, hired another instructor privately to critique my dissertation and statistical analysis. I was told this degree would cost 48,000 to get my PhD and I took a class every semester and now am up to over $125,000 and still not done. How did that happen???

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56 of 64 people found the following review helpful

PhD Programs Are Supposed to Be Hard

Psychology - January 31, 2014
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I am amazed by the number of people that enter into a PhD program and then get angry when they don't measure up. In my opinion the biggest difference between Walden and the Brick and Mortar School where I completed my Masters Degree is the Walden Graduate Students were of a slightly lower caliber. If you want your Doctorate expect to pay in lost sleep, broken relationships, and a healthy does of misery. That is why so few people have the degree. Is Walden a for profit? Absolutely! Does that mean they are mercenary? Not at all, unless you are a quitter who thought that acceptance into a PhD program somehow meant you were promised a degree in the future irrespective of your perseverance.

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34 of 44 people found the following review helpful

Review of Walden Univ

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - January 20, 2014
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I have just completed my Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University after 6.5 years studying part-time. I had previously earned my Bachelor and Master degrees in a traditional state university. I can attest that the course work at Walden University is just as demanding, if not more demanding, than a traditional and reputable university. The fact that it is an online institution requires the student to be more self-motivated because there are no professors and other classmates to remind you on a daily basis in a face-to-face setting to complete your assignments. Further, in an online environment, you cannot hide in the back of the class and not participate in class discussions and debates because every word is posted online in the classroom forum and you simply cannot hide or only pretend to participate. The course work and requirements at Walden are quite rigorous, and demanded substantial self-motivation to complete, although support from the professors and others from the university is always available. Online universities are still a new phenomenon to many students and at times scare them because of the uncertainty of how an online learning environment compare with a traditional classroom setting. I have seen some of the negative comments posted about Walden, and I speculate that these negative comments are from students who had expected an easy ride from an online university, but only to find that they had to work hard to earn a degree from Walden. In the end, these students are either expelled, dropped out, or given low grades for not being able to keep up with the rest of the class, and they turned to writing negative comments about Walden to vent. I must say that it is sad to see students who do not want to invest the time and hard work into earning a degree at Walden, but who can only invest time into badmouthing a school that refused to give them an easy ride in earning a college degree or high GPA. Overall, I am very happy that I had attended Walden, which provided me with the knowledge and skills to continue my academic and professional endeavors.

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30 of 35 people found the following review helpful

Do not go to this school!

MSN in Nursing - January 18, 2014
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This school is out to get your money. I am in the MSN program everything was great until it came to my practicum. They lie to get in the school. My advisor told me the school will help find preceptors but they do not. Once they got you in they got you. I should have known something was wrong when it was too easy to get in the program. The quality of the curriculum is awful I feel as though I am teaching myself. This school does not prepare student nurse practitioners to be confident or competent enough to go out into the field and make accurate diagnoses. When I talk to people in the field, they say Walden University where is that school located then they frown when they realize it is an online program. In fact, some preceptors told me they won't even touch Walden students. Buyer beware I would look for another school. I wished someone warned me before I spent money. I am leaving this school and going to a real school that will teach real hands on skills.

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31 of 43 people found the following review helpful

Good program but some professors are heartless

Mental Health Counseling - January 10, 2014
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Last term I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I kept in communication with my instructors about treatment and so forth. I was told that during my surgery and treatment that I would be given extensions on my assignments but they needed completed by the end of the term. One instructor followed through, while the other instructor for my research class did not. She stated that I needed to go through disability services to get the extra time (after I was told she would). Disability services said that because it was a past illness (they surgically removed the cancer) I did not qualify. I ended up failing the research class which devastated my GPA. Now my GPA is lower than required, I’m losing my financial aid and will more than likely be expelled for not meeting academic standards for the school. I received a failing grade for having cancer and now will be expelled and lose my financial aid for the same reason.

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43 of 47 people found the following review helpful

Do some research

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - January 7, 2014
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Walden University is what you make of it. Do not forget the goal you set for yourself. Having obtained my AA, BS, and Master's online from four different schools, I find WU just as challenging. It has also allowed me to take a deeper look at public policy and administration. I will agree that the school is more liberal than I would like, but have never been faulted for my point of view supported by researched facts. In regards to financial experience, it is the students responsibility to know what money they are spending. In regards to advisors, it is the students responsibility to obtain their education and ask the right questions. You don't buy a house or car without reading the contract of sale. In regards to instructor feedback, how much feedback do you need if you are meeting the standards of the rubric, besides a grade. In regards to the dissertation, which I will begin soon, it is my responsibility with mentorship from the chair and committee to complete. Choose wisely. In regards to accreditations and recognition from potential employers, if the organization does not equally consider the degree obtained, it is that organizations loss and a place I would not care to work. Lastly, I do understand each and every bad review; but what I see is a reaction to what could have been avoided with more prior in-depth research. Walden is a good school, which complements those with on the job experience future self betterment, while at the same time allowing the student to give back to the community in some way by producing a published document highlighting a social change issue.

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20 of 24 people found the following review helpful

Not a real school

PhD Public Health - November 27, 2013
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I left Walden University when I finally realized that I wasn’t earning a graduate degree, I was buying one. When I applied at Walden and saw how easy it was to get in, it should have been a huge red flag for me. And looking back, I guess there was something in the pit of my stomach that just didn’t feel right. It wasn’t until I started taking classes that I began to realize that this program is not focused on learning, but rather on money. You pay thousands of dollars for courses that are high school level. If you can read a book chapter or an article and summarize it in three paragraphs, and occasionally write a longer paper, you’ll get A’s. That’s fine if that’s the type of “education” you want. But if you are really looking to be challenged to develop critical thinking skills and be able to analyze information and engage in the type of discussions with peers and coursework that fosters the type of learning that should be taking place at the graduate level, you won’t find it at this school. Mediocre work is acceptable, so you don’t have to work very hard. Sure there is a lot of reading and weekly discussion post (often just a simple 200-300 word responses to basic questions about the assigned readings), but it’s not very challenging work and you won’t learn much doing it. Many of the “positive” comments mention that to succeed at Walden you need to be willing to ‘”work hard” … but that refers to being able to read a lot and summarize the information for weekly discussion posts in two classes over a 12 week period. In other words, this is “busy work” that may take some people a lot of time to do. The problem is, it is not learning. It is not the type of work that really allows you to think for yourself and engage in meaningful dialogue with the instructors and fellow students. Everyone answers the same questions and basically writes the same summaries of the information. It’s dull, boring, uninspiring work. And you pay $2500 per class to do this! I thought the introductory started like this but expected the higher level courses to be more of what you’d expect in a PhD program. But even the 5 credit “advanced” courses are the same. What finally got me to leave the school was the fact that in my last class at Walden, my teacher waited until the last week to grade 5 assignments. This included my final paper which was 21 pages long. The electronic classroom tracks when you submit assignments and when they are received, viewed, and graded by the instructor. These 5 assignments were all graded within a 2 minute time period. In other words, the teacher did not read them. So what pride can I take in getting an A in the course if my assignments weren’t even read? The content of what you write, and therefore the content of what you actually learn in the classes at Walden, does not matter. Just pay your bill and submit something that can be graded so it can appear that actual learning is taking place. It really is a shame. I am actually embarrassed that I was a student at Walden for over a year before I finally woke up and asked myself “what am I actually learning?” … I don’t want to buy a graduate degree. I want to earn one.

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65 of 85 people found the following review helpful

Frustrating Experience

MSN in Nursing - November 26, 2013
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Walden is an online school and they all have there pros and cons. I have a 4.0 in my Masters program and I have worked my tail off for it at Walden. It is NO cakewalk! If there is anything I dislike about Walden's online programs it is this: You are enrolled in classes by the academic advising department. They do not desire or respond to your input. They select the professor for you, order your books, and basically have the control to do it without your input. I recently was enrolled in two nursing practicums at once and received a bill for both. It was an error or oversight on the part of the academic advising department. The issue is having to undo what is done. Many phone calls, waiting, hoping, and nailbiting while they fixed the problem. Then, I was enrolled in a practicum before my preceptor had been approved and began receiving strict guidelines from the instructor early in the morning on the weekend, a week before the class was to start. I immediately decided this was an over-zealous, micro-managing type of person who did not care that students were intently studying for their final tests in the classes that were ending. She just decided to save some time and work ahead and invade our email with detailed restrictive guidelines that she wanted students to follow for her class a week off. When I requested to be moved from her class to another, it was like an act of Congress. It's a very powerless feeling. She had no clinical experience in Nursing but instead had completed her undergraduate degree and then worked straight through for her Doctorate. My parents were both teachers. Their moto was, "Those that can, do. Those who can't, teach." That is why it is important to read the instructor's qualifications first and select someone who has Nursing experience and has actually been a nurse. Education is great. But we all know that Experience is a Great teacher!! Walden would be a better school if they would give students the opportunity to have input into their educational experience and not dictate the process. Just my opinion.

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20 of 29 people found the following review helpful

From a Walden AMDS PhD Graduate

Ph.D. in Management - October 26, 2013
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I graduated with a PhD in AMDS (Operations Research) in the summer of 2012 after spending over six years at Walden University. As with many other students, due to commitments and responsibilities of work and family from a time management perspective, Walden happened to be one of only a few "accredited" options (online) that were available to me for a terminal degree. After reading many of the comments left here my personal observation is that many, if not most people writing their praises or complaints, are writing them from a far too short-sighted perspective; cost, bad teachers, bad communication, hard classes, easy classes, etc. These are problems and issues that will likely happen anywhere, regardless of the school, so are all short-term considerations in your education. So taking a step back, I would suggest you look at the long-term payoff (or lack thereof) from an online institution like Walden. And herein, to me, lies the real rub. From my six years at Walden which included meeting and talking to many students I had met at residencies, in various courses, from talking to many different instructors and teachers and from association with students and faculty outside of the virtual classroom, I have come up with this conclusion; if you are currently on the job, especially in such professions as nursing or education, Walden will at least “minimally” provide the academic experience necessary to allow the student (who is employed) to "check the box" that the employers deem appropriate for whatever the current or next level of accreditation or certification might be (Need a masters for the next pay level in education? Online has it! Need to qualify to get in the running for a master’s prepared nursing position? Online has it! etc.). Even my wife who is a nursing director at a major hospital here in SE Michigan agrees with this from the nursing point-of-view. The minimum “can” be met at an online institution. However, for most “unemployed” Walden students, the true litmus test will come from the potential employer who must look at Walden students and compared them to the very large number of students coming out of “known” brick and mortar schools. And it is here, unfortunately, that Walden graduates (and probably most of the other online school graduates) will fall miserably short. Walden, like other online schools sells the “dream” that it provides the same level of academic excellence, same rigor, and same acceptance as other “known” schools. Whether valid or not, the perception (and the key word here is “perception”) is that Walden, and other online schools, do not measure up to the standards and rigors of most, if not all traditional brick and mortar schools. So IMHO, take this into consideration when making your decision where to attend school, accordingly!

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40 of 41 people found the following review helpful

An awesome experience

MSN in Nursing - September 25, 2013
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I finished 8/30/2013. A good experience, teacher were supportive, the writing center, the student support and the student adviser. There were challenging time but at the end of it all the whole journey was worth every penny.

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13 of 24 people found the following review helpful

A NIGHTMARE!!

Psychology - September 18, 2013
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A living educational nightmare! That's right, it's for profit all the way. I initially boasted about Walden on a daily basis. I have experienced 2 excellent professors out of 12. How did this world come to the point when teachers do not instruct, guide, answer questions and explain? There are incompetent teachers nationally (not globally), but this is a disgrace! They only give assignments and most do not want to be questioned by any means. One told me where to go( not Hades) and in return I told him/her what he/she needed to hear. I do not pay tuition to hear their crap, I actually do pay tuition to learn, to improve, to grow and to be able to offer and to provide to my students quality instruction and to prepare them for real-life experiences in the real world. I am well pleased to read all of the negative reviews because my review falls into the same category. It's an educational nightmare! There is little or no communication. The hypocrisy there is "dominate"! We are taught to be the "finest" in education. Well, I am here to tell you that it takes the finest to instruct one to become the finest. Who instructs us? There is no instruction. As a teacher, I ask questions, answer questions, instruct according to the need of the students, promote engagement in learning, reward and above all, as a lifelong learner, whatever it takes for me to improve my strategies in learning, I may every attempt to fulfill it. Certain departments will detain you as long as you will allow it. The other departments (except administration and academic advising)have been positive. At least the public school administrators work for their salaries and I have seen them fulfill this throughout multiple years in education. The high caliber administrators don't care at all and the academic advisers are rotten to the core. This school has an ongoing interest in "feedback". Why insult yourself!! You know what you represent! Just in case you don't know, you are incompetent in most categories. I would never take away from the few who are doing an excellent job. I wish that I had not ever had anything to do with Walden.

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32 of 42 people found the following review helpful

PhD Eoidemiology

PhD Public Health - August 31, 2013
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I am currently enrolled in the doctoral program for public heath epidemiology tract. This school is not CEPH accredited for MPH or PhD in public health(epidemiology). Every job posting I have looked at will only interview you if you graduate from a CEPH accredited program. I have read on other blogs that people could not get jobs because no one wanted the degree from a school from a non-CEPH accredited program. I guess you could get a job i some remote area of the world or area where there are limited applicants but I am hugely concerned as I am paying huge amounts of money for this school. No don't get me wrong- I am doing well in the program but very concerned about the marketability of this program. I have twice requested to be put in contact with an alumni from this school with this degree that is gainfully employed and have gotten no response when they told me they would. What does everyone else think? The jobs I have looked at want extensive research experience from their grad school experience and you don't get that here and publishing is not an encouraged task. What does everyone else out there think? I am basically in this program because I cannot quit my job and go to a brick and mortar school full time. I am considering changing my major and going to another school with fully accredited programs in their area of expertise.

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24 of 28 people found the following review helpful

Unhappy Educator

Walden University - July 31, 2013
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Shortly after enrolling at Walden I was attacked by my neighbor with a hammer to my head. I suffered physically and mentally. I filled out all the paperwork that the school claimed would fix this problem. I had to leave Walden because of this and now Walden is demanding money from me for a class I never took and/or for loans I declined but that Walden excepted anyways. I cannot find anyone who can give me an explanation for this or anyone that can fix this problem.

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24 of 38 people found the following review helpful

PhD graduate in Psychology

Psychology - July 17, 2013
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I earned my PhD from Walden in 3.5 years. My goal was to finish in 3 years. I am pleased with the education received at Walden. It was a roller coaster ride and one of the toughest challenges in my life. You can expect any PhD program to be challenging and even frustrating. Would you want to attend a university for a PhD that wasn't rigorous?? You can expect any PhD program to have some instructors who care and others who seemingly do not. Just as there were some classes I liked and others that I did not. But I pressed on and kept my eyes on my goals. As a working parent, the program and accessibility at Walden was exactly what I needed. The dissertation process was long and grueling but I was relentless and faced every obstacle with the notion that those issues would not last forever and there is a solution for everything. Completing my program was a test of every skill I could muster up from pacing to collaborations. I lost my entire dissertation committee and had to seek out a brand new committee, Walden IRB and the community organization for my research were at odds about procedure (putting me square in the middle to figure out how to fix the issue), my research seemed endless, the stress was at an all time high, and I was nervous about the presentations and expectations of me as the "expert". But these are not unique issues to Walden and I suspect they are not unique to me. During the same time I went through my Walden doctoral program, a friend of mine went through a PhD program through our local large brick-and-mortar university where I obtained my undergraduate degree. Our doctoral program stories, concerns, frustrations, triumphs, and educational process were the same. We leaned on each other constantly for support and guidance. The only exception was she did comps for candidacy and I did not. However, I consider the difference between her passively sitting in her graduate classes versus me actively researching and writing weekly in scholarly online discussions to be huge variants but valuable. I don't concern myself with how many people have heard of Walden. There are thousands of colleges which folks have never heard of. I'm still Dr. P and I worked hard for it. After numerous applications, I was hired at a local college to teach in my field of study. Graduate studies is not easy but most things worth having are not easy feats. Best wishes to all, wherever you choose to attend, on your future goals. Excuse any typos, it happens :-)

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75 of 85 people found the following review helpful

Busy work

Education - July 16, 2013
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As a teacher at Walden I found that the course materials were very poor with no clear behavioral objectives. There was a strong hierarchical structure which was inappropriate in dissertation supervision, where a consensual structure is generally acceptable elsewhere. The IRB was just an empire-building unit which stifled important topics related to disability. The URR was capricious and contradictory, headed and staffed by people who were often un-qualified in statistics. If Einstein had gone to Walden University he would not have been allowed creativity or relativity. Some students left unqualified and broke.

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51 of 55 people found the following review helpful

Excellent School

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - July 10, 2013
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In 2013, I completed the PPPA PhD program at Walden. I found the academic rigor of the program comparable to brick and mortar schools. Many of the professors also work in industry, bringing their non-academic knowledge and experience into the classroom. Fellow students reside throughout the United States and the World, bringing with them points of views that, combined with the professors, stretches your thinking, developing you into a more critical and strategic thinker. During the KAM and Dissertation phases of the program, I used the scholar/practitioner skills further developed while completing coursework. The faculty and staff at Walden University are not hand-holders. Successful completion requires self-motivation, self-regulation, independence of thought, and a willingness to independently investigate and find solutions to your questions and challenges. That being said, the support services at Walden, ie Financial Aid, Student Support, Writing Center, Advising are all excellent. Whenever I had a questions, I usually received a response within 24 hours. The Walden Library is wonderful, and I miss having access to the wonderful journals and other information it provides. I highly recommend Walden.

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21 of 28 people found the following review helpful

Baffled by the reviews

Reading and Literacy K-12 - July 8, 2013
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I am currently doing some research on various online Ed.d Leadership doctoral programs. I have graduated from Walden with my Masters in Reading and Literacy in April 2011. I am a single working mother of one and have teaching for 12 years now. When I first began the program, I was a little rusty with APA style of writing, but I was able to get help from my peers, advisors, and instructors. The course load consisted of weekly papers (sometimes two) depending upon the topic at hand. Along with weekly discussions. I do not work for Walden or have anything to gain from this review. After reading several reviews, I have decided to just weigh in and share my experience because it was a really great experience. I cannot speak for others, but it was a good experience being able to meet my colleagues in person at graduation time. I found that I just had to have a balance between working full time and being a parent. Once I got my stride together, everything flowed smoothly. In addition, I never had a problem with the administration or financial aid departments. Good luck to all on your decisions. I would not change a thing!

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35 of 42 people found the following review helpful

Great experience

Mental Health Counseling - June 29, 2013
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I am from Europe and studying at Walden University is my first online university experience. It is a very different system from the one I had in my home country. It is better! They emphasizes the importance of becoming a scholar-practitioner. It means that they don't train you to be a simple counselor...they train you to be prepared and make a real change in your community. Some professors are strict, but fair. If you are not ready to make changes and improvements they suggest...you will not go too far in the program. You need to be open-minded, creative, serious, and humble. English is only my second language but I have straight As so far. Not because I am a genius, but because I am following the rules. I admit, that the residency fees are not low, but there are other online universities (Phoenix for example) that cost a lot more than Walden. I also admit that after the first 2 semesters I did not receive a call from academic advisers who would check my achievements. However, any time I need to contact one of the departments, I got excellent service.

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14 of 20 people found the following review helpful

Must be highly motivated

Doctorate of Business Administration - May 6, 2013
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Online learning presents a unique set of challenges as opposed to in the seat brick and mortar. If you are one who needs the F2F social aspect of learning, Walden should not be your choice (nor any online format for that matter). If you are highly independent and have the time to figure much of the detail out on your own, Walden MAY be a place where you can do well. I am in the final semester of year two (DBA program)with year three on the horizon in the fall of 2013. Academically, I am doing great. I have found that some of the professors are much better than others, which is likely the case mose everywhere. I am very interested in seeing how the final phase plays out and whether I encounter any of the horror stories written with getting the doctoral study completed and approved per schedule. I am truly not interested in personally financing the first brick library in Walden history so I am looking to follow the direction of my committee without getting caught up in the maze of confusion that so many have described. I've done brick and mortar for undergrad and master's level work so this is a new experience. It has not been a negative experience, however it has been very different one. I am being stretched, which is expected. Think of it like this...at the doctoral/Ph.D. level....this is the only time in your educational life when you become a peer of those placing the degree into your hands. With that said, you knew it was not going to be a cake-walk and to have any respect around it, it should not be one. I will be sure to check back and place a second posting as i have more experience in getting my doctoral study through URR and IRB. At that time, I may have a different story to tell. For now, all is well.

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18 of 24 people found the following review helpful

PhD Candidate Management

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - May 1, 2013
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I am a first year PhD student at Walden and when I first started, I thought I earned the grades just to obtain the money(financial aid). However, as I went on with the program, I notice my writing style changed, my perception had changed as well as my view point on how I was learning. Walden is not nor should it be a handholding school. You are attempting to join the elitist group and your hands will not be held...Walden provides you the opportunity to complete your program within an allotted time based on your skills you entered and gained as a scholarly practitioner....I am learning the prior style of writing from academic, business writing to scholarly writing. It is baed on what I intend to put into this program will determine what I obtain from the program. I have owned my business in Child Care, however, I am crossing the lines to Management since I enjoy the leadership role...everyone is not a leader, nor can handle the role as a leader...So, like the old saying...What you put into a recipe determines the best results of the rise of the cake....lol That's my saying...lol ..I am starting my second year with a 4.0..I hold a MSM-Leadership from Troy State University which is a brick and mortar however, I obtained my BS and MSM online from Troy....

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8 of 14 people found the following review helpful

HORRIBLE SCHOOL

Walden University - April 27, 2013
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I transferred to this University from another in my senior year because they promised I could shave months off of finishing my degree and offered me a semester free. When I transferred last year I was not alerted that I was enrolled in classes earlier than I was supposed to be and the classes I was offered "free" I got all F's in! This placed in on Academic and financial aide probation... I had a 3.6 GPA at the previous university. When I finally got my official review of my transfer credits they were completely different from my unofficial evaluation and I was now not a senior with less months taken off of my degree time as promised... I was a sophomore at Walden. BEFORE I received this official evaluation I had already started my classes (that i actually knew about this time) ....I was absolutely disgusted with the my math lab instructions that were given in the math class. There were steps of the problem that could not be explained in any portion of the help areas or in the text book....so I had to google how to do actually do the problems. I ended up with an A in the class but it was because of google and ALL of my free time being dedicated to trying to find out how to properly do the problems. The cost of this school is also outrageous. Their classes are 5 credit hours as opposed to 3 as most universities are, for the human services program it is 300.00 per credit hour so $1500P00 for one class. The net price calculator on the web site for rates is still on the 2010 school year, so it is reflecting much lower rates that what are currently being charged. The support staff are always in a hurry just to get you off the phone and don't always give you accurate information....at all. So calling for help is completely useless. I have transferred back to my old school and I am having difficulty getting transcripts from Walden to be applied at my school so that I can graduate......please do not waste your time or money on this school....they are very dishonest and your degree will pull no weight in the market place.

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36 of 45 people found the following review helpful

Left after much abuse when I challenged their administration after requesting program change

Psychology - April 14, 2013
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Wanted a change from one psychology program to another. It took six-weeks to get a response; and it was not a very professional one, then the dept. head of psychology wrote me a nasty-gram. Following the change which took the full of 3 months my grades dropped through the floor. I went from an a average to C- and Ds immediately following the change from one program to another. I wrote the letter to withdraw, I was ignored, wrote another, ignored. I finally called - was given the phone run-around and ignored. I finally got a response more than 3 weeks later, and was "allowed" to withdraw. I found another online school who wanted to take me but Walden messed with my refund for the last semester I was there - they were stringing me along. 7 weeks after I requested my refund and after I had withdrawn completely from the school I wrote to the Department of Education's [Veteran's] Ombudsman. 36 hours after I wrote everything had been taken care of, refund was transmitted etc. Just so folks know who are here; they list themselves as a "for-profit" which means they are required to help place you in a job until you get one - insist on it, or report them to the Department of Education. Do not waste your time with the state functions; seems they have those organizations hoodwinked.

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31 of 37 people found the following review helpful

Walden University is overpriced and their IRB board sucks

Psychology - April 3, 2013
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My dissertation committee approved my dissertation. Then the IRB Board rejected it and refused to allow me to complete the study I worked for 4 years to develope, design and obtain approval from a committee of experienced faculty members. The problem was, the IRB does not want students to use instruments that assess difficult topics such as suicidal ideation, gender issues, LGBT issues. There is no coordination or communication in this institution. One set of faculty approves a student's work, yet another set of university administrators rejects the students work and tells them they must go back to the drawing board, after 4 years of arduous work and $100,000 of tuition passing into Walden University's coffers. This institution should be unaccredited and I will make my complaint appropriately.

