I did a Master's in Education at WGU and graduated within 2 years. I'm keeping the degree title a secret here to attempt to preserve some privacy. Here is the summary of my experience:

I could complete an average of 1 CU a day. Meaning my entire degree, sans the required student teaching, was completed in less than 6 months. If you're going for a degree without student teaching (clinical experience, as they call it), there's nothing to worry about.

The WGU staff is really nice and knowledgeable, I had no issues with them. The curriculum was the same as at other universities, but WGU's is reworded and summarized so you don't have to read in circles to wait for the author to get to the point. I appreciated that. Once I actually "got on the job", there was quite a few things that were important to know at an actual school that I felt the WGU degree was lacking in its curriculum, but to my knowledge no degree teaches that.

The only difficult course I had was one that requires you to know kindergarten through 12th grade math. Math is taught very differently these days, and k-12 math also now contains things I was never taught in school at all. I used Khan Academy and YouTube tutorials to get through it.

Everything went fine until student teaching at a physical school.

The course information once you start doing student teaching (your responsibilities, who to tell what, what to upload where, etc) was confusing and felt like a maze of documents and links, with too many different contact people. The titles for those contact people were sometimes wrong between what staff or paperwork said and what the current WGU website said. 

The entire student teaching process also takes a minimum of 11-12 months. You have a minimum of 2 placements (1 observation, 1 actual teaching) and each placement typically takes at least 3 months to get, so that is 6 months or more total of just waiting for placements. You then have the several months of actually doing the student teaching, which gets stretched out between holidays and (if applicable) summer vacation. A Bachelor's degree may have a longer student teaching placement, I don't know.

Student teaching is full time, entirely unpaid, you are not really allowed to take days off, and you still need to pay WGU tuition during it. If you have a substitute teaching license prior to beginning your student teaching, you can substitute for your mentor teacher during your placement and get paid for it, but can't substitute for anyone else. So you may become very stressed about money, your house will get messy, etc. You may also be placed an hour or more away from your home.

Once I got in, I realized it had been too long since I'd been in a public school. Schools are run entirely differently now. At the school I was at there was no homework, no detention, no failing a grade, etc. In an upper elementary class, many students were still at preschool and kindergarten level, but the school was not allowed to fail them. So you were supposed to do things like teach 5th grade math to a class where 30% of kids are at 1st grade level math. This means most students are messing around instead of paying attention, because the material is always over their heads. They also can't catch up via homework because you can't issue homework. I was told not to correct grammar or spelling on any assignments, so the kids weren't learning how to spell. It felt as if my entire day was managing children's behavior instead of teaching, when what I actually wanted to do was teach. I witnessed a lot of bad behavior from students, which would have called for suspension or detention in my days, but I was told that it was normal behavior today. I also witnessed how extremely stressed most of the teachers were -- this was generally due to student behavior, not lesson planning. Students in late elementary school still didn't know what a sentence was or where to put a period or capital letters. For every instruction I gave, I had to repeat it orally at least six times even though I had also written it on the board, and at the end of each lesson I would still get kids who raised their hand saying they had done nothing for an hour because they didn't hear or read what they were supposed to do.

I was not allowed to comment negatively on anything. If a student was refusing to do any work, we couldn't say something like "Why are you ignoring instructions? You need to do the assignment properly, stop messing around". Instead we had to praise them, for example if they were at least holding the pencil but hadn't even written their name then we would have to say "Thank you for picking up the pencil" or "Thanks for getting started". If we were negative in any way, we were written up, because it went against the district standards of behavior motivation. I'll withhold my comments on that. Despite the many studies on how food affects behavior and attention span, the school also gave the kids sugary cereal, desserts, and so on for breakfast, lunch and snacks as a way to entice them to come to school, and it negatively affected their behavior throughout the course of the day. They got more than 100% of their daily sugar recommendation in just one school meal.

The whole student teaching process was severely frustrating and emotionally draining. I was so tired each day I effectively went to the school, taught, came home, fell asleep. I felt like I didn't have enough time awake and alert to properly plan for teaching except for on the weekends, and I spent the weekends trying to earn money to make up for the massive loss of income. I was too tired to be able to self-reflect enough to make fast improvements. My health suffered, I was drinking 4-5 coffees just to stay awake throughout the day and I still felt tired. I expressed my feelings to WGU and other teachers, and everyone told me that what I was experiencing was "a normal classroom these days" and that if I wasn't a natural at handling it, then teaching in public schools wasn't for me.

