re: LSUS Online MBA Reviews

DieDaily, great post showing the tone of posts 2 years ago. Many of the same challenges as today. However, I think it's this new textbook policy that's a major shift -- and not for the better.

As others have commented, I also want to see LSUS's reputation stay strong. While I believe the school had the best intentions -- saving students money on textbooks -- I think it's backfiring. Sharing our concerns with professors and administration will hopefully drive them to reconsider this policy.

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Have any of you completed the project part 1 for MKT701 with James? If so, how much time did it take you? I am getting anxious b/c I am not done and I saw she posted part 2 with ADDITIONAL readings for this week! I am ready to get this class over with.

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I'm about 75% done. At this point I have put in countless hours, I mean its been nearly a FT job for me. I am so done with all of the busy work, just another 2.5 weeks to go.

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As others have commented, I also want to see LSUS's reputation stay strong. While I believe the school had the best intentions -- saving students money on textbooks -- I think it's backfiring. Sharing our concerns with professors and administration will hopefully drive them to reconsider this policy.

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I think that having been quoted in that previous post, some of the same things then remain today. My issue is with these teacher assistants graduated from Phoenix, Capella, and other for-profit schools that are obviously not AACSB grading our papers as if they have a clue. The text books issue needs to get corrected moving forward. These books are filled with misspelling errors and bad content. The professors are top notch but they could use help is writing test questions. MADM 701 questions are "Which of these choices is not..." which has been proven to be the wrong way to frame a question when testing for knowledge. The learning objectives from these books do not match the module LOs and so on. Very frustrating. A lot of work to keep a 4.0 gpa in my opinion. I am so ready to be done...

Quote: Not even close to finishing. The project is rididiclous. From reading the forums on moodle several people have stated the they found quite a bit of info from the pdf she posted. I have looked everywhere and Do not see any pdf. All I see under project resources is links to the corporate website.

I don't see any PDF's neither. Maybe they are speaking about the office hours notes. I looked at those and that was the encouragement to get me started as well as following the template verbatim.

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How would you do it as a combo? I think it’s either or. Are you referring to GMAT scores/waivers?

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I don't know, just brainstorming. The program has a very high acceptance rate. Hey it worked for me. Maybe cap the number of accepted students each term. Take the best performers based in order of work experience, undergrad GPA, GMAT if necessary or whatever. Or just based on order of application received. Its a rolling admission (I think) so not too many applicants would be left out too long. Just staggered. However, I would not get rid of GMAT waivers as I think the GMAT is a useless indicator of grad school success for those with a number of years of work experience under their belts. Re-learining about isoceles triangles, in my opinion, has no bearing on grad school success. Then, once the proper number of instructors are in place, open the floodgates if necessary.

I think the program needs more group interaction. In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of a traditional MBA is the connections made. In a recent conversation with a colleague who went to a traditional brick and mortar school, he said without a doubt the connections were 90% of the benefit. He said if he lost his job, he was certain he could make a few calls to former classmates and probably have a new job within a week. Some online schools know this and structure the online program with cohorts. For example, Temple online you are in the same group depending on concentration progressing through each class as a unit. Although it does take away some of your flexibility at the individual level. For me, more group work might be more of a challenge/difficulty, but I think the reality is it might make for better learning and possible useful connections to take away. I am just sot sure I am retaining much from endless multiple-choice exams. If all I need is a "check-box" MBA I suppose thats fine, but I think developing relationships/connections can be beneficial.

Maybe its a catch 22. In order to keep cost down they need volume, but then there is the risk of the old quality over quantity argument, but the fact is the low cost is incredibly appealing and I thank LSUS for making that a priority. I live in an area with dozens of local MBA programs and could not justify tens of thousands of dollars for an MBA at this stage in my career. Lets just hope the growing pains pass.

Well said.

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It feels like there is no way to actually give feedback on the program that will be acted upon. Improving the quality of the program doesn't appear to be part of the administration's goals.

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This is definitely a feeling I share. I don't know if y'all do the class / instructor surveys at the end of a course but I've filled them out for every class I've taken. And even though they are anonymous, I've put my name and phone number in the survey comments on 2 occasions asking that someone call me if they'd like to discuss with me in more detail because I would like the program to get better.

That is, admittedly, anecdotal, but it does make me feel like they don't care. And I don't just mean them not responding to me personally. Why don't they send out a big email between semesters saying "Here's the feedback we've gotten from your surveys and we are taking these steps to address them"?

I know they sent out the email about changes to the program related to them keeping their AACSB accreditation but that felt a little more self-serving than changes to the program related to student feedback.

<3 ACCT701 :)

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Hey is ISDS705 still a required core course?

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It's still showing on mine as a requirement as well

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