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38 of 48 people found the following review helpful

PhD student of Walden's clinical psychology program

Psychology - March 17, 2013
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I have attended Walden University as a full-time student enrolled in the clinical psychology program since Dec. 2009. I have completed all of the coursework and I'm now writing my dissertation. While I was very hesitant to enroll in a program that offered an online forum, attending Walden is the best decision I have ever made. Not only are the faculty and the instructors readily available to assist students at all times, but I have found that the courses are much more challenging that my undergraduate degrees and my Masters degree I obtained from private "brick-and-mortar" universities. I also feel that I have learned much more as a result of attending such a hybrid program, as Academic-Year-in-Residency also allows students to network, perform assessments, meet in person with faculty and their advisor, etc. Walden is ahead of the game with regard to the future of offering an academically challenging forum for professionals who want to learn in a manner that allows them to still work. In light of the current economy and the lack of adequate funding for educational benefits offered by various corporations (to include government entities, such as the military), it is nearly impossible to attend a brick-an-mortar school while also continuing to work so that one can pay for their education and day-to-day living. The traditional focus of APA accreditation should be revised, as it is archaic and very biased. I commonly train APA credentialed psychologists and mental health professionals as a requirement of my military position. These professionals are very eager to work with me; however, once they ask me where I attend school they become very defensive and biased in the assumptions they make about non-APA accredited schools. These "professionals" should be more open-minded and willing to hear what APA equivalency schools (such as Walden) can offer.

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18 of 32 people found the following review helpful

Misguided comments

Education - March 7, 2013
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I am not sure about these reviews. I hold an MS, and soon and Ed.S and an Ed.D from Walden. I have been challenged, my work has had me selected to participate in research programs, and I have had nothing but great, high-level profesors. You have to call during business hours, just like any other college/university. If you stay the course, you will have success. I do not like the new blackboard system they use, but it is OK :)

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10 of 19 people found the following review helpful

Walden has been great

Mental Health Counseling - March 4, 2013
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I have loved Walden from the day I applied. I am nearing completion of my M.S in Mental Health Counseling and have a G.P.A of 3.93. Walden is for students who are willing to work hard, and for that I am glad. Do not fear residencies, they are so enjoyable! The instructors at Walden have impressive experience and knowledge (great mentors). Walden is building professionals, expect high standards.

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15 of 24 people found the following review helpful

Excellent school

PhD Public Health - February 24, 2013
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Walden is not for the person who wants to just get a degree and move on. It is a multi-faceted experience that begins with self-motivation. It is imperative that one must have ethics to do all the work but most importantly to dedicate oneself to social justice in various areas of life. I have met some students who should not have enrolled and I have met some inspirational ones as well. Do not attend this school if you need your hands held and by all means do not attend if you cannot write APA, especially if you are in your doctorate degree. It is up to you to make this work - master the curricula, master your writing, master your calling for social justice. I was surprised all the negative reviews but I believe that it is not because the school failed them, but because they may have failed to meet the mission and vision statements. I will be starting my dissertation shortly and I have had nothing but positive responses from professors.

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13 of 24 people found the following review helpful

HORRIBLE

Ed.D. - February 19, 2013
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Walden University is a complete waste of time and money. I am in my fourth year in the Ed.D. program for Higher Education and Adult Learning. After completing all course work with a 4.0, I started the process of my doctoral study. This past year has been a nightmare. I have a chair that is unsure of what the requirements are to complete the various stages. There have been times when I have waited 3 or 4 weeks before finally getting feedback from my committee members. My second committee member is a huge problem. After working on at least 8 drafts over the past year, he is just now bringing up major criticism of my draft. Things that needed to be changed when I was first getting started. There is no way that he is ever going to approve my draft. I have requested new committee members three different times over various issues, and all of my requests have been denied. I am not just a whiny student that is not capable of doing the work. I have a 4.0 GPA on all graduate level work. I also received awards for my thesis for my master's degree. This is the worst mistake of my educational career. Walden does not care about their students, they only care about money. My second committee member cannot even get my name right when he emails me. I would run from Walden. It is a complete rip-off. I am at the end of my rope with Walden. I have come to the point I am going to look somewhere else to complete my degree. If I stay at Walden, I will never finish. They make sure of that.

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38 of 40 people found the following review helpful

Experience of a recent graduate

Walden University - February 14, 2013
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After graduating with a MPA I decided to take a leave of absence before beginning my doctoral studies. When I requested enrollment in the doctoral program I was informed of additional charges on my account. The charges were correct, part of the financial applied to my account during my final quarter was not applied. One would think this would be a easy fix, pay the outstanding balance, however, dealing with Walden’s financial and supportive services is extremely unpleasant and not such an easy task. Although I addressed the bill immediately, I found dealing with Walden a nightmare. My transcripts were held after the account was paid in full and the staff very hard to talk to. When I asked them why my transcripts were being held, they told me they wanted to collect the money I owed them. When I asked them how much I owed them, they confirmed my account was paid in full. Okay? The Walden staff told me they sent notices; however, like many others, I did not receive them and think these notices may have gone straight to spam? Before I enrolled in Walden some of the Walden correspondences went to spam but since my spam empties after thirty days, I don't know if they sent me any notices or not. There were notices on my Walden email, the problem was I was not an active student and did not check the account after I graduated. It took multiple calls to get any answer and I did not receive responses from support services. Although I was very satisfied with the academics at Walden, I would not recommend the school. At this point I would be afraid that if anything occurred out of the ordinary one would be risking their degree. I will be continuing my education at another institution. My final resolution at Walden is that there is still a hold on my account although the account is listed as paid in full and I may or may not have continued access to my records. So in short, after $51,000 and successful completion of my program with a 3.84 GPA, I may or may not have access to my transcripts in the future but at least they would send them to my new institution, and according to Walden’s staff, I should be grateful.

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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

Great Experience!

Education - February 8, 2013
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My experience with Walden has been a great one so far. I am in my 8th course-only two more to complete my M.S. in Education, with a specialization in Professional Development. Starting with my enrollment, all through to my 8th course, I have been met with wonderful guidance and support of everyone I have come in contact with in this university. The enrollment representative, admissions, academic advisor, online support team, and professors have all been genuinely respectful and helpful every step of the way. I have been enrolled in Walden for almost a year and a half, and have encountered many personal issues which have been met with patience and understanding from all my professors. I have also met lovely people and made great friends whom I hope to keep after graduating. Walden is a very serious university, and as others have previously mentioned, just requires you to work seriously and hard. But again, this is what you should be doing if you chose to pursue a higher education. I want to thank Walden for this opportunity, and for teaching me so much. I hope to finish off my courses and enroll in their PhD program soon.

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10 of 17 people found the following review helpful

Happy so far

Doctorate of Business Administration - January 3, 2013
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I am not staff or a paid reviewer, I am actually a military member who needs the convenience of an online education. I am half way complete with the DBA program and will admit that some courses are challenging and require you to input time and effort. The sustainability course had an assignment which required a 70 page paper on top of your weekly discussions. This being said, if you want something bad enough you will do it. I have a hectic schedule with three children, just finished chemo for breast cancer and I go to work everyday, yet I find the time to do the work. The statistics course made me want to cry...LOL but so far I have managed to maintain a 4.0. If I can do it anyone out there with an ounce of motivation can. I have learned plenty from these courses and feel that I am getting my money's worth (or at least I am putting my GI Bill to good use). I can't speak for the experiences that some of the other reviewers have described but I will admit that the instructors are people and like any brick and mortar school you have various personalities which can provide either a positive or negative experience. Well good luck to those who decide to pursue a degree at Walden or any other online institution, I believe the feeling of accomplishment will be very rewarding. BTW Walden's library is awesome, I am very pleased with the offerings available for the students to conduct their research.

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22 of 29 people found the following review helpful

Satisfied With Walden

Psychology - December 30, 2012
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I've been working on a PhD in clinical psychology at Walden since 2009. I have completed all of my coursework and am currently working on my dissertation and practicum. I received my BA and MA from brick and mortar schools and, in comparison, Walden has been MUCH more difficult. This program is intense and is NOT something that you can skate through. For those who believe that online means easy, think again...this is not the case at Walden. With the exception of a couple,the faculty at Walden have been top notch-knowledgeable, experienced, and caring-especially during the face-to-face residencies. Now that I am in the fieldwork portion of my program, I am grateful for the rigor of the program at Walden because I feel as if I have been prepared to be a professional in the field. I am satisfied with the education that I am receiving at Walden. I know that the issue of APA accreditation is relevant to many people and Walden's not having accreditation has limited my choices as far as finding a practicum site but I did find one. As long as I know that my state (CA) will license Walden graduates, I am okay.

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10 of 15 people found the following review helpful

Two Degrees From Walden

Education - December 23, 2012
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Before going to Walden, check with you school district or state to make sure the degree is approved. If you do not do this, then it is your fault, not theirs. Heck, they even give you a link on the main page when looking at the education degrees titled "Find information about Walden programs and licensure requirements specific to your state". They are also NAEYC recognized for early education. My experience was great at Walden. My state does have them to meet the licensure requirements and I know this because I checked before signing up. In fact, My sister in law graduated from Walden right before me with her masters degree and already has her raise and it was recognized.I have now gotten both my bachelors and am about to get my masters degree through them and found it to be a great experience. Some people complained it was hard, well its school, college, so it should be hard. As far as the e-portfolio program that you do with your degree, each class you take gives you the final week in the class to work on the assignments. They are graded right away and if they feel you need to do more for them, the teacher will email you and give you two weeks to fix it. All of these complaints about Walden sounds like it is coming from people that did not bother to call their state before they started to make sure the degree was covered, that they did not truly read their emails and coursework, or they messed up. I can honestly say I am not a Walden employee because I know sometimes employees come on to make positive comments for their school. I am a student, or was and you can even look up my name in the graduate list from Walden. Laura B Chandler.

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14 of 19 people found the following review helpful

Worst Online University Ever

Mental Health Counseling - December 12, 2012
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This University is very unprofessional and insensitive to students. The Professors were alright, but the admission advisors, particularly [name omitted] <---BEWARE of this witch, was very rude and expects students to do her work for her. She Never checks on how her students are doing to see if they are keeping up or feeling anxious or overwhelmed. What happens at this University is that they enroll you even before your financial aid goes through, [She] Never told me that I will not have online books, instead, she waited until after I was fully enrolled in 3 classes to tell me that my financial aid did not go through because she personally did not receive my transcripts that I had sent over many times electronically. She then expected me to go through my prior University which I had graduated from with my B.S.P degree myself. So, I was in my first semester, bookless and behind. I chose to leave the University because I stressed to her that I felt very anxious and uncomfortable with them not communicating or preparing me for all of this chaos with not being ready. I had a 4.0 at my last college that I graduated with; made the Deans List. Don't attend this University. All they care about is dollar signs rather than the will and health of their students. Also, she emailed me back not apologizing for any of her wrongdoing, but to tell me I was two days past withdrawal so I was in academic penalty to owe the institution money which they will NEVER RECEIVE. I was only here for a week and a half, not even, the most RIDICULOUS staff and school!!

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26 of 35 people found the following review helpful

Like everything else you get what you put in...

Mental Health Counseling - November 15, 2012
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I'm more than half way through the mental health counseling program. The program is what I expected, not too hard but a lot of work, you get what you put into the program. I first looked for an accredited online a few months after I obtained my Bachelors degree. I was drawn to Walden because of the accreditation firstly. As well as how "pushy" the representative was, in a good way, she was able to answer all my questions about Walden, accreditation, and the online process. Not sure I agree with people who saw they just want money or see dollar signs. That's their job, to make money as was the university that you would have previously attended. Like all other land based or online colleges you will get professors who care and who don't. If you actually read the background information they provide they have decent qualifications and experience. You have to put in the work though. I don't see how students expect things to be handed to them, your education is YOUR responsibility, no one else's. it's up to you to reach out to professors and students and follow your own interest. This also applies to contacting the appropriate offices to get what you need. I had to request for time off due to the death of my father and like expected one teacher was helpfully and understanding and the other was horrible beyond belief. But that's to be expected I was In too much a state to look into more of a leave of absence. Which I didn't know was even an option. I would have taken it, so yes Walden can be heartless but is an establishment not your friend.

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10 of 19 people found the following review helpful

Current MBA Student

MBA - October 23, 2012
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This degree is what you make of it. It is online, it is not too terribly difficult, especially if you already have a business degree like I do. I went to a brick mortar university for my undergrad and I found that much more challenging than Walden's MBA. That being said, I was also taking 4-6 classes per semester at a time as opposed to 1. I have a 4.0 and am almost done with my cores (8 classes with 4 remaining). The work is not overly challenging, however it is time consuming. You have to work to get an "A". I can tell you exactly how to get an "A"... work your ass off. Weeks 1-6 are all typically the same except for Finance and Accounting. You have 1-2 discussion posts per week that are due Wednesday and responses to two peers by Friday. There will be some sort of assignment (3-5 page paper) due by Sunday. Week 7 is always set aside for your business plan section that corresponds to the class, i.e. Marketing does the marketing section. Week 8 is the Blueprint for Professional Growth (BPPG) which is a self-reflection of what was learned that term. For Accounting and Finance, think back to high school/college math classes. There are problems assigned every week as well as quizzes based on the homework. You can fake (BS) your way through some papers with proper research, but good luck doing that in Finance. I can certainly see how people can fail these courses. They are typically slackers that cannot handle the workload. It is a lot, but certainly manageable. You need to be disciplined and reasonably intelligent. The big question is, is this MBA worth the price and will it open any doors? I am not sure yet, I have yet to graduate. I was hoping to get into teaching at community colleges and other online schools, as well as opening my own business. I doubt anybody that gets any of these "for profit" degrees will be teaching at any top tier school. I was not expecting to be catapulted into an executive position or anything like that upon graduation. I think that when looking at other "for profit" MBA's, this is as good as it gets. If you have the options and are deciding between an online MBA at a "for profit" and a online MBA at a public university, go with the public every time. There are a lot of great public schools like ASU, U of A, Cincinnati, Washington State, and lots more that offer online MBA's as well as similar price points. I had no desire to take the GMAT and I did not have the high marks or the resume to get into one of the public programs. If I wanted an MBA, this was my best choice. I also hear people complaining about some of the caliber of students that Walden allows. All I can say is that I went to a pretty good State school and I had idiots in those classes too. I have had colleagues that went to Ivy leagues, and they had idiots too. Let's face, they are everywhere. We have all met people that have distinguished degrees and careers and did not seem like the brightest. How many doctors and lawyers have you met that were complete morons? There you have it. That is my take on the Walden MBA program. Good luck in whatever decisions that you make with pursuing your education.

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21 of 28 people found the following review helpful

Financial Aid

Walden University - October 17, 2012
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Walden University is not worth your time! This is the second time in a row that their financial aid department has screwed up. This time, they waited until the end of the term before contacting saying that they needed this form filled out. When it was filled out and emailed to them, two weeks later they claim that they were waiting on verification from the IRS. A week after receiving that email from them, an IRS form was sent to the house claiming that they couldn't verify the request that was sent to them from Waldren because they didn't include the home address. Every time I called or even my husband, the person that answered the phone would hang up. They wouldn't even answer one single question. After the last time I called and they hung up on me, I immediately called them back and when they answered the phone I informed them that I was turning them in to FASA, and they would more than likely also be having an audit, because they were mishandling funds. Once I was done telling them this, I hung up and I called FASA and reported them, the people at FASA were very helpful, and they apologized for the way Walden was handling this. While I was on the phone with this nice lady, she asked me if she could put me on hold that she was going to call Walden. When she came back on the line, she informed me that I was right, they don't answer any question and they had hung up on her. She also told me that she was going to be looking into them. I will not be referring anybody to attend Walden University ever! I am in the process of checking out other place that will accept the credits that I've received from Walden, and if another university does accept them, I will be transfering.

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22 of 27 people found the following review helpful

Long delays; No communication between professors

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - September 16, 2012
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I'm in the 8th or 9th term of my dissertation, and now on the 5th URR revision. The process is that first the chair has two weeks to review a revision. If the chair wants revisions - and we're talking minor changes - most that weren't communicated in earlier revisions, he or she sends it back to the student. The student returns a revised version to the chair perhaps by the next day. Then the chair gets another two weeks to review. On to the URR, and yet another two weeks is added to this one URR review cycle. Count up those weeks. It's half of the term, over $1500. I figure that I've paid probably an additional $15,000 simply due to the delays throughout the six years that I've attended Walden. There is not normal discussion as might take place in a brick or mortar school between faculty members and students toward simple agreement about revisions. Yes, faculty will wait until the last minute to review, edit and return documents. Absolutely, that's been my experience, too. Delay after delay after delay. I hope to graduate soon and end this nightmare. The professors are fine, most very skilled with expertise in their respective fields. Holding students' graduation up is simply not right. Who does support the student? Anyone know?

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33 of 35 people found the following review helpful

PhD in Public Health

PhD Public Health - September 13, 2012
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I am finishing up my PhD in Public Health and as a person who went to a prestigious school for my undergrad, I am happy to have chosen Walden for my PhD. If you do all the reading thoroughly, and opt to do the additional/supplemental weekly readings and assignments, you will be an expert in your field before you leave. The instructors are a bit “hands off” but I am a very self-motivated person, so I actually preferred it. I took a couple courses in Public Health at my local UC Graduate School Extension before I started at Walden, and Walden used all the same materials and has the same, and if not more coursework. I am really happy with the experience but not only will I walk away with a degree, but I also feel that I have exceptional knowledge in my field. And that kind of knowledge cannot be bought.

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13 of 20 people found the following review helpful

Satisfied

Mental Health Counseling - September 1, 2012
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My experience with Walden has been great from the beginning. I agree with a previous review. You have to be motivated. You have to put in work. My instructors, financial aid, and advising have been timely and responsive. I feel challenged most of the time. Every school is not a good fit for everyone so i really don't get the bad reviews. Move on and be happy. I am involved socially with Walden students I have met at both residencies and we have been a tremendous support to one another. There is social media for Walden students by degree program and are very informative and supportive. I am able to apply what I have learned at Walden in everyday life. All of this trumps the high price tag

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8 of 13 people found the following review helpful

Ph.D in General Psychology for Teaching

Psychology - August 23, 2012
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I have attended Walden since 2010. I earned my masters degree at Walden, and am now working toward my doctorate. I would not still be there if the educational quality was not excellent. I have read a large number of reviews knocking Walden. No institution of higher education is perfect. Nor are all the instructors, I've had my share of losers-the majority do care about their students AND their success. Reading the negative reviews is rather amusing. Walden is hard work, if one wants an easy ride it is obviously not the university for you. The written word is respected, and in reading a number of these reviews it is obvious why these students did not find Walden to their liking. Whether in the minority or majority all students are given the opportunity to excel, but one has towork to earn the distinction. I have had many minorties in my classes, I would be considered a minority-by the way the Hispanic student has the highest majority of students in higher education. White students are a minority in 2012, not necessarily at Walden, but in the statistics for the United States. So if someone have a complaint against Walden,it is usually because they were low perfomers and wanted an easy ride. Before reading all the negative complaints and making a decision about attending Walden, think about the post. Is it literate, do the errors in the post exceed the rest of the post. If so you know that the person writing the post has an axe to grind--they were not offered a free ride. I have not been given a free ride--I have my share of loans, you only accept the loans YOU want, no one forces anyone to accept them. Beware of axe grinders, throwing to many slings with them dulls them.

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15 of 24 people found the following review helpful

Just after your money

MSN in Nursing - August 9, 2012
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Teachers late in grading papers, grade for things that are not on the requirements for the paper such as if you dont put the teachers name on the paper and if you complain you are targeted by the teacher.

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18 of 26 people found the following review helpful

FINANCIAL AID AT WALDEN

PhD Public Health - August 7, 2012
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Students' who are experiencing problems with financial aid (FA) is not because of some flaw within the Department of Education (DOE) as claimed; the problem is with Walden. They are holding on to the funds until the last possible moment to see if you the student will drop a course possibly making you ineligible for FA. God forbid if you are getting a refund, they act as though they are required to pay it back; especially if it’s a grad plus or private loan. Speaking to other students, they all experience the same issue especially when expecting refunds. The DOE has stated that they have not had any problems as stated and claimed by WU-- FA Dept. Most of the loan servicing depts.; i.e., Sallmae are baffled by this claim. To the student who had the problem with the student loan funding issue, you need to get on the phone because something is up. Students required to attend those repetitive residencies I am sure benefit from the refund to assist with hotel and air fare. Walden intentionally places a hold on the funds—and later fwds daily emails regarding holds on the account. If an emergency arises and you can’t attend a residency for example, or if you fall below the six credits needed, your loan will be cancelled. You will then need to pay out of pocket for the other courses. There is a payment plan but through another system. There are specific requirements, you will need to call to find out. I think that they are using the money. Or it appears very strange that funds are released after a term has ended. Or even, while attending a residency in a land far far away, suddenly the funds are disbursed. Overall, the school is a mess! And to the individuals who make comments about the Chair Advisor/Committee, thanks!!!!! I was wondering what the issue was; three advisors for over 500 students applying. I know students who have tried for up to 2 years searching for an advisor. And when you find an advisor, there is no committee. Someone needs to start a class action lawsuit, and WU needs to pay back all the loans students borrowed. Excuse the punctuation and errors as they are not as serious at the moment. What is more serious, is the fact that WU is not holding up to its standards Ps. students are being expelled for plagiarism; issues such as forgetting to credit a source is just crazy. I have seen student expelled for cutting and pasting the shell of an exam--a take home exam!!!

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32 of 37 people found the following review helpful

Good Experience--Don't Believe the Bad Reviews

PhD Public Health - July 30, 2012
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First, let me say that with any online degree program, you get out of it what you put into it. If you are looking to coast through a PhD or MS degree with little to no work, then this school is NOT for you! I am currently conducting my research and plan to finish my PhD within the next 6 months. During my time at Walden I have had good instructors and good support. The IRB and research office are VERY efficient and anything I submitted was usually reviewed and approved within 1 week. For the person that commented on the student population as being primarily minority and low income, well, I have to say that I am neither and that statement is totally inaccurate. I saw and met many white students that obviously had professional careers at my residencies. Sure, the student population is diverse, but many colleges are these days. The majority of students I met at my residencies and in my courses worked full-time in the field related to the degree they were pursuing, had families, and wanted to further their education. This is a good school for working professionals that want to further their education. As with any college, if you don't put forth the time and effort to study, learn the material, and submit the assignments and exams on time, you will not get a very good grade.

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17 of 28 people found the following review helpful

A Real Joke; And A Waste of Money

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - July 25, 2012
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I would like to state that I was[ ] a student in attendance at Walden University, (WU). Any student considering taking classes this university should read all reviews; in my honest opinion they are accurate. I strongly believe that individuals who have written A1 reviews; are staff and have probably been paid to write the review. The student body appears to be made up from a high percentage of African American, Hispanic, and White individuals from middle to low income communities. The other small percentage are from other countries. This determination is based on statistical reviews and observations at residencies. The staff or at least those attending the residencies are at least 99% lily white. You will waste your money at WU—point blank! If you want to take a course here or there—okay. As for a real career move, and to become the recipient of an outstanding degree; or help with social change, this is not the place. I cannot begin to tell you the racism that I experienced when if first enrolled. It’s not important so I will leave it at that. Walden is basically a trap that sucks the life out of the financial aid and loans that students are granted. The financial aid office is a joke. You cannot get through on the telephone without speaking to student support first. The student support team, like academic advising, technical support and all the other live chat prove to know absolutely nothing but script reading. Let me add, they sound sleep or waking up off of some high as a result of drug use. My experience with financial aid, and the fact that I have taken out personal loans to fund my education are for some reason always on hold. After waiting literateraly until the next term for money that I will need to pay back; not to mention approved as a result of my credit, and by the DOE; I get a nasty response from the support team when I question. The first thing that is mentioned is that your refund blah, blah, blah , ;when my primary reason for my calling was to determine the date the tuition will be applied to my account. The financial aid office continuously communicates information via email “there is a hold on your account…”. With this being the case, if the funds were sent to the school, why aren’t the funds released? Attendance at residencies is truly a shame. How many times do you need to speak with an academic advisor? Not to mention, standing in the long childish lines, and free coffee is what you get for the high tuition students’ pay. The same information and speakers year after year. A real waste of money; this is both actual and the now virtual. If you would like to go to Spain, go for fun; not to go over APA’s Manual again. The designated hotel, very expensive. The flights, very expensive. These residencies make absolutely no sense. They really need to be for free or always online. Securing a Mentor and Chair Committee is the third joke; it might be the 20th joke to some; or perhaps the impossible dream [remember the song]. I have been trying to get a mentor for almost two years now. I am seeking to enroll in a traditional university; in this case I can back track what I missed. This is not to state that all online schools are bad. Taking electives while waiting to secure a mentor and chair committee are not all bad because you are initiating continuous class room learning. If I had to do this all over again, I would not choose WU.

