University of Maryland University College Reviews
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Perfect for working students - Computer and Information Science
School recommended by
Melissa
on
July 15, 2010
Review not yet rated
I am a techie so UMUC was perfect for me. If you are new to internet, do not like to do all assigned reading and not too crazy about computers, I would not recommend online classes to you. If you like doing banking, emailing, social networks, or almost everything else online, then online classes are worth your time and money.
Before my venture into online classes, my biggest issue was trying to make it to on-site classes and listen to the professor drone on about the reading. Online classes at UMUC allow you the flexibility to read at your own pace and submit your assignments online. There is a lot more reading and assignments which includes conference participation (discussion boards) than in regular face to face course.
This is mainly due to the fact that you don't have the professor reading it back to you in class or other students answering questions in the class for you. I am not sure why some complained about the level of other students background.
I am here to get my degree, not worried about the english level of other students. Halfway through the course, they do doc for spelling and grammar issues in the conferences. I am a working mom and if my kids decide that they would rather take online classes when they go to college in 15 years, I will totally support their decision. UMUC is definitely worth my time and money.
Learn More about University of Maryland University CollegeDISAPPOINTED former student
School recommended by
AMANDA
on
June 29, 2010
0/2 people found this review helpful
I came onto this review site hoping to find useful reviews about the MBA program, but what I have found is a lot of people who do not know how to write or presumably speak English. I guess if they "WITHDRAWLED" I shouldn't even consider this school.
The overseas graduate program was a considerable disappointment for me as the students in the program were asking basic questions and barely making the grade while I didn't crack my book and had a 4.0 Guess Ill just drop UMUC all together.
ABOVE AVERAGE PROGRAM
School recommended by
Lloyd Wade
on
April 29, 2010
5/5 people found this review helpful
First, UMUC should not be compared to John Hopkins. However, the biotechnology studies program was rigorous. Secondly, the school has an open admissions policy so you won't find an overabundance of high achievers but I think a master's degree from UMUC is valuable and worth while pursuing. Third, the instructors were very accessible and knowledgeable. All of the professor were experts in their respective fields.
I worked full time at a major fortune 500 firm during the day, and also had family obligations. I also spent a lot of evenings and weekends completing 6 credit hours per semester. Eventually I reduced my work load from 6 to 3 credit hours per semester.
Overall, I really enjoyed writing research papers, reading various assignments, and completing homework assignments. Participating in on-line discussions was also an integral part of course requirements.
Worst School Ever
School not recommended by
Student
on
April 23, 2010
1/10 people found this review helpful
Do not waste your money here especially for grad school. I was in the Executive MBA program and it was a joke. Unqualified students, cheating, violent behavior from one student, poor communication from professors and Directors. Pay your fee and get a B should be the school motto. Grading is arbitrary and capricous. The Exec prgram that was sold to me during the interview is not the program that was given. Faculty condones poor behavior among students and is only interested in getting money in the door. They could care less whether you have a good learning experience or learn anything at all. Most of the classes and programs are "Do it yourself". Horrible, Horrible place. It would be better to spend double the money elsewhere and get a real degree. They are only interested in ex-military students and getting cash in the door to pay for their new fancy building.
UMUC Cares About None Of Their Students.