After several months of student teaching I decided to switch my degree to one where I would NOT get state licensure, and to teach adults instead of kids. Two days after making that decision my health bounced back, I easily cut down to half a cup of coffee a day, I was much more productive, I stopped being so negative... I hadn't realized how depressed being in the classroom had made me.

Without a license, you can teach at:
- Private schools (this can include religious schools, tribal reservation schools, and private schools in foreign countries)
- Daycares, preschools
- Most schools for adults, including community colleges, correctional facilities (which, btw, pay double the salary of a public school teacher!), and corporate teaching positions such as staff training
- Teach English online
- Be a teacher's assistant instead of a teacher

At this point I believe a non-license Education degree is the smartest option for almost everyone. If you get a non-license degree and want a license later, you can either get an emergency teaching certificate from a desperate school district (available to anyone with a degree and clean background check) and eventually convert it to a real license based on years of experience, or you can go through a separate, non-university teacher training program that PAYS you a full salary to student teach and get your license, in which case the student teaching is also going to be longer (1-2 years) and thus you get more training out of it. In some cases or some countries you can also apply for a license after you have taught for 3 consecutive years at a private school while being unlicensed. If your local district allows hiring via emergency teacher licenses, you can "preview" the school and students by being a substitute, paraeducator or volunteer before you take on an actual teaching job there.

If anyone wants to do student teaching for licensure, I highly recommend you go through all paraeducator training you can find at a minimum, as it is more comprehensive than what WGU teaches. I also recommend you begin planning out, in detail, lessons for your classroom for every single day you're in student teaching, as far in advance as possible (before you even get into the classroom) for every subject.

In recent times, the University of the People has been bombarding all social networks with advertisements about a new alleged partnership with Coca-Cola, which would supposedly involve distributing scholarships left and right "so that the University of the People can help the progress of humanity yadda yadda yadda". And then come the usual self-congratulatory fanfares about UoPeople's international achievements etc. The funny thing is no one knows whether this "partnership" actually exists: in fact, there is no trace of the University of the People in Coca-Cola's documents or official statements. However, in the meantime, UoPeople is raking in tons of clicks thanks to people searching for Coca-Cola on social media. Regardless of whether the partnership or the scholarships exist, this stunt is therefore a way to attract clicks. Mind you, there's nothing surprising about this, because in the past UoPeople had already used tricks of this kind: from a partnership with "Harvard Business School" to "our famous student Simone Biles", the University of the People never misses a chance to make itself look ridiculous.

For those who want or need it or are interested in something new:

https://learning.respondersafety.com/ has several free traffic safety related videos for EMS, fire, LE, and more that come with certificates (I believe all courses CAPCE accredited).

https://www.boundtree.com/education has a few free CAPCE accredited courses with certificates of completion. 

https://app.guardian-you.com/ has free CAPCE accredited courses with certificates of completion.

https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-in...d-training has pediatric education resources - I don't know if they're CAPCE accredited, but they're approved in MI for CEU's.

https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside-md...department again unknown if they're CAPCE accredited, but they're approved in MI for CEU's.

https://www.ndlsf.org/ offers basic, advances, and core disaster life support as well as other courses. Some may have a cost. 

https://americancme.org/ offers paid CAPCE accredited courses as well as free courses - website has state details.

*I'm not affiliated with any of these. Just used them in the past and hope this information can help someone*

Hello everyone, I have recently found out about the offer by Campus Unviersitario Europeo (CUE) which offers a Título Propio DBA for the reduced price of 1500€ entirely online (I confirmed the price via email inquiry). Expedition of the Title and Apostille cost another 695€ (according to email). That's a DBA título propio from Spain for a bit more than 2000€. The UniAthena Ucam DBA is 11.000€ for reference. I also inquired how much the double titulation would cost, since I'll have to do research on how the CUE is registered. Seems like a DBA título propio from a Mexican University for likely less than 3000€ (assuming double titulation is 500-1000€ish). Any experiences with them so far? Sounds way better than Selinus, Gambit Business School, EIU Paris and other not so officially registered universities.

Does anyone know if Nexford MBA in Finance is also IACBE accredited? 
I don't see it listed here : https://iacbe.org/memberpdf/NexfordUniversity.pdf

So I'm running through my GEC courses on Study.com, and though the Maine transfer portal search shows that each of these courses covers 3C, 3D, and 3E, I want to make sure of something.

If I complete Intro to Meteorology, Anatomy & Physiology, and Microbiology, does that cover ALL I need to do for the science section of GEC? Or is there a mandatory Lab course (Like Biology 101L w/Lab or whatever) that needs to be completed as well?