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49 of 64 people found the following review helpful

My time at Walden University

Mental Health Counseling - July 25, 2012
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On September 9, 2009, I enrolled into Walden University’s Master in Mental Health Counseling program. Now, three years later, 22 core courses, a GPA of 3.34, and $80,000.00, I have been expelled from the university, to never re-apply. I would like to add, I was enrolled in the third week of my very last core course, and preparing for my internship. The university has added “Turnitin” as a tool to check for plagiarism, to the course requirement. But, it appears to me, that not all the professors have the same level of knowledge and understanding of the tool. I have been given different information by different professors. Or, when I inquired, I was unable to assist me with knowledge about the tool. I am absolutely shocked at being expelled for the reason that was given to me. Plagiarism. Yes, I was accused of plagiarizing a final paper. I disagree with the school’s findings. But, who am I? I attempted to argue my case, but fell on death ear. Even though I have three years invested, $80,000.00 in cost and have successfully completed all the core courses except one, Walden University did not consider me worth their time to teach me what I was doing wrong. Is this the type of institution of higher learning you would enjoy learning from? I would like to point out, as a 61 year old, I have a BS degree in Psychology, Sociology and a minor in Education, a MS degree in Guidance, Counseling and Human Services, have been working as a Mental Health Counselor at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center in San Francisco, California for the past 10 years, and was previously the Director of Mental Health at a 1,600 inmate prison. I said all that to say, Walden University is not my first professional encounter and I do bring experience and a wealth of knowledge to the table. I think I deserve more than what Walden University think I deserve. “Turnitin” is not rocket science, therefore, I am capable of learning whatever is necessary. But, evidently Walden University thought otherwise. I wonder how and why they arrived at that decision? I think Walden University is attracted to dollar signs and less interested in educating. This has been the worst decision I have made in my entire life. An unfortunately, I will not live long enough to repay all the money I have borrowed to attend Walden University. Please, seriously think about your decision to attend a heartless institution as Walden University. Good luck. Thank you, James Kenneth Terry

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89 of 100 people found the following review helpful

Ph.D. in Psychology

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - July 24, 2012
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I just completed my dissertation in May 2012. I can't comment on the experiences of the Ed.D. students, but for the most part, I had a positive experience. Like any Ph.D. program, there were positives and negatives. My chair was excellent, but there are many hoops to jump through, and being patient and persistent is key. There is a reason why everyone who starts a doctoral program does not finish. Life happens, and you have to make decisions as to what is important in your life. Timing is key, so if at first you don't succeed, take some of the blame and try again later. You have to decide how badly you want it and make the commitment over a long period of time.

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15 of 23 people found the following review helpful

Hard Journey but Satisfied

Psychology - July 9, 2012
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I am completing my Ed.D. very shortly, and quite frankly I can see both sides of the discussion. I have had some very frustrating moments with Walden, but what would I expect if I am in a doctoral program? The more I became involved in the dissertation process, I realized that I was being held to high scholarly standards and academic integrity. As for those who had Chairs who did not seem to care, my Chair one of my biggest cheerleaders, and we forged a bond for life. That's how closely my Chair worked with me. When I wanted to quit, my Chair inspired me to move forward. Even my URR reviewer took the time to have phone conferences with me when normally URR reveiwers are hands off in regard to student interaction. My process was not easy, and I am thankful that it was not. I say with full confidence that if I was enrolled in a traditional brick and mortar university I probably would have been finished a while ago, but I am fully satisfied with my Walden Experience.

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12 of 20 people found the following review helpful

Very good!

Education - July 7, 2012
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I recently completed my Masters in Education...Integrating Technology into the Classroom specialization. For the most part I had an excellent experience with Walden. Towards the end of my program there were hardly any textbooks but you had to read quite a few articles. This required me to waste a lot of ink/paper as I prefer a hard copy. They also stopped sending DVDs and had you stream the lectures. I often worked ahead in my coursework. I am very motivated and doing courses online is my preferred method. Most insturctors were great and graded fairly. I rarely had to contact academic advising except when I took a short leave of absence for traveling. This program does require an e-portfolio. This requires the student to do extra work specifically essays. I used my time off to get ahead on my portfolio. Those who did not felt very overwhelmed feeling like they had 2 things going one at once. I learned a great deal in my program and did apply various methods and technologies into my teaching. The first few courses seemed redundant of what I learned in my Bachelor's program reviewing theories, teaching as a profession, etc. It was a great review and later tied into the other courses. I would recommend this university to others. But make sure you know what program you truly want to major in. I now wish I had done instructional design or another program that allows for more opportunities outside of teaching.

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2 of 9 people found the following review helpful

Walden - A Financial Aid Nightmare

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - June 23, 2012
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First, I can't say I have been disappointed in the learning aspect. Online schooling is what it is. I have had a few classes where I really enjoyed the approach. Second. In regards to the support....THERE IS NONE! I am in my 5th class now and have not been able to purchase one book now. The financial aid office is absolutely horrible!!! I am in week 3 of classes and my financial aid has still not been processed. When I called, the girl on the phone told me that I should get used to it because they have so many students. WOW! nice thing to tell a customer. The issue with that is, if I decided to drop a class because my financial aid package was a joke (which it is), then I would owe because I had to wait to actually see what it was. Walden as a business sucks! They are truly about money and don't care for their students. I made a bad mistake choosing Walden and will soon correct that mistake. Hoping to hear back from 3 other schools so I can transfer.

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25 of 28 people found the following review helpful

Challenging & Useful Degree Program

MISM - June 14, 2012
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This was a very demanding program--harder than I expected. There were several times when I wanted to give up, but thankfully I did not. While this program is expensive, it is considerably less expensive than the "top-tier schools". My only complaint is that this is a management degree but there were no "financial business course", like accounting or finance. I think having at least one of each would have rounded the program out nicely, since in most business environments, managers deal with budgets and financials. At most other programs, this is the case. A MISM is usually a combination of a technology degree and business degree and that should be reflected a little more in the curriculum.

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8 of 15 people found the following review helpful

Let's set the record straight...

Walden University - June 11, 2012
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I am in my third quarter of the MS MHC program at Walden. I have ready most of the reviews here and have a few things to say. I signed up for information and received several phone calls, but wasn't ready. The phone calls and emails stopped. A year later, I called back. The woman I talked to was thorough, answered all my questions and even emailed me during my first quarter to see how I was doing. She let me know clearly what degrees were on track for licensure and which ones were not. When I went to my first residency I did not know what to expect. Yes, it is social. But wonderful. Being with a group of people who have the same goals and interests and are geared to learn? Awesome! It was also an intense learning experience, which gave me so much more of an understanding of counseling than I had. I have always gotten an email or phone response to my questions from instructors, and academic advising called to see if I had any questions even when I didn't. During coursework they make you look up the laws and requirements in your state (during first and second quarter) so that you are aware of the road you need to take. I needed to add a course and extra quarter of internship for licensure in my state. Pay attention, be self-motivated and independent and you will receive a high-quality education here. My only concern is the fact that some of the content seems to be geared towards simply accepting what they think instead of learning the value of critical thinking. Great teachers, great library, supportive staff and organized program content. Overall, I highly recommend !

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18 of 30 people found the following review helpful

Awful

Mental Health Counseling - June 4, 2012
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I have hated my entire experience at Walden. They bug you incessantly until you become a student. Then they disappear and provide no support to you. Professors are really just graders most of the time and I have had maybe 4 professors who actually interact with the class and provide other information. I spent months looking for an internship site and Walden has provided no assistance, which I am told by other grad students is highly unusual for a school. I understand that they are a national school and have limited information of specific areas, but they were absolutely no help. When I finally secured a position, it felt like they did everything they could to keep from approving it. I also have been unable to get questions answered from financial aid, tech support, advising, etc. The staff is unhelpful at all times. Last, the residencies are a joke. You are forced to sit through boring, useless classes all day.

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31 of 34 people found the following review helpful

Misguided comments

PhD Public Health - May 17, 2012
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Most of these comments are misguided. Graduate education, especially at a PHD level is about independent thought. If you were hoping for hand holding, then Walden is not for you. I am in the process of completing my PHD in PUBH and I can attest to the quality of education I received. The same experience extends to many other graduates and current students. As always, people who make comments online tend to be the outliers for many reasons. I just felt obliged to provide another side to the story, which by the way I believe represents the MAJORITY of graduate students at Walden. I challenge you to try going through a brick and mortar program and then come back a few years later and comment on your experience, particularly in regards to availability of faculty and support for your studies. I can almost guarantee you that it will be worse, unless ofcourse you are willing pursue your advisors research. Eitherway, good luck to you folks and just remember, what you put in is what you get out!!! Don't forget that most students at Walden, already have successful careers, hence, they are past the facination with the superficial factors such as brand name of the school etc. They are mostly driven by a specific academic goal, which is mostly postive social change. NOT ALL WHO ENROLL ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE PHD..there is a reason for that...and you are prime example!

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39 of 54 people found the following review helpful

Challenging - perfect format for busy professionals

Psychology - May 15, 2012
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Having completed my undergraduate from a really strong (highly ranked) traditional brick and mortar institution, I was originally very skeptical of Walden. However, it was one of the few places who's format fit my lifestyle and offered a social psychology socialization so I decided to give it a try. I'm really glad I did! The format is perfect, materials are up-to-date and a lot of the discussions/assignments allow you to relate the topics back to your own field (which is fantastic). You spend about 10-15 hours a week per course and it's not easy. I'm about to start my third course and I'm really happy with the work so far. Don't enroll here if you aren't a self starter and aren't organized. Nobody is going to hold your hand. As for the other reviews that criticize professors - I'm pretty sure you would get the same feedback regardless of the institution. Learning how to deal with teachers/bosses/clients etc that we don't like is just a part of life.

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22 of 32 people found the following review helpful

Finding it to be a great experience

M Sc Ed: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - May 12, 2012
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At this point I have had a very positive experience. I work as a full-time teacher while I pursue my education. I have been teaching for nearly 20 years, and I appreciate having materials that reflect the newest research in education. I find the courses to be meaningful and useful to the work that I do. The only regret that I have in that respect is that I don't have a lot of time at this point to implement some of the new ideas that I've encountered. Walden is also economical compared to other online programs, and though I am paying for it entirely in loans, gaining this education will result in three pay raises for me, guaranteed, so I will eventually gain it all back. The workload has been manageable, and the assignments have been challenging enough. In other words, they have not been so simplistic that I felt my intelligence was being insulted or that I was wasting my time. Instead, they have been challenging but not obtuse or theoretical to the point of absurdity. As a teacher, I find it especially difficult to work with theoretical material that seems to have very little connection to the realities of the classroom. As for the professors, I have found that all but one has been supportive enough and helpful; they have all worked in education mostly as retired teachers and administrators who understand what we, the students, are experiencing. However, one professor was pretty mediocre, if that. He started with a lot of self-promotion and tough talk about due dates, and then he himself was remarkably flaky and poorly experienced in the process and curriculum of the course he was teaching. I also found him to be ridiculously nit-picky with a limited view of the overall objectives. It sounds terrible, but I just did what I had to do and came out fine. Luckily, Walden requires that students complete an instructor evaluation at the end of each course. The bottom line is this. If you need a lot of personal support and you have uncertainties about your ability to complete graduate-level work, you might find Walden to be inadequate for your needs (online learning in general probably isn't a good idea for that person); however, if you are a working teacher who can work independently with little trouble, and you want an affordable program that will give you a solid education in current educational scholarship without killing you, I recommend this program.

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12 of 21 people found the following review helpful

Horrible: Read On

M Sc Ed: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - May 9, 2012
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Walden is a horrible university and decided to write this after trying to chat today for chat support. Nobody was on the other line but they did say, "how can I/we assist you". I then tried to chat in a few more times with no luck. The same goes for email support or phone support. I have repeatedly emailed financial aid with no response. I have never received a call from financial aid, giving me reason to make sure they had the correct phone number to do so. They do! They haven't even emailed me at my Walden email except to tell me when I didn't pass a class, that they were sending my loans back which they can't do according to Dept. of Education regulations. I have tried to call/left vms, email, chat etc. but all's they want is their money which they then created a retroactive debt of 1400 something dollars for a class and don't offer payment plans! What kind of school doesn't offer a payment plan and does not abide by D of Ed regulations? I work in the office of financial aid at AIU and know the regs! I would be taking classes there but I had already started my Masters program. It's horrible. The only calls I have ever received were from my admissions advisor, go figure and academic advisor when they had technical issues this past semester and dropped every student from their classes. The academics are horrible too! Regurgitation is the word. Swollow some words from sub prime books and learning material and write me some papers. The only thing they care about is APA formatting and teachers never give you any criticism or feedback whatsoever. In the last class I took, Diversity and Motivation, I had gotten 100% on all assignments without a single comment from my teacher, probably because I was the only native English speaker in the class. The rest of the student's English was soo bad that my eyes were bleeding. I would go to AIU or a school owned by CEC. I can tell you they take care of their students and it is quite the opposite. Calling to many times and annoying you is better then never calling you and you getting screwed!

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32 of 46 people found the following review helpful

Don't WASTE your $$$$$$$$$$$$$

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - May 8, 2012
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EdD Program Walden Ed D program DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!!!!!!!!! I have been w/Walden in Ed.D program since 2006. I have been attempting to get the URR to approve my dissertation, which my chair and co chair OK'd. No Luck! It seems the URR has no clue about my topic and the achievement gap for Latino students. There has been NO MOVEMENT since the first week of October, when my chair submitted the dissertation. Any one else have these issues. I will NEVER RECOMMED WALDEN TO ANYONE. I could have gone to Seton Hall, joined the fast track cohort and been done in 2 years for LESS $$ and not have to defend my doing an Ed.D online. What a mistake! I will never recommend Walden; in fact I will dissuade anyone from taking courses at Walden!

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37 of 45 people found the following review helpful

Instructional Design Nightmare

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - May 6, 2012
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I was very excited when beginning Walden back in December of 2011. I had just completed a master's program at another online university. So, I think that my expectations were based on my prior experience and so far, Walden has not met my expectations. First, at least in my Ph.D. program (education), the initial courses focus on heavily the fundamentals and skills that one should know and have as a post graduate student. Everything is about being a steward of the discipline, plagiarism, APA format, and paraphrasing. The other courses give you work to do in relation to your degree, but it's usually poorly sequenced, chunked, and organized. Many of the assignments greatly mimicked those that I had completed in my undergrad program. Yet another factor that has driven up my frustration level. There is also the lack of differentiation in the assignments and they do not lend the ability to independently, and freely think, most of the assignments tend to sway you in the direction they you want to go. That doesn't sit well with me. My instructors so far have been great with the exception of maybe one who has not given much feedback or tried to connect with me. This has been my experience with Walden. I think that my learning needs have not been met because there is currently no system in place to accelerate those of us who absorb information quickly and keep them advancing.

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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

Research is important

Mental Health Counseling - May 6, 2012
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I am presently enrolled in the MS in Mental Health Counseling. I am nearing the end of my degree and is about to finish my practicum. I was informed fully about the expectations. The residencies that are required was a great opportunity for me to ask questions about concerns that I had and it was also encouraged. I read a lot of the reveiws and saw some that I totally disaggreed with. For the MSMCH APA format is required and stressed. So if you do not have good scholarly writting then Walden is not for you. If you cannot take the time to turn in assignments then Walden is not for you. If you do not take the time to read what is expected of you in the class discussions then Walden is not for you. I read a lot about how Walden charges too much. Well take the time to do research and you will find out that Walden has superior education for a lower cost. I have had very good experiences. I had an awful instructor like we would have at a traditional school and I voiced my opinion and it was taken care of. I am a type 1 diabetic and had episodes with my illness and I had instructors that were very understanding and had an instructor who explained the value of me signing up in the disability department. Receiving a good education is important to most of us but we have to work at it. Nothing worth having comes easy. Another thing is the fact that we are in different time zones. If you need to contact Walden do you factor that in? I have had a wonderful experience. When I was interviewing for my practicum and internship, my site supervisor was very impressed about the process and requirements and shared with me that it was more outlined and more professional than other well known traditional schools. I said all that to simply say, DO YOUR RESEARCH....Walden offers a lot.

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21 of 29 people found the following review helpful

Disappointed with Enrollment Process

Psychology - April 16, 2012
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I contacted Walden as an international student already in the US looking to study for a Bachelors degree. Needless to say just for the college to have my documents evaluated took forever, well over two months. Keep sending documents and then no one even calls you back to give an update on the progress. I really put me off was everytime I call the enrollment counsellor to find out about the progress, she would in turn ask me to hold or wait so that she can too call and find out. Its as if she would remember only when I phoned. In the end the evaluation came back very disappointing in the fact that out of the three evaluations I have done theirs was the most outrageous. I am glad I didn not proceed to join the college. If just enrolling is an indication of how the program is run, well, am better off somewhere else. Good luck to you all unsuspecting students proceeding to join the college. Very Very disappointing!!!!

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19 of 25 people found the following review helpful

We're all just dollar signs to them

Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling - April 13, 2012
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I am currently enrolled at Walden in the MS in MCFC program. I'm more than a year in and I feel like I have completely wasted this year. The assignments are nothing more than read and regurgitate, and when you do dare to think outside the box, you get blasted by professors who states that you didn't follow the assignment. Yes, I have a 4.0, but what is that worth if I feel I'm not learning or retaining anything? And Academic Advising is a joke. Beginning last quarter, I had some very serious concerns about the way faculty managed the classroom protocol. I was told to address those concerns to Advising and received no feedback or response, and nothing changed. Fast forward to the current quarter, where I am in a class where the professor refuses to answer simple questions or give adequate feedback. After attempting several times to get answers from this professor and finally being told to stop asking questions, I again turned to Advising. 3 emails and 5 phone calls later, I still have no results. No change, no assistance, nothing. I recognize that Walden is a for-profit school, but they lure you in with pretty words about social change and making a difference, then dismiss you as unimportant when you challenge the status quo. I plan to complete this quarter as best I can and then leave Walden for another program. I'm paying for my education and therefore paying the salaries of all those who have let me down, and I know I deserve better treatment than this.

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41 of 42 people found the following review helpful

AWFUL!!!!

EdD Teacher Leadership - April 13, 2012
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I had one chair and had to ask to have her replaced because she NEVER returned my emails. The new one acted really nice but sometimes took 3 months to get back to me. That is unacceptable! At $4000 per semester, it has cost me over $12,000 just in delays. I am a hard worker, dedicated and have academic integrity but these instructors do not. I got a C in one course because I submitted my work 2 minutes late. LITERALLY!!! My chair has NEVER read my dissertation. I complained each semester to the head of the program but he is of no help either. Why they allow instructors to continue to work despite the numerous complaints is unbelievable. BEWARE!!!

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30 of 33 people found the following review helpful

Excellent Program

MSN in Nursing - March 31, 2012
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I am currently in the MSN-specialization in Leadership and Management and it has been an excellent experience. Compared to other online institutions, it really is a good deal for the money. The program is accrediated by Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)which is the same accrediation that many major university nursing programs have CCNE (Duke, UNC, John Hopkins, UMASS, Univ. Maryland, etc.). All of my professors are PhD nurses and all my classes have been engaging and I have truly has a great masters education. I am set to be done in October 2012 and believe I have received a great education to prepare me to be a contributing nursing leader.

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20 of 31 people found the following review helpful

Solid Accredited University

Education - March 15, 2012
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I have completed six courses and four practicums. I am finishing my special education endorsement this term. This special education endorsement program is accepted by Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices. Oregon is very picky about the quality of the teacher preparation programs that they will approve. I found the quality and depth of the program content exceptional. There were a variety of presentation methods (video, direct practicums, text books, research articles, etc.) Everything was aligned closely to CEC standards. For every course, there is a rubric so you have an exact model of what level of rigor they expect. No surprises. All instruction in all classes was exceptionally well organized. The standardization of format of the classes was a relief. Very professional professors...with only minor glitches....MUCH more professionalism in instructors than in some well-known brick and mortar Universities in my home state. Because of the rigor, my writing skills are more scholarly. Students are challenged to analyze existing practices, compare research-based instructional methods, and become a reflective professional educator. Loved this program. It was an exceptional fit for me. Learned more in five courses at Walden than I did 9 courses at a local university.

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10 of 17 people found the following review helpful

DBA student (current)

Doctorate of Business Administration - March 6, 2012
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As an "update" re: Walden DBA: It is apparent that Dr. Turner, as the Progrm Director, has added rigour, and veracity, to the program. At this time the progrm demands are considerable; if anything, the claims of a "flxible" schedule is somewhat misleading (time commitment). The College of Management and the DBA program specifically, is now accredited to the ACBSP national standard. The classromm environment (technically) is a "work in progress" and has room for improvement. As with any program, there is some variance in professor styles, and level of interation (teaching) with students. I have had some exceptional instruction and I have endured a class that I felt was self taught. I feel that this program has a solid foundation for propective (self driven and motivated) students. For the most part (mid program) there is a "deal breaker" course (strategy) that serves to seperate the stragglers from the course (it is very demanding). The program remains an "open institution" requiring a graduate degree w/ 3.0 GPA. As such, some propective doctoral students should not be considering a doctoral terminal degree. My most critical comment woud be the requirement to add subject matter experts in the respective business disciplines (as mentors and committee members). Sincerely.

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9 of 15 people found the following review helpful

Good, Bad, and Ugly

Mental Health Counseling - February 25, 2012
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At age 50 I began to realize that travling to campus were young students look at you as a senior or someone who will decided to obtain a educaton late in life. Walden University is the best thing that happened to an accredicted online university. It's Master in Mental Health is very well structured even though expensive but its worth the money. Many of the intructors are great and flexiable even though you have good and bad but, overall I am greatfull to Walden University for opening doors of employment opportunity. It's supportive services are great and strict when it comes to the financial need. Most of the students are 90% white which is not good and intimating looking at an Hispanic point of view.

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15 of 21 people found the following review helpful

Avoid walden at all cost.

MSN in Nursing - February 22, 2012
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Sorry to say this is not a school of learning. Primary focus is volume of assignments. I have assisted several students from various schools with communications and math courses. My advice is avoid Walden!!

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28 of 35 people found the following review helpful

Walden is a scam

Psychology - February 17, 2012
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Walden is a scam. Was stonewalled over and again from completign dissertaitonwith stream of 'mentors' mysteriously dying, retiring, - vanished. Have been abused and ignored. The govenmnet has hefty portofolio on them. APA will not accpet them. They target disadvanataged people, mostly immigrants and are after one thing: MONEY Am almost $200,000 in debt because of them.

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35 of 45 people found the following review helpful

PhD in Finance at Walden? Not Ready for Prime Time.

PhD AMDS - Finance - January 13, 2012
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I have a brick and mortar MBA and work full time, so I explored the Walden program. The first quarter is about writing skills at the PhD level and is ok for that purpose. Now for the bad part. As you go through the first quarter and begin to determine how you will actually complete your PhD it hit me like a brick... the school has no resources other than a library (a good library). That's about it. Where are the foundation courses that are in the "big boy" doctoral programs? Forget about those. You are on your own. Look at the negative reviews on Walden. They are almost 100% doctoral students who are far into their dissertation and the reviewers are now asking questions that should have been covered before this point or are not responding because because they know the questions should have been asked before it came to this. This is a prescription for academic disaster. Top this off with the lack of respect the degree has in the academic community and I am out of this place after the first quarter and will move on to real alternatives. Chalk this one off to a learning experience in what not to do.

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28 of 33 people found the following review helpful

I have had a good experience

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration - January 6, 2012
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Good school with good professors. If you are looking for someone to hold your hand through college, then go elsewhere.

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10 of 18 people found the following review helpful

Great content ... poor licensure

Education - January 3, 2012
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I completed my MA in Educational Leadership a few years ago. I was not able to get a principal's certificate with it and needed to take two extra courses elsewhere. Then I was fine. Now I am applying for the supervisor's certificate and having the same problem. Except now it is four more courses. So essentially, I am needed to take 18 additional credits. I got my original MA degree from Walden a few years ago. When I checked back recently I saw all of the expanded options for degrees and I noticed they now list my degree as non-licensure. I wish they would have made that clear a few years ago. It would have saved me a lot. The content of all of the courses was excellent, above and beyond. I do not know why they just don;t amend their courses a bit to fix this problem.