School not recommended by
Tara
on
April 22, 2010
3/9 people found this review helpful
I would never recommend this online college to anyone. EVER! In my opinion UMUC is an abominable, pitiful, scandalous, as well as a corrupt online college. They neglected to inform me of any of my financial aid information via U.S. mail. The advisors are horrible. They are only there to collect money. I received a call one time from an advisor which asked me if I had any questions. I simply said not at the moment sir. Before I could ask for his contact information, he hung up on me. What kind of advisor is that. I couldn't withdrawal from my classes a week after they started due to an outstanding balance that I was not informed about at all. I emailed my professor and I did not hear from her until 12 days later. She had me waiting every email. And her responses were at least some what informing but failed to answer all of my questions in my email. The important ones. Also, who's paying for your college? You or is your financial aid at UMUC paying for it. I ask this in a sarcastic manner due to the irritating response that was in an unacceptable tone saying "well it's our money." EXCUSE ME. I'm borrowing this money and what if I didn't want to accept all of the aid the second semester. Maybe I wanted to pay out of pocket. Also, if it wasn't for me being a panicking student trying to get a hold of someone to help me register for the semester being that this was only my first experience with online classes, I would not have been enrolled for a second semester and then what would they have gotten, NOTHING! They are simply there for money and that's it. Their graduation percentage is 7%. I wonder why... They are arrogant for God only know what reason. This university is a lousy, careless, unorganized, and despicable excuse for an online college. I would never recommend UMUC to anyone. Save yourself the money because they'll take it from you any way they can and you won't know until they decide to inform you they need more money. And their prices for classes are so absurd. This is all an opinion. I have a right to my opinion and the right to inform others of my mistreatment to prevent it from happening to them.
Online Masters of Science Management
School not recommended by
Jack Kendall
on
June 26, 2009
31/36 people found this review helpful
I've taken a number of online courses over the years and decided to persue a MSM from Univ of Maryland UC. I withdrew after three weeks because I found out that there is an academic philosphy that group/team projects should be an important part of their educational experience. While this may be a valid educational componet, I believe that it defeats the purpose of taking online courses, which is to make the education flexible enough to fit the student's life.
Suddenly I was confronted with having to schedule chatroom meetings with classmates across different time zones and rely on their abilities without the more frequent interaction that one would get in a classroom experience. I found out, through my advisors, that this would be part of every class. If team projects are an important learning goal, teach a class on it, don't assume that the adults in your distance program still need to acquire this skill, my guess is they do it everyday in their jobs. I found a different online school with a true independent learning bent.
I thought the classes, professors, and all other aspects worked fine, I just needed greater flexibility.
UMUC
School recommended by
Sharla
on
June 14, 2009
26/28 people found this review helpful
I would highly recommend this online college to anyone! I am transferring only because they do not offer the degree that I am seeking. I was planning on getting my bachelors degree in legal studies but have changed my mind to go on an pursue my BSN in nursing. My overall experience at UMUC I rate 100%. Very easy to sign up for classes and they really have their online programs together. Never had to call anyone but once and I can't even remember what it was for, maybe some advising. You can do everything completely online including ordering books (which they allow you $300 book allowance if you get financial aid or student loans), order transcripts, sign up for classes, get your degree progress report, they tell you what classes you should take toward your degree, everything is online. I had a great experience at UMUC and would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone. Keep up the great work UMUC!
2007 BS in Psychology
School recommended by
Cindy
on
April 17, 2009
41/42 people found this review helpful
I attended UMUC from 2005-2007, and earned a second BS, in Psychology. Without a doubt, the course work prepared me for my graduate work. The instructors I had were exceptional. They expected high quality work, provided helpful feedback and guidance, and supported my through my program.
My first BS, in Elementary Education, was from a traditional school. The workload and quality of my UMUC education was as good, if not more demanding, as my first degree. Online education requires self discipline and drive. You will sometimes feel like you are in cyberspace, and you will need to accept responsibility for your work, but the staff and faculty are there to support you. Great experience!
ASIAN DIVISION ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN JAPANESE STUDIES
School recommended by
ANGELA
on
June 09, 2008
45/53 people found this review helpful
I DID NOT TAKE ANY ONLINE COURSES; BUT I FOUND IT TO BE A GOOD EXPERIENCE OVERALL, FOR OVERSEAS MILITARY SCHOOLING. IT WAS NICE TO GET CREDIT/DEGREE FROM SOMETHING I WAS HAVING TO LEARN ANYWAY. IT DID NOT PREPARE ME FOR A CAREER, PER SE; I RETURNED TO THE STATES, TO THE MIDWEST, WHERE THERE IS LITTLE DEMAND FOR MY DEGREE.
Univ. of Maryland Online Bachelor
School recommended by
Alexia
on
March 31, 2008
44/47 people found this review helpful
With the University of Maryland online I discovered that college is for me. Before I enrolled in their online courses I was having a lot of trouble passing my classes even though I was sure that I could do better. It turned out that doing the work and taking the class via the internet was the best thing for me to do.