WARNING ABOUT THE WEST VIRGINIA RBA PROGRAM!!! 

I've been a student in the RBA program at TWO different universities for about two years thus far, when I (supposedly) only needed the 24 credit hours in residency at any WV university or college. It has taken so long because I've had to bring my complaints all the way to the Higher Learning Commission and the US Department of Education's Office of the Inspector General and then it took months to find another university to accept me. My complaint DID trigger an investigation, based on its merits.

AS OF TODAY I HAVE COMPLETED 21 CREDIT HOURS AT WV UNIVERSITIES WITHIN THE RBA PROGRAM AND I JUST NOW GOT MY EVALUATION!!!

SOUND SKETCHY? IT GETS WORSE. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I TOLD MY ADVISOR I DID NOT WANT THE BASIC, GENERAL STUDIES DEGREE WITHOUT MY CHOSEN MINOR. I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING AND COMPLETED EVERY COURSE THAT IS REQUIRED (except for one UL course that I intended to take via West Virginia university, DSST, an ACE provider or whatever is necessary.) Most of the ones I sought to apply to the minor were ACE credits but some were/would be from the WV University I attend. 

BUT, ONLY AFTER I'VE TAKEN THE COURSES FOR THE RBA RESIDENCY AND SOUGHT TO APPLY FOR THE MINOR, WAS I FINALLY TOLD THAT ACE CREDIT WOULD NOT APPLY TO THE MINOR!!!

CAN MY ADVISOR TRUTHFULLY SAY SHE DIDN'T KNOW I COULD NEVER QUALIFY FOR THE MINOR WITH THE CREDIT I HAVE? OR DID SHE JUST PLAIN LIE BY OMMISSION IN ORDER TO KEEP COLLECTING MY PELL FUNDS FOR HER EMPLOYER/UNIVERSITY? 

CAN SHE JUST USE THE "THAT'S NOT MY DEPARTMENT" ARGUMENT? I don't care whose final decision it is. She KNEW I could not qualify with ACE credit and she withheld that vital information. Transparency and professional ethics require her to divulge such pertinent information. 

This is the second WV university I've been enrolled in while seeking this degree. That's because getting a straight, consistent and honest answer or ANYTHING RESEMBLING TRANSPARENCY is IMPOSSIBLE. 

In short, IF you have mostly college credit hours it may go better for you but NOT with ACE credits. I came in with nearly 150 credit hours, mostly ACE. I earned the BOG AAS along the way. 

None of these universities will even give you a credit transfer evaluation until you've completed a FULL SEMESTER. So, you'll get NO academic advising and you basically just pick courses and HOPE that they'll be accepted toward your area of emphasis or your minor. You're ONLY safe in the knowledge that you are working toward your 24 credit hours in residency. You have ZERO information on whether your current credit hours will transfer AT ALL and certainly not whether they transfer as upper or lower level credit. You can do everything within your power to meet the requirements, only to have your upper level credits declined, demoted, or noted as electives, therefor not meeting the minor or emphasis area requirements.  

If they give you NO academic advising until you've already registered for courses and they've collected some of your money, that is awfully convenient for them. 

In my experience, I began at one RBA program, was told that I just needed to start taking courses and make sure they were upper level. That is the extent of ANY advising you'll get until after they've already made some money off of you. I was told they "may" have to wait until a semester was completed. Then told they "would not do it" after two completed courses in an 8 week term, and instead the whole semester would have to be completed. Meanwhile, the RBA program handbook (created for the statewide program) does NOT state this is the normal practice and nor did that university's RBA program guide.

When I sent my complaint to the WV state department of education, they did NOT CARE. They sent me a very brief statement about how the RBA program was "unique" and so it allowed the asvisors to do whatever. 

Ask yourself WHY any university would decline to do a credit transfer evaluation. No other university I EVER applied to has done this. NOT ONE. 

The SOLE thing to be gained by this is manipulation of the transfer credits to earn more money, force the student to take more courses and keep the truth about how many and how the credit hours will ultimately be assessed. 

I've stuck with this because of the specific area of emphasis and minor that was available to me would help to ensure I could get accepted into a Master's program in my chosen field. According to the requirements of the very few programs I can afford, a general studies degrees will prevent my acceptance. You MUST have a degree, minor, concentration, etc in the subject area. 