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10 of 15 people found the following review helpful

Walden sucks

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - November 17, 2011
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Walden accepts anyone with a pulse who can qualify for a loan. When it comes to graduation, then the standards become like Harvard's. They won't let you graduate until they milk you out of every penny. It is a scam and online degrees are worthless. Not even Walden would give me a position as an assistant. They turned me down repeatedly as soon as i applied.

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26 of 32 people found the following review helpful

I LOVE Walden

MSN in Nursing - November 12, 2011
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I am currently a Walden student in the MSN-education prograam, and I love it. This has been a wonderful experience and oppurtunity to advance my self and career. The program is intense but so is life, the instructors will prepare you to teach others the wonderful art and science of nursing upon completon. I am off to realize my dreams come Spring 2012, Thanks walden

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15 of 24 people found the following review helpful

PhD in Org Psych

Psychology - November 10, 2011
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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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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

Bad Experience - Dissertation Nightmare and More

Psychology - October 26, 2011
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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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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful

Jamel D. Walden University

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration - October 3, 2011
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Maybe it is just me but this school seems to be a really hard if you were taught to do school assignments differently. It's like this. The way I was taught to do papers is totally different from what these instructors want. Every paper that I was taught how to do is to make sure most of it is in your own words just like the school material is, but I have recieved a person's paper from an instructor on how a paper should be. People, this paper was almost all citations. The instructors do not even go by the mandatory DQ assignments, they want it their own way. As a matter of fact they are not even the one's that give the assignments. They have someone else make up the assignments for the class. They ask questions on tests that aren't even the book or the person that made the assignments, got them from the wrong book. For example a test that I took for my Leadership class. There were a few questions that was on chapter 29 of the book and the course material is only chapters 1 through 12. If I could do things over I would prefer to go to an on campus college. I went to a 2 year college and was acing my classes, the only thing that sucked is that they did not like the fect that I never went to class. They told me it was not my grades, because the instructors informed them that when I did go to class, I helped the other people, it was my lack of showing up to class. That was my fault totally. I figured hell if i can pass tests and papers with A's and B's I wouldnt need to go, boy was I wrong. I guess it is my own stupidity. Last night I talked to one of my classmates and he said he is passing with a 3.2 and he puts his paper through a website that does everything for you from grammar and what you should have as citations. Now I'm like damn, if only I would have known that the teachers like that better. Oh he also informed me that they use a specfic Word format and if you send them a paper and do not have that program you will get a deducted grade. How f'ed up is that. Well if I don't graduate from there, I at least hope there is a school that will accept a 1.9.

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13 of 20 people found the following review helpful

Dissertation Nightmare and More

Psychology - September 25, 2011
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I had some positive experiences with a few instructors and administration at Walden. However, I believe the majority of my experience has been negative. Information was withheld from me when I enrolled at Walden. By the time I received the information, it would have been finacially too late for me to leave the program. If I were to list all of the issues with "miscommunication" or lack of communication it would be a nightmare. Actually it was a nightmare. More students than not who started when I did were in the same boat... lot of tears literally during this process. The dissertation process is enough to make you lose your mind. I had a committee member leave Walden, a wonderful instructor and very committed to helping me. It took 12 weeks to find someone else after sending emails to the entire department requesting someone. Walden charged me for the quarter and said it was not their responsibility. I filed two appeals. They still said they would not refund my money for the quarter. What? Even the interim department head was obnoxious and mean about it and made me wait to schedule with him because he was at residency for two weeks. So, I guess he has not access to his calendar while at the school's residency weeks. Furthermore, my chair needed me to tell her what she had already approved and bring her up to date every quarter. What? My methods person very seldom returned my emails, even when I asked for help. I could go on and on with reasons for disliking Walden and even being embarrassed to say I attended there. I will never recommend Walden to anyone. I believe the education was good, but all the problems that go along with it, is simply not worth it.

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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

God Help Us If This Is True

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - September 22, 2011
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I sincerely hope that what I've read about Walden's delay practices is not true. I'm ABD right now (in the EdD program) and suddenly my 4.0 gpa has found me in jeopardy of academic dismissal because I earned a "u" in 1 non-credit course. I understand the work required, but if things continue as others have experienced them, I will transfer before I go down with this horrible practice.

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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

Beware and do research on all online programs first.

Mental Health Counseling - September 16, 2011
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I am incredibly dissapointed with Walden University. In my first week alone I had three courses with one instructor who had highly punitive values. In the discussion board, she chastized students making it very embarrassing for everyone. I was also notified that the cost of the residencies had increased to a phenominal rate. This was not the rate I was quoted before I was admitted. I chose to drop out of the program, but when I contacted my admissions advisor twice to find out the procedure, I never received a response. I would not recommend this school. It is not student friendly.

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28 of 33 people found the following review helpful

Walden's unfairness

Mental Health Counseling - August 19, 2011
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I cannot say anything against the instructors at Walden, however I can say that for a university that is as highly rated as Walden and teaches psychology this school is heartless to the students. My husband became terminally ill forcing me to withdraw from classes. He passed away two months later. I did return to classes but unfortunately had to take a leave of absence during the summer because I have a 4 year old and no child care. I was dropped from Walden, most universities would have had me show proof to the dean and excused my absence, not Walden

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19 of 22 people found the following review helpful

Great Online School

MSN in Nursing - August 17, 2011
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I recently graduated in the MSN-nurse educator program, and I absolutely loved it! I felt like i was in traditional classes because its semester based and you take one class every 8 weeks with week or 2 break in between semesters. The text book are included in the tuition and they are delivered before classes begin. The intructors were very attentive and available. Student support services always available, never had any problems with advising. Great School!

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16 of 21 people found the following review helpful

Dissertation Nightmare

Psychology - August 5, 2011
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Texts are a higher rating because they are the same texts in other doctoral programs. Half the teachers care and the other half don't. Institution, Support, Value, and Use of Technology are poor in all respects. The Dissertation process is dragged out for every student for a reason-money. It felt very strange that I had many professors drop midstream from their roles as a chair, university research reviewers, and methodologists (no kidding lots dropped the university midstream or could not fulfill a role because not completing Walden driven courses). I had an IRB nightmare of failed communication delays that led to an additional 3 quarters despite immediate turn arounds of drafts and revision requests with the support of my committee.

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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

bad reviews are from whiners

Education - July 27, 2011
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If you read the negative reviews they're from students that every teacher knows well.....the whiner. Nothing is ever their fault and every teacher is bad. They want the work done for them. Walden is only for the motivated person. I am proud of my phd work and how hard I worked to do it. The money complaints are ludicrous. Obviously those whiners never put children through a brick and mortar college. Warden is cheap compared to them and there are no hidden costs. There are so many people like me who work hard in their job and do not have the Time to return to regular college classes. Thank goodness for walden.

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9 of 26 people found the following review helpful

Walden - If you coast you will languish

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - July 23, 2011
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I am a PhD (Educational Leadership) 2006 graduate of Walden. The university is designed for the adult learner--meaning any individual who attends and expects to earn a degree must be self-directed. Many times I encountered other students who were still working on their first KAM or had not even begun it. From my perspective, Walden becomes a filter in the sense that those who can and will do the work move forward and earn the degree while others--again from my perspective--simply languish by not doing the required work either because they thought it would be much easier or simply are not capable of doing it. If you are thinking of Walden, the convenience of a vitrual school is a true advantage. At the same time, if you are not self- directed and need a "face to face" environment to motivate you, Walden is not a good match. The "delays" that other individuals refer to happen at most schools and to most doctoral candidates. There are few folks with a doctorate who do not have some kind of horror story about revisions, the committee, etc. This is all part of the process. Overall, I found Walden to be a good experience for me and would recommend it.

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7 of 17 people found the following review helpful

MBA - All the information is there, its what you make of it

MBA - July 16, 2011
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Materials and books are shipped to you. Extensive online library. Courses and well outlined with clearly stated objectives. Some real time lectures would make this a 10/10. I enjoy a tough instructor, and mostly that's what I have found at Walden. They encourage independent learning, meaning one must search for one's answers. The overall expectation has been that a strong base must have been established in the undergraduate work. Institution is perhaps the let down here. I really had hoped that it is better known and was more accredited. I believe students want to feel in some ways secure about the school they attend and am still unsure about how it truly compares to other MBA programs. For instance, banks in Canada where I'm from could not grant me a student loan because they have not recognised the school yet (its still too new). Support: In spite of my doubts, the accounts receivable office has been unbelievably understanding that I am paying as I go and have worked with me to make payments incrementally. My academic advisor responds back to me within hours, as do my instructors. The value of the program has been worth my effort. I work full-time as I take my course, and in the last year my work has improved. I feel more confident and competent within my field. The program has taught me to take the initiative. I have an interview with one of the company leaders next week! 2 years ago, I didn't believe it would happen. Technology - so far so good. No major crisis. Suggest a portable computer and back-up drives.

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10 of 15 people found the following review helpful

Another Money Hungry Online School...

Ph.D. in Management - July 15, 2011
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Walden University I am currently attending Walden University. After leaving the University of Phoenix, Walden was a breath of fresh air…well I thought it was. I am currently enrolled in a B.S. Information Systems – Self Design. The enrollment process was a breeze and the enrollment staff was extremely helpful. This online college seemed very different than the previous institution I was enrolled in. Well, a few months pass and once again I am faced with poor communications from Walden advisors and staff. Many Walden advisors and instructors take more than 3 days to respond to e-mails and frequently do not answer their phone calls. The quality of education seems very easy and not challenging. The cost of each class is through the roof and you also have to purchase your own materials on top of it but, I knew this going into this institution. I feel that Walden is more organized than my previous online school but, I still feel that this institution’s number one goal is profit. There is so much potential when it comes to online schooling but, many “for-profit” online schools are creating a terrible name for online schooling across the board. Steer clear of schools such as this and do a ton of research before pouring money into the degree of your choice.

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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful

Yes - its Bad if you're not just after a piece of paper.

Ph.D. in Management - July 13, 2011
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First, the interface is goofy and overabundant; there is a syllabus 1, 2, course instructions, calendar and application. All of which have different specifics on how the work is to be done, but you also have the instructors putting out their own rubrics. The teachers are not bright, they encourage groupthink, do not grade by the syllabus, and are educational in their approach with the students. It's more like a social gathering in the discussions and, in several instances, I've had to correct the instructors on items they had wrong. It is very clear that the instructors are not very educated themselves and are not familiar with theories that are taught. The books are expensive, and they require multiple editions to be order. For example, one class was three books, but we only need about 1/4 of it to complete the course. The rest of the course, we never talk about anything out of the other books, which cost well over $150 dollar for three, but that's because I bought at discount prices. If you purchase at full price, well, goodluck. They said "oh yeah," you can download the books for less, but that's not true. The downloads are the same price as regular books. They told me that I could take classes where I would work alone, but that's not true. My very first class, I am stuck in groups with mandatory weekly meetings that I could not attend. Anyway, it's just been an awful, awful experience. I am in my second class, but I will be leaving as soon as it's done.

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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

Rip Off Big Time

PhD Public Health - April 30, 2011
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I am currently attending Walden's purported PhD Public Health program and I have to tell you, it's a major joke on the students. The professor, who also earned his doctoral degree from Walden, does not disseminate any useful information, and forget about lectures as there are none, not even PowerPoint presentations. He makes very casual comments in response to the students' posts and never offers anything substantial. He grades the assignments but it is clear that he does not read them as he offers no feedback. His only focus is that we use APA formatting. There is absolutely no way that anyone will learn anything about public health in this type of setting. And while Walden boasts about having instructors who are experienced, what's the point if the intructors are not sharing that experience or expertise in the classroom. I am a 12 year public health veteran and could definitely teach or should I say manage the activity in the classroom as there is absolutely no teaching. It claims that it is a student centered environment wherein students teach each other. The problem with that argument is students are not qualified and nor should they be expected to teach their fellow doctoral classmates. Many of them are simply paraphrasing information for the sake of answering a question. A significant number do not have a background in public health. Anyone claiming to learn from this setup is actually lying or is too ignorant to realize that she/he is being exploited. You will learn more from reading books and scientific articles than this university. They also exploit their students by requiring them to attend 4 so-called residences out of state and usually in large metropolitan cities like Atlanta. The students have to pay an additional registration fee, plus housing and transportation all for the sake of hanging out with their faculty and fellow students. In addition, the guest speaker is never someone in the public health field. This year Eric Michael Dyson will speak. While I have his books, he has no experience in my area, hence, why would I pay money to hear him speak, and how is this experience considered a residency. During a residency, the student usually works at an external organization in h/his area of study; these are not residences, rather social gatherings that fill Walden's pockets. Therefore, if you merely want a worthless degree, and expensive one, this is the place for you. If you want to truly learn about public health, I strongly advise you to attend a traditional public health program at a state university. I realize that sitting in a classroom is so yesterday and an inconvenience but you will learn a lot more and establish real relationships with your faculty and public health community. This will be my first and last course at Walden.

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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

up ste, mislead, lied to by walden

Education - April 21, 2011
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I started at Walden last June after I transferred from Cappella with the belief that I could graduate in a year because of degree needs for my job. They helped me to map out my course to aid me completing the course in the year which convinced me to transfer. I was told to do a course petition to double my course loads to get the desired result of 1 year completion of the program. This was successful until now. I have two classes left and thought I could take them in this next set of 8 weeks so that I could have my degree before the next school year(which was needed to keep my job) IN STEAD I have to sit out the term and take one class starting in July and the other in September. I will not finish until October. I WAS COMPLETELY DECIEVED, MISLEAD, LIED TO AND TRANSFERRED AND ENROLLED UNDER FALSE PRETENSES. I am beyond up set. Why was I not told until it was time to register for my last two classes that were not even offered. They said that i was ahead and the courses were not finished being developed!!!! They should have told me my desired graduation was not feasible bc the program was not completed yet. Now I will lose my job- thanks to Walden who knew my situation and choose to use my livelihood to get their numbers up!

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14 of 17 people found the following review helpful

NOT AN EASY ROAD

Psychology - April 19, 2011
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I received my BS and MS from a traditional school. Currently, I'm enrolled in the Health Psychology (PhD) program and hear me on this: IF YOU EXPECT AN EASY ROAD BECAUSE YOU PAID YOUR MONEY, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. This is by far the hardest thing I've ever done school wise. The professors are helpful, but remember, this is a PhD program. You'll find support, but no hand holding and no excuses. I want to choke people when I hear distant learning is easy.

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13 of 17 people found the following review helpful

Bachelors

Psychology - April 18, 2011
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Induction into Psi Chi, a chance to work in an NSF funded program, respect of my peers from brick and mortar universities, and a chance once I complete an MS in mental health (and internship hours) to practice in the real world.These are just some of the benefits of attending Walden University. I am conducting research and broadening my skill sets. These are the same goals many other students have, irrespective of the university they attend. Some brick and mortars do a great job in such development and some do not. The same is true of some online institutions. Maybe Walden is not for everyone, based upon temperament and the Big 5 personality traits, but for me it is has been and continues to be a very rewarding experience.

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2 of 5 people found the following review helpful

untitled

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - April 7, 2011
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I began the process of completing my Doctoral degreeat Walden University. During my second quarter, I was advised by a very reliable source that Walden along with a few other online universities allow individuals without a Bachelors degree to enroll in the Doctoral program. I called Walden and asked if this were indeed the case. I was told that an individual need only be able to prove they have a Masters degree. In my opinion, one should have to show that they have completed both a Bachelors and Masters before pursuing a Doctoratal degree. I was troubled by this and decided to pursue my degree elsewhere.

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15 of 20 people found the following review helpful

1st Semester M.S., Mental Health Counseling, Forensic Counseling

Mental Health Counseling - March 26, 2011
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I am in my 1st semester of M.S., Mental Health Counseling, Forensic Counseling with Walden University. I must say, I was very doubtful to say the least in obtaining a Master's degree online, specifically regarding my area of expertise. As of right now, I am sooooo thrilled that I chose Walden U. There is a Student Support Group on Facebook, started by other students, that offers great advice, work arounds, and support. My instructor is phenomenal and the course work required is right inline with preparation for a Clinical Practice and even sets the tone for Ph.D. If you are second guessing yourself about Walden U., please rethink the process. Sure, there is not a perfect school, even the traditional brick and mortar, but the quality of education that I am receiving is surpassing my expectations, which are usually held in very high regard. I already have made some connections for possible internships and am looking forward to completing my first residency in the next few months. Come aboard with an open mind, focused, and ready to achieve your goals and you will not fail!!!!

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8 of 13 people found the following review helpful

Rising Tuition / Fees

Mental Health Counseling - March 11, 2011
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Attending the on-line program for one year. After the first quarter the credit hours for the graduate classes increased from 3 credits to 5 credits, therefore, a higher cost per class. Then - a tuition increase the following quarter to further increase the bill. Then - each quarter since the start the 'technology fee' increased from $20/class to $40/class and now is $60/class. Then add in the high cost of Text Books, required DVD's and required Study Guides/Workbooks each quarter and it comes to roughly $2,200 to $2.600 per class. Multiply this by the 18-20 courses needed to attain a degree and you are looking at $45,000 - $52,000. Student Loans or out of pocket costs ? Walden University has taken all the enjoyment out of higher education with their avarice, unethical, practice all in the name of PROFIT. They need to rewrite their Mission Statement to state the true message; HYPOCRISY & GREED Beware before admission ! - research other options before you agree to take on this ever increasing debt.

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Not Accomodating At All

Education - February 23, 2011
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Walden University is NOT flexible or helpful for working adults. I was less than 1 week into my first class when my teaching position was switched from part time to full time. My superintendent told me that he would no longer allow me time off to student teach. Walden WOULD NOT accomodate any other time to student teach NOR waive my fee for the class that I had only been in for 6 days, even with documentation from my superintendent. Rip Off!!!

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12 of 16 people found the following review helpful

Walden University - Accreditation

Ph.D. in Management - February 16, 2011
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I'm writing to inform any one who is considering Walden to obtain a degree in Public Health: None of its programs are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Employers recognize CEPH accreditation and will expect that your degree comes from a program that his this professional accreditation. Walden did submit an application a couple of years ago but withdrew and has not resubmitted. Walden does have regional accreditation but not professional. These are distinct types of accreditation and offer different benefits. In addition, it boasts of having a faculty who has terminal degrees and are experts in the field of public health, these purported experts are not required to actually lecture. This is a self-taught environment; you are on your own. Finally, the residencies are a rip off in that they are an additional cost to attend and students also incur travel and lodging expenses. The residencies do not focu on public health issues rather they are social gatherings at your expense and another way for Walden to screw you.

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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

VERY DIFFERENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Mental Health Counseling - February 4, 2011
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I was honestly thinking of transferring to a traditional bricks and mortar school until returned recently from my first Residency (two are required for this program) I finally was able to put a name with a face to students who I have only interacted with via the online classroom. In addition, I met some very intelligent members of faculty and was impressed by almost all of them. (joking aside, there were a few that I did not enjoy the experience of coming it contact with), but that goes with the territory and of course with any college, regardless of the format. Walden has really impressed me and the first residency afforded me new friendships and networking opportunities that I hope will last a lifetime. Think outside of the traditional classroom and think about Walden. You will not regret your decision. One caveat, the course work is not easy or trivial, and it actually will require you to work very diligently and force you to rethink your abilities.

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4 of 8 people found the following review helpful

BSBA

Ph.D. in Management - February 2, 2011
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After starting with another online university, I chose to enroll with Walden University based on recommendations from collegues and my employer. I have not been disappointed. Class tuition is not inexpensive but I have been very pleased with BSBS program overall. The courses are challenging and most professors expect quality work. Online courses are not for everyone so please ensure you are a good fit for schools of this type.

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2 of 5 people found the following review helpful

Excellent program!

Mental Health Counseling - January 22, 2011
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I am in my third semester with Walden in the Master's of Science Counseling program. Before choosing Walden I conducted research on the school and read other Walden students' reviews and decided to take a chance on it. I will abmit, I was a little worried, because it is an online program and I wanted to make sure that I was going to prepare me to take on a new career in the counseling profession. As it turns out, the professionals are VERY professional, knowledgable and friendly. I have only great things to say about this school. If you are thinking that this program is going to be easy, you might want to re-consider. The professors hold high standards (which should be expected in a graduate program), they expect you to produce quality material, whether for weekly discussions or weekly papers or final projects in APA style format. You are required to attend and participate in two residencies over the duration of the program which are very intense; especually the last residency which you will engage in 10 hours of group counseling sessions. The professors are very supportive and helpful in enhancing your skills to help you complete the residencies and master skills that will make you an effective future counselor. I have yet to have one instructor I did not feel cared about my success. In addition, the program is very focused on making sure you understand your state's requirements toward attaining licensure before you complete the program. I would argue that about this program is about 70% online. The other 30% would consist of residency and internship practicum hours that you must complete prior to graduation. Keep in mind, this program is CACREP accreddited, which means that this program is internationally recognized and will take dedication, the degree will be just be handed to you, you have to actually work for it. If I could give you advice it would be being very familar with APA style format, be self-motivated, computer savy, dedicated, and possess good time management abilities and you will succeed. As of 2009, was able to introduce a new Chapter to Sigma Chi Iota Honors Society, which means that if you possess a 3.5 or higher after your first residency or third semester you would be invited by the Director of the program's Chapter to become a member of the program's Chapter and join the Sigma Chi Iota. This school genuinely cares about their students and their success. Don't think that because it is "online" that you will not recieve a quality education. It is an EXCELLENT program! This is coming from a student who recieved an undergraduate degree from a traditional university (UNLV) and I have been very impressed!!

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4 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Ed.D. Warning

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - January 17, 2011
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As so many others have written regarding the Ed.D. Educational Leadership degree program; do not waste your time and money. I sailed through my coursework with all "A's" and great encouragement from all my instructors. They told me my dissertation topic and research was great and I was right on track to move ahead. Then I got get kicked in the face by my almost non-existent doctoral committee. Having also been an employee with Walden during my program I can assure you that the speculation regarding a planned strategy to delay your doctoral graduation is real. Unlike most universities, Walden's profits drive the Ed.D. programs; instructors do as they are told. And I was also unfortunate enough to have my review committee assigned from both Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs. I experienced professional warfare I would never have imagined. This review only pertains to the Ed.D. Educational Leadership program and not the MST programs. I am very biased against Walden's overall treatment of customers which is why I chose to leave the university, but my experiences on the Ed.D. program are very real and unbiased.

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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

PhD in public health

PhD Public Health - January 17, 2011
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Overall, my experience at Walden has been good. The only thing I don't like is that not every staff is knowlegeable and consistent in answering our questions. For example, I have asked different enrollment and academic advisors regarding the PhD in Public Health accreditation and when we can start our dessertation. My enrollment advisor told me she didn't know about public health program accreditation, and my academic advisor told me it is not accredited. So then I emailed the program coordinator, who told me that the PhD program in Public Health is not accredited by CEPH because the lack of CEPH accreditation on this program will not adversly affect students in the long run, since a PhD degree is an academic degree and not a professional degree. MPH degree, on the other hand, is important to be accredited. Other than some staff not knowing answers to our questions, I liking my courses thus far; things are flexible at Walden and enables me to complete my assignment whenever I want throughout the week. There is a lot of reading and writing in the PhD in public health program so I take note on this; at least one assignment a week per course. At the end of the day, I am learning a lot from my courses at Walden so I am satisfied.

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3 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Great in the beginning, now so frustrated and disappointed

EdD Teacher Leadership - January 14, 2011
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I received my Masters from Walden and was very impressed with the program. I learned a great deal and that is why I decided to pursue my doctorate from Walden as well. I have been in the program since May 2007. The classes in the beginning were challenging and informative and I was excited about getting to the dissertation and research stage of the process. I have been at the stage of waiting to be approve for research for two years! My first three chapters have been written for two years. I have had several committee changes and chair resignations. I have never missed a deadline and have never received anything but an A in my courses, except the one time my chair made a mistake and gave me an unsatisfactory grade because she got me confused with someone else and I have had for for my chair for two years!!! It was a headache to get it corrected and I had to provide numerous forms of documentation to prove it. The hold up is not me, they drag everything out, email responses, returning of paper submissions, assigning of committee members, everything! I do not normally complain but I wanted anyone who is contemplating getting their Doctorate Degree from Walden to know their practices. I am stuck. I have paid Walden thousands of dollars and do not want to give up on attaining my goal but I am running out of money and the excitement of conducting valid research is gone. It is so frustrating. Potential Walden students BEWARE!

