Masters Degree through CAP?

[Mitchell 1969]

How much credit does AMU give towards a masters degree if you have ACSC? As a side note, I'm glad that AU is now requiring a bachelors degree for SOS, ACSC, AWC.

If I'm not mistaken, isn't AU requiring that the undergrad degree be from a regionally accredited school?

Why would that be? As long as a degree is accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the Department of Education, it is acceptable for commissioning, promotion, GI Bill...

Besides regionally accredited, there are degrees that are nationally accredited by DETC which is a DOE recognized accreditation agency. The armed forces doesn't practice the regional vs national academic snobbery engaged in by far too many schools and professors.

[DrJbdm]

 The vast majority, as in almost all regionally accredited schools will not accept credits from Nationally accredited schools nor will they recognize a degree from a nationally accredited school for the purpose of granting admission to a graduate program of study. Some exceptions do exist but as a general rule, a nationally accredited school such as a school accredited by the DETC will generally have an extremely difficult time gaining acceptance.

  The reason I ask is that AU is regionally accredited, and as stated earlier almost all regionally accredited schools save for a very small percentage will not recognize a degree from a nationally accredited school. I don't know why there is such problems with the acceptance, we all know there are both very good DETC accredited schools and very bad ones, the same is equally true of regionally accredited schools, there are some great schools and some very bad ones. I think we can all name at least two or three regionally accredited schools that we wouldn't set foot in. Just wondered what the AU policy was. (I hold a degree from a regionally accredited school)

[SARDOC]

How much credit does AMU give towards a masters degree if you have ACSC? As a side note, I'm glad that AU is now requiring a bachelors degree for SOS, ACSC, AWC.

If I'm not mistaken, isn't AU requiring that the undergrad degree be from a regionally accredited school?

It depends on your degree plan.  They won't necessarily give you credit for  AWC, ACSC or SOS if for example you are trying to get a business degree.  However if you are attempting a National Security Studies degree they will count them for credit.  The amount of credit accepted is up to each school.  You'd have to ask their admissions or registrar's residence for exact information.

[GroundHawg]

Not trying to start anything, but a lot companies (at least locally) will not consider college degrees from for-profit institutions, regionally accredited or not. I don't agree with it, but the warning needs to be thrown out just in case. 

There are many colleges and universities that give post grad credit for the AU distance courses, it would foolish to not consider them, as they are a great way to knock out electives if you already have your BA or BS. I plan on enrolling in SOS as soon as I make Captain.

A "lot?"  Name three.

At least 5 of the city or county governments (Florence, Erlanger, Independence, Boone County and Covington), Proctor and Gamble, CSX, and I've heard Toyota. One of my local city police departments (Erlanger) even has a stipulation that if the school does not have a brick and mortar campus, they will not accept the degree as valid. This is goofy as schools like the U of Phoenix now have physical campuses, and there is no way to tell if you received your degree online from a school or went to campus traditionally.

[JeffDG]

Not trying to start anything, but a lot companies (at least locally) will not consider college degrees from for-profit institutions, regionally accredited or not. I don't agree with it, but the warning needs to be thrown out just in case. 

There are many colleges and universities that give post grad credit for the AU distance courses, it would foolish to not consider them, as they are a great way to knock out electives if you already have your BA or BS. I plan on enrolling in SOS as soon as I make Captain.

A "lot?"  Name three.

At least 5 of the city or county governments (Florence, Erlanger, Independence, Boone County and Covington), Proctor and Gamble, CSX, and I've heard Toyota. One of my local city police departments (Erlanger) even has a stipulation that if the school does not have a brick and mortar campus, they will not accept the degree as valid. This is goofy as schools like the U of Phoenix now have physical campuses, and there is no way to tell if you received your degree online from a school or went to campus traditionally.

Where other states are going much more aggressively with online education options, like WGU

[Flying Pig]

Florida and CA are pretty big into online education.  At least on the government employee side.  I have yet to see anyone get pushed aside because their degree was online.  If the degree was different or somehow less, the schools wouldn't allow you to "walk" at graduation and it would probably denote "online" somewhere on the degree.  I've never seen on that denotes online or physically sat in class.

[DBlair]

While it's been a while since this topic has been active, I figured the information below might prove especially valuable as it had been asked a few times:

How much credit does AMU give towards a masters degree if you have ACSC?

Regarding PME (ACSC/AWC) credit through American Public University System (American Military University/American Public University), it is theoretically possible to make (free) progress (ACSC+AWC= 48 Credits) towards a grad degree, *if* all of these credits are applied to the degree program-- and AMU/APU does have a few programs that seem applicable to many of the credit recommendations below, so perhaps somewhat possible.