The coursework was much harder online than it was when it was given in traditional classrooms. However that wasn't a challenge for me, I actually enjoyed the work I got through my online classes because it was at my level, and not at the rest of my classmates' level. With Maryland college we used forums, email, and a lot of video and audio files. We also got to use Adobe Reader a lot to open up our PDF files which contained our printed materials such as assignments, vocabulary, and even our books were in that type of file.
As for the classmate and professor interactions, I think that online it was way better than not online. My professors and I did a lot of one-on-one talking and discussing of goals, class activities, and the future. My overall experience at the University of Maryland college online was awesome. I wouldn't have finished my education were it not for this online program. I highly recommend that busy individuals or those who are having trouble with traditional classes try the online courses offered here.
bachelor degree
School recommended by
Umair
on
March 27, 2008
44/49 people found this review helpful
I originally attended the University of Maryland Asian Division while stationed aboard Okinawa and attended classes on site. It was towards the end of my bachelor degree program that I first tried online courses via Web Tycho.
I found them to be more challenging in that one was required to read and write much more than a typical face to face course. The same can be said for my current master of science in computer systems management degree track. I am specializing in information assurance and have found all of the classes to be relevant, topical, and well worth the investment. The only sticking point that I have had with the university is support when I needed to clarify what I identified as mistakes in my tuition charges.
Even so, I still find this university to be an outstanding value and their degree well worth the time and effort one puts into it. The cost of a UMUC education is quite reasonable. I've noticed the University has taken great strides to leverage its alumni pool and have alumni serve as career mentors for recent graduates.
Part -Time MBA
School recommended by
anonymous
on
March 25, 2008
94/110 people found this review helpful
I graduated from University of Maryland, University College in August 2005 after completing the part-time MBA graduate program. Overall, the greatest value of the UMUC graduate degree is the program's affiliation with the University of Maryland college system.
Unlike other for profit higher education institutions, the state of Maryland has a tradition of providing a high quality education and graduates of the UMUC program stand to benefit from that reputation. With that said the UMUC MBA program is geared towards working professionals who are already established in their careers and searching for opportunities to advance within their respective companies or a designed field in which they already have considerable experience.
One of the weakest aspects of the institution in general, is that there is little support in terms of career development or recruitment opportunities for individuals seeking to transition into a different career path after obtaining their MBA. To give you an example, while earning my MBA at UMUC, I was laid off from my job as a sales manager. I found that the university provided few career resources. The resources available were geared towards undergraduate, not graduate students. Also, with few exceptions, you also felt that you were simply a small number in a fairly successful program.
I heard that with some other institutions, the graduate advisors take a more active approach and help the students reach their career goals through the graduate program. To its credit, I think the institution is able to attract top faculty due to its association with the University of Maryland’s higher education system. The MBA program at UMUC is structured into cohorts. Students progress through the program at the same pace, providing support for one another during the more strenuous parts of the program. I highly recommend the combination online and face-to-face MBA program format, particularly for the requisite study group sessions. Having a physical "face-to-face" point of reference helps for the study group cohesion, group interaction and group involvement - a huge benefit in subsequent courses.
Overall, the UMUC MBA program is a great value compared to other MBA programs. The price per credit hour is the same regardless of residency status. Since I'm also pursuing another graduate degree at UMUC currently, I've noticed the University has taken great strides to leverage its alumni pool and have alumni serve as career mentors for recent graduates.
Criminal Justice - Forensics
School recommended by
Fred J
on
March 25, 2008
36/40 people found this review helpful
The coursework was very rigorous but there was ample time given to complete tests, projects, and assignments. The tools I used were mainly online and website based, but you didn't have to complete everything on the computer, as you could send the professor documents or work via "snail mail." I didn't have much interactions with other students, but with the professor the interactions were great. The online services made it easy to contact the professor whenever I faced a challenge or question that I needed help with. Overall the experience was great and I would recommend it to anyone.