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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

PhD Education K-12 Leadership

Ph.D. in Management - January 12, 2011
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My experience with Walden University has been nothing but great. My first contact with Walden was with a representative who was extremely knowledgeable and very understanding of my needs and goals. After steering me in the right direction, I was accepted to the school of Education and given a mentor. I could not have asked for a better person!! He is available to me at all times. I can contact him by phone when necessary and if I e-mail him, he respons within 24 hours. Every class I have taken has been very helpful to my career. I have found myself applying a lot of what I have learned from my courses at Walden to my job. I think the classes can be challenging but one only gets out of it what one puts into it. Many students feel the courses are too easy and professors do not care but I find the complete opposite. The professors are very good in their fields and every tiime they respond to my discussions, they always leave me with something to think about that helps me in my occupation. I find the materials to be very helpful. I always purchase the suggested texts for reference and use them frequently when working on various class projects. With regards to the library, I have had nothing but wonderful experiences. If I need help, I can always reach someone on the phone and if I leave a message, they always call back. If I e-mail them, they always e-mail back within 24 hours. My only concern is the finances. I do feel $20,000 a year is steep. I am $65,000 in the hole as of now and I expect it to reach $100,000. I must keep in mind that this PhD is going to advance me in my career and allow me to follow my dreams which would be impossible without the degree.

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3 of 7 people found the following review helpful

MS in General Psychology

Psychology - January 9, 2011
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I have been delightfully surprised and pleased with Walden. In truth, this school was last on my list but I am so glad I enrolled. This school is not to be snubbed because it is online. The course work is challenging and I have learned quite a bit. There is a lot of writing and reading. I am in classes with some very intelligent individuals and have learned as much from them as I have the materials and in doing my own research for discussions and essays.

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2 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Great MBA Program

MBA - January 6, 2011
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I received my MBA in the spring of 2010 and was very pleased with the quality of the program. I went to a traditional university for undergrad and decided to go back and earn my MBA for professional development. I needed a program that offered online courses due to the unpredictable nature of my work schedule; I couldn't commit to a class room type of environment not even on the weekends as sometimes I had to work. I received excellent support from my professors and classmates. Accounting has always been my least favorite subject and while struggling in class I contacted my professor and she scheduled a phone call with me to discuss the subject. We proceeded to speak for 45 minutes until I finally understood. You can't get that type of quality time with professors at many large brick and mortar institutions; usually it's with a TA. The coursework is not as easy as you may think. My first year in the program was about as challenging as I expected meaning that I didn’t really stress out much. My second year in the program was much more demanding, rigorous and challenging. I had to work hard to earn every good grade I received. As a matter of fact, to add credibility to the program, I went to a presentation with an association I belong to at SMU in Dallas which is well known academically. The speaker was one of the professors from their MBA program who taught their HR Management course. He presented a topic he was currently covering with his students. It was the very same topic I was studying at the time at Walden which made me feel very good and secure with the quality of education I was receiving. An added plus – they deliver your materials to your front door. For the busy professional this is priceless!! Good luck and I hope my review helps.

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5 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Two Classes From Finishing

Education - December 29, 2010
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I was in the Masters of Science in Education with a Special Education No-Liscenure. I fell below my required GPA and lost my financial aid. I filed an appeal and I was also denied an extension of my financial aid for onemore semester. I was two classes from receiving my degree. I was backed against a wall and had to withdrw from the university because I can not afford to pay the classes out of my pocket. It is very unfair that students that are in a financial need are denied something that would help them better their lives and futures. I am a single parent and live on a very limited income. I worked very hard to get and complete what I did at Walden University. I made many ajustments in my life just so that I could get my Masters Degree. I am very unhappy with outcome of this university's answer to resolving student GPA problems.

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5 of 9 people found the following review helpful

The worst mistake I've ever made

Ph.D. in Management - December 19, 2010
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I began the PhD in Sepcial Education program at Walden in the Fall of 2006. Since that time, Walden has changed several aspects of the program, adding to the length of time for me to complete my degree (so far, 3 quarters have been added at a cost of approximately $4200.00 per quarter). Even though I was Accepted under the 2005/2006 catelogue, Walden did not "Grandfather" myself or other students when these changes were made. I am too close to finishing, so now I am stuck with ever changing and conflicting rules. My current personal favorite is that after completing and accpetance of my proposal, and subsequent data collect, the Univeristy Research Reviewer has changed her mind about my proposal and now wants signifcant portions of the proposal re-written along with the research questions. This is totally inapropriate, vilotas Walden's stated policy, yet I have been told to "jump through the hoop" (yes, that is an exact quote). I urge you to save yourself time, money, frustration and aggravation. Do not go to Walden. FYI, I currently have a 4.0 GPA and have never missed a deadline. The delays are on Walden's part. Work is reviewed by their staff on a consecutive time frame instead of concurrent; on other words, if 3 people need to review your writing, they each take a turn, one after the other. Run, don't waste your time like I have. Signed, Stuck at ABD

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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

I find it to be pretty decent for an online school

Mental Health Counseling - December 9, 2010
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I am currently a student in the 5th quarter of this program and my honest opinion is that this is a pretty decent school. I enrolled in the school after I graduated from a top University, University of Michigan(Ann Arbor). I liked the idea that I would have a chance to earn money as well as pursue my graduate degree. What first intrigued me was the support and information that I received from the enrollment advisor as well as the academic advisor. I can also vouch for the support of the administrative staff and faculty. During my first residency the very first day I had an emergency situation which required me to go to the hospital. I spoke with staff about my situation and they were there for me. They sat with me comforted me and even called a cab for me to go to the hospital. I know what you may be thinking at this point "wow that's not alot that's the least" and I agree. But do to policy and conflict dual-relationship contact they couldn't ride with me to the hospital. So I was alone in Texas(I'm from Michigan) at the hospital. As I layed in the hospital bed I had a knock on my door. To my surprise there were 3 faculty members at my door. One was my current professor, one a facilitator of the residency and the other administrative staff. It blew my mind that they came (they found a loop hole in the policy they couldn't ride with me but they could come separately). They stayed the entire night until 4am! Never would I have had this type of support from any faculty at the University of Michigan. Along with this I receive valuable feedback from my professors in a timely manner. I now know that I cannot slack in this program and expect the professor to give out A's because I have received C's in the past. The residency reassured me about enrolling in the program because of the opportunity to actually meet my professors and advisors. Like others I do believe that the program is quite expensive as well as the books needed. But mind you I attended the most expensive public school and experienced the same costs for books. The only difference is then I had scholarships and grants to cover the majority of the expenses. There are some bad reviews here but I have also heard bad reviews for UofM. But yet it's still a good school. I look forward to completing this program and hopefully things get even better.

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3 of 6 people found the following review helpful

PhD in Organizational Psychology

Psychology - November 4, 2010
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The lack of support, systems and competent instruction is appalling. Faculty and staff do not return emails nor are they concerned about anything but the tuition. The faculty are not competent, no feedback, faculty unavailable, emails go unanswered, classroom posting go ignored, tons of admin problems, every one blaming the other department and no one helping to solve problems...total disorganization...it was a joke. I would not recommend walden university. My experience there in the past several years has been very disappointing. There is no motivation to support graduation...in fact they have employed systems to make graduation impossible or difficult and expensive at best. The departments do not collaborate or back up their promises... Save yourself the headache.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Walden Science Education K-8

Education - November 3, 2010
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I am writing this review so you might know some of my experience. If you are a science educator and like me feel strongly about getting a masters in science, this is probably the best bet out there. Unlike when I took teaching methods courses, the Walden course program doesn't just tell you things like 'use inquiry,' it actually has you participate in inquiry. Clearly as a science specialist you get far more depth out of experiences than your students would, but the course really helped me jump start ideas in my classroom. I also got a few lab ideas, although the supplies needed may sometimes be too expensive for a typical classroom. A drawback was that if you didn't have as much understanding in a particular area, it was more difficult to discuss with peers. While you would still learn about the topic, there wasn't as much richness without learning the theories behind the lab experiences first. Some of the professors are fabulous at feedback; some are not. I suppose just as with any masters, the level of difficulty steps up quite a bit over time. You definiately feel this and by the last couple courses, it's a time crunch. I was glad it was summer, and the courses accomodate you for that. There's little flexibility with due dates however. It's asking to move mountains to get your assignments early. I tried twice, once with luck. I'm not sure why they're so strict about that. I know the courses progress, but I would have thought that GETTING MARRIED would have been a good reason to get an assignment one week ahead of time. If you can make due with the rigid due dates, the courses are varied and interesting. The company Walden uses to ship materials is deplorable in it's service. The first few shipments they had a slip that said, "Everyone makes mistakes," so you could tell them what broke or wasn't sent. Initially, it seemed okay. After the first few shipments, that slip stopped coming, but the mistakes sure didn't! You may need to do some shopping and scramble to get the equipment to work at times because of this. I do think I learned more than I expected. It was easy to match with my schedule (most of the time). Overall, I'm happy with what I've learned.

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See Comments of ToGraduate2013 Below

Psychology - October 30, 2010
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No more remarkable than most on-campus programs except it's online. I think it is more scholarly than other online programs based on discussions with other classmates who transferred in. The classmates I know that transferred, did so because the other programs required less statistics, and had less requirements. That tells you something about the difference in online schools. Simply people get what they put into it. Read my comments at the bottom of the page under "ToGraduate2013" I left details to consider before attending this or any online school.

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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful

Was skeptic, but I am impressed and happy

Psychology - October 11, 2010
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I have always studied in the traditional class-room univeristy. I was skeptic about studying a PhD on line. I am so pleased to be a Walden student. I like to study and I have to wrok very hard to get good grades. This is no degree mill and I am happy to see that becase, although it has been hard work, I am learnin a lot. I recommend Walden. It is not cheap but you get the best student support and I have had fabuolous instructors.The residencies are immaculately organized.You are always guided through the information. I am an MD and have a Masters in Science in Immunology and I am very happy to be a Walden Student!

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Think twice before attending this "university"

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - September 26, 2010
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Think twice before attending. I did finish the program but it took over 6 years and the Ed.D was advertised as a 3 year program. There are a few good instructors but overall I have to agree with previous comments that the faculty is trained in stalling as long as possible. It is all about the money and instructors wait until the last possible moment to edit, review, etc. I strongly advise anyone considering this program to look at other programs as Walden is only concerned about taking your money.

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

registration for classes

Masters of Public Health - September 7, 2010
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They can't even get you registered for classes in time before your course starts. They make excuses about how they are going to send your paper work in and then you have to chase after them to get the work done. Then just when you think you are registered you can't sign in on the day of classes. I started the registration process at least a month before classes. I have never had so many problems just starting an online course. They can't even send you your course materials before the start date.

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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Loved Walden

Psychology - September 3, 2010
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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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3 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Current Student

Mental Health Counseling - August 29, 2010
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I am in my 6th term at Walden University and have participated in one of the academic residencies that are required for graduation. I have found this learning enviroment one that encourages free expression of different points of view and facilitates a solid discussion of the weekly topics. I have had the opportunity to interact with some of the professors during residency and have found them to be both professional and knowledgable but approachable as well. I encourage anyone interested to request information about the school and this program. Also I am in no way affiliated with the university other than as a student and my review is based only upon my own personal experience. This learning enviroment is like any other you get out what you put in and going this route with the assumption that it will be easier because its online is only setting yourself up for failure.

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Thesis and Dissertation students BEWARE

Psychology - August 27, 2010
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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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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

No one cared enough to answer me

MSN in Nursing - August 21, 2010
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I attended Walden university from May of 2005 until April 2008 when my world crashed. In my final course, the school claimed that they never received the paperwork necessary for my practicum and thus refused to accept anymore of my work. my grade resulted in a zero. I spent countless hours trying to communicate someone at the school with no success. My advice to any potential student or existing student is to save all paperwork, emails, etc; have a back up plan and have multiple contact folks who can help you. My advisor never called me, the professor simply wrote an email and told me to stop sending her work. Needless to say, I am currently paying the student loan for a degree I never received. I have since moved on and have earned my degree from another reputable online school and I am currently pursuing my doctoral degree. The experiences have been great and I am so sorry for all of the students who are being ripped off. Once these folks have your money, no one answers the phone, email, letter, or any other form of communication. Buyer beware!!!!!

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16 of 19 people found the following review helpful

Completed the Walden MISM

MISM - August 12, 2010
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It was a hard degree but worth it. Four of us graduated in the inaugural MISM class in April, 2010. Commencement was in July. The two year effort was clearly not for everyone and many chose to not complete the program for one reason or another or to repeat certain classes and extend the length of the program. I learned far more than I expected from the program and apply it to work and my career regularly. I expect the degree curriculum will evolve based on feedback from our class and other of the early groups. I would recommend this degree program to others with the warning that it is not a mail order degree. It requires real work. Also be sure to have a powerful PC/server with a lot of available hard drive space. You will be installing and learning about many different DB, visualization, Web, Java and other application servers and clients during your two years.

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PhD Bait and Switch

Ph.D. in Management - August 3, 2010
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Walden fails to deliver on promises. They assure you of one thing to get you enrolled (bait), and once you are involved in the program, they tell you it cannot be done (switch). When speaking with the enrollment advisor at the outset, I specifically said that I wanted a PhD in Creative Writing. he assured me that I could do that at Walden. During my first online course, my instructor brusquely told me that "This is not a creative writing course. Go take a class somewhere else." I contacted an advisor who called me, went over my goals in great detail, assured me that I could get my PhD in Creative Writing through the Education Department. The advisor even found a mentor for me who was a published author and working in the same venue as I. He has been great! However, he as well as my second course instructor warned me that Walden may not honor the creative writing degree that I had been assured of. And, in fact, when I went to residency and met with the Dean of the Education Dept, his response was "Absolutely not." I was put in the Education: Self-Design program, but there was nothing self-designed about it. The required courses were the same as any other education PhD degree. I kept pursuing the idea, trying to get clarification. I was a retired teacher of thirty years so knew what I wanted. My goals were clearly stated from the outset--a PhD in creative writing. In the meantime, I maintained a 4.0 in the education courses. I will say that the technical support and library support were very good. Most instructors were responsive, and my mentor was great. If I had been a teacher in midst of my career, I may have found the program worthwhile. But I am now in debt to the tune of just under $30,000 for one year, and I am not getting what I wanted nor what I was promised. I do feel the process was a bait and switch. I was promised one thing, given assurances, and once in the program, was told "No way." I have withdrawn from the university, filed a petition for return of at least part of my tuition, and have had to contact an Ombudsperson in order to even get a response from the Dean of Education. My petition has been denied. Walden is not taking any responsibility for having promised something they had no intention of delivering.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Very Upset

Education - July 19, 2010
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I just received my Masters in Elementary Reading and Literacy in hopes of receiving my Reading Specialist certification. Little did I know, but Walden has not submitted this program to the Minnesotta Dept. of Education for licensure. So, I am not able to use this degree for anything other than a pay increase. What a waste of time and money. What's the hold up Walden? It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to submit the programs for approval. Many people in several states are waiting on this.

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11 of 14 people found the following review helpful

waste of money and time

Psychology - June 11, 2010
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PLEASE I would not recommend Walden University to anyone. Everyone tells one lie after the other about what it means not to be accredited by APA. Basically there is no talk about APA for clinical psychology majors some jobs and employment agencies and teaching opporunties are limited without APA accrediation from schools. Walden University never informs their students that they must travel and be out of their jobs 7 weeks during the year for a residencies. Within the state of New York no residencies are required yet Walden University can still force all students to pay for residencies they do not need for licensure. Some of the professors are very rude and disrespectful. Yes if you have any problems issues are concerns you will be ignored and disrespected. I had a STAT professor tell me to call the President with my concerns and she is claiming to be a clinical psychologist. Please do not waste your time and money. I regret not paying attention to the reviews and I have to pay back money to the government for loans. I have not gained anything from this school but disrespect. Also there is another women who teaches HISTORY And Systems I thought she might have been on drugs, but she was not appropriate for the classrooms. Please waste your time and money with this program or school. Walden University is one big JOKE.

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

Beware

Ph.D. in Management - June 8, 2010
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I was enrolled in Walden's PhD Clinical Psychology program, everything was going fine, got A's in two classes including a very tough statistics class. I found that when I had questions the teachers would only answere one question and when I wanted more clarification there was none. Then there was an instructor in History and Systems who was horrible. Stated that I did not follow APA (she was wrong) and wanted documentation of the original ideas I came up with. Many students I met at the residency also complained of this instructor. Out of the 15 people I met at residency all have left Walden's PhD program to go to brick and mortar schools. If you're going for licensure in psychology Walden is not for you. Too much money and not a good reputation in the psychology world.

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

Walden is great!

Ph.D. in Management - May 25, 2010
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Walden is not for the unmotivated individual! You have to work hard for your accomplishments. The key is finding a chair who is supportive, helpful, and available. I have one, and my experience has been amazing. I am in the final stage of getting my dissertation approved. It's all about being motivated and doing what is asked of you. The analysis of my work was critical, and that's what I expected. You will get out of Walden's doctoral program what you put into it, and that includes the length of time that it takes you to complete.

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3 of 9 people found the following review helpful

Better than I expected

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration - May 25, 2010
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I have just completed my BSBA at Walden after transferring from a city college. I was hesitant of going to an online university because of the "open enrollment" policy. It is very true that some of your classmates will be wholly unprepared for the coursework, especially in 1000-2000 level classes. Most classes require some kind of group project, and this is where your grade can be affected. If you are a diligent student, expect to carry a few group projects. Academic advising is not thorough at times, and deciphering the program progress record is not easy. Aside from this, I want to say that my experience at Walden has been outstanding. Most of the instructors were very down to earth and not stuck in the "academic clouds". Discussions and projects center around real world applications and scenarios. The program is a little more expensive than some, but well worth the price in my opinion. If it werent for the fact that HR departments view a BS and MS from different schools favorably, I would be attending Walden for my MBA as well.

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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Recruitment: harassing phone calls only follow-up

Ph.D. in Management - May 2, 2010
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Attended a lovely presentation and dinner regarding Walden University and spoke with some very nice staff and alumni who spoke favorably of the University. However, the follow-up has been a nightmare. I made the mistake I guess, by giving them my cell phone#. The only approach they seem to use is a barrage of telephone calls at anytime night and day. One night was after 9:00pm and was already in bed asleep so did not answer. A number of other calls came from out of state when I was not available with no messages so assumed several may have been from Walden staff. The one call I did receive a young woman was on the line and identified herself from Walden and came to my cell phone while I was driving and had some urgency to take care of at the hospital. I requested she phone me back later in the week or preferably by mail and she just barreled through totally disregarding my urgent situation. She wanted to know which of the two programs, I had indicated interest, was the one I wanted to know about. I told her both and requested if any materials could be mailed to me about the two programs and told her I had to go as was not a time for me to be on the phone given my urgent situation. She kept going on that I needed to just choose one program and I finally had to just hang up on her given my own urgent situation and driving while on the cell phone. Several weeks have passed and I have never received any written materials describing the two programs of my interest but still just more phone calls at times I could not answer the phone with often no messages left. You would think that they would consider contacting prospective students by respectful methods of either Email or Postal Mail rather than a barrage of calls anytime day or night that amounts to harassment. Times when I was up on the ladder pruning trees, driving in the car, Friday or Saturday evenings, Sunday dinner time, etc. Their recruiting staff's contact strategies of only using the phone call method at any time of day or night or even on Sundays, disrespecting anyone's time or schedule, etc has given me a negative impression of their program.... and am now leary that they are only interested in their money/profit making potential. NOTE: I appreciate the opportunity for this review posting site as a last contact and feedback resort: When I tried to locate a Customer Service site there was no where to email nor telephone anyone to let them know of my desire to receive further program information by either postal mail or Email, and my displeasure with their harassing "telephone only" recruiting tactics.

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

Worth It

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - April 22, 2010
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I attended Walden for their Master's program for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and am now working on my Dissertation for the Education Doctorate in Teacher Leadership. An honest, fair assessment of this school is that they are constantly updating, and changing whatever it is that needs to be changed to stay at the forefront of education research and practices. The Walden Library is vast and extensive, and definitely gives you access to materials you need to complete all of your assignments, and complete research projects. The Writing Center staff is one of the best ones out there, who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our community of learners. They are also personally available during residences to meet the needs of students. The residency allows you to connect with academic advisors, meet with various faculty on topics of that you are interested in, as well as walk you through all of the steps you will need to meet rigourous IRB standards for ethics. My professors have cumulatively ranged from Harvard graduates to state universities, all holding their own doctorate degrees. Walden has put in a lot of time and effort to build and maintain their education standards. My salary has increased rapidly along teacher paycharts in CA, as well as allowing me to meet requirements for professional development to maintain my CA credential. Walden is associated with Canter and Associates and Laureate International. It is only one school in many in this huge network of colleges and universities. I took the time to write this review because I am tired of seeing my school blasted from students who are blaming the entire school for a few poor experiences they may have had. You have to work to earn your grades, and you have to be self-sufficient to complete your work. There is no hand-holding at Walden, but there are several dedicated professionals who understand working adults' schedule. Walden does very much run its school as a business, but this allows room to have ivy league and state professors alike. It is a very diverse environment. Check out Walden for yourself, and make your own decision. I am biased, because I have had good experiences with this school, and my professors. It is a quality education at a competitive rate. Books and materials are included in your fees. If there are others who have had good experiences with Walden, please write so we can drown out these poor experiences. Walden is not a 1 or 2 star school, and deserves better!

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3 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Disappointed, Disallusioned, Debt Ridden

MISM - April 15, 2010
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After extensively researching online schools for a graduate level program offering classes in current technologies to upgrade my skillset and compete in a tough market, I enrolled in Walden University. Walden appeared to offer most, if not all, of the courses I needed. The curriculum included Java, HTML programming, object-oriented design, SOA, network and website design and development with few unrelated management and general education type courses that clutter up many other online universities' advanced degree programs. I had high hopes but they soon were dashed. Walden's program follows a progressive schedule with each class leading into the next and where eliminating one class can effect a student down the line. This happened with a critical class in UML and Java. Our class and others on the same schedule could not access or deploy the resources and the class was changed in midstream to pure research. No programming. Current classes now require us to code and many, myself (have a programming background - just not the time to teach myself)included are lost. Instructor support and feedback in all my classes so far has been minimal or non-existant. Now we have a major development project due in two weeks requiring apps built using, guess what - UML and Java. Moreover, the instructor just posted he will be off until after the class ends. My experience echoes what many others have posted here. Thus far: Poor resources (One book, 2005- a lifetime in IT) Little or no instructor support/feedback (We have an instructors?) Just turn it in - you will get an A (Buying a degree?) Poor writing skills of degree seekers and blatant plagarism (Buying a degree, maybe?) I have 3 degrees from traditional colleges. I am not a whiner nor do I shirk hard work. While education and psychology pursuers may fare better as those courses require mainly research papers, technology seekers beware. Without instruction/resources/tools, IST is darned near impossible online and I agree with the sentiments of many posters here -- If you want to pay over $2,400 to teach yourself, try Walden.

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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Outstanding!

Psychology - April 11, 2010
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I have no idea what other people are talking about! I think Walden University is an exceptional univeristy. As a member of the military, I had to find a school online and Walden was a perfect match. Not only did my degree require completion of 61 credits, but it also required a thesis to graduate. Very few other online schools provide such a demanding program. The professors are also great. They are easy to talk to and available on demand. I have enjoyed every minute at this university and recommend it for those who want a quality education from an online school. Thanks.

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3 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Good curriculum

Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - April 3, 2010
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I felt that the resources that Walden gave me were unsurpassed. Their online library was filled with complete papers and books so I could complete my research for my papers online. They also had an online writing center where I could submit a paper and have it critiqued and reviewed. Once I completed my masters, I contacted the employment center and they helped me fine tune my resume and gave me suggestions for networking to help me with my job search. I have not yet found a job in my field, but with the economic climate today, I am happy to have a job and I continue to pursue a position in my degree field. Overall, I am very happy with my degree and the education I received at Walden. My highest recommendation for Walden is if you start a degree at Walden and then decide to continue your studies at a brick and mortar university, your classes will transfer. Some of these other schools have accelerated degree programs where they create their own curriculum and their credits will not transfer.

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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful

Ed.D Program

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - March 30, 2010
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I have finished my first year. This is a rigorous program, and I am getting alot out of it. I am a lifelong learner who has completed degrees and programs at three other brick and mortar universities. This is on par with those other universities.If you are thinking about an online program, I highly recommend Walden!