Military Schools Accepted for Transfer Credit at APUS:
http://www.apus.edu/TransferCredit/accepted/graduate/military.htm
(*SOS only counts if in-residence)



*Note: Credit Recommendations through ACE (below) are generally accepted/followed at most schools. Whether it applies to your specific degree program is the more relevant question.


ACSC: 21 Credits

"In the graduate degree category, 6 semester hours in military history, 3 in regional studies, 6 in defense resources management, and 6 in national and international securities studies" (ACE)

http://www2.acenet.edu/militaryguide/ShowAceCourses.cfm?ACEID=AF-1511-0015


AWC: 27 Credits

"In the graduate degree category, 6 semester hours in military history and strategy, 3 in regional studies, 6 in defense resources management, and 12 in defense policy/national and international security" (ACE)

http://www2.acenet.edu/militaryguide/ShowAceCourses.cfm?ACEID=AF-1511-0014



Regarding "Online" or "Distance Learning" Degree Programs:

While there was once a stigma behind a degree that was earned via distance learning, and some universities previously noted on the transcript or the diploma of the degree whether earned via traditional or distance learning, this is largely a thing of the past and rarely ever seen since the late 1990s or early 2000s as many universities began offering online classes to their traditional students as a means of expanding the quantity of seats available for a course, eventually standardizing into mirror degree programs and requirements for each course as the same regardless of the medium, thus is typically just listed by the course name/code as with any other courses.

Admittedly, there have been a few bad apples as to "online" schools that were not exactly well-respected, but those have faded into the background and now many of the world's top universities, including Ivy League and a wide variety of other well-respected public and private universities offer undergraduate and graduate degrees via distance learning-- including many of the world's top ranked MBA programs.

Thus, while "online" or "distance learning" once meant something negative, today it has no real meaning beyond the fact that it was a medium convenience to your life/work schedule, and is still the exact same degree.

[AirDX]

As with most graduate programs, APUS limits the amount of credit that may be transferred in.  The basic disclaimer is right at the top of the graduate transfer credit page:

"The maximum transfer credit award possible toward a master's degree is 15 semester hours."

I couldn't find it on a quick scan just now, but IIRC there are only 1 or 2 programs at APUS that give that much credit for ACSC.  It's hit or miss otherwise, and what they give may not be applicable to a particular program.

[GroundHawg]

There are three universities that I know of that allow for unlimited transfer of credit, Charter Oak State College, Excelsior, and Thomas Edison State.

[Devil Doc]

How much credit does AMU give towards a masters degree if you have ACSC? As a side note, I'm glad that AU is now requiring a bachelors degree for SOS, ACSC, AWC.

If I'm not mistaken, isn't AU requiring that the undergrad degree be from a regionally accredited school?

Confused, what is ACSC? SOS? and AWC? I have an ASSociates Degree from a Community College, and Military Credits, AMU will count CAP? Huh?

[SARDOC]

How much credit does AMU give towards a masters degree if you have ACSC? As a side note, I'm glad that AU is now requiring a bachelors degree for SOS, ACSC, AWC.

If I'm not mistaken, isn't AU requiring that the undergrad degree be from a regionally accredited school?

Confused, what is ACSC? SOS? and AWC? I have an ASSociates Degree from a Community College, and Military Credits, AMU will count CAP? Huh?

ACSC = Air Command and Staff College
SOS = Squadron Officer School
AWC = Air War College

They are schools that are typically Military Professional Military Education but the Air Force allows qualified members to attend for our Professional Development purposes.  Many of which are eligible for Graduate level credits to schools that will accept them.

[GroundHawg]

How much credit does AMU give towards a masters degree if you have ACSC? As a side note, I'm glad that AU is now requiring a bachelors degree for SOS, ACSC, AWC.

If I'm not mistaken, isn't AU requiring that the undergrad degree be from a regionally accredited school?

Confused, what is ACSC? SOS? and AWC? I have an ASSociates Degree from a Community College, and Military Credits, AMU will count CAP? Huh?

You have to have a bachelors to attend any of the three, but as mentioned, you can grab some free Graduate credits with a little hard work!

[AirDX]

There are three universities that I know of that allow for unlimited transfer of credit, Charter Oak State College, Excelsior, and Thomas Edison State.

Until you get to the graduate level - Excelsior also only allows 15 credits of transfer credit towards a master's degree.

[winterg]

Has anyone taken any graduate courses through AMU/APU?  Interested in feedback if you have.