The other options that have flat rate or competency degrees were NOT covered with my PELL funds. I am disabled, lower income and had no additional money to spend.  I tried them all and found that the per credit hour fee would seem to be covered at many universites but the way they time the sessions/semesters, the PELL was never sufficient. At WVROCKS courses through West Virgina universities, my PELL was more than sufficient. Others that could've worked (financially) the offerings were business, psychology, education, computer science, English, etc. (not my chosen fields.)

Otherwise, I surely would've left the RBA program after the first WV RBA program jerked me around and mislead me. Now, I'm so far into this that my only option is to complete the program and get a degree that is USELESS because I certainly cannot gain acceptance into a suitable and affordable Master's program. I have two courses left and regardless of what happens to me (I have virtually no hope of getting my minor and I've been horribly treated) I am AGAIN making my complaints to the Higher Learning Commission and the Department of Education, in the hope that this program will be unmasked for the monster that it is. 

Also, the advisers from the two RBA programs I've been involved in have been worse than used car salesmen. They obfuscate the truth, tap dance around very direct questions an lie by ommision at levels you probably cannot fathom.

Hello! I am wondering if someone can help guide me into obtaining a Masters in Counseling degree on a direct and time/cost effective way? I currently have an associates and will list the credits I already have below. I am considering a few options as far as an undergrad: interior design, business management, psychology, or neuroscience. I would like to take the path that makes the most sense as far as time and money. I'd like to be able to use CLEP for as many classes as possible. I am already registered and accepted to TESU. Please see below for my other credits and thank you so much for your time.

DNC 1100 Intro to ballet I- 2 credits
DNC 1300 Intro to Jazz- 2 credits
HIS 1700 Am Civ- 3 credits
PSY 1010 Gen Psych- 3 credits
Arch 1010 Intro to Design- 3 credits
ARCH 1130 Drawing-3 credits
ARCH 1310 CAD intro- 3 credits
HLA 1020 Cardio-1 credit
MATH 1010 In Alg- 4 credits
LE 1220 Carrer Dev- 3 credits
MATH 1050 Coll Alg- 4 credits
Arth 1010 Expl Art- 3 credits
COMM 1010 -3 credits
DNC 1510 Jazz II- 2 credits
Engl 1010- 3 credits
GEN 1010- 3 credits
Math 1060 Trig- 3 credits
ARCH 2210 Comm Const- 5 credits
ARCH 2310 Redering- 3 credits
ARCH 2510 Res Design- 5 credits
ARCH 1100 Arch Draw- 3 credits
ARCH 1210 Res Const- 5 credits
ARCH 1510 Arch Des- 3 credits
HLAC 1096 fit 4 life- 1 credit
ARCH 1350 comp graphics- 3 credits
ARCH 2320 redering II- 3 credits
ARCH 2330 CAD custom- 3 credits
ARCH 2350 Adv CAD- 3 credits
ARCH 2520 CAD III- 5 credits
ARCH 2350 Adv CAD- 3 credits

total 90 credits

Hey everyone!

Thank you so much for all your input thus far!

It looks like we're gonna go for just a straight-up AA degree at TESU. We're gonna get 45 credits from places like Straighterline, Study, Sophia, etc. And then take 15 at TESU.

So I need help with the 45 credits.

Here is the list of classes need per TESU: Associate in Arts (A.A.) | Thomas Edison State University

And here is Straighterline's crosswalk: Thomas Edison State University Partnership | StraighterLine


However, I think that crosswalk is old. 

I would like to have the plan to have the 45 credits be as much Straighterline as possible, and then what Study and/or Sophia courses next to take to get to the 45. 

Obviously, there might be a few that you can only take at TESU - that's fine, because my goddaughter's gotta take 15 there anyway. But it'd be great to have you guys help me get a list of classes going - a Plan. Like: Take these 10 Straighterline courses. Then these 5 Study.coms. Then these 5 TESUs. Done. That'd be awesome!

(And of course, we'll have to get TESU to review and sign off on this plan of course in advance before doing all this).

Thank you!

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Gies College of Business is developing an online MS in Business Analytics with Artificial Intelligence, planning a soft launch of courses for non-degree enrollment in  Fall 2026 which could stack into the degree program starting Spring 2027. As in their current online programs Gies is partnering with Coursera.

For further out in the future, Gies is also in discussions about potential online master’s programs in finance or financial management and in technology management, and a potential iMBA concentration in supply chain management.

Amid Steep International Declines, Illinois Gies Bets Big On Online Growth (Marc Ethier, Poets & Quants, November 13, 2025)