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In ABD status

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - March 20, 2010
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I am a current student in EDUC 8090 - The Doctoral Study Intensive which means you are ABD and working on your dissertation. I do feel similarly to the other posts about no one supporting me through the dissertation process. The Chair does nothing yet gets extra money being my assigned committee chair. Now, I must disagree with the others regarding the work. I attended the University of Phoenix and felt like it was a diploma mill. At Walden, I believe I have gained a great deal. Yes, it is a lot more self-directed learning, but that is to be expected from an online learning program. Academic advisement has been helpful, though not perfect, yet my financial aid has been seamless. The academic residencies, which you only have to attend 1 of, yet I elected to attend 2, were beneficial if you made the effort to get all you could. My 2nd residency was almost entirely the library sessions, by choice, so I could learn all their hints, tips, and tricks for research. I videotaped sessions with my Flip camera and have them with me to refer to again. Did I find it some great, networking event? No. Did I gain valuable information? I certainly did. No school is perfect, but I have been pleased for the most part. I had 2 duds as "facilitators" (what they refer to their professors as), but some amazing ones, too.

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1 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Excellent program!

MSN in Nursing - March 18, 2010
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I completed the MSN in Nursing Education with Walden, and I am glad I did. The faculty was excellent, the coursework was challenging and the program was organized so I could plan my work and family life around it. I am considering a post masters certificate, and I am coming right back to Walden. I would recommend this school to anyone!

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3 of 7 people found the following review helpful

A long way to go

Doctorate of Business Administration - February 24, 2010
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The DBA is still a new program and I'm hoping that many of the kinks will be worked out. Unfortunately, the program is lacking in experienced instructors with significant qualifications within the fields they teach, lacking appropriate course materials and course development, and lacking the databases essential to a proper DBA program. First the instruction: In Business Strategy and Sustainability & Writing the Doctoral Prospectus students would fair better buying their own books in support of writing a high level literature review and developing the prospectus and dissertation (check Sage publishing). The only qualification for the instructors seems to be that they wrote a dissertation once. Second the course material/development: Walden has not really supported the courses with appropriate texts nor have they discovered the benefit of e-books. For Business Strategy and Sustainability, there were numerous research articles and two books. Senge's Necessary Revolution and a Harvard Publishing primer on strategy. In a doctoral program, I take great exception to receiving a review manual--to me it is like being a PhD candidate in English lit and receiving a "See Dick and Jane" book. The discussion questions in both classes were banal and elementary--it was a struggle to stay engaged because the question were not thought provoking. Finally the available resources: I was fully aware that Walden was far from being AACSB accredited but I was extremely agitated that a business administration or accounting program would not provide access to a database of publicly traded firms such as Compustat, I/B/E/S, or other databases that enable sampling. What they do provide is the same version of Hoover's online to which most have access through your broker. Given that Walden claims to support a DBA and PhD in finance and a MS in accounting, it seems implausible that they would have no database to support the quantitative methods that generally frame both subjects. If you are a certified professional, use your personal and professional access to these databases if possible. If you are not, find another program that can properly support your continued educational efforts in finance and accounting. This is important because I have been told by one professional organization that I cannot substitute any of Walden's classes for CPE because there is a lack of rigor and support (they were willing to take credits from a non AACSB institution provided the instructors were professionally certified-none of them are certified). I'm still pulling for the Walden model and recently they appointed a permanent DBA program director--I am hoping she will bring stability and improvements to this program.

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

MSN In Nursing Informatics

MSN in Nursing - December 20, 2009
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Walden is an excellent place to advance my career. My classes have taught me a great deal about informatics. I have more knowledge than my directors! The classes are very hard and time consuming. I am getting all A's. I am learning relevant and current information. I am one step ahead of everyone at work because of this program. I can see myself advancing very quickly with this degree. I have already been asked to sit on the executive committee board. I feel so sorry for those who did not have a good experience at Walden. They probably just didn't get it. Walden is an accredited university, equal to other brick and mortar state colleges. I recommend Walden highly. The professors must have a PhD. Many professors have certifications, publications, and years of experience. The only con of Walden is the cost. I paid far too much per credit. It is outrageous. It's close to 1800 per class now. It is ridiculous.

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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Walden AMDS PhD actually more socially-relevant

PhD AMDS - Finance - September 20, 2009
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Having completed my MBA at a traditional AACSB-accredited brick-and-mortar university, I was at first skeptical about the marketability of Walden's online PhD in Applied Management and Decision Sciences. Having attended my first academic residency in St. Charles, IL, last year I am confident Walden was the right choice. One criticism of PhDs in a discipline is that they can sometimes be too focused on esoteric theoretical matters and there is often a disconnect between scholars and practitioners. Walden University has addressed this concern by formulating from the ground up a distance learning scholar-practitioner model that constantly encourages doctoral students to discuss and refine their goals, motivations, and future applications so that their research remains both academically relevant and congruent with the real world. That the majority of Walden doctoral students are already successful executives in their own fields and continue as practitioners throughout their academic careers only serves to reinforce this model. Walden doesn't simply admit students into a doctoral program and leave them alone to complete their research without regard for the real world outside academics--all students before beginning research work complete a Doctoral Foundations course which involves several discussions per week with a professor and other doctoral students discussing and helping each other refine goals and research interests and strategies for success. The Walden University PhD program comprises a series of formal research papers--Knowledge Area Modules--each focusing on a standard facet of a student's chosen research interests, eventually leading to a formal published dissertation. A series of four- and six-day residencies along the way, averaging about one a year, complement the online learning process by providing opportunities to meet students and faculty from all doctoral programs and participate in seminars. With approximately one residency per month in locations across the country and internationally, there are tremendous opportunities for networking and face-to-face interaction. Walden provides comprehensive online access to academic journals and references through a combination of its own licenced resources and document delivery agreements. Its student support, including financial aid, writing centre to assist with the APA Style in place for all doctoral work, and disability and other services are available in an accesible and timely manner. I am confident that Walden, built as a distance-oriented program from its inception, has a winning model for its doctoral programs. If there are any specific questions you have before enrolling, I would be happy to discuss them personally! Please visit http://robincheung.info for contact information!

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Excellent Detailed Program

MS, Nursing Education - August 30, 2009
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I completed the MSN in Nursing Education in June 2008. I've since been promoted. I thought an online degree would look bad compared to the conventional college or university program. It looks better because it requires more time, effort, and some actual computer knowledge. Employers look for those qualities. It was a wonderful program. The courses were intense and current. The capstone project was harder than the local MSN programs. My site supervisor works with other MSN candidates. She stated Walden was the hardest and most thorough. I learned a lot that can be put into practice immediately though out the program. The teachers were fantastic. They require a PhD for all teachers. I was inspired. The local colleges cannot compare to Walden. Walden is the best. The textbooks are current and helpful for practice today. The DVD's are excellent learning tools. The class discussions are exciting and challenging. The applications are detailed and organized. The teachers were very involved and gave great feedback on everything! I liked it so much I am going back for a Post Master's in IT. It's expensive. It's time consuming. It's just plain hard. But going to Walden will improve your practice and take you to the next level in nursing. I strongly recommend Walden as your first choice.

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1 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Walden U - MSN Nursing Education

MSN in Nursing - August 30, 2009
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I am reading some of these reviews about Walden and I wonder what school these people really attended. I recently graduated from the MSN - Nursing Education Specialization and my experience was exceptional. I learned to be a leader and scholar. I learned information about adult learning principles that are current and up-to-date. I never once had a facilitator that was poor - never once! I will admit that at times I felt financial aid or advising could have been more receptive or a little more helpful on the phone, but any issues I ever had were resolved timely. To say that Walden's programs offer diploma mill pieces of paper is an insult to people like myself that have worked hard, in a rigorous program. I am proud of my masters degree and Walden University!

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4 of 8 people found the following review helpful

PhD in Adm/Mag excellent program

Psychology - August 7, 2009
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Walden is excellent school but within Academia Traditional colleges and universities most faculty and administration are bias from hiring graduates from Walden and other online schools due to online graduates competitive edge both experience and professional experience.

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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Lisa Featherston

Psychology - July 25, 2009
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The general staff at Walden do not value you as a student and it shows in the way they talk to you. They are nice enough but you hear a faint "I don't care" attitude that comes through rather than the "You can do it" attitude that should come through.

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

What are you complaining about??

MS, Nursing Education - July 23, 2009
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I am completing my first year of the program and am loving it! I am learning so much and definately on my way as a scholar. The program is time consuming, thought proking and very current. Most of my textbooks have a publishing year of 2008 or 2009. The teachers are involved and helpful. The registration process each term is idiot proof as I do nothing but open the front door to the UPS delivey of my books each term. I had a problem with one of my videos for the week and when I contacted the support desk, a new one was overnighted to me. The online environment isn't for everyone. One must be motivated and active in the discussion boards. Advanced education is not easy.

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1 of 4 people found the following review helpful

So Far, So Good

Psychology - July 21, 2009
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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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2 of 5 people found the following review helpful

What is all the complaining about???

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - July 8, 2009
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I have to sit here and laugh at some of the reviews that I have seen on this post. For those that probably have the biggest complaints I seen one post where someone complained that the professor wanted the student to actually do a few citations; how dare they! I have been going to this school for the past 4 years and have had my ups and downs just like most but for the most part it has been a very good experience. I am pretty sure that most of the complainers on here got their first wakeup call when they read the syllabus and seen that there was a 25-30 page paper due at the end of each class and that didn’t count the title page, abstract, or the references. If you are really lazy and don’t want to have to work to achieve something go ahead and look else ware. The professors are top notch and all have years, and years in the field and are there for the students. I find it funny that the biggest complainers about Walden are the ones who thought the degree was just going to be given to you. I wish it was just given to me as well but they actually make you do some work for it. I did notice that some professors spend more time than others but isn’t it the same way at a normal institute? Not everyone is the same. I had one professor write a 3 page critique on a 25 page paper; I wondered if he did that for everyone? Online school is not for everyone, you don’t get a babysitter to explain when things are do. Now the bad! The Residencies suck! The KAM's really REALLY suck, and I am in the initial part of my Dissertation. The school is EXPENSIVE!!! I kind of look at it as you are getting what you pay for. The research Seminar classes were helpful but in reality they did not help me all that much when it came time to do the actual Learning Agreement for my KAMI had to switch my mentor because the first one was taking 10 days to get back submissions from my KAM; my current mentor takes 2-3 days depending on the size of the submission. Did I happen to mention that the KAM's suck! Basically they are a Thesis on steroids that take 3-4 months to complete and they suck. For anyone who actually thought that you could get a PhD in less than three years needs to take the back of your hand and slap yourself a few times because where did you actually hear that this could be done? The residencies are "OK" the thing that I disliked the most about it is having to listen to what everyone was doing their Dissertation on even though they just started the program. There is different milestones and it seems that they need to keep the milestone 3 and 4 together and let the newbie’s hang out and talk about how much they still have to go. All in all I really don’t mind Walden, I HATE SCHOOL and cannot wait to be completed and have some free time to myself without having to write all the time. There is no way you will succeed in this school if you cannot dedicate at least 8-10 hours a week for normal classes and 14-16 a week while you are in your KAM phase.

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3 of 7 people found the following review helpful

An Absolute Joke!!!

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - July 2, 2009
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Do not waste your money!!! My "Walden Experience"(which is their motto) has been has been nothing but a massive headache, and a VERY expensive one. Committee members, Academic Reviewers, IRB reviewers, and URR personal 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 advertises the Ed.D program as a 3 year program then tells you at the residency (1/3 of the way through your classes) that to be completed in 3 years is rare. I will graduate in December 2009 and refuse to even attend the ceremony because of the disgust I have for the way my peers and I have been treated. Again, save yourself the time, money, and stress- do NOT waste a minute on this university.

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

Horrible Experience

EdD Teacher Leadership - June 29, 2009
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Some of these people who are posting positive reviews of Walden may likely change their minds when they get to the dissertation phase. I loved it too for the first year, but then I began working on my dissertation. The documents on the website say that you will be guided through the process, but that did not happen for me. I have been bullied and essentially hazed by my chairperson as if I were trying to get into an elite fraternity. I have worked extremely hard for over a year on my dissertation, and my chair has not read past page 20 yet (out of 100+). I was told to hire an outside editor because Walden will only edit your chapters twice. Requirements have changed at least 5 times during my work, forcing me to try to hit a moving target. The Ed.D. program is a scam. They put you in a neverending cycle and keep taking your money.

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

You can do better

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - June 25, 2009
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As someone who received their Masters from Walden in 2005, I can say with all honesty that it is not worth the paper it is written on. Sure I received the promotion and salary bump that originally inspired me to get this degree, but there is no way that this degree compares to almost any others school. The classes were easy and obviously written by an outside company and were definitely not of graduate level standards. I wish now that I had not decided to go for convenience over quality in selecting a school. Walden University is a poor choice for anyone who can get into any other school.

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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful

MS in Educational Leadership

Ph.D. in Management - June 12, 2009
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I just completed the MS in Educational Leadership and found the program very challenging. It does take self disipline to stay current on the reading, assignments, and projects and is not for someone whom likes to wait till the last hour to do their work. Online education is fast approaching as most public and private schools are offering online courses even to students attending a brick and mortar location.

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Difficult Program

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - June 10, 2009
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Walden University's school of Public Policy is comprehensive and competitive. There may be a number of students who start the program but not all of them finish the program. I find that classmates who entered the program with me left because the program required a lot more time, energy, writing, and challenges that they were not expecting. The School of Public Policy requires A LOT of reading, writing, and critical thinking. This is certainly not a program that you can just do minimal work and get by. It requires all the same expectations that traditional universities require except you can do it on your own time. The professors come from universities all over the country and have diverse backgrounds that add to the dynamics of the program. You can not enter Walden as a poor writer and leave the same way. The school is very challenging with regards to writing. If you can't read or write, you will never make it through the program. The PhD program tends to be 4-5 years. You can't possibly do it less than 3.

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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Fire Chief

MBA - June 8, 2009
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Two of my buddies and I were going to start a traditional nights weekend MBA program. However after doing traditional colleges for my AA and BSA, and having a growing family, I tried Walden for on-line ease and hopefully not being too difficult. Boy I was wrong. I spend three (years) Christmas days doing homework and almost failed statistics. For those bashing the school it’s probably because somebody they know went there and they are trying to discredit it. My two buddies had their degrees in just over two years. I had mine in three. I am Walden Proud!

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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

EdD Dont Waste your $$$

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - June 5, 2009
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My Dr Chair did NOT know I was in the class, even though I submitted work. 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. Not a diploma mill this is a MONEY mill for Walden and no one else!

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Tough Program, Great Education

MISM - May 18, 2009
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The MISM program at Walden University is a tough but rewarding program. I am an R&D director in Silicon Valley and chose this program after exhaustive analysis of reviews and reports of the comparative Universities. I knew this would be a tough, time consuming endeavor coming in. I was not wrong. However, I have learned even more than I expected. Hands on applications with Web 2.0 technologies, examinations into globalization cultural implications and a host of other considerations I was not aware of are but of a few of the areas I have been opened to. It is not an easy degree. However, it is a rewarding and useful degree.

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Walden MBA

MBA - May 11, 2009
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Walden's MBA program by far exceeded my expectations. I was able to create a business plan throughout the life of the program that will actually go into use. The instructor and peer support were very helpful. Great balance of challenging work with flexibility for full time working commitments. Highly recommended.

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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful

frustrating, but not all bad

Psychology - May 8, 2009
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I recently graduated and my overall experience in learning has been positive. I have worked hard and learned a great deal. I have become a better writer and researcher and learned to be objective and more organized. All but one of my professors has been exceptional. I was challenged by most of the material, but they often required "packages" that could be bought through them and were much more expensive than if you bought it used at an online site, such as half.com. However, in all other departments I have been greatly disappointed. The financial aid department is a nightmare and it is close to impossible to get a response or satisfactory answer from any department regarding any type of question or problem. It was a nightmare getting my thesis reviews back in a remotely reasonable time period and everyone "in charge" had the attitude that is was no big deal if it dragged on for another quarter (at my expense, of course), even though I finished ahead of their recommended time line. I was also misled about the program requirements by recruiting. Still, I feel it was worth the money, but not worth the frustration. I did learn a great deal and I am glad I did it and am also glad it is over with.

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

NOT RECOMMENDED

Psychology - April 26, 2009
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This school might suffice for those who are secure in their jobs and need a higher degree to get promoted. If you are serious about your higher education experience, find another way. I can only speak about the psychology program AND the administration/support services. Walden was a very costly mistake for me. 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. Walden is essentially teaching yourself, which you can do without paying so much and being subjected to so much distracting frustration. To reach the graduate level, you must be hardworking and dedicated enough to deserve better than this.

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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

ED.D Walden University

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - April 24, 2009
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This has been a very unpleasant experience in the Teacher Leadership Program. Professors do not help their students to 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. It is hard to contact someone for help. Again, the WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Good school

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - April 18, 2009
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Walden University's PhD program in public policy and administration has been challenging and indeed I have developed as a scholar. I'm currently entering my 3rd year of the program and I'm finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Folks, if you're looking for a degree that has snob appeal or you want be a senior professor at State U, this isn't your school. Whether you like it or not, there is still significant institutional resistance to these types of learning modes. But institutional resistance is not the same as institutional quality. Walden University delivers on its mission: to provide a quality doctoral learning program via the web with some short-term residencies to supplement the learning instruction (as well as develop a live network). Walden University is excellent at teaching the skills of scholarship via the web. The biggest difference between this type of program and a traditional one is the intimacy of the small and shared experience that occurs in that format. So clearly you need to know what and WHY you are pursuing the degree before you enroll. Finally, online learning isn't for everyone. You have to truly do a self-assessment of your motivation and individual learning style before taking courses in this format. If you're lazy or lack self-motivation or disorganized, then move on. There is no easy road to the PhD and you should look elsewhere if you think WU is your quick path to doctoral land. It's isn't. Also, just because it is online and therefore more "convenient" (no parking problems), don't think for a second that the program is completely flexible to your needs. Classes are packed into 12-week sessions and the agenda is quite aggressive. If you have "real life" issues like too much work or parenting responsibilities et al, then move on. WU will roll over you like a truck doing 85 at 2am on I-85. The best parts of WU include an extensive online library, fast response time from librarians and excellent academic counselors. The residencies are also a strong point, as you get to network and form learning communities with other scholar-practitioners. My primary problems with WU include non-academic factors such as having a more coherent branding strategy. I would also like to see WU establish an online student lounge for students with facilitating the connection with fellow students from the same state, program, etc. This can still be accomplished through Facebook, but it's not the same (in my view). Finally, I would also like to see WU establish regional learning centers (or campuses) like Argosy, as I believe that would quicken the pace to which students would meet their residential requirements. Overall, WU is a very good school if you are motivated to learn and have the time to fully commit to the take of doctoral work. I hope my assessment has been helpful, as I tried to be honest and not a "homer".

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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Go somewhere else... anywhere else!

MBA - April 18, 2009
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What an incredible waste of time and money. I have three previous degrees from traditional universities and decided to try the online experience. It was awful. After two full semesters I have a 4.0, but am switching to another university, and eating about $9,000. But, it's worth it for me to have a degree from a school that is respected. The students I had to work with were incredibly lazy. I honestly question the school's admission criteria. Some of the other student's work is abysmal, yet they still make it from class to class. If you want a valuable degree go elsewhere. If you can’t write and have zero work ethic, Walden is for you. I should have bought $9,000 worth of Cracker Jacks and hoped to find a degree there. It'd likely be worth more.

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

poor sales techniques

Psychology - April 17, 2009
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I received a call from Walden University to give me information about their school psychology program. I was already hesitant about even considering Walden due to the reviews I have read, however I decided to do my own research. The school psychology program Walden offers is not APA certified. The woman I spoke to told me they did not spring to have their program APA certified because it basically is more work and they have stricter standards. I told her I would have to speak to her later on and set up an appointment. She called me back within 20 minutes telling me that APA accredited schools need a 4.0 GPA on Masters degree and do not accept many students so I probably wouldn't want to try get into an APA program. She called back at our appointed time and sounded almost disbelieving that I wanted to try to get into an APA program and again stated that I needed a 4.0 on my Masters (which I have not yet earned). I told her that I thought I was up to the challenge and she told me "well if you don't make it you can come back here." She also told me I should consider pursuing my doctorate in clinicial psychology so I have more opportunities and then admitted that not many people that call look into school psychology - she was uneducated in my field of interest, tried to direct me in a new path that I am not interested in and then assumed that I am not either capable of or motivated enough to achieve a 4.0. I strongly recommend Walden get a different sales tactic than presuming potential students would not work to their full potential and would take the easy way to get their DOCTORATE. Very disappointed and slightly insulted by this sales woman - I'm sure there are competent sales people, I unfortunately did not have the pleasure of speaking with one and it has solidified my decision to not enroll in Walden University. I rated each 10-point scale item a 5 because I have not experienced them and would not want to alter the rating one way or the other.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Disappointed

Psychology - April 10, 2009
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I am currently a PhD student at Walden and the only thing I am disappointed in is how long it takes for some people to be weeded out (and how much they complain about it when it happens). In order to be successful here you have to do something and be a self-starter. Having attending two other well known and well respected universities prior to enrolling here (and turning down admission to APA accredited programs) I am satisfied. Education is a business no matter what school you go to..people complain no matter what school you go to..people refuse to buy and read the books and brag about it when they graduate no matter what school you go to..and this place is no different. When you can REALLY see the difference is in the workplace when the true test of competence is revealed. I think this is not a school for everyone (especially the whiners, the lazy, those who don't ask questions before enrolling, those looking for an easy degree, and those interested in snobbery). As with anything in life it is all about what you make of it! Pretty soon all colleges and universities will move to offering online courses and degrees and then maybe the attitude will come out of the dark ages.

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

I have had a great experience at Walden

PhD Public Health - April 10, 2009
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I have had a great experience at Walden. This is my second year at Walden and I am in the PHD in Public Health/Epidemiology program. So far I have had excellent support, the teachers that I have had have responded to questions in a timely manner. Academic advising and financial aide have been outstanding in their response to my problems/issues. Walden is not just a diploma mill the materials are rigorous and you actually have to work for your grade which is contradictory to the popular assumption that online degrees are easy to get. If you can work independently you can excel at Walden. I would not have had the opportunity to pursue my PHD were it not for Walden. I am not able to attend a traditional "brick and mortar school" because it simply is not feasible for me as I work full time and am a single mother. Walden has been a Godsend for me.

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Waste of Money

Psychology - April 10, 2009
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This is a waste of of money. If you have any question, each person you reach after going through a pick a number phone system will give you a different answer. The people that work there have no idea what the policies are. They say they will reply in 10 days and you will wait 3 months for an answer. Some of the instructors are horrid. I paid a fortune to attend a seminar in Dallas. The instructor spoke for an hour and then just gave us the whole time off. 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. Save your money and do anything else with it.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Walden University Doctoral Program

PhD Public Health - April 9, 2009
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I am a student in the Education Specialist program at Walden University. I thought I was making progress and doing well. But when I began my final class, problems begin to plague me. I have no idea if or when I will finish. They added a new clause which lets future students know you could be in the program indefinetly: Neither the provisions of this guide, nor the acceptance of students to the University through the admission, enrollment, and registration processes, constitutes a contract or an offer of a contract. The College of Education reserves the right to change any provision, offering, requirement, or fee at any time within the student’s enrollment period. Regular updates are made to this guide; students are encouraged to routinely check the Ed.D. Web page for new or supplemental information. Students should contact their academic advisors, faculty advisors/mentors, or instructors for clarification of specific academic program requirements. 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 is a cycle and won't finish until they say so despite the quality of your work. I think Walden is trying to improve their reputation as a "paper mill" but the work is not rigorous or hard, it is getting someone to agree that you have met the requirements of the rubric that is difficult. If you are considering an online university and Walden is your choice right now, I would not recommend it for the above reasons. I am an anonymous reviewer because Walden has punished some students by making them redo completed requirements that they already passed as a punishment for what they see as complaining and being resistent to the process. It is the worst educational experience I have ever had. Say no to Walden.

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

Torture

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - April 8, 2009
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This has been the worst graduate experience I've ever had and heard of! Walden's Ed.D Teacher Leadership program is very unorganized. Faculty members change requirements whenever they desire to do so. This university is not fulfilling its mission of positive social change when the faculty is being cruel and unfair to students. 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. Everything I learned came from reading the course textbooks and from my editor. If you express your opinion about any of this, you are penalized by having to make even more revisions to your paper,including revisions to parts that were never problem areas before. There is no support. This was marketed as a three year program; however, Walden faculty members now state that it is impossible to finish in three years. Talk about false advertising! I would not recommend anyone to attend Walden University. This experience has been nothing but torture!

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

awful

PhD AMDS - Finance - April 3, 2009
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All you are is a number and if you have a problem all they do is send a standard letter back. If you have stuggled they are not like most normal universities that care or concerned about rentention... they just kick you to the kirb even though you have spent a lot of time and a LOT of money and have done well in the actual courses. All they want is your money. The teachers are okay however it is very confusing with the PhD thing because you are in the class thing throughout the time you are there and paying over 4,000 a quarter for not a lot of helpful info.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Walden U - You get what you pay for.

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration - March 3, 2009
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Materials: I gave this a five since I never bought any materials. Teachers: Staff may possibly have been well-qualified, but they made up for it by being uninterested. Most responses obviously copy/pasted. Institution: Emails were not responded to in a timely fashion, if ever. Account frequently frozen because of poor communication between financial aid and accounting departments. Lots of institutional spam. Support: Again, I gave a five just because I did make use of this service. Value: At the time I enrolled, Walden was the cheapest online program on the market. I have never bought any course materials, further saving quite a bit. Use of technology: Software for the web-based courses was somewhat outdated and clunky, but usable. No major usability issues, just could have been a lot better. Outside resources, however, were mainly for-pay, and not worth using even if they had been free. 'Pro': The pros of this school are that it is one of the cheapest country-wide institutions (go to a state or country school if possible). Also, they will give a degree to anyone, and I mean anyone who can string several words of questionable English together. If you are developmentally disabled or English is neither your first, nor indeed second language, Walden may be for you (this is unfortunately not a joke). 'Con': In general, poor quality of online materials (need to buy lots of books, despite nominally being an 'online' university). Also, poor quality of classmates. Amazingly, many students could not spell despite there being a spell-checking tool built in to the posting form. Some students would fail completely to understand the assignment, basically just do whatever they felt like, and receive an 'A' anyway. Teachers were probably qualified, judging from their bios, but generally disinterested and would only send canned responses. Back on the 'pro' side, that means they are easy to game. Summary: If you live out of the country like me, or there are no good local choices in your area, Walden may be a good choice. If you want to get a degree with little-to-no work and little-to-no actual learning, Walden may be a good choice. If you are on a budget but cannot find anything cheaper, Walden might be a good choice. If these three considerations are not foremost for you, or if you really want to learn business administration, do not choose Walden as it is little better than a degree mill.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Education program

Education - March 3, 2009
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I've almost finished my degree with Walden and it is like any other program. You get out of it what you put into it. If you're willing to work hard (as you would expect in a Ph.D. program), then you'll gain knowledge and experiences beyond belief. The support is incredible throughout the departments at the University. All you have to do is ask. There are even live chats that you can initiate and get an answer almost any time of day or night. I have never had a problem with Walden and would recommend it to anyone willing to be motivated to take responsibility for their own learning because the level of independence is not for someone who needs to be lead around.

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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Education Reform

Education - February 28, 2009
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I finally graduated a month ago and I must say that the program (Master's of Science in Education with Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment specialization) has been worth my time and money. I know that generally people are very skeptical about on-line learning and I do not blame them. As an educator, I concede that people have different learning styles and as adult learners, they are free to choose the method that benefits them the most. Quality of instruction: There is a wonderful balance of teacher centered learning and student centered learning through out the whole program. Those who are familiar with the world of education know that the ultimate goal of the learning process is to develop self-directedness, self-monitoring, and self-adjustment. For me, Walden's program gave me an excellent opportunity to further enhance my attribute as a life-long learner. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA but let me tell you, it was not as "easy" as many people would have assumed. I loved the challenge! My writing got better and my whole insight about education had changed. The professors were supportive, excellently credentialed, and have authored books on education. Cohort learning: Online learning brought educators from multiple states together. Different states have different standards and via the online discussion forum, we learned from each other. That is the most invaluable experience for me. As we educators try to promote learning outside the classroom, online learners at Walden experience it first hand. Truthfully, there were colleagues who did the minimum but this phenomenon is not unique to online learning. I remember my friends in Pharmacy school who just got by and graduated with minimum requirements. Assignments: There were clear expectations on how assignments should look like and how there would be graded. Basically, you will get what you put in. The rubric was clear and if you want to get an A, just follow the guidelines. The assignments were were very thought provoking and helped me exercise the much needed critical thinking skills in today's classrooms. My having difference of opinion with my professors was never viewed as a negative element. In fact, it was celebrated and brought into discussions for further analysis. Student support: English is not my first language. I grew up in an ESL environment. Therefore, I struggled in my writing but the Writing Center was extremely helpful and supportive. My essays were constantly 2000 words or more due the depth that I chose to discuss the topics in and the writing center staff gave inputs and suggestions on how to improve the essay. It's a lot of work but one should not expect just to "breeze" through graduate school. I highly recommend this program for teachers who wish to pursue a higher degree in education.

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Backup ALL your emails & get everything in writing

MBA - February 24, 2009
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My experience at Walden U was not as I had originally anticipated. At Walden, I think most of the instructors try to work with and have more patience with hardworking adults, who have children and other major responsibilities. However, from my experience, there are a few that do not. For instance, I had a family crisis and one of the teachers, who I thought, would allow me to complete my work and grade it did not. She let me do all the work and did not grade it, so I did not pass that course. When I attempted to find the email that I sent her and she responded to, Walden University had purged the email system; thus not allowing me to appeal the grade. I usually saved everything, but I did not get a chance to save that email to an external email. When I first started the degree program, I used my hotmail account to receive email correspondence, but later they changed it where all of the student's email addresses were through Walden. Now, I can see why.

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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Its not that bad!

Ph.D. in Management - February 24, 2009
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I am going into my 3rd quarter at Walden, Ph.D. in Health Psychology. So far I have had excellent responses from financial aid and advising, less than 48 hour wait. After attending Capella for 2 years, Walden is a breath of fresh air. Amazingly, I prefer to work on my own and have teacher feedback. Capella had this constant discussion element that forced me to read terrible posts with serious intellectual deficits. So far at Walden I have found my colleagues to be well read and professional. As many of you have stated, you get what you give and I have been lazy to an extent getting B's so far, thus, no A's are given away. At Capella I got A's for doing next to nothing. At Walden I feel like the material is relevant and challenging. So like any institution Walden has its good and its not so good but I do not feel like its a diploma mill and customer service with me has been great. Faculty input is limited but I gauge my progress by grades. Obviously, C's or D's would indicate I am not keeping up. The B's I have tell me I could do better. Everyone has a unique experience in their educational life. I recall as an undergraduate and graduate in B&M schools, students would complain about everything too. As with any venture one undertakes, effort and disposition make all the difference. There is a tendency for people to be critical of online programs. There certainly are diploma mills out there and shoddy programs, but there are good ones as well. Just to be sure I called the Board of Regents of Ohio to verify if a Walden degree would be recognized and this was the response: "Walden is accredited by NCA (North Central Association) Walden is fine by this board". That cemented my decision to attend. Carmen

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Satisfied Customer

Education - February 16, 2009
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Great school for people who are capable of working independently and for teachers looking to expand their repertoire of teaching strategies. Do your homework BEFORE you enroll (which is where most of the negative comments come from...people who ABSOLUTELY did not and NOW they want to blame Walden for the misfortunes!)to see if it is what you are looking for. Don't go by misguided, bitter comments from people who clearly are to blame for their own troubles! My master's has put me into a new salary lane, not to mention prepared me for my endorsement as a reading specialist. Walden is not a one-size-fits-all university, but it is for people who know what they are looking to accomplish before they get their degree...NOT AFTER!! Thanks Walden U!

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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

You choose

Ph.D. in Management - February 15, 2009
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If you are looking for a fairly simple, easy and straight forward program for getting a degree, Walden may be for you. If, however, you are looking for quality instruction, and consistency from one instructor to the next, I would suggest that you look elsewhere.

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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Don't waste your money!!!

Education - February 4, 2009
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I earned my master's in Elementary Reading and Literacy K-6 back in 2005 and now they will not endorse their program so that I can get the title of my master's degree on my teaching certificate! It means nothing unless they endorse their program. All that money and time for nothing! I might as well not have even earned a master's degree! I am so upset with them about this. Why will you not endorse your master's program so that someone can get it put on their teaching certificate? Believe you me...do not go here unless you want to waste your time and money on a pointless degree that doesn't matter to them.

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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Opinion only

PhD AMDS - Finance - January 28, 2009
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Perhaps being there a year, I should not be rendering a review. However, while there are some technical email hurdles, I can say that I am thrilled with my interaction with Walden. A Walden education is what you make of it. You have to put the work in and be diligent about it. The faculty I have been exposed to really care and are helpful if you ask. It has been extremely challenging and not easy, but worthwhile efforts usually are. The PhD Program requires focus, tenacity and the dedication of a saint. But what you will learn is incredible. The tools and thinking you develop are invaluable. Walden is what you put into it.

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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

NIGHTMARE

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - January 28, 2009
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Walden changes requirements, went up on tuition 105% one semester, after orals I was told we have changed the project study rubric, you will need to redo your dissertation with the new rubric and redo orals....... the 3 year program has been a 5 year nightmare that doesn't end!

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

a new opinion

Psychology - January 26, 2009
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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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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Diploma

Masters of Public Health - January 23, 2009
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I completed my BSBA degree at Walden. My first issue with Walden was the surprise of finding I needed 3 additonal classes after I completed my Capstone and was set to graduate. I petitioned this issue for months and ultimately had to take the courses. I completed my degree in May of 2008 and have yet to receive my diploma. Every six weeks I am told the same story...please confirm your address...no one advised the graduation department...etc. I wish I had never attended...yet again..maybe I did not since I don't have diploma. It has been eight months and I am being told wait 8 more weeks. Stay away!

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

You get back what you put in!

Psychology - January 21, 2009
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I just finished my PhD in Psychology (Clinical & Academic) and I found Walden to be wonderful! My Masters degree is from the University of Florida (Gainesville) and I found that I got much more out of my program at Walden than I did at the traditional brick and mortar universities that I attended. Let's face it--online education is not for everyone. You only get as much out of it as you put into it and some people's learning style preferences just don't meld well with an online environment. The best things that I got out of my education at Walden are 1) my writing skills have reached professional levels (I was an English major in undergrad and learned more about writing here); 2) I am now a wiz at researching. For those who complain that they didn't get enough attention from faculty and staff, question how you approached them. Obviously you couldn't talk to them face to fact but I have found that the majority of them will help you--they just won't hold your had throughout your educational career. However, at the level of Masters and PhD programs, faculty and staff should not have to do this. If you need help have your thoughts and questions well organized and make sure that you are willing to come up with a plan with those that you are asking for help. As far as the value of the degree...I was hired at a Big 10 school because I was getting the degree from Walden.

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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

My experiences with Walden

Ph.D. in Management - January 4, 2009
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I am currently ABD in Educational Psychology from Walden. I received my MS from them as well in general psych. I have two undergraduate degrees from traditional schools. Before entering my master's program I had the same concerns as everyone else. Online education is facing a crossroads. On the one hand, the move to online education is growing rapidly with new programs being implemented by online schools and traditional schools offering more online courses. On the other hand, there is still a general consensus by the public that online education is a cake-walk, and surely commercials stressing the ability to take classes in your pj's doesn't help that image. Consulting literature, however, there is a growing number of studies being done supporting online education for several reasons. Cognitively, adults learn better through application. Following the constructivist theory, one can identify several benefits to online education: it requires personal accountability for learning, it provides the opportunity for personal control over their learning, and it requires one to use critical thinking to apply learning to useful and desired skills. With any university you are looking at, there will be pros and cons with all of them, traditional or online, so it is best to know what you want out of your education, recognize your situation, then make the right choice FOR YOU. Second, after attending traditional universities, I can say that Walden has been much more challenging in it's requirements and therefore, more benficial...IF YOU USE IT! Walden will provide you with the tools but you have to apply yourself. Walden is NOT a cake-walk university or a diploma mill! I can say that I feel Walden has given me a far superior opportunity for critical understanding of my education topics as opposed to the basic retention I got from traditional universities. Now, for those of you considering a liscensing specialization in psychology, while Walden is an accredited university, it does not have an APA approved program in psychology (no strictly online school does). Make sure you know your state's requirements. I know though that Walden graduates are being licensed so do what is right for you. Just because a school is traditional doesn't make them good. Likewise, just because a school is online doesn't make it bad. Think about what you need, what you want, and examine both online and traditional schools. Find the one that works best for you. The degrees from Walden are legit, not from a diploma mill. You have to work hard to get it, and a lot don't make it. YOU make the degree. YOU set the value on it through your own hard work and what you take from it. YOU have to sell yourself, your talent, your skills, and your dedication to employers regardless of where you got the degree. Finally, no matter what you read here follow your own instinct. You know what's best for you, not us! Good luck!

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

A REAL Former Student

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - December 29, 2008
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Walden University generally does not allow individuals to post anything negative about their school anywhere online. If you do so, they either lobby the site to have it removed or a couple dozen "students" all show up at once, using the exact same language, to tell you how wrong you are. So here is an unvarnished review of my Ed. degree, for as long as it lasts: Walden University is the community college of online schools. It is the bottom of the barrel. Can't go any lower. Couldn't get accepted into anywhere else, so you had to go here. That should be understood at the onset. I feel into this category. I ended up at Walden University because I needed the piece of paper in order to advance in my career. Nothing more, nothing less. What I got was a fight from my employer that still rages to this day. They do not want to accept Walden University as anything more then a diploma mill. And I can't say that I blame them. The "residencies" are a joke. All of the classes are canned (prepared classes where the "teacher" does nothing but facilitate and grades on Walden's parameters). This is not education by any stretch of the imagination. It is the equivalent of you sitting down with a reading list and teaching yourself - except that they charge you 40K+ for that privilege. Since receiving my Ed. from Walden University I have had nothing but problems. The school system where I work looks at it as if it were a foreign degree from a third world nation - and it might as well be. Walden gives nothing back to the academic world as a whole, publishes only when it must, and strives to cover up the fact that they are more of a marketing company then a institution of higher learning. I understand the appeal of Walden University. Sitting at home in your spare time, working on a degree to further your career... ...but reality just doesn't work that way. Trust me, find a different school and you'll be happy you did. I wish someone had talked me out of going to Walden, it would have saved me years of frustration and misery. Now, "anonymous" users in no way paid by Walden University, have at me.

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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Don't believe poor reviews

PhD Public Health - December 27, 2008
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I am quite surprised that people call Walden a "diploma mill" and must argue that Walden has provided a challenging program, among very competitive students and professionals. It is absolutely false that Walden professors hand-out A's and allow students to plagiarize. I am in my 2nd year of the PhD Public Health program, and maintain a 3.8 GPA. This has been earned by spending ~20 hours a week in each class, on challenging assignments that interface with current professional, research, and scholarly issues. Walden upholds very high standards, and students will never be allowed to plagiarize. The professors all use software to detect plagiarism, and will reprimand, reduce grades, and even place students on academic suspension for this behavior. It makes me wonder if the people who posted such poor reviews about Walden, were scathed by trying to get a diploma-mill degree, while plagiarizing, and not dedicating themselves to an intense, comprehensive program. I guess I would write a poor review too, if I had these expectations, but was unable to simply be handed a college degree. The Walden support has been very good. I have attended brick-and-mortar institutions for 14 years, and find that Walden even surpasses the support experiences I have had from other colleges. I have used Walden's technical writing, financial aid, residency, academic advising support, and have been pleased by it all. My professors have all had 15-20 years experience in our field, have been highly interactive, and have provided good instruction. I criticised on-line degree programs for years, and still believe that an on-line program is what you make of it, and you must be a self-motivated, dedicated, and astute scholar-practitioner to interface with superiors, colleagues, and peers in this academic setting. With that said, I have always used great discretion while evaluating other's personal comments and reviews of on-line institutions-consider the source!

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Poor service

Education - December 21, 2008
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I enrolled and had nothing but problems. Make sure you have a PC and not an Apple. Many of my problems were probably due to my computer, but considering I was paying dearly for a complete lack of support bothers me. The loss hurts, but there are times in life you just have to give up and move on.

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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful

My experience at Walden

PhD AMDS - Finance - December 19, 2008
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I graduated with a PhD in Applied Management and Decision Sciences, Accounting in November, 2008. I started the program in October, 2005. This type of educational experience is not for everyone. It requires a self starter that is focused and committed. You have a faculty mentor assigned to you when you start the program. This is a resource available to you, but not pushed on you. The degree of interaction is up to the student. The mentor can be a valuable source of guidance and structure if used proactively by the student. Like all experiences in life, you get out of it what you put into it. There is a rigorous amount of work assigned and there is a required amount of posting in the form of classroom discussions. Both require time and effort. I did not experience any teacher that would just "pass" you on. You earned your grade. The teachers all seemed concerned and ready to help, but again, you had to be the adult and initiate the contact. Students need to understand this is not a baby sitting service....it is graduate school. The technology was outstanding. Three years without a problem. The cost of the program was expensive and Walden does not miss a chance to charge you, but than again, this is no different from traditional schools. I found that any questions I had were generally answered with quick turnaround times. I was very disappointed, however, in the academic advisors and the lack of coordination between the various support departments. Again, however, this seems to be typical of all universities. I was very unhappy with the approval process for the dissertation. There are several layers of approval. Your committee, academic review, and finally provost. This a very fustrating process with little support for the student. I don't know if this is typical of all PhD programs or not. Finally, it seemed that once the PhD was approved and accepeted, you fall into a black hole and have to jump through hoops to find out your status and the graduation details. Bottom line. It was expensive. I thought the residencies were a waste of my time (the first three were fine and useful, by the fourth, you have already taken all relevant courses). The faculty was dedicated, knowledgeable, and helpful. Academic advising needs to have more interaction with the student. The technology was great. I found the experience to be rewarding, stimulating, and well worth my time and effort. I would have preferred a traditional, on campus approach, but life's responsibilites did not allow it. Walden was a great alternative.

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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Well Worth The Money and Time

M Sc Ed: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - December 15, 2008
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I have just completed my masters of science degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment K-12. I must say that I was leary of obtaining my degree online because of the stigma of online degrees. I found that the courses, assignments, and curriculum were of the highest quality. The course material reflects all of the leading researchers and ideas that are on the frontlines of education today. While some of the coursework can seem overwhelming at times, all of it has practical application in the classroom. I found all of the readings to be relevant and useful. As with any university, some professors are better than others, but I found the majority to be extremely helpful and challenging. I found that I spent about 15-20 hours per week on coursework, discussions, and applications. When I experienced some difficulties in my life, one professor was very accomodating in allowing me to complete the missed work in a timely manner without penalty to my grade.(Communication with potential problems is KEY if you are asking for extensions).

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Stay away from Walden!

Ph.D. in Management - December 13, 2008
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I am presently in Walden's PhD program. I am so sorry to say that Walden does not live up to its claims. Faculty mentoring mentoring is extremely poor and uninvovled. If you are absolutely sure that you want to spend loads of money for a solo-education, go ahead. But don't be fooled by Walden's claims. If I hadn't spent so much money already, I'd be in anothe program.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

A great experience

Psychology - December 2, 2008
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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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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Avoid if Possible

PhD AMS Engineering Management - November 30, 2008
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After reading several reviews about Walden University, I decided to join this university in September 2008. I wanted to pursue my PhD in management,on line was a good fit for me because it doesn’t require the complete one year residency as brick and mortar universities generally require. It was not going to be new experience for me, since I already took several of my master classes on line from a conventional state university. Walden seemed to have what I was looking for and it was listed as one of the approved universities by my employer, so I was going to be able to apply for educational assistance. Well, here is my story: If you can, stay away from Walden. Take this advice from someone that has taken on line classes from a brick and mortar university and knows what bad and good both service and education are. Walden is a business, thy will try to get as much money fro you as possible, regardless of what you do academically. They will task you with homework, lots and lots, whose value is more than doubtful. If you submit it on time, you got points. The feedback you get from the instructor is useless, and they force you to participate in nonsense discussions with no value whatsoever. Unless you really what to learn something from this, this is just a waste of time. For those of you that think that customer service is bad, you are right. Customer service is terrible. They treat you very well when they are trying to hook you up. After that, forget about it. But, this is not much different from my experience in my state university. Now for the worst part: It is expensive. They tell you that a quarter is $ 4,1700.00, but what they do not tell you is that depending in the time of the year you register, there will be bridge course until the new quarter begins. They register in this type a course during the first quarter, but they tell you not to do anything on it until the 12 week. Then at this time, they automatically register for this class again for an additional $ 1,500.00! When I complained about it, I was told that this is the way the university works, so I told them that unless the charge was removed from my account, I would not register again. I am still waiting for an answer. The most fantastic thing was that I did not submit any work or participated in any discussions for this class and still got a satisfactory as final grade! In top of this, you have to pay for residencies (6 of them with a cost of $800.00 to $ 1200.00) and books, even a simple $ 10.00 DVD (Please let me know how your textbooks were included, mine were not). Bottom line: This school has to be considered as a last resort. I am out of it and registering for a local, in state and well-known university. It is a business, and they will treat you like that. And believe me, I can distinguish between meaningful work and just work.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Walden MBA is Competitive

MBA - November 21, 2008
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I would have to flat out disagree with the last person's assessment of the Walden MBA program. Most of his issues seemed to be with the University--not the program. I have two more courses before I complete my MBA in Project Management and have had only one professor that just gave me an "A" regardless of what I submitted. In my Business Finance course, I had the best professor (Dr. Jong Yi) that spent upwards of two hours *every week* explaining to me the lessons for that week because I had trouble. I received an "A" in that course as I have in all my courses so far, but I worked *very* hard to do so. Listen, there are people who will throw together an assignment and not care how it comes out. Some people cheat and plagerize. I did thorough research, worked in teams, and worked with my professors to get through each course (2-eight week courses per semester). That is why I thought I got a lot out of it. The one course that I got the most out of was a Marketing class where we fought a lot due to conflicting ideas regarding our team assignment. But let's face it--isn't that what the work place going to be like anyway? I gave Walden University a "9" overall because I have enjoyed my experience. Plan on getting the "Walden U" shirts, coffee mugs and stickers for my cars. I found the reading materials, course texts, articles, etc. top-notch and updated to reflect current trends. The PowerPoint presentations with the live videos were refreshing and took the place of the instructor lectures. Never had any measurable issue with support and I have been able to work on my school work while traveling numerous times for work and while on vacation at Disney World (not something I loved to do--I had to do it!). How else can you do that and attend a brick and mortar? Very impressed with the use of technology--definately got exposed to technologies I hadn't previously known about. It would have been ideal to attend an accredited school locally such as Georgia State, Emory or Kennesaw State here in Atlanta, but let's face it. Unless, I leased a private helicopter, how would I be able to make the weeknight courses with all our traffic? And Weekends? I am a parent, those are for piano lessons, laundry and karate. An at-home program works just fine for me. I schedule the time, and I control my learning. I also like the principle of social change that is the undercurrent of each course. The school is accredited and I know people who have gotten MBA's from Emory who many have the fancy paper, but still don't have a clue in the work place. So like everything else, your experience at Walden will be what you make of it. It is not perfect and your mileage will vary. But please know there are way more people that love the school than hate it.

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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Keep looking for another school!

MSN in Nursing - November 17, 2008
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I have been attending Walden for a year now, and I want out. I chose Walden because it is all on-line and I have kids, but I wish I wouldn't have wasted my time. The classes are boring and a waste of time. I have received A's in all of my classes, but I feel I have not learned anything useful to my career. Advising is VERY unhelpful and rude. I don't have much nice to say about this program. I am getting out and starting over, take my advise, don't get in!!!!!!!!!

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

Good School

Psychology - November 17, 2008
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This is a very good school. I have two more course to go before I start my dissertation. The experience has been great. The coursework is challenging and the student-student interaction have been wonderful. The professors are professional and engaging. I can say with the courses I have taken only two professors were terrible and I believe that is because they just didn't give a damn. I am proud to tell people I am going for my PhD at Walden. Walden is changing. They now offer student services in which you can be involved with the school. They hold conferences on different topics from career counseling to disaster response from professional people. Their residencies are filled with people who are there for you. to encourage you and to listen to you. Anyone tells you that this is a diploma mill is wrong. For my last class I not only had to do my weekly assignments and respond to fellow students. I also had to do a article summary for all to read, and take a topic for one of the weekly discussion, and finally a annotated bibliography. I am working my butt off and I know when I am I will be proud to have my PhD in Psychology. :)

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Challenging Study

MSN in Nursing - November 14, 2008
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I was a bit skeptical when I began the Walden MSN program, but I am impressed with not only its quality, but the fact that the textbooks are current, the information is NOW, and the price includes the cost of textbooks. I am being challenged, but I am also being respected for my knowledge obtained from experience. I highly recommend this program. It's not for anyone needing hand-holding, or anyone needing constant reassurance and direction. You must be adult enough to be able to know what is expected of you as a professional, and an adult learner, and deliver it without requiring an explanation.

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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Walden Was a Waste

EdD Teacher Leadership - November 6, 2008
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At first I was very pleased with the EdD in Teacher Leadership program at Walden. Then I took EDUC 8015, the first of the Research courses, and we had to read the same two articles over and over for nearly every module. Nevertheless, I was earning an "A." After the third week, I became so sick that I had to ask for an extended deadline. The instructor suggested I contact Disability Services, which I did, and I was given the extended deadline. However, a week later I became so sick that I could not even complete the work by the extended deadline. By this time I had also missed the deadline to withdraw from the course. When I pleaded with the instructor to allow me to submit my missing work beyond the extended deadline she had given me, she refused. I contacted the advising team and was told that I could petition for a change of grade to No Credit and a waive of the tuition. Since the course was now half over, the Director of Disability Services intervened with the instructor for me and asked what grade I would receive if I completed the course without the missing work. The instructor said I "might" be able to earn a "C" at best. Since I did not want a "C" on my transcript, I petitioned, and given what the advisors had told me, I felt confident my petition would be granted. However, I was shocked when the director of EdD programs and the associate dean both agreed with the instructor and denied my petition! Even the director of disability services, who had said she would stand by whatever decision I made, agreed with the denial! I appealed the decision, sending along 51 pages of supporting medical documentation, but my appeal was denied! I was devastated, and watched helplessly as I received an "F" in the course. I contacted the advisors again and was told I could pay another $4000.00 and retake the course to improve my GPA with a better grade, but that the "F" would always be on my transcript. Although I only had two more years in the program, I decided to leave because of the unfair treatment I received. BTW, I'm a full-time professor of Education and had received all A's in a doc program at a B&M University prior to attending Walden. I made the mistake of leaving the B&M for Walden because of convenience.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

Be careful!

Psychology - October 21, 2008
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This applies to Clinical Psychology: Beware! Many of the people from Michigan recently found out that since the degree is no longer accepted for their state, they will not even be grandfathered into the system. Basically, all of their work has been a waste of time. This could happen to any of the other students from other states also. If you want to become licensed, I highly suggest that you do not attend this school! If you can, attend a school that is APA accredited! It has also been expressed by faculty and students that even after you get the degree others in the field consider the school a paper mill, and the lack of respect is apparent. Do your research, be careful, and make the decision for yourself! Good Luck!

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Support at Walden University is a JOKE!!!

MBA - October 2, 2008
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I completed my undergraduate degree at Walden University in Business Administration. The administrative support I received was absolutely terrible. This problem wasn't limited to one department either. I had trouble with the Financial Aid department, the Bursars office, the Academic Advisors, the "Graduation Team", etc. Every issue I encountered required me to e-mail and call at least ten times (and this is not an exaggeration and I have the e-mail chains to prove it for anyone doubting me on this). Nobody would ever handle any of my problems, and I was constantly pushed off on other people. I have never received this poor of customer service from any other organization (and I've had to deal with a lot of notoriously poor organizations like the VA, DoD Records Offices, State Unemployment Office, and Credit Card companies). I have been done with the Walden program for two months now, and of course I still can't get anyone to respond to me and tell me if they are even working on processing/issuing my degree. Also, I still haven't received my Financial Aid award (Pell Grant and Stafford Loan) from 4 months ago. In fact, I was actually told today that I will not receive it, because the school didn't process it on time. Apparently the Financial Aid has to be processed during the term it is to be awarded for (although I submitted it two weeks prior to the term's end date, apparently it takes three months to process like everything else at Walden). Other than the administrative support, the program was ok. The courses were easy and you received a 100 on pretty much any assignment as long as you submitted it. Everything I learned in the program came from reading the text books, as the teachers provide little to no lecture. The program price is a little costly, but the convenience of doing your degree quickly (easily handled 3 six-week courses at a time to complete 19 classes in a little over a year of course time) and at your own time added to the value.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Walden sucks; no ceph accreditation

PhD Public Health - September 29, 2008
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They are very misleading. They are not CePH accredited so the degree is worthless.

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly (oops that's me!)

Psychology - July 11, 2008
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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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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

BUYER BEWARE

Psychology - June 19, 2008
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I cannot express how much you should not attend this school. Anyone who says that this school is better than merely good enough either works there (remember it is a for profit school and the admissions people or like salesmen) or has never been to a school where students are treated with respect and given a curriculum that is actually set in place to assist them in the future. I have talked to fellow students in the psychology program. Many of them are worried about licensure in their states as Walden U cannot make the guarantee that you will be licensed after graduation. The advising....well let's say they too act as sales people who constantly give students the run around and incorrect information. The professors are not held up to any kind of standard and after meeting a few of them I wonder how they graduated and are employed. BUYER BEWARE. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY OR TIME. I know traditional schools are inconvenient but as far as education is concerned you will get your money's worth. Take this from a PhD student who has been to both types of school.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Walden PhD Student

Ph.D. in Management - June 17, 2008
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Walden is not Harvard or Princeton, but can be in the future and there is a good chance for it to become an on-line Harvard. I’ve seen a lot of positive changes in Walden, and enjoy using the on-line library provided by Walden.

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Walden is a great expensive experience

Psychology - June 10, 2008
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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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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Ph.D. Clinical Psychology

Psychology - June 2, 2008
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First of all, Walden (nor any other online school) is for everyone. If you are unmotivated and waiting for someone to "hand you" something, you will not do well. I have just finished my last academic class at Walden and will be starting my practicum in Clinical Psychology soon. I am doing my practicum and internship at a very prestigous medical school and feel that Walden prepared me for my upcoming duties as an intern. I have enjoyed the support that I have received from professors and administrators. As for licensure, there has never been any secret that Walden is not APA-approved. They highly stress that potential students check with their individual states regarding licensure requirements before they enter the program and before it is too late to make changes. Engaging in an online program is the only way that I could have obtained a Ph.D. since I worked full-time as a teacher. There are no Ph.D. programs available in my town (one was just added in the Educational Field but....) and I could not uproot my family and relocate to an area that offered a program, not to mention quit my job for 6 years to attend school full-time. I will be very happy to display my Walden Ph.D. and feel that the education I have received is just as good, if not better, than any brick and mortar school!

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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Walden master's in education, you decide??

Education - May 23, 2008
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Based on a very good friend’s recommendation I enrolled in Walden’s online (e college) master’s in education program (curriculum, design, and assessment). My friend told me that she had a great experience with the program, I valued her thoughts and opinions. She also told me it was tough, but very doable. Without really looking around too much, I dove right into program. I am set to finish my masters at Walden in 2008. My experience at Walden has been mixed. Though some of the videos and material was interesting, the workload was extreme, and filled with too much busy work. As a full time teacher, I found it difficult to keep up with and inapplicable to my teaching situation. Due to the space limitations in this blog, I am not able to describe my experience fully. However, if you follow the link below, it will take you to another online college review website where I have explained in detail all of the good, bad, and ugly about my experience at Walden. Please note that I have tried to be objective, and will leave it to you to decide if you want to take this route to get your master’s in education or not.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

M.S. in Education Very Useful

Education - May 21, 2008
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I enjoyed earning my master's degree at Walden University. The big advantages over a traditional program were two: 1)the discussions via an online board which allowed much more time for reflection, so the discussion was more substantive than in a traditional class, and 2) the students were in a variety of locations and settings, so we were able to get a wide variety of insights. The group work was, as is often the case, problematic, but other than that, it was a great experience. One professor even made himself available to one of my colleague's classes to share his Native American heritage with students studying that in their social studies class. The only regret I have is that Walden does not set up some convenient way for alumni to stay in touch. We exchanged email addresses, but it would be nice to have a central place to find each other.

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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Great School

Ed. D. Educational Leadership - May 16, 2008
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Walden is a wonderful university. I am a current student. I found the classes to be challenging and the information timely. The classes are not a cake walk, but you do learn a lot of important information realated to your field of study. Walden is not for individuals who are not self-directed.

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1 of 5 people found the following review helpful

Deceptive Enrollment

Psychology - May 2, 2008
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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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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Great experience

Psychology - April 28, 2008
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I am one year into my PhD in clinical psych. Walden is extraordinarily up-front with regard to the process of licensure. One of our first assignments was to go through our state licensure requirements step-by-step and show how the Walden program met or didn't meet state requirements. No surprises. The teachers have been great, if a little brutal. The rigor of the program is about the same as law school. My only real complaint is with the bursar's office. Working with them is like working with a lump of rock. I do feel I was soft-sold with regard to the number of hours per week I would have to devote to the program. Plan on a minimum of 30 if you want to succeed. The response of professionals in my geographical has been generally good. I know many therapists and psychologists from my days of practicing law. One of them recommended me to the program.

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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

PhD Public Health Walden University Beware!

PhD Public Health - April 21, 2008
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I am presently attending Walden University, PhD Public Health, and I have to say that I am deeply disappointed. I am presently working on my dissertation and this has been a horrible experience and huge mistake (financially) on my part. First, for PhD Public Health students the lack of faculty available to fill the mandatory dissertation committee (3 faculty) is a problem that must be changed ASAP if Walden wishes to continue with this program. It appears to me that Walden has set public health PhD student's up for failure because most students find themselves without a full committee and cannot finish the dissertation process. The enrollment advisor and the academic advisors never say at the start that the student is responsible for finding their dissertation committee and if the student cannot then oh well, too bad you are without a PhD and without several thousands of dollars, but hey thanks for the money while you were here. In the PhD Public Health program there are not enough "approved" faculty to take on the number of students who must have dissertation committees in order to complete the PhD requirements. I have never heard of a "real" University not providing the appropriate faculty in order for the students to meet dissertation criteria so that one might complete the requirements to graduate. If I had known from the start what the final stage (dissertation) was in details, I would not have wasted my time and money at Walden. Walden University is private and corporate owned, thus a business. However, I am going to write a letter to the Better Business Bureau and The Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), www.ncahlc.org. regarding poor business practice and lack of providing students with the BASIC necessities (like faculty) in order to complete the degree. To me I feel I have been lied to, set up for failure, and about 60 thousand dollars stolen from me because the university knew they did not have enough faculty for the PhD Public Health students to complete the dissertation according to their own policies and mandatory dissertation committee. I received my bachelors and masters from a traditional university and I am in the process of transfering back to the traditional university setting in hopes that I finish my PhD. I have maintained a 3.7 GPA during my doctoral studies at Walden and I am really angry to see all that money and time count for absolutely nothing.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Hard work and worth every minute

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - April 5, 2008
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First, some of the negative reviews are just plain silly. A professor asking for citations? What was the reviewer expecting? An online education is not for everyone, if you need hand holding, this is not for you. If you need a professor that you can talk to for several hours for guidance, this is not for you. Read the program descriptions and research your field licensing requirements (if applicable). Walden requires course work and participation, it is NOT a degree mill. Support is actually great for my program. I have called academic advising with general questions and quickly got a person to talk to 9 out of 10 times. The tenth time I left a message with a question and I got an email response with the answer in about a day.

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Walden Is Beyond Bad!

Psychology - April 2, 2008
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I started at Walden hoping to complete a PhD. I have been constantly disappointed with my professors. Over half of my professors have been hard nosed, arrogant, wanna be intellectuals who have no ability to teach and no interpersonal skills. The students who provide little to no intelligent work earn high marks, while others who attempt to be innovative (or God forbid inspirational) get attacked. It is an incredible thing to behold. The good professors are excellent and make you wonder why they can't get a better job. The bad professors are the worst, and most of them are Walden alum. Academic Advising is a joke, there is none. You are not even assigned a personal academic adviser. If you need to ask a question your email goes into a general box and it is a crap shoot about who will answer and what kind of information you will receive. Now I am stuck with half a degree in a non-accredited program and about $45,000 in student loan debt to show for my effort. By-the-way, be sure to check the programs. Neither the Masters or the PhD program in Psychology meet most state licensing requirements in coursework. If you follow the degree plan without first knowing your state's course requirements, you will not get licensed when you are finished. Walden is totally all about making money with no thought for the welfare of the students. The services and the professors SUCK (for lack of a better word). The only thing good to say is the online classroom form is better than others I have seen.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Great school

Education - April 1, 2008
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It was a great experience and has dramatically improved my teaching! It was not only accepted by my district but also the state, and I got a nice pay increase. I have also been commended for my teaching by administration, and I truly believe it is through the knowledge I have obtained from Walden! I think Walden is great for educators! And as I CONTINUALLY read about all the wonderful achievements others have experienced at Walden, I know it is strictly the INDIVIDUAL that makes things happen for themselves, NOT just the degree! Thanks Walden U!

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1 of 5 people found the following review helpful

Walden University is a Degree Mill

Ph.D. in Management - March 25, 2008
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I received my Masters from Walden University and can tell you first hand that they are a diploma mill. I just paid my money, did little to no work (most of the test and homework are pirated online and never change), and got my degree in about a year. The University is a joke and I have no idea how in the hell they are accredited.

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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful

Some Advice for Would-Be Learners

Psychology - March 16, 2008
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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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Keep looking, you can do better

Ph.D. in Management - March 13, 2008
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The classes are all canned, the teachers just moonlight from other schools, and the degree is laughed at by almost all employers. My Masters from Walden is worthless. All potential employers do is ask if the school is A) accredited or B) a real school. It's hard to take any school seriously when their main source of advertising is spam email messages and junk snail mail. Keep looking, you can do better than Walden University

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

Hindsight is 20/20

Ph.D. in Management - March 13, 2008
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Walden University has afforded me the opportunity to complete all coursework for the MS Psychology Degree, finishing all but the thesis with a 3.8 GPA. I began the course of study in 2003 taking one course at a time. A few quarters I was not able to attend, but because I had such poor advising no notice was given that a four year time line would cut me short of graduation. An extension was granted until Spring 08 to complete the thesis, however the Chair selection process is a gamble that in my case resulted in a poor choice. Letters to the Advising Group were met with responses asking me to discuss with my mentor(Chair). The poor responses from the Chair and the Dean created time delays that pushed my thesis to the point that it can not successfully meet the time line. Walden University is a money sham which should be investigated for fraud. I have 30k dollars in student loans to repay, no degree, and contempt for Walden University. Buyer beware- Online schools are not for everybody. If you want poor feedback, high costs, and a general lack of respect for student's, Walden is the place to waste your time and money. This post is one student's opinion and does not reflect the qaulity of other Online schools, nor other departments at Walden. The school of Psychology is specifically where my experience is drawn from. For the working professional, Walden School of Psychology, is a poor choice for a quality education. What does one do with the faceless, relationless, entity that is the online educational venue for Walden? I am sick over the whole experience! Without the degree my work with adolescent addicts will remain as a volunteer rather than as a paid counselor. Shame on me for being naive about Walden, shame on Walden for caring so little about it's student's pleas for assistance. AC

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Walden is a great program for educators

Education - February 24, 2008
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Walden University exceeded my expectations. I just finished my MS in Education - Integrating Technology. I have a BS in Aerospace Engineering from WPI and started a MS in Management at Fairfield Univ. before switching to Education. Walden's program was rigorous, thought provoking, and well worth it. The work, resources and professors really gave me an terrific education. I recommend it for all educators.

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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Walden Ph.D Clinical Psychology track

Psychology - February 10, 2008
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A very disciplined and outlined framework for achieving a doctorate. A full time student can expect to spend roughly 30 hours a week on research and papers. There are Walden professors teaching at other top university sites as well as campuses in the United States. My classmates sometimes originate as far away as Iran, China, and Africa to name a few. We are all coordinated on mountain standard time. I would suggest any other institution if you cannot put your best effort into this university. I am telling you, it takes some work...and you will never look at someone on the naster's or doctorate level the same after being in this program a couple of years. There is a difference.

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Very Rigorous Education

Ph.D. in Management - February 7, 2008
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At first I was skeptical about Walden U. But I soon saw that the professors and administration meant business. They all set a very high standard and expected each student to meet that standard. Sad to say, many in my cohort did not make it out as hoped. But I believe that they were not cut out for it anyway. Distance learning is definitely NOT for everyone! Walden University has pushed me forward in so many ways. The residencies were extremely rewarding and I met some very valuable people. I now have a full time, tenured position at a state university that is 135 years old! I highly recommend Walden to anyone who id self-determined!

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2 of 5 people found the following review helpful

Not the whole truth

Ph.D. in Management - February 1, 2008
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I was enrolled in Walden's clinical psychology PhD program. First of all the so called admissions advisors constantly call you to get you to enroll. They casually tell you that you have three residencies to attend within a 13 month span.(That is if you are going for licensure. What they fail to mention is that these three residencies are two weeks long. That means you have to take of 6 weeks in a year, in addition to that you must attend two conferences that are at least 3-4 days in length. Like Northcentral University the instructors rarely get back to you if you have a question. Though they have a grading system like anyother school it can be arbitrary. I left Walden because a teacher wanted me to have citations after everyother sentence, giving me a very low grade. We tried to resolve the issue but I felt it was useless. I felt is was basically busy work and though I received all A's in my courses I felt as if I wasn't learning anything. What is most time consuming are the posts. In some classes you have to post papers, projects 2-3 times in a week. The interaction with the other students in the online classroom was interesting, yet I felt it didn't offer anything extra. I am hearing varios comments and concerns from many people concerning online education. Hopefully, when people write more of these reviews the colleges will get the message and try to change.

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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

A Very Pleasant Experience

Ph.D. in Management - January 18, 2008
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I am a working adult and have been in my Ph.D. program for about 2 years. The program has been great and the faculty has been extremely supportive. I have had the opportunity to meet so many people as well as broaden my professional and academic network. Walden University is a great place to be. Residencies are great! Administration is great! The only major difference is that there is not hierarchy to break through like at B & M schools. The educational delivery is excellent. And because of my rewarding experience, four of my friends have since begun their doctoral programs at Walden.

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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful

PhD Health Sciences

Ph.D. in Management - January 15, 2008
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Walden's KAM-based PhD programs put the responsibility on the student to obtain the texts and resource materials pertinent to the area of study. Of course, these materials must be approved by the faculty mentor, but I was able to choose key texts and resource materials that were available from the medical center where I worked and local (major) universities. A Walden degree is only worth what the individual has put into it. I had to select 5 major textbooks and 10 contemporary peer-reviewed articles per module component. That means I read 15 major textbooks and 30 peer-reviewed articles for each completed quarter. In addition, I was required to submit 3 research papers based on the texts and readings for each quarter. 2 of those papers were 50 pages in length and the third was at least 30. One quarter's worth of work more than equated to the thesis requirement for my 2nd Master's degree. The key to a successful Walden experience is to find a faculty mentor with whom you can build a strong relationship.

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Bachelors Program

Ph.D. in Management - January 8, 2008
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Anyone who is looking for a bachelors degree in business needs to look no further!!! Don't be fooled by the other online schools and their BSBA programs! Once I spoke with a counselor at Walden they really helped me understand the online process. Group work is minimal and you will not be penalized if someone in your group does not do what they are suppose to do. I love Walden so far! Its a great program with great instructors and it is a very easy system to use. I was at UoP for a couple classes and this system here is way more user friendly! The bachelors program is great! I highly recommend it to anyone!!!!

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Accreditation at Walden

Psychology - November 14, 2007
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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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Not Satisfied

Psychology - November 9, 2007
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I am currently completing my thesis to obtain a MS in Psychology. I agree with recent reviews, Walden uses the term "accredidated" very loosely. Although the psychology program is accredited, the MS in Psych is basically a generic degree. You cannot use this degree toward getting any type of licenses in the Psychology field. Basically, I would need to do another program that is geared toward licensure. Also, I have found the staff to be lack-luster and the program to be thesis based. I wish I would have taken my money to a traditional university that would grant me a more respected degree.

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8 of 12 people found the following review helpful

Not A Diploma Mill

Psychology - October 26, 2007
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I am working on my PhD in psychology and have found the program to be wonderful. The instructors are top notch and the support is very good. I attended a traditional college for my BA and MS and find the level of work and interaction comparable if not superior to my brick and mortar experience. In online education you must participate, you cannot sit in the back of the classroom quietly. At Walden the expectation is to be a scholar practitioner. The only caution I can advise is to be sure that you are dedicated to learning and excellence as the expectations of the university are higher than one would presume.

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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Watch OUT!

Ph.D. in Management - October 16, 2007
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I have been attending Walden University since 2004, and the reason I have not graduated is because the degree for MPH is not accredited. I have spoken with CEPH, and APHS, and Walden has no affliation with them. Here in the state of Florida accreditation from a Masters and a PHD should have their own accreditation which supports the program. I have found out that at the beginning, in 2004, the school told many students that they were accredited, but failed to mention that some of their programs were not individually recognized by organizations such as Council of Public Health Education, and Association of Public Health Schools. For this reason over 500 students have left the institution to seek programs that are accredited outside of this university Numerous complaints have been filed. I had a hard time reaching the school and at the beginning of the year I lost 2 internship sites, due to no telephone calls returned or emails responses, that lasted over 6weeks. I could not fund anyone at the school. I reached viocemails for that length of time. I received communication once I complained to the DOE in Minnesota. I am now working with the Vice President, the Dean, and the academic advisor to find an internship in my area. Unfortunately I am subjected to conference calls that have 4 plus people on the line. The four plus people are all Walden Staff, and then myself. I am not allowed to talk to any of these individuals without the presence of the other 3 or 4 people on the line. In all they are still seeking an internship in the area I live in. 4 months and 4 conference calls later I am no where near graduating as I was in January 2007. Agencies here are concern with program accreditation, and online education issues. I cannot change this. Please do the research for the school, Make sure that you can use the degree within your state. Unfortunately I may never graduate but I will have the student loans to remind me that not all school have your best interest. I wish many of you luck, and I hope that I can graduate someday and use this degree.

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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

Review of Master of Science in education program

Education - August 29, 2007
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I just graduated with a master of science degree in elementary reading. The program was very challenging. I think I worked harder than I would have in a more traditional program. This program afforded me the luxury of being able to sit in front of my computer wearing pajamas, for example. However, the program consisted of mostly writing papers. You must be a decent/good writer to do well in this program.

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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Brian

PhD AMDS - Finance - July 26, 2007
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In the beginning, I had insecurities about earning my Ph.D. online, but over 3 years, I have had many opportunities afforded to me because of it. Because of our elite, well published faculty, my research and writing skills have made a 100% turn around.

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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Master's in Reading/Literacy

Education - June 14, 2007
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Great school for educators! Just completed Master's in Reading also, rigorous curriculum, had papers due every week(sometimes two), everyone very friendly and helpful, answers email in a timely manner ( usually within 24 hours) great, helpful faculty---most had their PhD's (from traditional universities no less!) plus a professional portfolio to complete BEFORE they even give you your degree! So this is no fluff online school! It is a lot of hard work but DEFINITELY worth it! They include everything in your tuition (books, lectures,)and send it to you before your classes even begin which is extremely helpful! Everything you learn can be immediately applied to whatever you are doing in your classroom! My students learned SO much more than I ever could have taught them had I not pursued my advanced degree! I also did extensive research before I chose Walden..and from what I have read about the other online schools (Univers. of Phx and others)I'm glad I chose Walden..not to mention it helped me go up in salary. Thanks Walden U!!

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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Walden PhD Program

PhD AMDS - Finance - June 8, 2007
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I am approaching the dissertation phase of my PhD. I have been very pleased with the school and program (although there was a brief period of time that school and technological upgrades caused student support to falter...good news is, things are so much better now). This has been a very enriching program for me, the face to face residencies are a wonderful component of the program that really help to appreciate the caliber of the staff and the validity and rigor of the program. This is a for-profit university, almost anyone with a master's degree of at least a 3.0 can get accepted, but one thing that is VERY APPARENT is that as you move through the program, it is so demanding and rigorous enough to filter true PhD quality students, that only a small percentage of those who enroll actually make it through to completion. There is no way to skate through this program. My experiences have been positive.

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4 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Recommended

Psychology - October 26, 2006
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I am a Walden PhD student in the Psychology program and can not say enough good things about the school. The professors are great and knowledgable. (Having attended Capella and UoP, I can not say the same). I would and do recommend Walden to anyone and eCollege is a standand learning environment much like BlackBoard or WebCT. All of which UoP and Capella do not use, while other Brick and Mortar Colleges/Universities do.

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4 of 8 people found the following review helpful


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